Members Spotlight: Josie Hull - Just Spices

26 April 2024

For our member spotlight this month we sat down with Josie from Just Spices UK based out of our COLONY Piccadilly workspace. Josie is the Social Media and Creator Marketing Manager for Just Spices, so we wanted to find out what it is like to work internationally from our most central Manchester venue.

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Meet Josie Hull, the UK Social Media & Creator Marketing Manager at Just Spices UK - a premium, B-corp spice-blend brand Headquartered in Germany. As the only member of the Just Spices team based in the UK, Josie joined Colony to connect with other professionals, boost her well-being and find a workspace to focus in.

Since joining Colony, we’ve loved seeing Josie throw herself into our community, benefitting from the many networking, social & well-being events we host each month. It’s also been great to see her take full advantage of our multi-site access and find a work-home that she loves.

We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Josie in her new home-site, Colony Piccadilly, about her experience navigating the dynamic world of influencer marketing, adapting to the evolving landscape of social commerce, and her pivotal role in driving Just Spices’ expansion in the UK.

Hey Josie! Can you tell us a bit about what you do?

Hey! I'm the Creator Marketing Manager for Just Spices UK - a premium, B-Corp spice-blend brand, changing the cooking game for novices and expert chefs all over the world.

Based in Germany, we create unique spice blends and toppers for folks who want proper tasty food, without the fuss. Our products are all made with 100% natural ingredients and they’re completely vegan, making us a popular option for novices and experts alike.

My role here is to manage all end-to-end creator partnerships across our social media channels. That involves building and managing our relationships with well-known celebrities and micro-influencers, and managing our UK social marketing campaigns.

Our convenience makes us a popular go-to for novices and expert chefs alike. Whether you’re looking to jazz up your Avocado Toast or cook a proper authentic-tasting Tikka Masala, we’ve got something on our website for you. We also recently launched a limited range in Sainsbury's, Ocado, and Waitrose – so keep an eye out for us there too.

Being the only UK-based person at the moment my tasks can pretty much extend to anything that needs to be done including the occasional Paid ad video creation or TikTok voice-over.

Just Spices product in our COLONY Piccadilly venue in central Manchester

What’s one of your favourite things about working in Manchester?

I work remotely so I chose to live and work in Manchester specifically because I love the laid-back, arty culture here. It is such a quirky city, there's loads to do and nothing is too far away; you can pretty much walk everywhere. Ancoats especially is great because it’s full of independent coffee shops, bakeries (and lots of pet dogs!). Plus the canals in Manchester and surrounding areas are great for running and meeting new people. In all, I feel quite free here.

That’s so awesome to hear! Now, as we step into 2024, do you think there are any challenges facing your industry today?

For sure! I mean, every business has its challenges. I suppose the question is how we respond to and overcome them challenges. Some of the things we’re facing are fun and to be expected from an international expansion, for example, establishing ourselves in a completely new market requires adjustments to our brand image, tone of voice, and even our product line. But there are others, like the rising cost of ingredients, new import charges, and delays caused by overseas conflict, which require a little more ingenuity.

In my role specifically, I see one of the biggest challenges being the way social media users see and respond to Influencers. I have noticed over the last 12 months that users are becoming jaded with influencers creating too much ad-style content. This means we have to think more carefully about how we use and direct our influencer campaigns.

How do you expect your role as Creator Marketing Manager in Just Spices to evolve in the coming years? And what skills do you think will be most valuable for a Marketing Manager to possess in the near future?

That's a great question. As I am the only Just Spices member based in the UK, I’m looking to take over the localised channels (YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram), as well as more UK-based partnership activations.

Social Media and Influencer Marketing as a landscape is in constant flux. It’s always changing, and so anyone operating in this industry will need to be able to adapt quickly to those changes. I know my role will continue to evolve as social media and marketing platforms change in priority and impact.

I definitely foresee social media-based shopping becoming a larger part of my role (especially TikTok shop), and I anticipate a heavier focus on UGC which allows for shorter reaction times to trends and prevents the need for a studio (which saves us money).

Josie Hull, Social and Creator Marketing Manager in COLONY Piccadilly Manchester

Given the requirements of your business, what made you choose to use a coworking space instead of a traditional office?

As the Just Spices Head Office is based in Germany and I live in the UK, my role is completely remote. This can be quite isolating and previously made meeting new people feel difficult.

Before joining Colony, I worked from home, but I really struggled to strike a healthy work/life balance (when your home is your office, it can be hard to switch off from work). So, investing in a coworking space was largely to help with my mental well-being. I was also hoping to expand my network with other young professionals and find a better routine in myself of getting up, dressed, and out of the house each day.

How has being a part of our community affected you?

I have loved being part of the Colony community even more than I thought I would. Having social interaction every day has really helped my sense of well-being. I was really missing the office chit-chat and general connection you get when working with your peers and thankfully I’ve made some great friends through working at Colony and attending the exclusive member events you guys put on. I especially love the regular Sofar Sounds Sessions and Mindful Painting classes!

Josie, thanks so much for sitting down with us. It’s been so nice to see and hear how working at Colony has benefitted you – and long may that continue!

If you’re looking for a vibrant, friendly coworking in Manchester, that all offers the benefits discussed in this article and more, drop us a note. We’d love to chat.