​Richard has been in marketing since before the internet, cutting his teeth in old school Direct Marketing. Then the internet came and made his job 1,000,000 times faster and a lot more fun!

Throughout his career he has worked client side in translation (twice), holidays, nursery furniture, big book mail order (ask your mum), and renewable energy and worked for digital agencies in Yorkshire too.

Richard launched The Marketing Optimist in 2016 vowing to do marketing in a different more agile way to the traditional marketing agency set up.

He’s great at taking complex marketing problems and cutting right through to the core of the issue. Not one to hang around, he likes to begin creating and testing strategic marketing plans quickly so that he can begin to generate return on investment quickly.

Becca Bamford joins the team as a Social Media Account Manager, with experience across agency and in-house environments. Agency-side, she has worked with a diverse mix of B2B and B2C clients, including recruitment, hospitality, pharmaceutical, and the performing arts. She also brings hands-on in-house experience from a manufacturing company, giving her a strong understanding of brand-led and industry-focused social media strategy.

Coming from a mixed marketing background, Becca blends strategic thinking with creative insight to deliver social media that’s both purposeful and engaging, creating content that connects with audiences while supporting wider business goals.

Outside of work, Becca is usually travelling or exploring somewhere new, out walking with her dog, soaking up live music at festivals and gigs, getting creative with painting or drawing, or keeping up with the latest drama from the Real Housewives franchise.