Lallie Fraser's Passion for Storytelling

University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP) alumna Lallie Fraser developed her love for travel from an early age and has since turned her passion into a career. She now runs her own boutique lifestyle PR and communications agency, Polka Dot Elephant, which specialises in launching new brands to the UK market. We spoke with Lallie to discover how she built her career and how she adapted her skills during the pandemic.

Why did you choose to study with ULIP?
Honestly, I just so happened to stumble across ULIP but the more I looked into it, the more studying French in Paris seemed like the most perfect idea! I hadn’t really considered where my BA in French Studies could take me when I applied, but I knew having an extra language would be key to unlocking opportunities.

What skills did your time at ULIP give you which have been helpful for your career?
The experience taught me to be brave and push myself to speak in French even if I didn’t quite have all the words yet. At first I was a little embarrassed to get it wrong (Parisians are slightly unforgiving when they detect an English accent!) but you’ve just got to keep practising, whatever it may be and you’ll get there.

You set up your own PR and communications agency, Polka Dot Elephant, in 2016. What was the driving force behind wanting to do this?
I had spent five years at a fantastic luxury travel PR agency in London, where I learnt all the skills of the PR trade. Then it got to a point where I wanted to have the freedom to work with clients I felt passionate about and whose visions were more aligned to my own, whether that be a start-up wanting their story shouted from the rooftops, or a boutique brand looking for an extension to their team.

Polka Dot Elephant’s portfolio boasts some impressive international clients. What factors do you take into consideration when deciding to work with a brand?
I always ask myself ‘Does the brand truly have an authentic, interesting story to tell?’ Being a PR consultant is essentially being a storyteller. You have to be really honest with yourself and your client about whether their story is one you can resonate with and that you would be proud to tell.

Which work project are you most proud of to date?
When I first set up Polka Dot Elephant, I was in Paris for the weekend and stayed at Hotel Amour in Montmartre, a hotel I admired and loved. I walked up to the person in charge and asked if they would like UK PR and a few weeks later, they were one of my first clients. Again, you’ve just got to be brave and ask the question – the worst that can happen is they say no!

Do you have any words of wisdom you could offer University of London alumni who are looking to set up their own business?
Without doubt, I’d say find your passion and grasp it with both hands. I could not have set up on my own without asking lots of questions and building up a trusted network of industry contacts first. That combination has been invaluable to me.

Your work has diversified from the travel industry due to the pandemic. What have you learnt from this?
At the beginning of the pandemic, all my clients went on hold overnight, so I set up a plant stall at my local farmer’s market, where I started work at 5am for three months. This time has made me realise that you don’t have to be defined by ‘what you do’ but by what drives you. I have never been one to sit back and hope an opportunity will appear; life isn’t like that, so you have to mobilise and adapt. Currently I’m consulting for a venture capital firm, which has opened my eyes to different industries, including the world of finance, fundraising, investors and start-ups. It is an extremely competitive sector and there are companies seeking funding who are doing really incredible things, from creating healthcare technology to sustainably designed slow fashion pieces.

You must have visited some amazing places whilst working in the travel PR industry. Where would you choose to visit given the chance?
I almost got stuck in Australia at the beginning of the pandemic as I was mid-campaign, so I would like to go back. Whilst there, I met Aboriginal elders and their wisdom on how we should be treating the planet was particularly inspirational to my passion project, The Forest Project.

Can you tell us more about The Forest Project?
I believe my calling is taking me into nature and I want to learn about what we can do to help this beautiful planet thrive. The Forest Project aims to repopulate land with British native species of trees, as reforestation is a key part of carbon storage and will help combat climate change. It will also engage the local community through nature-based activities and create treehouses made from reclaimed materials so people have a place to sleep in the trees, providing them with the chance to heal and connect with nature. It’s proving to be a pretty epic undertaking and I can’t wait to see that take shape over the coming years – watch this space!

Lallie graduated from the University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP) in 2012 with a BA French Studies.

Ellie McGuffog is the former Digital Engagement Manager at the University of London.