A day in the life of Louise, our Managing Director

How long have you worked at The Distance?

I’ve been at The Distance for 7.5 years now. I originally started part-time as a Project Manager – feels like a lifetime ago, but in the best possible way!

How would you describe your role in one sentence?

As Managing Director, I shape the big picture, connect the right people, and keep the momentum going to turn ambitious plans into real progress, without losing the fun along the way.

What does a day in your life as MD look like?

No two days are ever the same (which I love), but here's a rough idea of how things usually go:

• 8:30am: First things first – coffee and a quick check of emails and Slack to catch up on anything that’s come in overnight.
• 9:15am: Daily stand-up (scrum) with the team – it’s a great way to stay connected and see what everyone’s working on.
• 10:00am - 12:00pm: Meetings vary depending on the day. Sometimes it’s a deep dive into KPIs with our Head of Ops, other times it’s catching up with Marketing on campaigns or sitting down with the Heads of Departments for a 1-2-1.
• 12:00 - 1:00pm: Ideally lunch – though some days it's more of a 'grab a snack between calls' kind of situation!
• Afternoons: These are usually a mix of budget planning, client check-ins, reviewing proposals, or jumping on sales calls. I try to carve out focus time for strategic planning or tackling any big-picture work.
• 5:30pm-ish: I do a final email check, plan for the next day, and wrap things up. Unless I’ve lost track of time in a brainstorm or been pulled into a spontaneous "what if we did this?" chat (which I secretly love).

Hands down, the team. One of our core values is empowering success, and it’s not just a phrase on a wall. I get such a buzz from seeing someone take on a challenge, really make it their own, and absolutely smash it. It makes everything else worthwhile.

Staying ahead means staying curious. We're always watching trends, exploring new tech, and challenging ourselves to think differently. Whether that’s experimenting with AI tools, refining our processes, or working more collaboratively with clients, we never settle for “how it’s always been done.” And honestly, we’ve got a smart, creative team that loves to push boundaries - it’s hard not to stay ahead with people like that around.

It’s a juggle for sure! I try to be really intentional with my time. I’ll block out space in my calendar for strategy work, but also stay closely connected with what’s happening day-to-day so I can spot opportunities (or potential fires!) early. I lean heavily on our Heads of Ops too; they keep things moving and let me zoom out when needed.

Culture isn't just about socials and Slack emojis (though we love both). It’s about trust, autonomy, and making sure people feel heard and supported. I’m big on open communication, recognising wins - big or small - and giving people space to grow. We’ve built a culture where people genuinely care about each other and the work we do, and that’s pretty special.

The potential. We’re in such an exciting phase of growth, and there’s so much more we can do - from expanding our services to working with even more ambitious clients. I love that we’re not afraid to evolve, try new things, and stretch ourselves. It feels like we’re just getting started.

How many hats you wear in a single day. You can go from finance planning, to HR decisions, to creative reviews, to client negotiations - all before lunch. It’s equal parts exhilarating and exhausting, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

A Jaffa Cake - because let’s be honest, it’s a bit unexpected, a little quirky, and keeps people guessing... cake or biscuit? Either way, it’s got layers, and it's always a crowd-pleaser.

Image source.

Probably living my best life as a full-time cat lady… or maybe an international traveller with no fixed address, hopping from city to city with a laptop and a good coffee in hand. Ideally, both.

From early strategy sessions to end-of-day email check-ins, Louise brings clarity, empathy, and a whole lot of drive to her role as MD. Her vision for The Distance has always been about more than just building great apps - it’s about building a great team, too.

Want more behind-the-scenes insight from the humans making it all happen? Keep an eye out for the next chapter in our Day in the Life series.