I Left TV Production With No Plan. Here Is What I Learned.

For six years, television was my world. Casting Assistant Producer on Too Hot to Handle, First Dates, Storage Hunters. Fast-paced, creative, unpredictable work that I genuinely loved.

And then I knew it was time to leave.

Not because anything went wrong. Not because of one defining moment. But for a combination of reasons that had been building quietly for a while.

Not every show was the same. Some were genuinely brilliant to work on , creative, well-intentioned, and something I was proud to have my name attached to. Others sat less comfortably. The more reality-focused the format, the more I found myself questioning what we were asking of the people we were casting. Real people, not performers, being put into situations they may not have fully understood the implications of.

That discomfort grew quietly over time. And eventually it became one of the things that told me it was time to move on. I wanted to do work where the impact I was having on people felt positive rather than something I had to make peace with.

The problem was I had absolutely no idea what came next.

What Is It Like to Leave a Creative Career With No Plan?

If you have ever left something before you knew what you were going to, you will recognise this feeling. The mix of relief and terror. The questions from people who mean well but whose curiosity feels like pressure. The days when you wonder if you have made a terrible mistake.

I moved into recruitment. Then I found my way into the marketing team. And slowly, something clicked.

It was not a straight line. It never is. But looking back, every step made sense, even the ones that felt uncertain at the time.

What Skills Does TV Production Give You That Transfer to Marketing?

The skills I built in television are the same skills that make me good at what I do now. Understanding people. Reading a room. Telling a story. Knowing what makes something compelling versus what makes people switch off.

Casting is, at its heart, about finding the right person for the right moment. Marketing is not that different. You are always asking: who is this for, what do they need, and how do I reach them in a way that actually lands?

I did not see that connection at the time. I only see it now. Which is worth remembering if you are in the middle of your own transition and nothing feels like it connects yet.

Marketing, it turns out, is still about understanding people. But the relationship feels fundamentally different. I help businesses communicate honestly with their audience. Nobody is being set up for something they did not sign up for.

What Is It Really Like to Run Your Own Marketing Consultancy?

Running my own marketing consultancy was not a plan I had. It was something that evolved. One client, then another, then a reputation that preceded me.

It is not always comfortable. There are quiet months and busy months. There is no one to tell you what to do, which is both the best and the most challenging thing about it.

But there is also this: the freedom to do work that matters, with people you actually want to work with. And for me, that is worth everything.

How Do You Build a Freelance Marketing Business From Scratch?

Honestly? One relationship at a time. And not always from the places you expect.

When I first started my freelance business, I sent a message into my netball WhatsApp group. Not a pitch, not a carefully crafted piece of content, just an honest message to a group of women I had built genuine friendships with over Wednesday evenings on a court in Hertfordshire. The response was overwhelming. And one of the clients that came from it was Transport for London.

I still think about that. TfL. From netball.

It is a reminder that your network is bigger and more valuable than you realise, and that the relationships you build in completely unexpected places can end up mattering enormously. People refer people they trust. And trust is built long before you ever mention what you do for a living.

My clients have also come through LinkedIn, through people I worked with years ago who remembered me and reached out, and through word of mouth. But the netball story is the one I keep coming back to when I am reminded that the best marketing is often just being a genuinely good person in rooms and group chats you were never thinking of as professional.

The most important thing I have done is show up consistently, on LinkedIn, in conversations, in the quality of the work I deliver. Reputation is built slowly and lost quickly. Protect it.

I also got comfortable being specific about what I do. Generalists are hard to refer. When you can say I specialise in LinkedIn, email marketing and fractional marketing leadership for growing businesses, people know exactly who to send your way.

What Would You Tell Someone Considering a Career Change?

You do not need to have it all figured out before you move. You just need to take the next step and trust that the one after it will become clearer once you do.

The career you end up with is rarely the one you planned. But if you stay curious, keep showing up, and say yes to the things that scare you slightly, it tends to work out better than you imagined.

Frequently Asked Questions About Career Changes Into Marketing

Can you move into marketing from a different industry?

Absolutely. Many of the best marketers come from other backgrounds , journalism, sales, events, TV production. What matters is the ability to understand people, tell stories and think commercially. Those skills transfer.

What qualifications do you need to work in marketing?

There is no single required qualification. Experience, a strong portfolio and a track record of results matter far more than specific credentials. Many successful marketers are self-taught or have learned through doing.

Is freelance marketing a viable career?

Yes , and increasingly so. Businesses are moving towards fractional and flexible marketing support rather than full-time hires, particularly at senior level. If you can demonstrate results and build strong client relationships, freelance marketing can be an excellent career choice.

How do I get my first marketing client?

Start with your existing network. Tell people what you do and who you help. Offer to help someone you know with a specific problem. Build a case study from that work. Use LinkedIn consistently to share what you know. Your first client is almost always closer than you think.

Katie Leuw is a Fractional Head of Marketing based in Hertfordshire, working with businesses across recruitment, professional services, property and beyond. Get in touch at katie@katieleuwmarketing.com