Hi, I'm Emma
Fainting Goats Marketing is me, Emma Mills, a brand specialist with over 38 years' experience offering simple, effective marketing services to generate more customers and more financial freedom for the service-based small business community.
How did I get here?
A grammar school education that didn’t favour ‘creatives’ and the loss of my dad at just 17 impacted my early working life. I never wanted to work in an office and had dreams of being a theatre set designer. The day I was due to finish the build of my designs at art college was the day I lost him.
I then lost my focus, did temp jobs, and grew up fast – I needed to support my mum in our combined loss and it was a tough time. However I realised I had a skill in quickly learning how to use all the emerging software (think early Microsoft and desktop publishing!) and this knowledge made me very popular as a temp. I worked for a wide range of companies gaining confidence, commercial experience and tech skills until I was offered my first marketing job.
I totally fell headfirst in love with marketing as it combined my skill with words, my creativity, and tech knowledge into one delightfully varied role. Fast forward 8 years, a tenfold growth in the company, much fun and on-the-job experience later, I left to take on my first marketing management role. Life was good.
And then I lost my way again....
Nobody expects to lose both parents by the age of 31. Both taken by cancer before they were 60 made me realise ‘you only live once’. Having only recently left the comfort and familiarity of my 8 year long first marketing role, I couldn't settle and moved jobs a few times because none of them felt right.
I finally got settled and over the next 20 years, I lived life to the full. I travelled extensively and worked for a variety of service-based businesses, developing my own take on marketing strategy & management alongside some incredible people, many of whom remain friends.
I never lost my love of design so I studied varied creative skills; graphic design, journalism, photography, interior design, and floristry, as well as regularly expanding on my tech knowledge of new marketing software and tools.
My lightbulb moment!
After leaving my corporate career of 27 years and then spending time in New Zealand, I was working as a freelance marketing consultant. Back in the UK and a session with a business coach led me to identify where I could share my unique combination of expertise and finally focus on the work that brings me most joy!
With my many years' experience in marketing, branding, copywriting, design, project management and tech, I really wanted to focus on providing marketing related services to allow small business owners to thrive.
I found my niche! Have you?
After a rather unusual route to a career in the marketing industry, a stint living 12,000 miles away and surprisingly becoming my own boss I have finally found my niche! In both work and life as I finally live near the beach, which is always my happy place!
I have a natural affinity for educating & motivating others so, as well as marketing strategy, copywriting and content creation, I also follow my other love - to share my knowledge and experience to make life easier for other small business owners.
Why Fainting Goats?
My partner’s reaction whenever he saw me in those early love-struck days was akin to the reaction of a Fainting Goat – they are momentarily stunned when surprised and roll onto their backs! The working title back in 2015 for my marketing consultancy was FG Marketing and the name stuck.
When I fully shrugged off the corporate mindset, I had the confidence to introduce the words behind the 'FG', and so Fainting Goats Marketing became my business name!
I would never have dreamed I would one day work for myself, let alone have my own business. However, here I am, sharing my unique combination of strategy, creativity, copywriting, tech knowledge, and passion for marketing with a range of packages, mentoring & training for service-based business owners & consultants.