Meet the Team - Susie Brannen

Welcome to the tenth in our series of team interviews. Each month, we’ll be asking a member of our team to tell us more about them and their involvement with rradar. This month, it’s time to hear about our design department’s flame-haired photographer Susie Brannen.

How and when did you first become involved with rradar?

I first landed on planet rradar October 2015. As for how, please see my next answer.

Who/what was the biggest influence on your decision to work at rradar?

When I was printing and finishing off designs for rradar at my previous business, Richard Stuttle (the recently departed head of design) became a good customer. He spent more time in my store and that allowed us to get onto each other’s wavelength. We would talk about designs and reaching people through art work as well as how to tap into sentiment and open people up. We discussed cynicism and the dark world of law which this firm wants to turn upside down.

What was your first impression of the company?

A very friendly company with many fingers in a whole host of pies! I love its “sky’s the limit” attitude.

What have you found to be the most surprising/challenging aspect of working for rradar?

The most surprising aspect of working for rradar was the opportunities thrown left, right and centre. With working for myself merrily for over four years, I didn’t realise how much my track had been narrowed. I was on a steady path which was created and maintained by me. Four years had gone by with me doing what I did really well but I had not been educating myself in all the areas I could have been. rradar has helped me recognise this and to grow and learn. Recently, the design floor has developed an off-shoot that has become our marketing team. We have fun every day to balance out the fast-paced environment. The day-to-day pressures are challenging, when I worked for myself it was only myself and the customer I only had to please, now its the thought of a whole company critiquing anything visual. Whom all have their own tastes and preferences. However, the trust rradar has in its teams enables us to deliver strong results. The fast growth for a new company is surprising with huge potential for all of us.

What would you tell someone who is thinking about working for rradar?

If you are driven and enthusiastic, go for it. It’s a very rewarding company – you get out what you put in.

How do you see rradar developing over the next five years?

World domination.

If you weren’t working for rradar, what would you be doing instead?

Still happily working at my shop. However, since the opportunity came up, I do not regret taking it. I am grateful I was brave enough to take a leap of faith.

How would someone describe you?

If I’m honest, I fear mostly would say bonkers or jolly. I would hope they would recognise my loyalty, empathy and very conscientious manner.

Surprise us with a little-known fact about you/your profession

Kodak was really slow to make a transition into digital photography and in 2012, the company filed for bankruptcy protection. It is very ironic that the core technology used in digital photography today was actually invented by Kodak.

A little-known fact about myself? Well, I have always been singing and prancing around the house since I could sing and prance. From being in the chorus to staring in some rather quirky roles. My main claim to fame is that I have sang Latin opera for the Queen.

What inspires you that you think other people should know?

Remember: there are no small parts, only small actors. - Konstantin Stanislavski

I say this to myself to help me keep motivated as I am continuously battling with confidence. However, a life rule which I think the world should take note of comes from a little place called Hundred Acre Wood. “Some people care too much – I think it’s called love?” by A A Milne. Care about who you are, what you do and how you treat others.

Too many quotes, song lyrics or profound sentences could be put together for such a question. However, sometimes the simple things are the way forward.

What do you do when you aren’t working?

I am still a professional wedding photographer. When not swimming my brain in rradar, I love to spend time in the country with my pooch or in my garden. What was a very large area of rubble is now becoming a very handsomely designed space to live. I am constantly creating shapes within the stones, turf, trees and plants. Rain or shine, I need to be in there, digging or climbing about. I like to lose myself in painting and obscene cooking, then bring it back together with yoga.

You’re on a desert island and you can take one album, one book and one film with you. What do you take?

Gosh, now you’re asking. I am constantly swapping my top ten albums as it is. Perhaps Rumours by Fleetwood Mac. Book, hmm perhaps Ray Mears Bush Craft Survival? Pulp Fiction would be my film.