Shaznay Bartley

Setting out to build a creative career after sixth form, Shaznay Bartley took a different route to many of her peers. Instead of going to university, she joined Brixton Finishing School and freelanced while exploring different creative roles. As a social media executive at Born Social, Shaznay now leverages her skills to craft authentic and engaging social media content that connects brands with genuine communities. Here, she shares her journey, the importance of community and practical advice for emerging creatives.

What I do

How would you describe what you do?
I make brands go viral!

What are the main influences and inspirations behind your work?
Community! I’m always inspired by people, their ideas and their creativity. My work involves looking at social media all the time and seeing what people are talking about, what they’re starting to find interesting, what trends everyone’s jumping on and what sounds creators are constantly using in their videos. Community is my inspiration.

Would you say you need any specific training for what you do?
I’d say no training is really needed, but the key skill is being someone who’s always online, which honestly, is everyone these days. What really matters is being a creative thinker, someone who enjoys coming up with ideas, researching, and being able to explain why an idea could work.

You also need to be comfortable taking risks every day and trying things that might not always have a guaranteed outcome. And I guess, above all, a passion for people. At the end of the day, the work is for people, you want to connect with all kinds of audiences and actually enjoy doing it.

What’s been your favourite project to work on from the past year, and why?
Working on George at Asda has definitely been my favourite! It’s been a fun challenge taking a brand that isn’t super popular and helping it become “that girl” on social media. It honestly feels like watching a child grow into their personality. We’ve been trialling and testing different things to figure out what really works for them online and seeing that progress has been so rewarding.

What does a normal day-to-day usually look like for you?
In the morning, I usually start my day by going through social media to see what the community is talking about. I’ll jot down any ideas I have for the brands I work on, then jump into a brainstorm session with my team. In the afternoons, we’re usually creating, editing, and planning shoot days to bring those ideas to life. On Wednesdays, we’ll brainstorm again, check for any new trends, and then the cycle repeats.

If there was a starter pack for your job, what would be on it?
iPhone, MacBook, tripod, mini mics, Instagram and TikTok (of course). Probably 10 Google tabs open at once. Canva and CapCut on standby. WeTransfer. Slack messages asking people if they’re free to be in a shoot. Google Docs full of half-finished ideas and chargers of course!

How I got here

What was your journey like when you were first starting out? Did you find your feet quickly?
It was very much a walk of faith. I left sixth form and spent that summer doing Brixton Finishing School, where I networked a lot, took on freelance design work and applied for loads of roles. It wasn’t an easy path, but I stayed open and kept moving.

How did you go about landing your first few jobs?
I found mine on LinkedIn! I already knew the company from Brixton Finishing School, so it helped me reach out to those who already worked there!

What has been your biggest challenge along the way?
I had to grow up fast. While all my friends went off to uni, made new friends and started their new lives in new cities, I was learning how to be an adult early on. I had to figure out my salary details, learn to budget properly and build confidence at work, especially since I am one of the youngest there.

How important are social media and self-promotion to your work? Do you have any advice or learnings to share?
Very important! These days, social media is everything. We live, breathe and probably even eat it. This is the platform to show who you are, what you do and give people a feel for your personality and style. It’s often the first place potential clients or employers will look. If they can’t find you, it’s much harder for them to get to know you or understand what you bring to the table.

What are three things that you’ve found useful to your work or career, and why?

What have been your greatest learnings with making money and supporting yourself as a creative?
YouTube has been my university. When I first started freelancing, I learnt everything there, from how to send files properly to creating forms and handling client communication. It was a lifesaver.

One of the biggest lessons has been learning to feel confident in my pricing. It’s easy to feel nervous about charging too much and losing clients, or too little and not making enough to live. What helped me was doing some research, looking at what others in similar roles charge per hour or per project, and then adjusting based on my experience.

Don’t be afraid to add a little extra to reflect your time, effort, and value. Sometimes you need that extra income to support your creative journey, and that’s totally okay.

My advice

What’s the best career-related advice you’ve ever received?
It’s just social media; people will forget about it after two scrolls.

What advice would you give to someone looking to get into a similar role?
Try everything and stay open-minded! A great starting point is checking out opportunities like Brixton Finishing School or the Born Ready Trainee Scheme, they’re amazing for breaking into the industry and building real experience.

Look out for internships and apprenticeships at creative agencies, but don’t wait around either. Create your own opportunities, freelance, help out on a friend’s business, or offer to support a small one. Every bit of hands-on experience will count!

Also, try out different roles. You might think you want to do one thing and discover you love something else even more. Keep track of where you’ve applied with a spreadsheet or tracker so you can stay organised and follow up.

Most of all, be curious, stay learning, and don’t be afraid to start small even if it’s starting as a junior or executive.