Meet Lydia Polom, Invision360’s Marketing Manager‍

Having interviewed other members of the team, this time, it’s our Marketing Manager & Data Protection Specialist, Lydia Polom’s turn to be placed under the spotlight.

‍Sharing her love of marketing, dislike for perming solution and passion for travelling, we find out where Lydia draws her inspiration from, inside and outside of work.

When you were a child, what job did you want when you grew up?

“Like most children, and being a creative person, I changed my career dreams a few times. I guess I’ve always loved getting to know people and so some of my earliest memories are of wanting to be a hairdresser, but a school work experience soon put a stop to that when I realised that I couldn’t cope with the smell of perming solution!

“So I completed my A Levels and took a year out to work in retail while I saved to travel to Australia. I knew that being in a social job would be something I’d like to come back to, but I just wasn’t quite sure what direction I would take. “

You could say that marketing found me. Returning from my travels and whilst studying Event Management and Business Administration, I took the opportunity to volunteer at a community art gallery as a Marketing Assistant, where everything just fell into place. I was inspired by my manager at the time, Lindsay. I loved learning from her, exploring what really made people tick, and I owe her a huge thank you for introducing me to the world of marketing.

“Since then, I’ve worked in various marketing and communication roles; each helping me to develop a well-rounded marketing skill-set.”

Name three things you love about your job

"I absolutely love the fact that I get to be creative and have the freedom to say ‘let’s try this’ to build valuable connections with Invision360’s audience. No one works in a silo at Invision360 either. We problem solve together, which is something I really enjoy.”

How would your friends/colleagues describe you?

"I am fortunate to have an amazing group of people around me outside of work who I treasure greatly. I think my friends would describe me as very bubbly, dry humoured and thoughtful.“My colleagues would probably describe me as being quick-witted, confident in my ability, organised and strategic. Like most people, I definitely have a work personality and a home personality!”

Tell us something that no-one else knows about you?

“I am the owner of a Blue Peter Badge for having a short story published in a book. If you’re wondering, the book was published ‘Curiously…’ 100 short stories written by young children in aid of charity. My short story was about a young girl who was scared by a spider over a fence, I wrote it to practice for my GCSEs and was encouraged to submit it for the book, and then for a Blue Peter badge …and was accepted!"

What are your favourite things to do outside of work?

“Outside of work I’m an avid gym goer. My other half is a personal trainer so it’s a big part of our life. I love the feeling of being strong, and for me the gym is my escape from reality – you can’t beat the endorphins released through exercise.  

“I love letting my hair down out of work and socialising, whether it’s over a coffee and cake, going for a long walk, or having a wine. I love catching up with my friends and family and supporting them through life. There’s such value in listening, having deep connections, and being there for one another. I do, however, balance this out with being the first to crack a dry humoured joke. Oh, and I can’t forget my twin nieces, I absolutely adore them!” 

What’s on your bucket list?

“I really want to travel to Bali, which I am ticking off later this year with my partner and two of our friends. Bali has been on my list for years and I am so excited that I’m finally able to travel there and explore the country after a two year Covid delay. Bali is more than a place, to me it’s a state of mind and reminds me of paradise. Everyone I speak with tells me how out of this world it is. I can’t wait to explore the beaches, go snorkelling and see the jungle.” 

Where is the most amazing place you have ever been?

“I’d have to say Yosemite National Park in California. I’ve visited the park twice, and both times I was blown away by pure nature. Yosemite is famous for its giant, ancient sequoia trees, granite monoliths, deep valleys and the iconic vista of the Bridalveil waterfall, but the park is so much more than that. The landscape is breath-taking; the granite rock formations glow like fire at sunset where you see incredible reds and oranges dancing around the sky. There are more than 400 species of animals that freely roam the park, and hidden waterfalls throughout. No words can truly explain the Disney world of nature!” 

Your favourite fictional character and why?

“Matilda. Ah, I could watch Matilda every day. I absolutely love her courage, determination and how she thinks outside the box. She doesn’t accept what is put in front of her. She always looks at a way to achieve her goals, whether learning to read, learning to cook, or finding a better life for herself. It’s so easy to accept ‘what is’ rather than to spend time finding ‘what could be’ – anything is achievable!"

What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?

“How you are feeling in this moment, isn’t how you will feel forever. One of my oldest friends said this to me one day when we were living together, and it has stayed with me ever since. It makes it so much easier to find a positive way forward.”