Hey, I’m Helen.

I provide hands-on, strategic fractional support across client relationships, operations and team wellbeing.

Get in touch

About me

I’ve worked in leadership roles in the creative industries for the past 15 years, often wearing multiple hats to retain and grow key client relationships, head up projects, improve agency operations, and develop teams.

Over the last 10 years I’ve specialised in the purpose sector, working with purpose-led agencies and clients including English Heritage, IKEA, Tilda and Barnardo’s to deliver positive impact for people and planet.

My path has taken me from London to Bristol to Cornwall, where I now live with my family and our beagle Edith and spend as much time as possible in nature.

I co-run B Corp creative agency Leap in a part-time role as Client Partnerships Director alongside the MD and Creative Director.

And for the past two years I’ve supported the founder of human and science-based wellbeing start-up Lovely Messy Humans.

Now working fractionally, I offer senior support across operations, client relationships and team development.

  • ILM-trained business mentor

  • Mental Health First Aider

  • Kerning The Gap mentor

Some of the brilliant organisations I’ve been lucky to work with…

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What I do

    • Build stronger, longer-lasting client relationships

    • Develop retention strategies and account growth approaches

    • Navigate tricky client conversations and manage expectations

    • Support your managers to grow into their leadership roles

    • Help create team cultures where people can do their best work

    • Bring practical Mental Health First Aid training alongside leadership experience

    • Help you create practical systems and processes

    • Bring clarity when things feel chaotic or overwhelming

    • Find the balance between structure and flexibility

    • Provide practical support for early-stage founders

    • Help you figure out operations, client approach, and team basics

    • Ask questions that help you make clearer decisions

    • One-to-one support for founders, leaders, and professionals

    • A sounding board for decisions, transitions, and growth challenges

    • ILM-trained business mentor and member of the Association of Business Mentors

Find out more

We might work together well if…

You’re growing a business but you don’t yet need a full team, or your business needs some fractional support to fill a resource gap.

You're facing challenges like:

  • Spinning too many plates and feeling stretched

  • Operations that feel increasingly chaotic

  • Client relationships need more strategic attention

  • Team members are stretched or burning out

  • A need for structure that doesn't kill your culture

And you're looking for:

  • Practical, human-centred leadership

  • Someone who'll work alongside you, not tell you what to do

  • Fractional support (0.5-2 days a week)

  • A project director for a short-contract

I work best with founders and leaders who value their people, want to grow sustainably, and are open to figuring things out together.

Kind words

  • "Having Helen by my side over the past two years as I’ve developed Lovely Messy Humans has been invaluable. She’s been hands-on across so many areas of the business - from project management and admin to client support and systems - but what really sets her apart is her ability to bring clarity when things feel messy or overwhelming.

    Helen has a calm, grounded presence and a brilliant way of helping you think clearly and put the right structures in place. I genuinely couldn’t have got to where I am without her, and she’s an exceptional person to have on your team."

    Beth Derry, Founder, Lovely Messy Humans

  • "I was lucky enough to bring Helen on board at Leap. Initially our short term need was project management support but it soon became obvious that she could bring so much more to the business.

    Helen has been instrumental in building our client experience which has helped transform the business from jumping from project to project to meaningful relationships. She’s embraced our values and is helping to shape an exciting future at Leap as part of our Leadership team.

    Helen brings a calmness and clarity to our studio and her recent team wellbeing work has seen much improvement in our work life balance and team happiness. She has a wonderful ‘get stuck in’ approach and is an absolute pleasure to work with."

    Simon Thomason, Managing Director, Leap

  • "Helen mentored me during the 2023 Kerning the Gap mentoring programme, which aims to empower and grow confidence and leadership skills for women in the design industry. Helen created a space where I felt supported and heard, with her incredible ability to listen and guide with both empathy and insight. 

    Helen is empathetic and her sincerity helped me gain the confidence to stretch beyond my comfort zone and tackle challenges that I had found daunting. Through her guidance, I felt capable and valued. I was able to grow professionally, but also personally, having learned to lean into trusting my own judgement and voice. 

    I’m very grateful for her mentorship and I would highly recommend her to anyone seeking a thoughtful and empowering guide."

    Charlotte Davis, Design Consultant, Kinneir Dufort

Get in Touch!

hello@helenjohnston.work

Drop me an email