The Challenge: Hiring Without Compromise
Like many small businesses, My Way Marketing relies on consistency, reliability and strong client relationships to drive growth. However, finding someone who could contribute meaningfully without significant upfront cost or risk proved difficult.
“As a small business, we need people who can integrate quickly and add value,” Jennifer explained. “We were struggling to find candidates who had both the capability and the mindset to grow with the business.”
Instead of continuing the cycle of underwhelming hires, the business chose to invest in a Multi-Channel Marketer apprentice, prioritising long-term value over short-term convenience.
For Phoebe, the apprenticeship route was a strategic decision.
“I wanted structured support and real development so I could build a long-term career,” she says. “That gave me the confidence to develop properly, rather than being thrown in and expected to figure it out alone.”
Faster Contribution, Broader Capability
Within the first few months, Phoebe was contributing across multiple areas of the business, including social media management, website updates, campaign support and reporting.
This breadth of capability reduced pressure on senior team members and allowed more consistent delivery across client accounts.
“The benefit of working while studying is that I could immediately apply what I was learning,” Phoebe explains. “From content and websites to data and reporting, I was building skills that the business could use straight away.”
Rather than hiring a junior with narrow experience, My Way Marketing effectively developed a multi-skilled team member who could support across several marketing functions.
Solving Problems That Impact Revenue
Phoebe’s development quickly moved beyond task-based support into problem-solving that directly affected client performance.
When the team encountered ongoing issues with Google Ads campaigns, internal efforts failed to resolve the problem. Phoebe took ownership, working directly with the client’s national office to investigate.
Her intervention identified an internal issue on the client’s side, resolving a problem that had been impacting campaign performance and client satisfaction.
This level of ownership is where the commercial value became clear, not just completing tasks, but protecting and improving client outcomes.
“I’ve learned how to confidently contribute ideas and solutions,” Phoebe says. “That’s made a real difference in how I support both the team and clients.”
Delivering Tangible Growth
One of Phoebe’s most significant contributions was leading the development of an online community platform for clients and prospects.
“It allowed me to apply everything I’d learned, from strategy to execution,” she says.
The result was not just a learning exercise, but a functional acquisition channel. The platform has since become a consistent source of inbound interest and client engagement, contributing directly to business development activity.
This is a clear example of an apprentice delivering work that goes beyond support and into measurable commercial impact.
A Scalable Hiring Model
Phoebe’s progression into a Community Success Manager role demonstrates the long-term value of the approach. Rather than needing to rehire externally, the business retained and developed existing talent.
“My confidence has grown massively, especially working with clients and contributing to campaigns,” Phoebe says. “Being offered a full-time role is something I’m really proud of.”
The success of the first hire led directly to the recruitment of a second apprentice, creating a repeatable model for building internal capability.
For My Way Marketing, the apprenticeship route has shifted hiring from a cost-based decision to an investment strategy, delivering:
- Faster integration into the team
- Broader skill coverage across marketing functions
- Reduced reliance on senior staff for delivery
- Tangible contributions to client performance and acquisition
- A pipeline of trained, retained talent
The Outcome
Instead of chasing the “perfect” hire, My Way Marketing built them and in doing so, created a more scalable, cost-effective and commercially impactful approach to growing their marketing team.
Stop overloading your senior team. Add a doer.
If your account managers and strategists are bogged down in delivery, you’ve got a capacity problem. A marketing apprentice handles the repeatable work so your senior team can focus on growth and strategy.
Fill in the form and we’ll talk you through it.
Email: info@themarketingtrainer.co.uk
Call: 03301 338666
