In our latest ‘Coffee and Conversations’ series, we caught up with Kate Davis, Consultant Director and board member at Litmus FM,to talk about her dynamic and varied career - from studying media and launching her own jewellery business, to managing FMCG brands like Fiji Water and leading major projects in the Higher Education sector. Kate shares how her entrepreneurial spirit has shaped her journey, the satisfaction she finds in mentoring through Smart Works Leeds, and how she spends her downtime growing garlic, dancing, and bodyboarding in Cornwall.

You started off studying media at university, then catering and then worked on some FMCG brands for a while. Tell us more.

My first degree was in Media, but I had to leave when my mum became terminally ill. I later returned to university to complete a degree in Hotel, Catering & institutional Management, which led me into the world of commercial office interiors, working on projects for organisations like HMRC and Kingston Communications.

From there, I moved into FMCG as Brand Manager for Fiji Water. A friend of mine was handling distribution for Red Bull in Scotland and saw real potential for Fiji Water in the UK market and knew me for always having my finger on the latest foodie trends. It was an exciting time - I was working with clients like Harvey Nichols and Selfridges, and met chefs like Gordon Ramsay before they became household names! It was great fun but involved a lot of travel, which became difficult when my children were young. When they were 7 and 9, I made the decision to move into the university sector so I could be around more for them.It was a pay cut, but I needed a better work/life balance for my family so it was the right move at the time.

You have always been entrepreneurial at heart. How has that helped your career and how has it led you to be at Litmus FM?

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial streak. While I was at university, a friend and I set up a jewellery business - we did incredibly well for a time, exporting pieces to New York and Japan with retail outlets across the UK. Eventually, the market crash hit and, as young entrepreneurs, we didn’t have the funds to sustain it, but it gave me valuable experience and some financial freedom.

I’ve always been good at spotting opportunities, so when I moved into the university sector, I could seereal potential to bring that entrepreneurial mindset into what I was doing - to try new things, take calculated risks, and drive growth, all while having more stability at home.

I worked in the Higher Education sector for 18 years – and all of those years were spent at Leeds Beckett University. I initially helped with marketing their foodservice offer, but was soon asked to take on conferencing - something I’d never done before. The target was to hit £1m turnover in five years, and we achieved it in three. We went on to attract a major client worth £3-4 million annually, and even hosted a major conference in the newly built First Direct Arena due to the vast number of delegates - something no one had done before. We did this annually for five years, and created city-wide partnerships, including with Leeds University, to deliver the event. That success became a springboard for further growth,including securing £5 million in funding to develop a dedicated conference centre.

I was also on the board of the Leeds Hotels and Venues Association, tasked with bringing business into the city, which helped me build strong relationships across the city which were invaluable when hosting such large-scale conferences.

For my own career development, I knew I needed more hands-on FM experience, so I took on responsibility for all the facilities management aspects and business services(such as the helpdesk and switchboard) of the university’s operations - a roleI held for around six years. I also worked at strategic level at the university for over 10 years, driving a lot of improvements into my portfolio of services from both a commercial and FM perspective.

During that time, I also completed my MBA – which I worked incredibly hard on to achieve. I became really interested in organisational development and value-driven leadership,and worked on several projects exploring those themes with companies like CenterParcs, Timpson and Metro Bank.

I like a challenge and being pushed out of my comfort zone so when the opportunity at Litmus FM cameup, it felt like the perfect next step - I saw the great potential in Litmus FM and here I am. I utilise my experience in Higher Education well and am often involved in FM projects with universities, as I bring an understanding of the internal and sector challenges.

You're involved with Smart Works Leeds and also The King’s Trust. How do you support these charities?

I volunteer with SmartWorks Leeds, which I absolutely love. I started just over a year ago and usually volunteer once or twice a month. It’s incredibly rewarding to help women prepare for interviews and build their confidence as they take the nextstep in their careers. It’s great when you find out they got the job! My work with the charity is one of the most fulfilling parts of what I do outside of work.

I’ve also been a businessmentor with The King’s Trust for nearly six years. It’s great to be able to support young entrepreneurs to take their business idea and make it a reality acting as a sounding board.

Outside of your consultancy and charitable work, how do you unwind?

I’m not very good at sitting still - I always have a project on the go! I love anything creative, so I’m often crafting or working on something hands-on. I’ve also got an allotment, which I took over when it was basically a tip. I grow garlic (lots of it!), rhubarb, onions and potatoes - and kill other things. Plus, I’m not the only allotmenteer on the board.

I’ve got a big group of friends so there’s always plenty of socialising going on. I go to the gym around three times a week and have a personal trainer. I enjoy dancing too, an deven did street dance classes earlier this year. I love music – I go to festivals and can often be found dancing away!

I’m also really interested in languages. I lived in France for six months when I was younger and have more recently learned Spanish, Italian and Portuguese, the latter being the hardest.

Both my children live nearby and we are all big film fans, so we often go to the cinema together. I enjoy open-water swimming and also spend time at our property in Fistral, Cornwall – I enjoy bodyboarding down there and know all the places to watch LUFC away games.

We’ve got to ask seeing as you have worked in hospitality for many years – what’s your go-to dinner party dish?

I love cooking and entertaining - my hero dish would be a classic roast, Ottolenghi-style, smothered in herbs and served with plenty of fresh salads.

Thanks Kate.

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The Litmus FM team