Meet Team Zebra - Clara Hughes, Director

(Posted on 24/08/26)


Meet Team Zebra - Clara Hughes, Director

Get to know Team Zebra!

In this blog series, we’re going behind the scenes of Zebra to introduce our team.

In the last of this series, we meet Clara Hughes, director at Zebra Marketing and Communications Ltd.

 

  1. When did you establish Zebra Marketing and Communications Ltd?

I set up Zebra in June 2010.

 

  1. What motivated you to set-up Zebra?

I loved the idea of running my own business and creating one that looked like whatever I wanted it to. Some changes in the business where I was employed gave me the push to make it happen. The reality of running a business is very different from the idea of it, but even after 16 years, I still (mostly) enjoy the challenges it brings.

 

  1. What does your role entail?

In the early days, I was the only employee, so I was literally responsible for everything – apart from my bookkeeping and accounts (I outsourced these from day one)! However, as the business grew, Howard, my husband, got involved (becoming a fellow director in 2017) and I took on my first ‘official’ employee in 2013. Fast forward to now, Zebra is currently a team of four, and we all bring our own unique perspectives to the business. I still have overall responsibility, but I have an incredible team around me that I can rely on.

 

  1. What do you find most rewarding about managing your own business?

I love that every day is different. The variety of our clients and how we support them means the scope of the work we do is ever-changing and evolving. This is also something deeply satisfying about seeing the positive impact our work has.

 

  1. What does a typical day look like for you?

It is a terrible cliché, but no two days are the same at Zebra, which is actually one of the things I love most about my role. We have a wide-ranging client base, who work in very different sectors or professions and have very different needs.

 

  1. What has been your greatest challenge?

When I set up Zebra, I already had many years of PR, marketing and communications experience, but I didn’t necessarily have much business experience. It was a steep learning curve from day one – and what is it they say, every day’s a school day? However, throughout my business journey, I have been fortunate to have found a supportive network of fellow businesspeople and mentors.

 

  1. Why do you think clients enjoy working with Zebra?

It’s hard to answer that. I hope that they find us professional but friendly and approachable and that they like the quality of the work we produce. We genuinely care about all our clients and the fact that some of our clients have been with us for almost as long as the business has been running, suggests that we are doing something right.

 

  1. What are your main interests outside of Zebra?

I enjoy walking, locally in Cheshire and North Wales – and exploring the UK, particularly along the South West coastal path. All these miles are made even more enjoyable when there is a lovely country pub at the end. I also enjoy reading when my two black cats allow me to turn a page.

 

Want to find out how we can help make your business stand out from the crowd? Get in touch.