Marketing Agency Case Study: Kinsman & Co

From apprentice to go-to team member

When Kinsman & Co hired Ruby as a marketing apprentice, they were looking for support. What they got was someone who became, in their own words, “genuinely indispensable”.

The problem

Like a lot of growing agencies, Kinsman & Co had a familiar issue. Tasks were being picked up reactively by senior team members. There was no one dedicated to handling the day-to-day execution or flexing across projects.

Felix summed it up plainly:

“We had gaps in general team support. Tasks were getting picked up reactively by senior team members, and there wasn’t a dedicated person who could float across projects.”

The starting point

We conducted a free, custom recruitment project around the London area and eventually found Ruby, a Media and Psychology A-level leaver with some existing work experience in marketing. Ruby was successful in landing the role, and she started where most apprentices do, building confidence and getting stuck into the basics.

She was:

• Creating social media content and managing the content calendar
• Running small Google Ads accounts and learning optimisation
• Pulling together monthly reports across platforms like GA4, Shopify, and Google Ads
• Attending client meetings, taking notes, and tracking actions
• Supporting podcast production and scheduling

And like most people early in their career, confidence wasn’t immediate:

“I felt confident that once I got the hang of things… I’d be capable, but I wasn’t confident during the learning stage.”

When things clicked

It didn’t take long.

“I think about 2–3 months in, I felt things were starting to click, and then 3–4 months in, I felt like I was adding value.”

That shift is where the trajectory changed. From that point on, Ruby wasn’t just supporting work; she was starting to own it.

What Ruby owns now

Fast forward, and the role looks completely different.

Ruby now:

• Leads client meetings across multiple accounts
• Manages higher-spend Google Ads campaigns independently
• Owns client strategy, reporting, and performance discussions
• Works across backend systems, websites, and tools to drive results
• Supports business development and new client acquisition
• Onboards and trains new team members

Felix puts it bluntly:

“There isn’t a task we don’t feel confident handing to her. She manages it, delivers it, and owns the outcome.”

And from Ruby’s side, the shift is just as clear:

“Now I’m leading client meetings, managing higher-spend accounts, reporting on performance, and even helping bring in new clients.”

The impact

This isn’t an apprentice shadowing senior staff. Ruby is running accounts.

“The tangible difference is straightforward: Ruby manages multiple clients on her own. She’s not supporting; she’s running the relationship, running the campaigns, and delivering the results.”

That’s had a direct impact on the business. Senior team members have been freed up from day-to-day execution. Clients have a consistent, responsive point of contact. The agency has gained real capacity without hiring a traditional junior.

What actually changed

Ruby didn’t become a different person. She developed depth.

Felix explains it best:

“She’s the same person we hired, just now with genuine expertise to back it up, and that combination is rare.”

Through the role and the apprenticeship, she’s built capability across:

• Performance marketing, including Google Ads, Meta, and LinkedIn
• Data and reporting, spotting trends and presenting insights
• Client communication and relationship management
• Organisation, workflow, and team support

From Ruby’s perspective, the structured learning played a key role:

“The marketing theory helped me think about strategy, customers, and user journeys with a wider lens. It made everything make more sense.”

The end result

This wasn’t just a successful hire. It was a transformation on both sides.

Kinsman & Co gained someone they now rely on across the business. Ruby went from learning the basics to leading clients, managing strategy, and training others.

Felix’s view on marketing apprentices is clear:

“100% do it. You get an invaluable member of the team, and the opportunity to mould them into the perfect staff member from the very start.”