Each week Bristol Business News gives a prominent member of the city’s business community the last word on its weekly e-bulletin. This week Kristal McNamara, founder of Bristol-based employment consultants Flexology, answers our 10 questions.
What was the LAST:
Film you watched? Roma. Great cinematography and a gritty storyline which looks at a snapshot of each character’s life at that particular time. It’s a powerful personal story and it’s well worth a watch.
Book you read? Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. It was unpredictable and thought-provoking.
Music you bought/downloaded? I don’t download music, but I am obsessed with Spotify. I love their playlists, usually for the moment we are in – ‘dinner with friends’ or ‘get home happy’, for example. Charlie Cunningham is also on heavy rotation!
Concert or play you went to? I loved seeing Neneh Cherry recently at SWX in Bristol. She did not disappoint, playing all the classics!
Sporting event you attended? Does kids’ gymnastics count? We’re not massively into live sporting events as we’re running around with our small kids so much! Although we used to get to the rugby and cricket whenever we could, it’s great to have it all on our doorstep.
Holiday you went on? Center Parcs Longleat with the family. We absolutely loved it, although it wasn’t a relaxing break, we were very active, there’s so much to do there!
Restaurant you ate in? I love Wapping Wharf. My favourite is Cargo Cantina for amazing food and a great atmosphere. We go whenever we can get a sitter!
Thing that annoyed you? We’re going away for a break at Easter and I’ve just found out that my flights have been changed by a whole day, meaning I’ve had to contact everyone to change our bookings (villa, car hire etc). I can’t imagine many businesses could get away with that kind of service!
Thing that made you laugh out loud? I have five and eight-year-old girls and my youngest has me in stitches everyday with the stuff she comes out with. Tonight’s was “what would happen if I stuck my toothbrush up my nose”!
Piece of good advice you were given? Be your genuine, authentic self, driven by your purpose. It will make you more memorable and make your working life more enjoyable. Also everyone knows everyone – it’s a small world and Bristol is such a small city. You never know who could recommend you to your next client or great opportunity!
Kristal McNamara is a qualified change and programme management professional who has worked in the financial services sector for more than 15 years and has extensive experience in project management, business improvement and leading large-scale programmes of organisational change. She set up Bristol-based flexible employment consultancy Flexology two years ago with Shelley Snelson, since when it has doubled staff numbers and moved into new offices after quadrupling year-on-year turnover. The business has a double specialism – consulting with businesses to develop a flexible working culture and placing staff into flexible roles at a senior professional level.
