The Shortlist – A Personal Perspective, from Natasha Wills

Business Manager and PA, Natasha Wills, joined Damhurst in October 2024 from the world of advertising, having worked as a Senior Account Manager for seven years. At Damhurst, she oversees operations, client service and diary management, keeping the team and the business running seamlessly with her calm and highly efficient approach.

For our latest edition of The Shortlist, Natasha spoke to us about her background in advertising, her Kiwi roots, and how she came to Damhurst via a personal training session.

It’s safe to say my career has been varied. I studied Media, Arts and Design at Westminster, where I also learned to code. Before joining Damhurst, I worked in web development, telecoms sales and then advertising, while also launching and running my own holiday letting business.

I learned a lot from working in sales. Early in my career I sold VOIP, mobile phone contracts and SIP line for a telecommunications company. We did a lot of cold calling, which pushed me outside of my comfort zone and built up my confidence and resilience.

Redundancy made me rethink my career direction. Before joining Damhurst, I was a Senior Account Manager for an advertising agency. I’d worked there for seven years when the company went into liquidation and I was made redundant. It was a tough experience, but it made me realise I wanted a change and to try something new.

A personal training session got me the job at Damhurst. I was interested in working as a PA, transferring my skills in account management, but I didn’t have any direct experience to support my applications. My personal trainer, Kate, is married to James, Damhurst’s MD, and I mentioned I was looking for PA roles. By coincidence, James’s PA was about to leave, so Kate mentioned my name to him. We met up for coffee and got on really well, and after a trial period, he offered me the job.

There’s a culture-first approach at Damhurst. We have quite a rigorous hiring process where a number of different team members will meet any person being interviewed. It means we all have a say on whether or not we think they’ll fit in. You can hire someone who’s very capable at their job, but if they’re not the right fit culturally, it impacts the day-to-day environment in the office.

No two days are the same in the office. It’s all hands on deck – everyone gets involved. If anyone notices I’ve got a lot on my plate, they’ll ask what they can do to help – even if it’s as simple as making a cup of tea. No one is left out on their own. If someone is stuck on something, they can put their hand up and say they need help.

We’re like a family. Being a close knit team means we get to know each other on a one-to-one basis. We’re a unique bunch and we each bring different quirks to the business, but we all pull our weight.

My biggest challenge is managing the demands on James’s time. His level of knowledge and expertise means there’s always a queue of people wanting to speak to him. My job is to give him the confidence to focus on the business’s priorities, knowing that everything will continue to run smoothly.

I’m a highly active person – whether it’s personal training, yoga, pilates or weight training. I also go bouldering and I love live music. I go to a lot of gigs and festivals.

Travel and nature are my biggest passions. I’m half-Kiwi and I love being outdoors. Growing up in New Zealand, we’d go to places like Vanuatu in French Polynesia, experiencing proper island life. I’m very lucky to have travelled far and wide. Last year I went to Namibia, where you could drive for five hours without seeing another soul.

I’m most proud of the fact that I launched my own business. While I was working in advertising, I set up a holiday letting business, working seven-day weeks to renovate the property and clean it between guests before I was able to employ a cleaner. It’s been a big success and I’m proud that I got it off the ground while working full time. I manage it entirely myself and definitely consider it my biggest achievement to date.