The Fishbowl: Juliet McCutcheon, Channel Factory
The Fishbowl
The Media Leader’s interview series asks the media industry’s top salespeople 10 revealing questions, drawn from our fishbowl. The questions will be drawn at random and contain some tricky posers set by the commercial chiefs themselves.
This week: Juliet McCutcheon, commercial director, UK, at Channel Factory.
McCutcheon has spent more than five years at Channel Factory, having joined as sales manager in 2019. She was promoted to her current role in 2023.
Before Channel Factory, McCutcheon worked at adtech platform Amobee as sales manager.
McCutcheon also has experience on the agency side: she has spent three years OMD, most recently as digital manager.
Why are you passionate about media?
I love media because it connects people and gives an insight into what people care about. We have a finger on the pulse of what drives a reaction from consumers and what resonates with the country. As an industry, it’s fast-paced and ever-changing. We’re always pushing forward and there’s an exciting inertia to it.
I’m passionate about what I do because of the people I work with and my true belief in the ethos of the business. If media is all about connection, YouTube and online videos as a whole offer a gateway for brands to connect with their audience in a format that truly resonates with them. Our inclusive approach to YouTube at Channel Factory means we can reach audiences that might otherwise be excluded.
What is coming up in conversations with clients?
A key question from clients is often “Can we create TV-like environments on YouTube?” The answer is yes, we can.
But, critically and before we start embarking on projects with clients, they need to know that YouTube isn’t TV and, in my experience, when we start getting into these conversations, the definition of TV content on YouTube has been different for everyone.
Clients often try to apply a TV lens to running broadcast-only content on YouTube, which limits the true impact that YouTube can have. The real opportunity lies in combining the credibility of broadcast with high-quality user-generated content, focusing on connected TV (CTV). We can also run CTV-only tactics as an option for advertisers that want to create that TV experience.
If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?
If I could change one thing, it would be increasing the representation of women in senior leadership roles. While progress has been made, there is still a huge imbalance. I see mentorship programmes and flexible opportunities to grow into leadership roles as core solutions. At Channel Factory UK, our leadership team has a 50:50 gender split and increasingly I’m seeing how important and beneficial fostering diverse perspectives is for the team.
For me, working towards this change is not just about improving gender balance but about empowering future leaders with diverse perspectives to strengthen our industry.
How often are you in the office in a typical week and how does this support your work?
I’m usually in the office three days a week. I strongly believe in the value of office culture, particularly for those starting their careers in media. There’s so much learning to be gained from cross-desk conversations or having the opportunity to contribute to meetings that wouldn’t happen the same way in closed virtual calls. Meeting clients face to face also fosters stronger connections.
That said, I think post-Covid flexibility is invaluable and helps foster a better work-life balance.
How did you end up working in media?
Like many, I fell into it! After earning a politics degree, I spent a year at a stockbroker, which I quickly realised wasn’t for me. I enjoyed working with numbers but wanted a role focused on communication and people.
An internship at Omnicom Media Group Ireland introduced me to the media world and I fell in love with the buzz of agency life, the chance to work with exciting brands and clients and work in the city. I also had a great time enjoying the benefits that came from being an agency account executive in those days!
If you could learn any new skill from scratch, what would it be?
While I understand the dream of being asked to perform at Glastonbury dwindles every day, I do think knowing how to play one of the instruments would help. I would love to be able to play the electric guitar or the drums and hop on stage or play with friends.
Maybe there is room for a media battle of the bands. Band night is the new fight night!?
What are the three most important skills that a media salesperson needs in 2025?
Active listening is key in any client interaction. It’s about knowing when to step back, stay quiet and truly focus on what your client is saying, rather than jumping straight into product features. At Channel Factory, we use these moments to dig into their challenges and pinpoint exactly how we can help.
Equally important is preparation and research. Taking the time to thoughtfully prepare for your meeting demonstrates that you’ve considered the client’s unique situation before walking into the room and shows that they are a priority for you.
Finally, building trust. As salespeople, we often get fixated on looking at everything a client tells us through the lens of our product. We want to be trusted advisors to our clients. That means being honest when we’re not the right fit for the client and saying no. In turn, we can facilitate an intro or even expand our offering through a partnership with another adtech business to fulfil the client’s need.
Peer question: You’re in charge of the line-up for Glastonbury. Choosing any artist dead or alive, who are your headlines for Friday, Saturday and Sunday?
For Friday, I’d kick things off with Alive 2007-era Daft Punk. Saturday night belongs to Beyoncé, no question. And to close the festival on Sunday, U2! The show in the Sphere looked incredible and I’ve never seen them live, despite growing up in Dublin.
Question from James Cornish, VP of international sales, Vevo
Peer question: As a sales leader, how do you prioritise how you go about empowering your team members to become great sales leaders of the future?
Empowering future leaders requires prioritising thinking outside the numbers and focusing on what motivates people besides targets, what keeps them engaged and happy to be at the business.
Giving team members opportunities to lead meetings, share ideas and contribute to strategy is also crucial in fostering confidence. I was fortunate early in my career to have leaders who trusted and elevated me. I aim to do the same for my team.
As a sales leader, when you lift up the people around you, you’re not just improving your own skills, you’re helping the whole team and company thrive.
Question from Jem Djemal, global new-business lead, Viooh
The Fishbowl interview series is now taking a break. Do let us know your thoughts on the feature and/or how else we can represent the industry’s top salespeople at news@the-media-leader.com.
Read more Fishbowl interviews here and see what media’s top salespeople say about working in the industry and what concerns their clients.