‘Collaborating with James Bond was such an achievement’

Just like inquisitive Alice in her Wonderland, Melissa Roberts is rather fond of stumbling down a rabbit hole. The 29-year-old senior digital marketing manager at luxury tour operator Black Tomato says the best part of her role is being encouraged to think of new ways to approach everything that the business is doing.

“Whether it is revitalising our email preference centre or refreshing the comms we send out so we know we are hitting people with the right thing at the right time – I’m never fully satisfied,” Melissa laughs.

“I fall down rabbit holes all the time. It’s like, ‘I’ve tripped and stumbled down a rabbit hole. Beware everyone – there will be work coming our way!’

“That’s where Black Tomato is great. My ideas are always welcomed and I’m never told, ‘That’s just how we do it.’”

PATH TO SUCCESS

In 2018 Melissa was working in interior design PR where she discovered what she enjoyed. “I liked to combine creativity and analytical skills,” she quips.

Making the decision to uproot her life to Manchester, where she had been at university, she faced the challenge of finding a new job within a month. A recruiter she was working with flagged a role at tour operator Carrier. Melissa took a look and thought: “Wow, how have I never thought of this before?”

Realising she could have a career in travel was a revelation and now, fully ensconced, she says the industry is a natural fit for her extroverted character and chatty nature.

“It’s great to be able to go out on research trips and integrate into the community. In other sectors I might be tucked away behind a screen somewhere,” she recognises.

The stint at Carrier saw Melissa build her confidence. “Starting out in my career, I knew this was what I wanted to do but being able to test ideas out and realise they were good really gave me that confidence boost,” she explains.

She moved on to Black Tomato three years ago. “Those years have been so transformative and I’ve gained so much confidence in myself. It has reaffirmed that I’m really in the right industry,” she asserts.