About me as a professional…

A taste of my skills and experience

Hello and welcome. My name is Claire Witz and I’m the person behind Chimpology. Here’s a little bit about my experience and credentials which hopefully clearly demonstrates that you are in very safe hands:

  • I’m a business advisor and former management consultant based in Tunbridge Wells (UK). I have 20+ years of varied experience working with organisations of all shapes and sizes in a many different sectors across the world.

  • Over 14 years’ experience with Mailchimp. I’m a fully certified Mailchimp Pro Partner with access to priority support and am ranked #1 in the UK and in the top 10 globally on Mailchimp’s trusted expert panel. I was also a member of their 2023 Customer Advisory Board working directly with their leadership team in Atlanta.

  • A good working knowledge of multiple CMS and website builders, CRMs, middleware, design software, booking and calendar tools, donation apps, membership platforms, ecommerce systems, payment processors, surveys, plugins, apps and form-builders.

  • A member of Intuit’s (owner of Mailchimp and Quickbooks) UK Small Business Growth Council, a group of 15 business owners from across the UK working directly with the UK government and Department for Business & Trade as part of their policymaking process to help make British businesses be more competitive and profitable. Read more here.

  • Quoted at the British Design Museum as an expert in their exhibition about email, and been interviewed on a growing list of podcasts.

  • 100% 5* reviews on Google and Mailchimp’s expert directory. I am ICO registered, GDPR compliant and fully insured.

  • Prior to starting my own business, I worked as a city-based management consultant. I also ran a successful business networking membership organisation for 12 years before selling it in 2022.

  • Top 5 Clifton Strengths are Input, Activator, Maximizer, Strategic and Relator.

  • I support Centre Point and fund the cost for a young person to have a safe bed for the night at the start of each new project.

  • Back in the mists of time I did a degree in Arabic and Islamic studies and a short stint at art college.

But what does that mean for you?

Well, it means I know Mailchimp and email marketing inside-out, its place in the broader context if your organisation and how powerful it can be.

And I also know Mailchimp’s quirks and foibles, and how to work around them.

So if you’re struggling or short of time and need help with your email marketing I can help in various ways including:

  • Mailchimp etc Help Desk, Power Hour (and-a-half), in-depth projects and ongoing outsourcing

  • Set up, training, audits & advice

  • Templates, automations , customer journeys & lead magnets

  • Deliverability and spam issues

  • Website, e-commerce & CRM integration

  • Audience management & sorting out colossal messes

  • Marketing strategy, content planning and copywriting.

  • Lots of experience with different website platforms including Wordpress & Woocommerce, Shopify, Squarespace, Wix, Weebly etc, together with blogging and SEO.

About me outside of work…

I live in the Georgian spa town of Tunbridge Wells in Kent (south-east UK) with my husband of 25 years Neil, uni-student Jamie and GCSE student Erin, and our 3-year old cocker spaniel Daisy. We bought our house because of the bakelite door knobs and views. My home office overlooks a church and woods and life is governed by the church bells that ring every 15 minutes.

I love having new experiences and little adventures, country walks, reading historical fiction, weight training, live comedy and making things:

  • Every weekend Erin and I decide on a direction, drive that way into the countryside until we spot a public footpath sign, park up and go off for an adventure with Daisy. We get lost a lot.

  • I go weight training several times a week and love lifting heavy things and punching stuff.

  • Every month my friend Janet and I have a “crafternoon” - we think of a new activity, start with a Pinterest board for inspiration and then try it out (with very varying degrees of success!). Follow me on Insta to see the results.

  • Neil and I LOVE going to see comedians live. So far we’ve seen Bill Bailey, Jason Manford, Sindhu Vee, Russell Howard, John Bishop, Alasdair Beckett-King, Troy Hawke, Micky Flanagan, Stephen Bailey and Ed Byrne and lots of local and up-and-coming comics.

I hate thinking of what to make for dinner Every.Single.Night.

I have a little creative side-line too called Qalbi (which means “my heart” in Arabic) - designing and making Arabic & Islamic art and gifts. I’ve painted on-and-off all my life and also have a degree in Arabic & Islamic Studies and lived in Morocco for a while. If you want to have a nose my website is www.Qalbi.co.uk.

Photo Gallery