Natalie Trice is a powerhouse in the PR world. After teaching English in Japan, she forged a successful PR career in London working on local, regional, UK, and international levels. From media parties on Red Square to animal antics at London Zoo, she worked her creative magic for a wide range of well-known companies. In 2007, she became an independent PR consultant and now works from her home in Devon. She is the author of two books, one on PR and the other on how to cope as the parent of a child with Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip.
Hi Natalie. Thanks for stopping by. We’ll start with a traditional question: what was your favourite subject at school — and which was the lesson you always wanted to avoid?
Even in junior school I loved geography and sometimes wonder why I didn’t take it further as I was pretty good at it. I guess we take the path that we see right at the time and I believe that is true on so many levels, but still all those field trips and measurements were fun!
As for what I avoided; I really hated PE, right up until the day I left school at 18. I would have happily sat in the library reading or revising as I was always chosen last for teams, and those cold cross country runs still make me shiver.
If you had to escape from a fire, what three things would you take with you?
It would have to be my two sons and I’d shout to my husband to grab the dog or take her too if he wasn’t at home. They are all that matters.
Where is your favourite place on earth — and why?
We moved to Devon three and a half years ago. It was our best decision, and it is my favourite place. I love walking on the beach in Shaldon with my dog, watching the tides come and go and there is something so reassuring knowing that my calm place is so close by. While I like Exeter as a city, I also enjoy heading up to the moors and escaping from the trappings of modern-day life. While I’m busier than ever living in Devon, this is where I feel comfortable in my own skin and the headspace it gives me is just incredible.
Watch a film, go to the theatre, read a book or talk to friends — which would you prefer?
I love meeting up for coffee with friends, it’s one of my favourite things to do and has been for a long time. Whether it is straight after the school run, when I’m in Exeter at meetings, or as part of my trips back to London, there is nothing like sitting down with a friend and really catching up. I’m a big social media user and work from my office at home, so it’s good for me to get out and see people so I don’t turn into a complete hermit.
Talking about yourself, how would you finish the sentence “not a lot of people know…”?
Although I work in PR and I’m happy to talk about myself, and my clients, I’m actually quite an introvert. I’m very happy working alone and really enjoy my own company. When I was younger, I worked in TV and travelled a lot and while it was fun, I was with people all the time and looking back, it was pretty exhausting, and I was close to burnout at times. Today, I’m quite happy in my own company and sometimes it’s nice to cosy up by the fire and be away from the world.
If you could take part in one television programme, which one would it be?
It would have to be Sex in the City – sipping a cosmopolitan with Carrie Bradshaw in a swanky bar wearing pink Manolo Blahnik shoes and having fun after a day of shopping in New York.
How do you relax?
I don’t! I’m absolutely terrible at slowing down and relaxing, even when I’m tired and need to rest. My second book, PR School: Your Time to Shine, launched last month and I’m exhausted but with more work to do to support it, finding time to relax is hard. What I do enjoy is walking the dog on the beach, having time out for a quiet coffee so I can reflect on what is going on around me, and the odd facial is good too. In 2020 I want to find more time to relax with my family and our dog, and not let time just fly by, which is what seems to happen right now.
What would you have printed on the front of your T-shirt?
GO YOUR OWN WAY
I did a talk at an event in London recently and Go Your Own Way was the title of my presentation, and the song they played as I walked onto the stage. We can get so caught up with what other people are doing and achieving, that we can forget the successes, big and small, that we are seeing every single day.
My son was diagnosed with hip dysplasia ten years ago, forcing me to put my career on hold (something I hadn’t seen coming) and while my friends and colleagues were climbing the corporate ladder, I was caring for my little boy who was in and out of hospital being broken and remade. I went my own way with this challenge and have created a global support network for others navigating hip conditions and more recently have gradually built my career up again. It hasn’t been easy, but to watch my son on the football pitch, the journey has been worth it, and I know we can deal with whatever life throws at us.
What would you tell your younger self?
Don’t worry. These two words have such a massive impact and can totally eat away at your time and confidence. I spent a lot of time worrying about what other people thought about me. Worrying about if I was at the right stage in my life. Worrying if I would ever get married, have children or be successful. Those things all happened, but at the right time, and I now know that worry only added to my stress levels.
Many thanks for having me.
Natalie
And thank you for finding time in your busy schedule to come and chat to me, Natalie. Readers, you can find out more about Natalie, her work and her books on her website. You can also catch up with her on Twitter, on LinkedIn or on Facebook.
