Cornwall, and Newquay especially, are synonymous with the ocean, surf culture and the free spirited flexibility of van life mentality. So it’s no wonder that Cornwall is a mecca for remote workers and freelancers, talented individuals across the spectrum of creative professions who are drawn down to Cornwall to live the dream… right?
Let’s just be clear before we begin – freelancing is cool – there is no doubt about that! As a freelancer you can often set your own schedule, design your day to best suit the surf, fur babies and family. You’ll usually work remotely which allows you to choose your surroundings, be it cosy and grounded at home, or working from a cafe on a vibrant backstreet in Barcelona. You can also determine which tasks you take on, pursue the type of work that excites you and make a name for yourself in a certain specialist field.
So why aren’t the 20+ market savvy, freethinking creative professionals at Idenna all freelancers? Well truth be told, many of us have been at one point or another in our careers. We’ve experienced both sides of the coin, the ‘cool’ self employed job, vs. life at a pioneering, cutting edge creative agency… and we’ve chosen Idenna. Want to know why?
For many the beauty of freelancing is in the name, it symbolises freedom from soul sucking corporate culture, or an exit strategy from a workplace that leaves them feeling uninspired and undervalued. Idenna is different though, we have a no bellends policy (seriously!), and operate along 7 core values – Open, Honest, Fair, Professional, Unconventional, Fun and Courageous. With the amazing Nat in place as head of Brand and Culture, and Ria as the ever supportive Studio Manager, it’s all about energising and motivating the team. You can’t fight the Laws of Attraction, positive attracts positive!
There is a huge emphasis on teamwork at Idenna. Its open plan office is loud (in a good way), there is a buzz of creative energy, upbeat music on and usually several dogs play fighting in the corner. There is one large communal table that everyone works around – not stuffy boardroom style, it gives off more eclectic supper club vibes. Idenna is a full service agency, so filmmakers sit next to copywriters who sit next to graphic designers and web developers. Even James, the Creative Director and Founder of Idenna, sits as an equal, shoulder to shoulder with the team – able to chip in to conversations, help and bounce ideas whenever required. There is an osmosis of knowledge, and understanding that naturally occurs around this table. It’s a powerful and almost invisible transfer of data, but it creates a strong professional collective, and makes the team a hundred times stronger.
Idenna has an open mindset to delivery. We don’t have set packages that we roll out to all of our customers and we certainly don’t recommend all can be cured with social media! We listen, we learn, we probe, and we think. This time we carve out to think is crucial, it’s what allows the controlling idea to form, the campaign to take shape and the work that we do to make an impact.
Creative brainstorms are Idenna’s love language, it’s how we stride through our days, bouncing ideas and generating jaw dropping campaign ideas on the reg. Gone are the days of sitting alone at your kitchen table trying to come up with a sharp angle or innovative approach singlehanded. At Idenna, anytime you need an injection of humour or want to see your project from a different perspective, the team is on hand to help elevate your thinking.
No one stagnantes at Idenna, in fact everyone in the company has annual goals linked to their individual development. These aren’t targets introduced by an anonymous suit, they are personalised goals to help us grow into more interesting and content humans and more skilled creative professionals. Whether you want to read an industry-related book every month, upskill your colour shading or get to grips with the latest Google updates, personal professional growth is what gives us all purpose and keeps us motivated in the workplace.
Idenna has adopted the Japanese business philosophy of Kaizen, it’s a term meaning change for the better or continuous improvement. Every 6 months everyone at Idenna has 1:1 meetings with their line manager and also with the aforementioned lovely Nat, to discuss their evolution, and identify ways that they can continuously improve their skills and nurture their passions and interests. Are you a member of the words team but have an interest in art direction? No problem. Pursue it. Do you have an amazing idea for a Story For Change? We will allocate you the time and support you. It’s amazing to feel seen and heard in this way, and quite possibly a factor in the longevity of the workforce, with almost half the team having worked at Idenna for 5 years or more.
The Idenna team are all lovely people, but we don’t pussyfoot around one another. True to the core values of being open, honest and professional, there are often frank conversations to be had. We encourage each other to raise our game and always put our best work forward, to understand the nuances and fine details of the brief, and to service our clients with courage and creativity. As a team focused on continual improvement and development these conversations are not to be taken personally, they are more of a call to action, a reminder that we are all still growing and learning, and with each campaign and project our skills are accumulating – our current piece of work should always be our best yet!
Idenna works flexibly – yes freelancers aren’t the only ones who get a bite of that cherry! We can choose to work in the buzz of the office, or remotely, and can set our hours to accommodate the tides, the school run and the seasons! No one should feel SAD in the winter!
In terms of work, you hear the term living the dream batted around all the time… but what does it even mean? Have you got to make the van your office, charge your laptop with solar panels and surf between meetings to qualify? Or does your life need to be shiny and Instagram perfect? Everyone’s dream is different. For some freelancers, their goal might be a life on the road, or a work life balance completely of their own design – an existence where they get to set all the rules.
However, what if your dream can be kick-started by the team that you join, and the group of professionals you align yourself with? What if your dream inches closer each time you take a leap of faith, or make a decision based on your hopes, rather than driven by your fears? What if you choose to surround yourself with the best in the business, become a member of a collective on a mission, a high performing, ever evolving pack? What if you chose growth, training and fun, teamwork, creativity and Kaizens in the sun?
What if you choose Idenna?
