About Paula
I’m a marketing and communications consultant with extensive experience spanning commercial, charity, government and health sectors. I’m based in Edinburgh, work with clients across the UK, and I’ve spent my whole career doing the thing I find genuinely fascinating — helping organisations communicate better and grow as a result.
I’ve always been drawn to the complicated stuff
I studied marketing and French as a combined honours degree — and while most of my fellow students chose glamorous consumer brands for their dissertations, I chose a pharmaceutical company launching a new thrombolytic drug. Everyone thought I was square. I thought it was fascinating.
Turns out that instinct — to find the complex, the scientific, the genuinely important just as compelling as the commercial — has shaped my entire career.
From there, my career took me across a genuinely wide range of sectors — central government communications, technology, legal and financial services, engineering, and a broad mix of businesses through my consultancy work. That breadth matters. It means I bring a commercial perspective to charity clients, and a mission-driven sensibility to business clients.
Eventually my path led me to the health charity sector, where being able to translate complicated medical and scientific information into communications that actually connect with people is essential.
I now work in a blood-related health charity, alongside my consultancy work. The dissertation subject and the day job are more connected than anyone back in my student days would have predicted — least of all me.
HOW I WORK
A free call. An honest conversation. A clear way forward.
No retainers on day one. No overwhelming proposals. Just a straightforward process that starts with understanding what you actually need.
01
We talk
A free 30 minute call to understand where you are, where you want to be, and what’s getting in the way.
02
I take a look
I’ll review what you’ve got — website, socials, strategy, the lot — and tell you honestly what’s working and what isn’t.
03
We make a plan
A clear, prioritised plan that fits your budget and capacity. No fluff, no 40-page documents you’ll never read.
04
I help you deliver it
Whether you need someone to do it, lead it, or just point you in the right direction — we work out the right level of support.
How I think about marketing
Most clients come to me thinking they need one specific thing. Help with their website. A social media plan. A new fundraising appeal. And sometimes that really is all they need.
But more often, the thing they’ve asked for is a symptom of something broader — a messaging problem, a strategy gap, a disconnect between what they’re putting out into the world and what they’re actually trying to achieve. I’ve learned to look for those things, reflect them back clearly, and help clients see the full picture before we decide what to fix first.
I don’t do overwhelming. I don’t do 40-page strategy documents that gather dust. I do honest, practical, prioritised — and I work at the pace that’s right for you, not the pace that maximises my invoice.
“She is also a great colleague and collaborator, fun to work with and great at building teams.”
Mark, charity policy and campaigns leader
What working with me actually looks like
Straight talking
I’ll tell you what’s working, what isn’t, and what I’d do if it were my business. No flattery, no flannel.
Genuinely curious
I ask a lot of questions before I make recommendations. The right answer for your organisation might be completely different from the right answer for someone else’s.
Creative and analytical
A arts and science background means I’m comfortable with both the creative and the data side of marketing. Good instincts, backed by evidence.
Easy to work with
Marketing can feel overwhelming. I try to make it feel manageable — and maybe even enjoyable. The work should move forward, not feel like a burden.
The practical bits
I’m based in Edinburgh and work with clients across the UK — from Scotland to London and everywhere in between. Most of my work is remote, which means geography is rarely a barrier. I’m also happy to meet in person when it makes sense.
I work with charities, non-profits and small businesses on both project and ongoing bases. If you’re not sure what kind of support you need, that’s fine — that’s usually what the first conversation is for.
Alongside my consultancy, I’ve held a Non-Executive Director (Chair) role in the charity sector, which keeps me sharp on governance, strategy and what good organisational leadership actually looks like from the inside.
Paula Shutt Marketing 