Katie Whiteside and Dylan Russell, from opposite continents, have launched Gen Social, a Milton Keynes–based marketing agency.
Katie Whiteside and Dylan Russell have launched Gen Social, a marketing agency based in Milton Keynes, despite growing up on two completely different continents.
Gen Social is backed by a story like no other. Two people from two different sides of the world, from two different industries, turn a dream into reality.
Dylan Russell arrived in England from South Africa in 2014 with £550 in his pocket. He has now turned this into a multi million-pound property portfolio through perseverance, something he never thought he could achieve, coming from a family that went through bankruptcy. With multiple other businesses, marketing was always something that fascinated Dylan. Katie Whitside, a marketing student from Northern Ireland, had big dreams for what her career could be. Winning awards for her work only a few years into her career set her apart. She recalls that in her first year of high school, when asked what she wanted to be when she was older, she said “an entrepreneur”.
Dylan and Katie had something in common: a drive for more and a love for marketing. Dylan has always wanted to invest in young entrepreneurs. When they met up after he was speaking at an event in Belfast, Dylan saw potential in Katie that wasn’t being fulfilled. Dylan then posed a very important question: “If I were to back you, would you want to start up a marketing agency together and disrupt the industry?”. Katie told us:
“When I arrived in England, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had already spoken to my now business partner, Dylan Russell, about starting up a marketing agency, but in all honesty, we didn’t know what this was going to look like until we sat down and talked after I moved”
They have now accomplished what many only dream of: co-founding a marketing agency, turning it into a profitable, growing business. This places Katie amongst some of the youngest entrepreneurs in the UK at only 20 years old.
“Something I strongly believe in is that you are never too young or old to start. Now is the perfect time, not tomorrow or next year. Being a young woman in the middle of a marketing degree, this was not the ‘perfect’ time, but the outcome has been nothing short of life-changing," stated Katie.
Since its launch, Gen Social has helped create content for many businesses, building their presence through campaigns and social media strategy, with some clients gaining +438% on social media interactions and making a positive return on investment. The agency has grown steadily, navigating the challenges of a competitive UK market, with its speciality being in storytelling and community engagement.
One client has stated:
“I recently enlisted the services of Gen Social for social media management and content creation, and I couldn't be happier with the results! Katie and the team at Gen Social have been fantastic to work with. The content they create is top-notch and perfectly tailored to my brand. A great experience overall, highly recommend Gen Social for all your social media needs!”
They are now focused on scaling Gen Social, speaking publicly at events, and growing it into a full-service marketing agency that creates high-quality campaigns for international clients. Dylan has told us:
“Marketing is changing at an unprecedented pace due to disruption in the industry caused by factors like AI. Our mission is to stay ahead of the curve and to create, not compete, by staying authentic to our story and the stories of our clients. We approach business in a relational way, not a transactional way, as we seek to connect with the people that we work with.”
Gen Social is a Milton Keynes-based marketing agency, and they help clients integrate story with strategy. They specialise in storytelling and community engagement, selling the experience, not the product. They will very soon be expanding their services, moving into a bigger office and hiring staff.
