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Interviews / Marketing & Advertising

Balancing the Grind with Danni Irving, Head of Marketing at Earnr

Danni Irving is the Head of Marketing at Earnr, an app designed for creators, small businesses and people with side-hustles.

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1) To kick things off, could you tell us a little about your career background and current role?

I’m the Head of Marketing for an app called Earnr. The app is for creators, small businesses and those with side-hustles. We manage their business and finance admin and make ‘boring’ tasks (such as submitting a tax return) quick and simple. We want to give people more time to grow their business and generate revenue.

I’ve worked in a fair few Fintech start-ups (of varying size!) within Marketing and Growth. It’s a really exciting space to work in and I love the pace and fun that comes with it.

2) What does a day in your life look like for you? Can you take us through a recent workday?

No two days are ever the same! But, it tends to go something like this:

I wake up, put on BBC Radio 4 and chug down a strong instant (I love instant!) coffee. Before I leave the house, I set out my intentions for the day in a wellness planner that I bought last year. I find it helps me be more productive and generally achieve what I set out to do. 

Now that we are back in the office, my short commute consists of a podcast or music (depending on my mood that day). I love to use this time to get lost in my own thoughts!

We’ll always have a team-wide stand up and check in on what we have accomplished, what we will do next and discuss any blockers. From there, it’s headphones on, Spotify on and I get to work on whatever needs to get done that day.

Right now, we’re in the middle of the tax season: our latest feature makes this task really easy and fast. We’re pushing this to new and existing customers across a variety of channels.

So a typical day at the moment could be; planning, creating and optimising new adverts. After that it might be a PR meeting, a customer interview, a chat with a potential partner, a growth session to plan experiments and so much more! We’re a young and growing start-up so it’s lots of hats and lots of learning!

After work, I’ll try to go to a HIIT class or brave the cold and run. I find this is the best way to shake off any stress from the day. Once home, I try to cook something delicious (this is where I find my downtime!). I’ll clear my inbox and then unwind in front of a good TV show like Homeland or read a book/article online.

3) Does your current role allow for flexible or remote working? If so, how does that fit into your life and routine?

Yes! We’re in a WeWork, and we all try to go in a few days a week. I love working in the office, I find it easier to concentrate and align with other team members. That said, I do enjoy a Monday WFH so I can put on loud, electronic music and focus.

4) What does work-life balance mean to you and how do you work to achieve that goal?

It’s a tricky one, because when you work in a start-up, it’s almost impossible to keep your work-life completely separate from your personal life. But that is because you are so invested in building a brand and product, and making it a success.

A true work-life balance to me, is enjoying where you work, but being able to rest and take time to enjoy things that help you recharge and make you happy. I try to achieve this by surrounding myself with good people and knowing myself and when I need to chill!

5) In the past 12 months, have you started or stopped any routines or habits to change your life?

I started journaling. I set out my intentions at the start of the day, and I write a few lines to reflect at the end of the day. It doesn’t have to be long, but I find it helpful to stay present and recognise progress.

I also carve out an hour each evening to cook something (often a new experiment!). I find a lot of comfort and relaxation through cooking, it’s the thing I look forward to each day.

I’ve stopped putting so much pressure on myself. I recognise that life is actually quite long and we are all on our own journey with ups and downs. It’s better to focus on yourself; plan where you can, celebrate your wins, learn from your losses and keep going!

6) Do you have any favourite books, podcasts or newsletters that you’d like to recommend?

As far as marketing newsletters go, I love The Stacked Marketer, Lenny’s Newsletter and all the Reforge content.

I recently read a book which was a collection of essays by supermodel Emily Ratajkowski. It is titled My Body. I’m not really sure what I expected, but it was thought provoking, well constructed and hyper relevant.

7) Are there any products, gadgets or apps that you can’t live without?

I can’t live without Spotify or my iPhone camera.

My favourite new gadgets are my Bose headphones and my Always Pan from Our Place.

8) If you could read an interview about work-life balance by anyone, who would that be? 

Whitney Wolfe Head – I’ve always admired Bumble’s brand and what she has accomplished. Or, maybe someone like Dietrich Mateschitz, I imagine building a brand like Red Bull must have been pretty time-consuming!

9) Do you have any last thoughts on work, life or balance that you’d like to share with our readers?

Take the time to check-in with yourself and reflect. Whatever goals you set (both in the context of work and personal life) really commit to them and hold yourself accountable. If one fails, know you gave it your all and move on (with energy) to the next!

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About Author

Hey there! I'm Hao, the Editor-in-Chief at Balance the Grind. We’re on a mission to showcase healthy work-life balance through interesting stories from people all over the world, in different careers and lifestyles.