It’s a Cornerstone thing

David brings a wealth of knowledge to our client campaigns, with strategic marketing planning and digital knowledge that enhances and accelerates our client campaigns over and above their competitors.

With a strong marketing background and passion for driving clients’ businesses forward, David is actively involved in all major client campaigns and promotions.

Why I Do It

We believe that we can far exceed clients’ expectations on all levels, and do it quicker, and more cost effectively than many of our competitors, which is why many of our clients have never gone anywhere else. Our ethos is a no nonsense approach, and complete honesty. This is a reflection of both my personality, and the way in which I think business should be done.

Sarah heads up our creative department and has developed our creative offering since our launch in 2007. During that time she has had wide exposure to all areas of the business, such as digital, web, operations and client support, so is a solid and reliable all rounder, involved in many aspects of the agency.

She has developed her skills over the years to become an extremely creative and artistic designer with a passion for marketing, user journey and consumer behaviour and now leads our creative team in developing campaigns, brand strategy and creative projects.

Why I Do It

I love seeing how creative works within a full campaign and how it compliments other technology and marketing channels to create really successful results. Design underpins a lot of what we do for our clients and I find it really interesting how design can play a highly influential role in brand positioning, consumer confidence, buying and purchase decisions when melded with a solid marketing strategy.

Graphic design has always been my passion, but working in a full service agency has enabled me to have that wider overview of how all aspects of a campaign can come together to achieve really amazing results.

Nicola graduated from Huddersfield University in 2010. Soon after, she applied for a position at Cornerstone and has become a welcome member of the team, taking on the role of Graphic Designer.

Nicola has plenty of talent in illustration and creative design, ensuring our clients receive a creative marketing piece that meets their requirements whilst driving awareness and demand.

Why I Do It

Cornerstone gave me the fantastic opportunity of joining the team shortly after graduating. It’s an enthusiastic, fun and exciting environment to work in. The main reason I chose to join Cornerstone was their attitude & approach towards their clients. They have a great company ethos & always ensure they have their clients’ and staff’s best interests at heart.

Dave has over 10 years design agency experience and has been working in the industry since completing his degree at Salford University, where he gained a 2:1 in Graphic Design.

With a true passion for typography and all things graphic design, Dave helps to add another strong element of creativity and style to our client campaigns, helping to develop and build on their market presence and difference.

Why I Do It

For as long as I can remember I have enjoyed designing. From a child, building unique creations with Lego; through education and into my professional career, I always take great pride in what I create and my passion for the industry hopefully shines through. Joining Cornerstone was a breath of fresh air for me as it gave me the opportunity to do what I love within a positive environment with a variation of work that makes every day different and exciting!

Jess joined Cornerstone as an account executive in January 2017 following freelance roles within marketing and PR fields.

Exploring her passion for all thing digital, Jess embarked on several training courses and became Cornerstone’s dedicated digital marketer within 12 months of joining the Cornerstone team. Jess gets involved in all digital work at Cornerstone including SEO, PPC, Social Media Management, Email Campaigns, UX, and Digital Strategy and Planning.

Why I Do It

Cornerstone is an incredibly fast paced and exciting working environment where no two days are the same. The level of autonomy and experience I have gained in my role (in such a short space of time!) is something I owe to the growth and success level of Cornerstone as a company. Digital marketing allows me to use both the creative and analytical sides of my brain every day which I love. With our digital service offering growing rapidly at Cornerstone, I can’t wait to see what’s next!

Why I Do It

I love the idea of everything being perfectly balanced, so accounts seemed a good fit for me. Cornerstone has developed rapidly over the last few years so bringing the accounts functions in house was the next logical step and I am thrilled to have joined the team at this exciting time.

My role is to create strong, positive relationships with our clients and ensure they have the best possible experience and best possible results. I’m the reliable and pro-active, go-to person for your business or project.

I am a strategic thinker who will focus on the bigger picture so you can get on with running your business. Backed up with the experience, organisational skills and know-how to deliver what you need, on time and on budget!

My passion for marketing started in business studies at GCSE and A-Level, taking a particular interest in the theory behind marketing and what makes people ‘tick’. Afterwards, I began an apprenticeship at a full-service agency, developing the knowledge and skills to deliver successful, fully-integrated marketing services and also went on to become CIM qualified.

Why I Do It

I love getting under the skin of a business or project so that I can fully understand the challenge and develop solutions that make a difference. There is no “one size fits all” in this game. The variety of projects and people I meet along the way make for genuinely interesting and engaging work. There is nothing more satisfying than a job well done. Account management also satisfies my need to be constantly learning and constantly on the go. This industry never sits still.

Kirsten has worked in graphic design for a number of years, with experience of print and digital projects.

This includes national business and professional magazines covering retail, hospitality, tourism and the hospice sectors along with print adverts and leaflets, email and website banner adverts, and other website elements.

Why I Do It

I’ve always liked graphic design, art and creative things. As a child I was always drawing and colouring.

Sam always knew he was on the correct career path. All the signs were right. Ba dum, tss. Bad jokes aside, Sam has extensive print and signage experience, working on large scale projects across the UK. Aside from his epic signage skills, his talents include manufacturing techniques such as wide-format printing, screen printing, engraving and acid-etching.

Day to day he oversees client print projects across all sectors, production and installation. He’s elevated to new heights thanks to his CSCS construction industry safety certification and license to operate ‘cherry picker’ platforms.

Why I Do It

Client satisfaction is top of the list for me. Print production is a skilled job and as individuals, and as a team, our ultimate aim is to have a happy customer.

I enjoy seeing a job progressing through the business from design to manufacture.

Steve arrived at Cornerstone with almost two decades of industry experience under his belt – and a rather cheeky sense of humour. He’s worked everywhere from London to Israel and studied art and design at Manchester College before heading to Manchester Met to study illustration and animation.

He’s a colourful character who brings an air of exuberance to the print room. He has an eye for detail, particularly handy when it comes to print and signage, and is a master installer who insists on the finest finish.

Why I Do It

I love the variety of my job – no two days are the same and we work across a diverse range of sectors and industries, meeting some great clients.
The Cornerstone team are a friendly, sociable bunch, there’s always a buzz – and we do enjoy letting our hair down every now and again!

Gill has been a journalist for way longer than she cares – or dares to remember. Formerly a news reporter, feature writer and beauty columnist working for newspapers across Greater Manchester, the switch flicked, the light came on and she headed straight for PR.

Gill works across a number of sectors including health, pharma, leisure and manufacturing, bringing a wealth of media insight and knowledge to help clients achieve PR wins in the most creative of ways. Her nifty wordsmither-y gets called upon for a whole manner of projects including PR campaigns, blogs, website content, social media, email marketing, opinion pieces and advertorials.

Why I Do It

Good question. I love telling other people’s stories and nurturing an idea from start to finish.
PR has had a bad rep over the years, needs a good PR person probably. But pushing the likes of Ab Fab’s Edina and Patsy aside – and I’ve worked with many fashion and beauty PRs who were absolutely nothing like them, I love the ethical approach at Cornerstone which is totally appreciated by clients and makes my job a pleasure to do.
Still partial to a glass of Veuve Clicquot and a party if anyone’s offering.

After completing a degree in Sport Marketing at Coventry University, Rhiannon worked in media relations and events at British Taekwondo for three-and-a-half years. From running social media channels, attending press days and running events, Rhiannon earned her black belt in multi-tasking and working to deadlines. She gets a real kick out of working as a team and enjoys embracing new marketing challenges and opportunities.

WHY I DO IT

Marketing intrigues me. Cornerstone is a full-service integrated agency which allows me to work on a wide variety of projects. No two days are the same which offers a great opportunity to continually learn and evolve. I also love the feeling of helping so many organisations! Our wide range of leisure clients also plays to my strengths and sporting background.

Nigel has been a journalist since the days of typewriters (not even electric typewriters)!

He has edited several weekly newspapers across Greater Manchester, been the editor-in-chief of several more and edited a daily newspaper in Northern Ireland. He came home to work on the former Greater Manchester regional TV station Channel M.

Having dropped the ‘L’ on becoming a member of the Cornerstone family, Nige now works across several sectors including health, manufacturing and finance, using his treasure trove of experience and insight to help our clients achieve the best possible PR results. He can turn his hand to writing anything (except poetry, apparently, but if it’s required, he’ll give it a bash).

WHY I DO IT

Simple, I love writing and being creative. Enough said.

Hannah won’t mind us saying she has a patchwork past, almost literally! She’s gone from textiles to fashion (she’s ace at sewing) to a range of crafts and more.

She’s worked as a team leader for a craft kit company, done sewing jobs and ran her own dressmaking business for a few years.

She’s also worked for a children’s party company doing face painting and wardrobe management for their ‘Princess and Superhero’ events.

Her last role was as an administrator for City & Guilds, which called for her to be highly organised and work to high standards – perfect preparation for her role here at Cornerstone!

WHY I DO IT

I decided to migrate to web after seeing this beam of bright light while learning how to code in 2021 as something to do in my free time and I loved it.

I did some research about the types of jobs you could get, and it instantly appealed to me. The types of tasks, the creative side to it, the problem solving, the types of working patterns and the constant new learning of working in the technology industry. Now I can stitch all my skills into one role!

While I’m pretty new to all of this, I’m loving how creative web developing can be. The fact that all these bits of code, letters and symbols can turn into beautiful, visual websites that users can interact with. I’m also enjoying the ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking when something isn’t working properly or needs tweaking.

Amy’s interest in all things marketing began at Manchester Metropolitan University, where she studied advertising management and public relations. In fact, she never really left, becoming a marketing intern in 2014 and then working on from there.

Most recently, she’s spent more than three years in the international marketing team doing anything that was thrown at her – social media, events, advertising, web, copywriting, and publications.

WHY I DO IT

I loved the hands-on marketing aspect of my previous job, but this role combines all the best bits of me. I get to work with super-talented people (no one told me to say that) across all our departments and watch as they bring brilliant ideas to life. It’s great!

I love being organised and planning, so coming to Cornerstone felt like the perfect role for me.

From the moment I saw the job ad, something just struck me. It seemed like the most genuine, hardworking, and authentic company. And I was right – the job’s great, but the people are even better 😊

A local lass who hails from Saddleworth, Tia initially studied Primary Education at Edge Hill University (a few weeks in and the daily office chorus of ‘Good-morning-Miss-Walsh’ did appear to be wearing a bit thin!). It was while working part time in telesales during her degree she discovered a ‘thing’ for digital marketing. She completed an online diploma in social media marketing to further her knowledge before undertaking a master’s degree in Marketing Communications and Branding at Edge Hill University. Tia joined Cornerstone fresh from freelancing as a social media marketing manager and is now a core member of our digital team, working across a wide range of clients on everything from social media and PPC to email marketing.

WHY I DO IT

I’m a creative person, both with words and visually, so I enjoy creating content for social media and email campaigns and feel my role fits me rather well.

I enjoy watching a project come together and a big part of a job for me is being able to look at something amazing and know that I contributed to that – that sort of thing happens regularly here at Cornerstone which makes my job really satisfying!

Our Senior Designer Chris is a fully paid-up member of the ‘how time flies’ brigade, having been in the design industry for the best part of 20 years following his graduation from Nottingham Trent University. 

On his way to Cornerstone, he’s worked at design agencies in Leicester and Manchester, serving many different sectors and clients, which include the NHS, Regis Hairstylists, LaSenza, JCB, Tyco Fire and Safety, the National Space Centre, Phonak, SRL Traffic Systems and a variety councils and universities.  

His role with us is expanding his horizons even more, giving him the opportunity to work across print and digital projects on anything from branding, printed literature, indoor and outdoor signage, to websites and digital marketing campaigns. 

WHY I DO IT

As a kid my job criteria was that I wanted to do colouring in, and never have to wear a suit. So, in a roundabout way I’ve kind of made it!  

I love the idea of starting a project and seeing where the journey takes us, whether it be a simple logo or developing a website, or a brochure. Joining Cornerstone has been a fantastic opportunity for me. The people here, the opportunities, the support and the importance of doing good work with good people has been a joy to be part of. 

Our Technical Lead (Web), Phil has an honours degree in psychology, so we couldn’t resist delving into his journey to Cornerstone. 

It began in sales (good use of the degree there, Phil) and for many years he successfully sold business solutions for Virgin Media. 

Then, back in 2010, an epiphany occurred, and he switched to web development, drawing on a lifetime’s fascination with technical creativity. That led to several years of freelancing/contracting for award-winning agencies, Cornerstone included. 

Now we’ve convinced him to join the team permanently, he’s leading our web team to greater heights, refining the department’s processes and improving its overall efficiency, thus leveraging the best technical workflows to benefit Cornerstone’s commercial goals. 

WHY I DO IT

I love all things technical and lways have done. I grew up with Lego, then Meccano, built Airfix model planes and now I develop functional and high-end websites for clients. It pivots technical engineering with imagination.  

I love the idea of creating new things from nothing; developing something that has a real value from scratch. It’s about bringing something to life from an idea. I’m passionate about learning new technologies and for web in particular, there is always the opportunity for personal development, evolution and growth. 

Account Manager Kirsty began her marketing career shortly after graduating with a BA (Hons) in media and journalism.

She reckons marketing provides just the right variety of copywriting, creativity, digital work, strategising and planning to keep her grey matter in tip-top shape without spontaneously combusting.

The majority of Kirsty’s marketing career to date has been in the not-for-profit and leisure sectors. After spending five years as a marketing manager for Active Tameside, she decided to seek a new challenge in the agency world to further develop her skills on a wider range of industries, as well as helping other leisure trusts and socially responsible organisations to succeed.

WHY I DO IT

My role combines the two main things that I am passionate about and enjoy – marketing and leisure – and allows me to help those who help others.

I like the fact that marketing is constantly evolving, as is the leisure industry, because it enables me to continue to learn and develop new ideas (otherwise I’d get bored very quickly).

Transparency and authenticity are important to me – attributes which the whole Cornerstone team possess. We’re a friendly, motivated, hard-working, and supportive bunch of people, who make coming to the office something to look forward to (no sarcasm intended).

Our Office Administrator Casey keeps us all on our toes to ensure Cornerstone runs like clockwork. She joins us from an operational role in the mechanical engineering sector, overseeing teams of engineers working on a wide range of projects.

She is particularly proud of project managing a large HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) and plumbing contract at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium and at Hawksmoor Liverpool, one of the city’s best loved restaurants.

Why I do it

Marketing intrigues me, especially after studying for a psychology degree. I’m always interested in what makes people act in a certain way and how they can be influenced. Language – written and spoken – is one of the most powerful tools in the world.

Knowing why and what is another reason why I do it. Why am I doing something, what is the end goal, what are you hoping to achieve?

Senior Developer Steve has arrived at Cornerstone, his spiritual home, via a rather circuitous route.

His story goes back to the 1990s and a passion for anything and everything related to design. The early years were devoted to graphic design – brochures, posters, advertisements, and corporate identity materials.

But then he became more interested in web technologies and how to leverage them to amplify sales and services.

After that, he studied UI/UX design, web development, server technologies and whatever new came along, putting his knowledge into ever-widening practice in several agencies until 2012.

From 2013 he operated as a freelance developer, collaborating with other specialists (including Cornerstone!) in order to provide a truly full-scale, results-driven service. Even then we made an awesome team.

Driven by a desire to build more secure websites and help businesses be proactive about online security, academia beckoned him again and Steve combined the day job with studying for a National Cyber Security Centre-certified master’s degree in advanced security and digital forensics at Edinburgh Napier University, from where he graduated with a distinction in 2021.

Earlier this year he published a research paper in the Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law, which contributes important research on wearable technologies. And then he joined Cornerstone. He says it’s so he can be part of a larger, multi-talented team. (We reckon he’s fleeing from the paparazzi!)

WHY I DO IT

I’ve been doing it for that long, I honestly can’t remember! Probably something to do with the fact that I love creating things and problem solving. Code is my medium, and I can think of nothing better than listening to some good music whilst building something complex which requires deep work and focus.

Writing code is my meditation and the fact that I can do that whilst helping clients solve their business problems, and build creative websites and applications that people can interact with, honestly brings me pure joy. I just love it and wouldn’t want to do anything else.

Account Manager Rebecca has been working in the field of marketing for over 6 years, since doing Photographic Journalism at Uni, she self-taught how to turn creative writing and content into strategic marketing campaigns. After running her own agency for the past 5 years with a small team of people alongside her, she took the leap into coming in house at Cornerstone to help bring her experience and knowledge in assisting her new clients reach their core objectives and beyond. 

Rebecca has a wide skillset that includes: Digital Marketing, Content Creation, Copy Writing, Adobe Suite and more which she has picked up along the way of being self-employed for half a decade.

Rebecca says her marketing background means she loves our fast-paced working environment and enjoys seeing projects through from the start to the finish and the success of it. 

UX Designer Sam is a first for Cornerstone – we’ve never had anyone with a double-barrelled name on the team before! Only joshing, his UX role is one we’ve newly created to support our ever growing roster of web clients.

Driven by process and efficiency, he revels in refining strategies to create a smoother way of doing things.

Why you do it? My passion for creating seamless user experiences and well-oiled systems is what keeps me motivated and energised. Every new challenge is an opportunity to innovate and improve, making both my work and life run like clockwork.

Our Customer Success Manager, Victoria has acquired quite a range of business experience, born out of the birth of her son, Hugo (no pun intended).

Being the master multitasker that she is (see Superpower), she established her own ecommerce business specialising in sustainable baby products. She then created a website and partnered with multiple baby clothing brands.

Through managing her company over the years, she acquired skills in web design, SEO, email marketing, content creation and most importantly building brand and customer relationships. Now, as she takes a step back from her business, she is putting those skills to use to benefit Cornerstone customers.

Why you do it?  I am passionate about being part of a team and enjoy meeting new people, as I believe collaboration and connection are key to success.

Our Digital Marketing Executive, Kate works on a variety of marketing tactics, including PPC, social media, email marketing, SEO, digital projects and campaigns of varying scale and sizes, showcasing solid results and ROI through digital reporting and analytics summaries.  

Her background is in social media and content, so she loves nothing more than getting stuck into meaty pieces of writing.

Why you do it: Ever since I was little, I’d eagerly wait for those iconic Christmas adverts. I always wanted to be part of the magic that brought those stories to life.  

Books and writing have also been such a huge part of my life, so turning that passion into something I get to do every day feels like a dream come true. 

What I love most about this industry is its energy. It’s fast-paced, exciting, and constantly evolving. Plus, I get this amazing glimpse into people’s lives, learning what drives them and what makes them tick. It’s endlessly fascinating, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

It’s getting to be like united nations here at Cornerstone – we have colleagues from America, Wales, Mossley and now South Africa, where Kelly, our Web Project Manager, hails from!

Kelly has a wealth of experience in managing websites for blue chip companies. She is solutions driven and has successfully led digital projects that leverage technology to create great customer experiences. 

She has a knack of managing multiple projects effortlessly, whether it’s rallying the troops during project planning, aligning stakeholders, or gathering requirements. 

This experience has been enhanced by her earlier history of working in a variety of different business roles.  

Why you do it? Nothing gives me more satisfaction than seeing a project completed to an agreed (high) standard. I absolutely love the detail. It might be sad to some, but hopefully not for our clients. I thrive on the digital world and how fast it changes.  

Senior Account Manager Amy came to us from an agency in Bournemouth, where she hails from. And if that wasn’t enough travelling, she commutes to our Oldham base all the way from Chester. It’s amazing what a good old fashioned northern welcome can do!

Why you do it: (No, we don’t mean the commute!) I’ve always been fascinated by the power of marketing and the psychology behind it. I love watching adverts on the telly, at the cinema or even in a magazine or on social and analysing them to understand what it’s about and what they’re trying to achieve – whilst sometimes questioning the campaign idea as let’s be honest some are quite out there!

I love the fast-paced agency environment, working on a variety of projects, clients and channels and seeing it all come together is really satisfying. Plus, getting to collaborate with my colleagues who are experts in their fields makes it even more enjoyable, getting to learn from them and understand their perspectives and approaches.

Each day brings a new challenge and being able to overcome them whilst working on some awesome creative work is why I love it so much!

Senior Account Manager Caitlin is a source of guidance, strategic support, and clarity for each of her numerous clients, helping them in meeting their business objectives, whilst making sure KPIs set out are being met.  

Caitlin’s worked in the agency account management and advertising world for over six years in her native Wales and later in Berlin – she’s fluent in the Welsh language (lush!) and has a very good command of German.

She says she’s moved back to blighty because she missed the British culture – and the rain (only joking)!

Why I do it: No two briefs are ever the same, and that’s exactly what keeps me motivated. I love making sense of the chaos, diving into strategy, shaping creative thinking and turning audience insight into work that genuinely delivers for our clients. It’s a role that calls for organisation, adaptability and collaboration, and one that’s given me the opportunity to work across multiple industries, markets and countries (with a few passport stamps along the way). After spending time working abroad, I’m excited to join Cornerstone and work alongside some highly talented colleagues (and no, we didn’t tell her to say that).

Head of Digital Chris is heading up our amazingly talented digital marketing team while its manager Jess is on maternity leave. That means leading digital strategy across Cornerstone’s huge variety of clients, drawing on his 20 years of digital marketing experience. Chris describes himself as channel agnostic having worked in pretty much every digital channel at some point in his career. 

Why I do it: I love figuring out what makes people tick. I studied archaeology as my undergraduate degree (digging for clues about human behaviour), and then newspaper journalism (asking the right questions and telling stories that matter). Digital marketing is where all of that clicks – if you pardon the pun! It lets me blend empathy and creativity with a properly analytical, test-and-learn mindset – turning insights into ideas, and ideas into results. I also enjoy how fast paced the industry is and keeping up with all the latest trends and changes. 

Senior Digital Marketer Stephen joins us after working as an in-house digital marketer in the hospitality and the property management industries. 

He brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm for AI and automation, helping to make our digital offering an even smoother process for the benefit of our clients.

Born in Nigeria, Stephen (whose actual first name is Jesuloba), came to the UK to study international business four years ago at the University of Plymouth, but has since been attracted to the bright lights of northern England. (Wise move Stephen!)

Why I do it: I genuinely love the problem-solving side of digital marketing – every business has different challenges, so figuring out how to make the tech work for them (not against them) is what gets me excited. I’ve always been a bit obsessed with automation and making things run smoother, whether it’s building a workflow from scratch or finding that one integration that changes everything. 

Apprentice web developer Gabe has some big shoes to fill, following in the footsteps of our previous apprentice Hannah, now a well-established part of our web team.

Rugby League-playing Gabe has always had lofty ambitions, even turning his hand to roofing before discovering IT.

Now he’s reaching for the heights in web development. Good luck Gabe!

Why I do it: I feel like I’ve always been quite creative in different ways, and I enjoy problem solving and the feeling of accomplishment you get afterwards – which is why I knew that at some point in my life I’d end up in this industry.