Academy 2026 Cohort
freya horley
DEGREE
Aston University | Business and Management
"Being able to be creative and get into the mind of the consumer is the reason I love marketing, and I’m determined to use my career to champion women and grow into an inspiring female leader."
About freya
What was the route that brought you to Academy by Tribera?
I chose a Business and Management degree at Aston University because I had not yet decided on a specific career path and wanted to explore different business functions. It quickly became clear that the marketing modules were what truly excited me, which led to me securing a marketing placement at Mitchells & Butlers. This experience was invaluable for building my confidence and putting university theory (e.g full-funnel marketing, marketing strategy) into practice. Facing an exceptionally competitive graduate job market in my final year, I recognised the need to proactively enhance my practical skills. Tribera Academy has been the ideal next step, equipping me with marketing tools (GA4, Looker Studio, strategy, SEO) and a valuable agency perspective that contrasts my previous in house experience.
What is it about the creative marketing world that genuinely pulls you in?
I really enjoy how marketing merges strategy and creativity, and I have a real interest in seeing these come together in social media and content creation. I love that marketing constantly has to adapt and evolve, especially online where what is viral today can be completely different next week, and how cultural moments can build a real sense of community. I am also interested in what actually 'stops the scroll.' I love putting myself in the consumer's shoes to figure out exactly what would make me watch that video, engage with content, and buy that product.
Why do you want to build your career here in Birmingham?
After moving from the New Forest, I have spent the last four years living in Birmingham, and I fully intend to build my career here. It is my university city, so I naturally feel a strong sense of nostalgia for it. I am also incredibly excited by how much the city is growing; it has evolved so much during my time here, and I want to see how it continues to develop. Most importantly, I love Birmingham because it is so diverse. It is a vibrant and welcoming city full of different cultures and perspectives, which is exactly why I want to stay.
Where do you want your career to head over the next couple of years?
Over the next couple of years, I want to enter the job market at a company where I have a genuine passion for the industry (food, beauty, or fashion) and gain lots of experience in a junior role. I really want to be part of a team that celebrates differences and loves collaboration. In a couple of years' time, my goal is to have built some solid marketing experience, where I have really begun to learn exactly what excites me the most in the industry. It’s all about exploration for me.
What is something about you that has nothing to do with marketing?
A real personal passion of mine is cooking and baking. Food is my love language. My mum is always grateful for this as I now take full control of the Christmas dinner and all birthday cakes. I love experimenting with new flavour combinations, making fresh focaccia, and constantly building my own recipe archive. I just really enjoy the whole process of making things for others and eating food that is really rather yummy.
How has working with AI changed the way you think and work?
working with ai
I had been using AI for a while before the Academy, but I didn't really know how to use it properly or strategically to get effective outcomes. Through the programme, I have learned how important prompts actually are because the outcomes are only ever as good as the inputs. I now treat AI like a personal assistant, learning how to build it out so that it learns my way of thinking and tone of voice. I have also realised that AI isn't always the automatic time saving tool you might expect. My own thoughts, ideas, and inputs are still the most crucial factors in getting the results I need. AI helps but you simply cannot rely on it alone.
Where do you think you will thrive?
strengths and focus
Strategy is definitely the area that pulls me in the most. I love that it underpins absolutely everything and acts as the foundation for great marketing, and I really like the idea of overseeing a brand's direction. Alongside that, I love everything to do with social media because the visual and creative side is just so fun and engaging. However, I am keeping a completely open mind about exploring other marketing functions and trying new things as you never know what you might end up loving.
Which technical and professional skills have you sharpened during the programme?
KEY SKILLS MASTERED
- Building a Looker Studio Report
- Naivigating GA4
- The difference between and the cascade of business, brand, marketing, creative and channel strategy
- Competitor website audit
- How to utilise AI through proper prompting and building Gems to give feedback
- SEO basics
- Creating video content for social media following a brief
- Testing concepts against an ideal customer profile
- Building a content calendar
- Understanding user journeys and wireframes
What kinds of roles and responsibilities are you now ready to take on?
ready for
With a year of in house placement experience at Mitchells & Butlers and training at Tribera Academy, I am equipped to hit the ground running in Junior Marketing, Social Media, or Account Executive roles. My main strengths lie in managing agency and partner relationships, taking ownership of the marketing calendars, and running social media content from strategy through to execution and reporting. Also, having audited core business processes at Mitchells & Butlers, including social CLMs, the affiliate program, and website pop-up performance, I am highly confident in presenting strategic suggestions back to the wider team. On the technical side, I have an understanding of GA4 for tracking traffic and engagement, can build Looker Studio reports to clearly present data, and use Excel to streamline documentation processes.