{"id":18216,"date":"2026-05-13T09:42:14","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T09:42:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.chubbfs.com\/uk-en\/?p=18216"},"modified":"2026-05-13T09:42:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T09:42:14","slug":"trusting-your-gut-breaking-boundaries-and-growing-as-a-leader","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chubbfs.com\/uk-en\/trusting-your-gut-breaking-boundaries-and-growing-as-a-leader\/","title":{"rendered":"Trusting Your Gut, Breaking Boundaries, and Growing as a Leader"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this edition of our Inspiring Leaders Series, we sit down with Karen Margerison, Head of Demand Generation, to explore a career shaped\u00a0in\u00a0courage,\u00a0curiosity\u00a0and resilience. From a challenging childhood to leading global demand generation teams, Karen\u2019s story is a powerful reminder that growth often comes from discomfort\u2014and that success looks different for everyone.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Where It All Began<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My journey has been shaped by challenge, change, and moments where I had to trust my gut \u2014 even when the path ahead felt uncertain. What\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0learned along the way is that growth often comes from discomfort, and leadership is built as much from personal experience as professional success.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m\u00a0the eldest of three girls and was born in North London. When I was five, my family made a huge move back to rural Northern Ireland. Overnight, life changed dramatically.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We went from a busy city environment to living on a rural farm with very few amenities which was a big adjustment, especially for my mum.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

School was challenging too. I had an English accent in a Catholic school, which meant I stood out straight away. I was shy, and I was bullied. It was tough \u2014 but looking back now, those experiences lit a fire in me.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At the time, I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0feel strong \u2014 but I became driven.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Learning the Hard Way \u2014 and Growing Because of It<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I always worked hard at school, even if academics\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0come easily. University was something I wanted, but it\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0an option for me then, so I entered work at 18, starting in a\u00a0front<\/span>\u2011of<\/span>\u2011house\u00a0role at a small company. Within a couple of years, I was a PA to the Managing Director.\u00a0On paper, I was progressing \u2014 but something\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0feel right.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During that time, the political situation in Northern Ireland affected me personally, and after a series of difficult experiences, I realised I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0stay. At 21, I made one of the biggest decisions of my life and moved back to England on my own.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I trusted my instinct. I knew I needed more \u2014 and I was prepared to take the risk.\u00a0Looking back, that\u00a0was one of the first times I chose to step away from what felt expected or familiar.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A Career Shaped by Curiosity, Not Convention<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From that moment on, my career became a story of rebuilding, learning, and evolving. I started again at the bottom, worked my way up, and took opportunities wherever they appeared.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Along the way, I faced significant health challenges, including endometriosis and polycystic ovaries,\u00a0(but my husband\u00a0Dean\u00a0and I were fortunate and able to go on to have two lovely children\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Conor, 29 and Lauren, 25),\u00a0took career breaks to focus on my family, and later returned to work\u00a0part<\/span>\u2011time\u00a0before building my way back into senior roles.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of the most impactful work I did\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0in corporate roles at all. I worked with a charity supporting vulnerable young people, doing home\u00a0visits\u00a0and supporting teenagers who were struggling with education and life circumstances.\u00a0That experience changed how I see people.\u00a0You\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0judge how someone is coping just by looking at them. You\u00a0have to\u00a0listen \u2014 properly.\u00a0Those lessons stayed with me throughout my leadership career.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Confronting My Fear of Data<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One pivotal moment came later in my career when I decided to do a postgraduate qualification in direct and digital marketing.\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0be honest \u2014 I was terrified of the data element.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I had never seen myself as \u201cgood with numbers\u201d.\u00a0But as I worked through the course, something clicked. I stopped seeing data as something intimidating and started seeing it as insight \u2014 a tool for understanding behaviour and making smarter decisions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That mindset shift transformed my approach to marketing and leadership.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Data\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0scary \u2014\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0empowering when you understand what\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0really telling you.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From there, I moved into senior and global demand generation roles, leading teams across regions and time zones, and learning every day that confidence\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0come from knowing everything \u2014 it comes from being open to learning.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Leadership Lessons I Live By<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If I reflect on what truly shaped me as a leader, a few lessons stand out:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n