Career Heroes - Tina Calder

Tell us more about you

I’m mum to Logan (age 10) and partner to a musician and songwriter, Ciaran. I’m hugely passionate about my work and consider myself very lucky to work in a career I love. I try to spend as much time outside of work with my partner and son. We love to explore arts and culture events as well as embark on creative endeavours at home.

I was diagnosed with ADHD at 43, and whilst there’ve been a number of ways in which this has held me back over the years, I’ve been lucky to embrace the positive aspects of how this gives me a different outlook and perspective on many projects, and in some cases I’ve used it to my advantage.

What kind of work do you do?

I own a business called Excalibur Press. It is a multi-disciplinary media and marketing agency. My days are always very different. Some days I could be working with clients to create their marketing, public relations (PR), digital content strategies, and other days I could be working on a high-level copywriting project or delivering training in everything from social media and copywriting, to marketing and media.

How did you become a Business Owner?

I started my career as a Journalist, eventually specialising in showbiz and business, as this is where my passions were. I then pivoted into copywriting and publicity management.

I’ve always been entrepreneurial and I’ve always been obsessed with people’s stories. I think it was inevitable that I would end up in media and marketing due to my incessant curious nature.

It didn’t all come easy though. I spent many, many years doing endless amounts of work experience just to get my foot in the door. Still today, at 44, I will take on new projects and sometimes work for free just to get the opportunity to learn a new skill.

If you could do-over, What would you do differently?

I would ask more questions about why I do what I do in the way I do it. I’d hope that if I had a “do over”, I could learn more about ADHD and recognise it earlier on in my life.

I’d also hope that I wouldn’t be plagued with “imposter syndrome” throughout my 20s. I should have had more inner confidence in my own capabilities and potential, to match how I appeared on the exterior.

To be honest, although I’ve had many challenges in my life from failed businesses and bankruptcy to my offices being severely damaged in a fire in 2022, I don’t think I would want to do anything differently. I believe every challenge I’ve ever had has made me the resilient and strong business woman I am today.