Xtra Pair of Hands
Sofia Middleton is a marketing consultant and the founder of Xtra Pair of Hands (XPOH), a consultancy established in 2016 to provide high-level marketing support to small businesses and start-ups. Often described as an "in-house Marketing Director without the PAYE cost," she specialises in helping business owners transition from traditional models to innovative digital strategies focused on ROI.
Professional Background
Sofia has over 25 years of experience in marketing strategy and PR, including roles as Marketing Manager for a producer/promoter of outdoor classical concerts staged at stately homees across the UK, to working for the House of Fraser to taking on Marketing Director roles within start up businesses with the goal of being able to hand the keys over to the business owner to carry on. Her educational and professional credentials include:
- First Class BA (Hons) in International Marketing with French.
- CIM Certified by the Chartered Institute of Marketing for Sales and Marketing.
- Expert Consultant for Business Gateway through Elevator since 2017, where she has supported hundreds of businesses across Scotland.
Specialist Skills
Sofia characterises herself as a "marketing all-rounder" with expertise in several key areas:
- Digital & Social Media: An expert in Meta Suite (Ads Manager, domain verification, and event setup), lead generation, and content creation for platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
- Strategic Planning: Brand building, commercial operations, and creating solid marketing roadmaps for growth.
- Training & Upskilling: She delivers tailored workshops and 1:2:1 mentoring on topics such as Canva.com, AI tools for marketing efficiency, Social Media Marketing, Content Creation and Marketing through Mailchimp.
Notable Projects & Approach
Sofia's work is hands-on and results-driven, ranging from business conception to full digital transformations.
- Food & Drink Sector: She was instrumental in building the marketing foundation for The Pastry Academy, managing everything from brand identity to student recruitment systems.
- Growth Case Study: She guided CNG Design through a strategic post-lockdown roadmap that included a complete digital transformation and resulted in the business doubling its turnover.
Personal Style: Sofia is known for her straightforward, jargon-free approach and infectious enthusiasm for helping business owners regain their creative spark.
When not solving commercial marketing problems, she enjoys perfecting her golf game and a good bottle of GSM red wine.