What happens when a global crisis forces a career rethink? For Carla Barker, it sparked something extraordinary: the launch of her creative agency, Greyrose Marketing.

As part of The Changing Education Group’s Inspire Future Leaders series, Carla shares her entrepreneurial journey, offering real insight into the world of marketing and the value of resilience, creativity, and saying “yes” to the unknown.

Who is Carla Barker, and how is she inspiring future leaders?

Carla Barker is the founder of Greyrose Marketing, a strategic and creative agency that helps businesses think differently about how they grow.

Her career took an unexpected turn during the first UK lockdown of 2020. A pandemic-related job loss could have been a setback; instead, it became the start of something bold. Carla took the leap, became her boss, and built a thriving business from scratch.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t know what you want to do right now, dip your toe in and find out.”

– Carla Barker

What is Greyrose Marketing, and what does it offer?

Greyrose Marketing is a specialist agency focused on helping businesses grow through clear, creative, and purposeful marketing strategies.

Unlike generic marketing firms, Greyrose combines creativity with commercial thinking, helping clients develop brand identities, reach new audiences, and make a real impact online and offline.

Greyrose supports clients by:

• Developing tailored marketing strategies
• Creating engaging brand and campaign content
• Offering honest, expert guidance to help businesses stand out
• Supporting start-ups, scale-ups, and established brands

Carla’s work shows students the creative, diverse, and strategic nature of marketing careers, from content and comms to business strategy and entrepreneurship.

What can students learn from Carla’s journey?

Carla’s story is a powerful example of resilience, adaptability, and initiative. She didn’t start with a blueprint; she started with courage and clarity about what mattered most: helping others succeed.

Her advice for students?

• Don’t worry if you don’t have it all figured out, exploration is key
• Be prepared to work hard and learn from every step
• Take risks, even difficult situations can spark new beginnings
• Focus on your strengths and use them to create opportunities

Carla’s experience speaks especially to students who feel uncertain about their next step, and reminds them that careers don’t always follow a straight line.

How does this support careers education in UK schools?

Carla’s interview supports Gatsby Benchmarks 4 and 5 by:

• Connecting the curriculum to real-world roles in marketing, communications, and entrepreneurship
• Providing meaningful employer encounters in a relatable and inspiring way
• Highlighting female leadership in business, encouraging diversity in student aspirations
• Giving practical, human insight into how careers evolve, especially post-COVID

The Changing Education Group’s Inspire Future Leaders series helps students feel more connected, capable, and confident as they plan for life beyond school.

Marketing with Meaning, Carla’s Message to Students

Carla Barker’s story is proof that success isn’t always planned; it’s built through passion, perseverance, and the courage to try.

Whether students are interested in creative careers, starting a business, or just figuring out what’s next, Carla’s journey shows that opportunities can grow from even the toughest of beginnings.

Want to bring more inspiring industry stories into your school?
Book a demo and discover how our Work Experience Suite helps students see real pathways into meaningful careers.

FAQs

What is Greyrose Marketing?
Greyrose is a creative marketing agency that helps businesses grow through strategy, storytelling, and brand development, founded by Carla Barker in 2020.

Why is Carla Barker featured in this series?
Carla’s entrepreneurial journey is a relatable example of turning challenges into opportunities, helping students see how marketing and business careers really work.

What advice does Carla offer young people?
Try things out, don’t fear failure, and use your strengths to explore different paths, you don’t have to know everything from the start.

How does this support Gatsby Benchmarks?
It aligns with Benchmarks 4 and 5 by linking learning to real careers and providing engaging employer encounters.

How can my school access more stories like this?
The Changing Education Group offers a full Work Experience Suite with employer insights, virtual placements, and resources to support career learning at every level.