Impact Brixton is a dynamic co-working space for creatives, entrepreneurs, freelancers and social change makers to work towards their dreams. And tons of our members are multi-talented innovators with more than one mission on the go.
This week, we’re chatting to our brilliant Blake Anderson-James. Blake is a stand-out Freelance Marketing Manager by day and side-splitting Stand-Up Comedian by night. Read on to hear more about how he balances two successful careers.
Blake Anderson-James, Freelance Marketing Manager and Stand-Up Comedian
Hi, Blake! Can you tell us a little bit about what you do?
Hey! I’m Blake Anderson-James. I’m a Freelance Marketing Manager, specialising in events. I’m currently working with UK Creative Festival, which is held in Dreamland, Margate, and looks to celebrate and showcase the creativity of the UK sector at every level. It also the home to the only Creative Careers Fair in the UK, and the Creative Circle Awards, which is the longest running Creative Awards in Europe!
Outside of that, I pursue my dream of being a stand-up comedian, and last year was the first year of me making regular income off that dream. I perform in venues all over England, and I’ve also taken work up to the Edinburgh Fringe.
Oh, and I also do freelance videography at events across the city. So in short, I’m pretty lazy.
When did you join the coworking community at Impact Brixton?
I first came to Impact Brixton when I worked at my previous company. My team and I came here for a work day, and I loved the environment. The company I was working for at the time was fully remote, so I started coming to Impact Brixton to work, I ended up becoming closer friends with everyone here than at my actual job! Most coworking spaces talk about the ‘great energy’ and the ‘cool environment’, but Impact really is one of the few places where that feeling is genuine.
What’s your favourite story from your time at Impact Brixton?
Impact Brixton runs so many great events, from workshops to pitching slams to socials. Every Friday from 5pm, members com together to drink rum punch (or a non-alcoholic alternative), play board games and catch up. And then on the last Friday of every month, Impact Brixton hosts a big event where anyone can turn up to eat, drink, play games and network. That’s definitely the best one!
When I mentioned to the Founder of Impact Brixton that I performed comedy, he asked if I wanted to gatecrash one of the regular networking events to host a comedy show. That in itself is testament to how dynamic this place is, they’re always up for breaking the mould! I’ve hosted a few comedy nights here now, and while it is definitely terrifying to play to an audience of people who know you, it’s such a fun place to try out new material! It was so nice to hear feedback from everyone in the space that they loved the stand up so much, and every comedian that came down to perform would talk about how much fun the night was. I think that is such a great testament to the community vibe this place has created. We all genuinely like hanging out here!
Looking for a coworking space that’s built around creatives?
With all the respect in the world to sleek and stylish coworking spaces filled with tech dudes wearing turtle necks, that’s not really how we roll (though if you are a tech dude looking for a change of scene, you and your turtle neck are super welcome!). Impact Brixton is a light and colourful space filled with houseplants and good vibes. We’re home to marketeers and architects, screenwriters and SEO whizzes, social changemakers and singer songwriters, and a ton of other incredible innovators. So whatever you do, there’ll definitely be someone here for you to swap and change ideas with. Get out of your home office and join a dynamic network of diverse creatives – check out our coworking options here.
Want to be featured on our blog?
Grab the spotlight, and let’s go! We love championing our incredible members and the brilliant work that they do. So if you’re a member here at Impact Brixton and you’d like to share your story, email hosts@impactbrixton.com to say you’re interested in being featured on our blog. We’ll send you a few quick questions to answer, and share your interview across our newsletter and social media accounts!
