In 1963, in the basement of her Greenwich home, Caroline Neville began her PR career by setting up her own agency – Caroline Neville Associates representing a host of exclusive fashion and beauty brands. The agency quickly developed an enviable portfolio of clients including Calvin Klein, Cartier, Gucci, Ferragamo, Neutrogena and The Lanesborough Hotel to name but a few.
In the meantime she had sent both her children, Louisa and Dominic, to school and university in the States and upon his return to the UK Dominic quickly developed his career at several well known publications such as Vogue and GQ and then went on to become Marketing Manager of exclusive London store, Harrods. “I deliberately stayed out of the business to learn. I wanted to do my own thing and be able to bring something if I did enter the business. At that point I didn’t know if it would lead to working with my mother or not but I wanted to find out for myself.” However in 1997 Dominic made the decision to join his mother in PR as an Account Manager and worked his way up through Caroline Neville Associates to eventually become MD in 2000.
At the same time his mother, Caroline, was appointed President of ‘Cosmetics Executive Women’ and so began to take a back seat in the agency, where she has remained as Chairwoman but doesn’t have daily hands-on involvement in its day-to-day running. A true family business, Dominic works with his sister Louisa, who leads the luxury division of the business, and his father Maurice who looks after the books – an arrangement which he says makes the business a solid family unit.
“We grew up with these brands. My sister and I were always doodling on the left over press paper or stuffing envelopes! It has meant that we understand and appreciate the aesthetic values of the clients, appreciate their needs and nuances needed to implement a successful campaign. That allows us to be more confident in our ability, as it is an inherent skill and although we’ve both tried our hands at other things, ultimately we are doing what we’re best at.”
Many members of family businesses are quick to list the drawbacks of working so closely with their nearest and dearest but Dominic doesn’t have anything negative to say. In fact it is quite the opposite – “I love seeing them everyday! We have a sixth sense about the goings on in the business born of living above the office all those years. Yes, there are occasional disagreements but in the context of life they are irrelevant.”
Many family businesses find that tension can build for those employees who aren’t related when a new family member joins the company but Dominic says they quickly overcame this - “Although some of the my mother’s staff were sceptical at first in 1996, the majority of the team were supportive and welcoming. Today the family business model engenders a feeling of stability and security, which is important in such tough times”
However in a cut throat world such as fashion/beauty PR, a family business may occasionally perceived by the uninformed as being behind the times. “A minority of people see family businesses as not being cutting edge which is naïve. We pitch the family angle when we feel it is appropriate – the Italians for instance appreciate families. For others we don’t actively promote our relationships. You have to be flexible in how you present yourself.”
Would Dominic consider bringing the next generation into the business? “I don’t have children yet but if I did, I would discourage them from joining the business until later in their career. I would want them to find their own path in life. I would hate for them to not utilise a talent they had because they felt I expected them to join the agency. But if they felt it was something they wanted to do and they had a gift for it, I would welcome them at NMA. It’s not a soft ride and so you need to know that it’s what you truly want.”
Dominic McCarthy is Managing Director of Neville McCarthy Associates.
www.nevillemccarthy.com
020 7940 2900
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