Spotlight Series: Lauren’s Second Soiree

Lauren Gowing & The Second Album Syndrome 

From building a closer relationship with the client to working hand-in-hand with our CEO, Lauren Gowing shows how collaboration at every level can unlock confidence, creativity and big results.

In this edition of our Spotlight Series, we caught up with Lauren Gowing, our brilliant Client Experience Lead, to chat about how year two of delivering a major project for KDDI at Mobile World Congress pushed her to grow – both in the role and as a person. 

After a strong first year, Lauren knew the pressure was on to deliver something fresh without just rolling out the same again. “There’s always that second album syndrome,” she laughed. “You don’t want to copy and paste. You want to step it up.”

The biggest shift this time round? Trust. In year one, the client kept things pretty tight. But year two gave the team more freedom to bring ideas to the table. “Their creative director was actually in the core team, working directly with us – it made everything way more collaborative,” said Lauren.

Managing a high-stakes event like this can be intense, but Lauren says the key was surrounding herself with the right people. “The team were amazing. Everyone knew their role, the comms were spot on, and that let me step back and focus on the bigger picture.”

She also spoke openly about the power of mentorship. “Ben, our CEO, gave me space and confidence to lead in the way that worked best for me,” she said. “Amy Teague and Katie were also huge – helping me navigate both the personal and practical side of leadership.” That backing helped Lauren shift from feeling stretched thin in year one to leading with calm, clarity and confidence in year two.

Looking ahead to year three, Lauren’s not looking to reinvent the wheel. “Tweak, refine, slim things down – don’t add just for the sake of it,” she said. “We’ve built a solid relationship with the client and now it’s about helping them grow.”

From creative freedom and cultural learning to leaning on her team and trusting herself, Lauren’s story is a brilliant reminder of what happens when collaboration sits at the heart of delivery.

Lauren Gowing & Ollie Biddle

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