About Helen
I was born in Leeds, but shortly after we moved to Africa as my dad got a job working for De Beers. We moved back to the UK when I was 10 and immediately it felt like home more than Africa ever did. Over the years, we moved a lot because Dad was very career driven – I think I tallied up about 13 different homes and the majority of these were before I was 15.
Although I wouldn’t uproot my family in the same way, my dad – who is no longer with us – has been the guiding force and inspiration for me setting up my own business. He used to call me Henny, so that’s where the name comes from, Henny PR & Marketing Ltd.
Q&As
Describe yourself in three words? Creative, empathetic and people-centric.
What was your first job? If you exclude being a waitress at 14, my first ‘big girl’ job was Account Executive for a design agency when I left University. My first client was Shaken’ Udder Milkshakes and I was involved in developing their brand and marketing plan when they first started out on their farm in Essex. I still see their milkshakes in all the supermarkets to this day.
What frustrates you? Laziness, selfishness, greed and jealousy.
How do you spend your leisure time? Currently renovating our new home, but when that’s done it will be business as usual which means we will be out on our boat, or in the garden – mostly the pub garden; ‘The Fat Cat’ is our favourite jaunt.
What’s your favourite television programme? Gogglebox. It’s absolutely hilarious and I can watch it in any mood, and it will have me in stitches.
What’s your favourite food? I love a lamb curry.
What food do you hate? Goats cheese. I think it tastes like sick.
What is your biggest weakness? Probably doubting myself as it holds me back, but I took the leap setting up my company and that was uncharacteristically brave of me, and I have no regrets doing it.
Where are you happiest? At home.
What was the first record you bought? It was Now 22 or something like that. I really can’t remember as living in Africa, we had a friend of the family who sent us tapes with the charts on.
At school, what were you good at? Art and Design… got myself an A*.
What one material thing could you not do without? My contact lenses or goggles (glasses).
You’d go to a fancy-dress party as? I wouldn’t be going to that party at all. I hate fancy dress. Most fashion seems to be fancy dress nowadays anyway! Guess that makes me sound old.
What poster did you have on your bedroom wall as a child? Adam Perry holding the baby.
How many attempts before you passed your driving test? Passed first time!
Photo of Helen taken by Andrew West Photography
www.linkedin.com/in/helencouch
