Time for Business campaign – Meet Charlie from the Creative Assistants Agency

Time to lead. Time for business. Our new ad campaign is in full swing, you might have seen it on buses, during your tube journey or even in the street at the corner of your favourite local shop! As with everything we do at Tide, our members are at the centre of this campaign. Six brilliant businesses that we’re thrilled to introduce to you.

Today, we introduce you to the Creative Assistants Agency, founded by Charlie, a stylist with over 20 years of experience. The agency represents creative talents within the stills and film industry. This woman-led business was launched on 8 March – International Women’s Day back in 2021. Since then, it has grown massively and it takes on more and more creative projects. 

Charlie, you’ve been a stylist for over 2 decades and founded the Creative Assistants Agency about 4 years ago – tell us more.

I had several reasons for creating the Creative Assistants Agency. The main one is that I feel very passionately about the role of assistants within the stills and film industry; these roles are so important, and their contribution to a shoot needs to be valued. I also felt there was a gap for representing assistants especially in the stills industry. 

I wanted to set up the Creative Assistants Agency for many years, but with my styling work (working on wardrobe and props, which I really enjoyed) and a family, it was something that I kept putting off due to time constraints and, if I am being honest, fear. It’s easy to come up with an idea or have a dream, but to actually turn it into reality is truly exciting. That said, it’s a whole other level of commitment, and there’s the worry that you won’t make it. 

Just before the lockdown happened I started planning how the business could work and with the help of an amazing designer, Richard from Slade Design, I started the Creative Assistants Agency.

During lockdown I finally had the time I needed to plan and set up. As restrictions lifted, I was up and running with a small team, a website, and ready to start promoting our services. 

What is it like being a business owner and how do you organise yourself?

I would absolutely struggle to get the job done without a great team behind me and this is echoed by many creative leads. 

I have been in the industry for over 20 years. I truly love it, but at times it can be stressful and physically demanding, not to mention the long hours and last-minute changes where you suddenly lose your weekend to last minute prep.

I got to the point where I still wanted to style, but not full= time. I wanted to be in control of my time, work remotely – which the Tide app is perfect for (I paid crew invoices from the jungle in Borneo this summer!) – and be around more for my family.

You’re working with talented specialist assistants, can you tell us more about your selection process?

I’m so proud and lucky to have such a great team of freelancers that we can work with.They cover all creative roles, including stylists, HMUAs (hair & makeup artists), photographers and runners, from assistant to lead roles across the UK.

When I first set up the Creative Assistants Agency, our initial team consisted of creatives I knew and had worked with.But as the company and the team grew, we added a link on our website where potential new crew members could apply. We then check through all their information, their referrals and organise a meeting. If the assistant passes our checks and is the right fit for our team, we add them to our growing roster. 

Unfortunately, at the moment work for freelancers is quite uncertain. That’s why we want to make sure that, when possible, we evenly distribute the work among our freelancers.

What is the importance of network and community in the creative industry? 

Within the creative sector, networking and community are absolutely key to grow the business . That’s especially true for us  because we’re not selling a product but working with people, often on last- minute and stressful shoots, so support is key. We have a 100% transparency policy with our team and do our best to support them whilst on a shoot. They know we’re available at any moment to assist them if they have a query about their jobs and their general wellbeing.

Is there a particular project you enjoyed working on that you’d like to share?

There have been so many over the years. For me, the biggest perks of the job are the people you get to meet and work with. The locations are also often exciting and I love that every job is different. 

One of my favourite shoots was for Nokia a few years back. We shot at the iconic Pinewood studios, which allowed creativity from the Art department. We had to create a set where an explosion had just gone off: large piles of fake rubble, broken helicopter parts, SFX smoke, a couple of Aston Martins placed (carefully!) within the rubble, and the new James Bond girl seated on a motorbike showcasing the new mobile. When we first got the brief, we had to ring up a real helicopter, but the budget stopped that one, sadly.

In the past few years, as a creative professional and a business owner, what has been the hardest and the most rewarding?

The hardest part is trying to juggle everything and wanting to be able to do more and do it better. There’re many job roles you’re covering, from promoting the business, managing crews and shoots, to invoicing and doing accounts. 

The most rewarding is when you get fantastic feedback on the team and see the results of their hard work and talent inthe final work. 

Another special part for me is seeing some of our crew, who joined just starting out as assistants, flourish and move to lead creatives, and seeing the stunning work they help to create.

At Tide we have a Women In Business Programme dedicated to help more women start businesses. Can you share your top advice for women looking to start a creative business?

If you have a dream, go for it, stay focused, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. You’ll make mistakes, but that is all part of the journey. 

The number of women in entrepreneurship and lead roles is growing around the world, yet sadly, obstacles remain, especially for young women starting within the creative Industry. When working on bigger film set productions, don’t be intimidated or allow for anyone to bully you. Make sure you have the support of your team and production. When I first started out, a famous production designer chased me around his kitchen for a kiss. I made my escape and never assisted him again!

What’s next for the Creative Assistants Agency? 

Our key objective is to grow the business and the team throughout the UK and beyond, whilst still maintaining the quality and talent of our crew. We’re also in talks with a few production companies to start putting on some informative events and masterclasses across our social channels. 

There’re a few more plans up our sleeve, but that’s top secret for now!