Growing up in Manchester, in the heart of the North of England, I never imagined I'd end up in Los Angeles selling luxury real estate. But life's journey is rarely linear, and sometimes the skills you build in one industry become the foundation for success in another.
I spent 15 years in entertainment publicity in London - the epicenter of my career. Fifteen years of high-stakes campaigns, film premieres, press junkets, and working directly with A-list talent and major film studios. I managed campaigns under intense pressure, coordinated moving pieces across continents, negotiated media exclusives, and positioned stories that moved markets. It was exhilarating, demanding, and deeply rewarding.
But after years of living in London, I began to crave something different. The entertainment industry runs on adrenaline and external validation. The next premiere is always bigger, the next story always more important. There's a beauty in that intensity, but there's also a cost. I was ready for something that felt more grounded, more tangible - something where I could see the direct impact of my work on people's lives.
That's when I moved to Los Angeles.
The culture shock was real. LA is sprawling, driving-dependent, and utterly unlike London's compact walkability. But I fell in love - especially with the Westside. Venice Beach, Playa Vista, Marina del Rey, Mar Vista, Playa del Rey, Santa Monica. There's something about those neighborhoods: the blend of relaxed coastal living with real urban sophistication, the diversity, the sense of community, the access to everything without the chaos of central LA.
And then I discovered real estate.
At first, it seemed like a complete departure. But the more I worked in the industry, the more I realized how much my publicity background had prepared me. In entertainment, I connected people with stories they loved. In real estate, I connect people with homes they love. In publicity, we positioned products strategically - what angle resonates, who's the right audience, what's the timing. In real estate, it's the same: understanding a property's strengths, positioning it to the right buyers, timing the market.
Negotiation is negotiation. Reading people is reading people. Managing expectations - whether it's talent worried about coverage or buyers worried about contingencies - it's fundamentally the same skill set. And the high-pressure timelines? A film premiere is months of coordination that culminates in one night. A real estate closing is months of coordination that culminates in one day. The tension, the stakes, the need to keep all the moving parts aligned - it's all familiar.
Four years in, I'm now Associate Director of The Grady Group at The Agency, specializing in the Westside. I work with buyers, sellers, and investors who understand luxury real estate. But more importantly, I work with a lot of people who've done exactly what I did - relocated internationally, moved countries for work or family or a new chapter. Having lived in Manchester, spent over a decade in London, and then transplanted myself to LA, I understand that journey on a personal level. I know what it's like to leave behind a whole life. I know what it's like to find your feet in a new place. I know what it's like to discover that the move was exactly what you needed.
That's the part of my job I love most: helping people find their home in a new city. Whether you're coming from across the country or across the world, whether you're seeking the energy of Venice or the calm of Playa Vista, I've got you.
If you're considering a move to the Westside - whether from across the city, across the country or across the world - I'd love to hear from you.
