Denise is a senior communications and public relations manager and creative force at Strange Fruit Greeting Cards While working in a policy team at the Health and Safety Executive Denise stumbled upon the Press Office.
She did a two week placement to find out what the work was all about, found she loved it and didn’t leave for five years. During those five years Denise learnt on the job and studied for a media and communications degree at Birkbeck University.
Although her career was moving in the right direction, Denise was winning awards and getting promotions she felt an urge to have an independent venture but didn’t have the time or money or headspace to do it.
Getting married in New York in 2009 and receiving lots of lovely cards from friends and family reflective of a young black couple was the emotional motivation Denise needed to change her mindset.
In October 2010 she launched Strange Fruit her boutique greeting card company which designs and sells cards reflective of a diverse and modern Britain. The cards are sold online and in independent gift and card shops across the country, they are just going into the Mary Portas at House of Fraser shops and will be available in the USA and Canada this summer.
Denise now combines PR, freelance writing and Strange Fruit in what she calls a ‘portfolio career’ where each role is equally as important as the other; each role pays and most importantly provides job satisfaction.
