Marketing with meaning: How Taylor Leah co-founded her own agency

Posted on: 21 July 2025 in Where are they now?

Meet Taylor Leah, Marketing Class of 2023 graduate from the University of Liverpool, who has since gone on to co-found Vault Creative Agency. Read more about how she navigated university life during a pandemic to building a business that champions freelancers and clients alike.

What drew you to study Marketing at the University of Liverpool?  

I was drawn to the University of Liverpool after visiting on an Open Day. I fell in love with the team at the Management School and the ethos of Dr Ahmed Al-Abdin Deputy Associate Dean (International-ULMS) and Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Marketing. I knew I wanted to study Marketing since high school and I was always interested in the creative side of marketing which swayed me towards the BA Marketing programme.  

Whilst at University, my first year was unlike any. Walking into halls during COVID and meeting my classmates via Zoom. It was unusual to say the least, but it was a time that taught me I could still focus and enjoy my modules without the need for a classroom. Second year began the university life I had hoped for and expected. From going to lectures and seminars and becoming fully immersed in the modules to visiting the guild for a social drink with friends and long days in the library during the exam period. It was everything I had imagined.  

By the end of my second year I had secured my placement with The Hut Group. Starting in July I spent my summer working at their offices in Manchester and enjoyed putting my studies into real life application. It also taught me that I wasn’t enjoying the corporate structure of working in the office (this was purely based on my personality type), and I understood that I work best in my own environment at my own pace and this was a win for me. Final year was a whirlwind, and I soon understood that my time at university was coming to an end so I jumped headfirst into finding small freelance jobs throughout my final year to help build up my experience and put my modules into practical application.  

Can you tell us more about the Marketing Directors’ Project and what it meant to you to achieve first place in it? 

The marketing directors project was an opportunity to put all I had learnt from modules, placement and experience into action. It was a chance to express my creativity and really dive into the processes you would go through in the real world. It was one of the final projects that cemented my certainty that marketing was what I wanted to do. I think that is partly why I did so well, because I enjoyed it so much.  

Whilst studying, you volunteered with Think Pacific in rural Fiji. What did you learn from teaching children in such a unique setting? 

We should always be grateful for what we have. My time in Fiji taught me to enjoy living in the moment and to not spend so much time on my phone! The children were so happy and open to new experiences. Teaching them was a pleasure but also made me appreciate the facilities and luxuries we think are essentials.  

After graduating, you worked in companies like THG, Perform Digital Media and Roxor Group. How did these roles shape your professional skills and confidence in the marketing world? 

My time at THG on placement taught me the valuable lesson that I work best in my own environment and at my own pace. I don’t deal well in busy offices and highly structured days. I like to work in a fast-paced industry but with a combination of working from home and social working on my terms. Since leaving university, I understood this and instead chose to follow an unfamiliar path of freelance. I dove headfirst into working with SMEs, international companies and UK marketing agencies. I tried lots of specialities to begin with, including email marketing, content creation, and copywriting before realising my passion was website development and SEO. It is the perfect mix of creative and technical. Freelancing into these big cies and working for myself taught me a variety of skills including project management and communication as well as giving me a broad understanding of how businesses and agencies work efficiently. 

What was one of the biggest lessons you learned transitioning from student life to full-time work in the marketing industry? 

Modules can only teach you so much. Real life application is important, and I think the University of Liverpool provides students with a lot of opportunities to do just that. Working for myself was the biggest hurdle I had to deal with, managing my own time and actively seeking work but I believe this is what helped my confidence and knowledge of the industry grow so quickly. I had to be 100% invested.  

What inspired you to move from freelancing into co-founding Vault Creative Agency? 

Freelancing can be an overlooked and underappreciated way of working from the perspective of businesses and agencies, as they can often fail to see the value in freelancers which is something I have spent a large amount of my career explaining - the value of my freelance services. My friend (and now business partner) and I both shared a love for freelancing and working on projects we were passionate about. We had both experienced working in-house and at agencies and witnessed first-hand the pitfalls of agencies and underappreciation of freelancers. These are a few of the many reasons we decided to take the leap and build a creative agency that values the freelancer and the client, Vault Creative Agency.  

Vault focuses on creating a supportive space for both freelancers and clients. Why is that mission important to you and what gaps in the industry are you aiming to fill? 

We wanted to create a supportive space for both our clients and our freelancers. Breaking the mould of the traditional agency model; offering clients the highest quality services from dedicated freelancers who have spent years honing their skills in their specialty. Also being able to provide a supportive space for freelancers that often find themselves getting underbid, over worked and often struggling to get paid. We provide both parties with security, flexibility and scalable solutions.  

For our clients: they get the structure and security they like from an agency along with dedicated project management and an access to a network of specialised freelancers who can support them as and when they are needed.  

For our freelancers: they get access to a supportive network of other freelancers who understand what they are going through and share advice and tips. We act as an additional lead generation for the freelancer that isn’t your typical Upwork or Fiverr, providing support acting as the dedicated client liaison so they can focus on what they are experts at and what they are passionate about.  

Looking back, how have your experiences contributed to your identity as a Co-Founder today? 

My time at university gave me my independence and also helped me to understand the way I enjoyed working and what was best for me. My time freelancing taught me to value my skills and gave me the confidence to approach businesses. My time working with agencies taught me how to manage and collaborate with other industry specialists. They have all provided me with skills I needed to be where I am today; independence, understanding, confidence, management skills, and the importance of collaboration.  

What are your top tips for students or recent graduates who are thinking about co-founding or starting their own business? 

My biggest tip would be understanding; understanding your value, your speciality, your reasoning behind what you do and why. Once you understand you can make your decisions based on what’s right for you not everyone else. We are all different and once you understand what it is you want to do, why you’re doing it and the value in that, you have the confidence to work in all environments. 

A huge thank you to Taylor for sharing her career journey with us. Feeling inspired to share your own story or get involved? There are plenty of ways to stay connected: 

Connect with the University: Join your Alumni Group on LinkedIn 

Volunteer with the University: Discover our volunteering opportunities 

Future alumni events: Update your details and attend future events organised by the alumni team.