A Day in the Life of Bertie Millis
We chatted to Bertie about his average day as Virtual Umbrella’s indispensable Managing Director, Tech Wizard, and Meme Master. No surprises, it’s pretty jam-packed!
Here’s how it all goes down:
1. Emails
Drowning in emails is a necessary evil, so the first bit of each day always involves some emailing. Sometimes it’s catching up with clients, sometimes it means responding to requests from potential partners and collaborators. It’s not always as glamorous as VR demos, workshops, and masterclasses, but it’s the bread and butter of business and Bertaroo gets it done before he’s on his second cup of coffee.
2. Liaise with staff
At almost three years old, VU has grown from a entrepreneurial two-person band to a full agency powerhouse, with its own creative team, consultants, and tech support, alongside an extended family of industry professionals. We’re a close-knit bunch (#VUfam), and it’s not usual for us all to kick-start the workday with a quick round of messages to set us up for the next project.
3. New business
Next up in Bertie’s schedule is new business outreach. Whether it’s through social media, content campaigns, press interviews, or direct networking, it’s the lifeblood of Virtual Umbrella as an agile presence in a rapidly developing industry. We’re continually partnering with new and diverse people with exciting ideas for the future of immersive technology, as well as re-connecting with past clients who are ready to take the next step in virtual reality.
4. Current business
Things at Virtual Umbrella can be pretty varied. But, at this point in the day, Bertie usually takes some time to work on current client work – anything from creative consultancy and technical wizardry to brand decks and publicity stunts for indie and international VR companies alike. More often than not, this involves some travelling, so Bertie’s become something of a train aficionado.
5. Secret things under NDA. Don’t tell anyone!
6. Project delivery
There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing all of your hard work come together. Project delivery can be as diverse as attending a VR conference that you’ve helped to curate, produce, and/or organise, or hitting ‘send’ on that social media plan you’ve been building for an up-and-coming VR creative. Project delivery is that bit of the day where everyone in the office eats biscuits. It’s just that kind of atmos, you know?
7. Workshop/Talk
For anyone who’s seen our speaker showreel, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Bertie has ninja talk skills. From speaking across the world at industry events like VR Connects, Kaleidoscope London, Develop:VR, and DocSP to delivering innovation workshops like the VR Safari at client offices, he’s always ready share his expert knowledge with businesses and audiences who are keen to get a foothold in the world of immersive technology.
8. Dank Memes
As we all know, Bertie is a part-time meme-lord (full-time meme lover). The end of the day is his moment for his dreams to become memes.
