Sinéad Harper

Tell us a bit about yourself?

I studied Interior Architecture in CIT for four years. I went on to intern in Reddy Architecture & Urbanism where I gained design experience in the healthcare sector.

I then joined Henry J Lyons In 2013, working on a variety of major interior commercial fit-outs with clients including Bord Gáis, Stryker, Novartis and Symantec. I also previously worked as the design coordinator for the CoolPlanet Experience. That was great as I had developed a similar interactive visitor experience as part of my final-year college project.

What was your favourite project?

I designed CoolPlanet’s headquarters in Powerscourt. It was tricky as I wanted to represent the company as a fast-growing tech and engineering company but also the beautiful location that is Powerscourt.

When the client is the whole team you work with, the pressure is definitely a lot higher. You have to see them every day so you really want them to love their surroundings and what you have created.

What does your job entail?

Part of my job is around content – creating content, telling stories, conveying how amazing the product is, and I don’t just say that as I work for CoolPlanet. It feels like we’ve literally uncovered the holy grail for manufacturing – and all manufacturers should have it.

The other part of my job involves managing our social media and website and ensuring they tell our story and customers stories really well.

My typical day involves examining social media analytics, customising and optimising ad campaigns based on data, creating video content, and designing social media and website content.

What do you enjoy most about working at CoolPlanet?

The people I work with. I know everyone says that but I love being exposed to people who are very talented and incredibly passionate about their job.

There is so much I learn from the entire team, both in marketing and the wider team. Even though my background is design and interior architecture, I love that I am entrusted with looking after the digital marketing for CoolPlanet. It is a huge opportunity and I am learning a lot.

What keeps you motivated and driven on a daily basis?

With everything I do, I ask myself: how does this positively impact the planet? I want to help solve climate change and improve the planet and in turn, everything I care about, both professionally in my job and personally.

I am currently planning my wedding and am trying to make it as planet positive as possible. My wedding dress is made by an Irish designer from recycled fabric. We have also experimented with menu choices to make sure it’s not all meat. I am also looking at making sure my pension is invested in clean tech/green/sustainable funds rather than fossil fuels.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

As I am a designer, I love creating things. Myself and my fiancee recently converted a Renault Traffic van into a camper van. We hope to spend some time this summer visiting different parts of Ireland, and staying in it. I also love the ocean – I surf, swim and spend a lot of time on the beach in the wilds of West Cork.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Go with your gut on things! It might seem like the wrong thing to do at times, but it won’t be.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I always wanted to be a mermaid! I took a year out before college as I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Ironically I was torn between multimedia (which is what I do in my job now) and interior architecture. I worked with my dad on building sites for four months, and then travelled around Australia solo, before coming back to study interior architecture.

What are your favourite work tools?

Adobe Illustrator. It lets me take ideas in my head and get them on to paper or screen. I also love Canva which is very similar to Adobe and allows me to collaborate with others very easily on design.

Finally, I am a big fan of HootSuite as it allows me to schedule all social media posts easily and dive into stats on our digital and social media traffic. Everything in CoolPlanet is so data driven – this really helps.