Last week, activ appeared in Business Insider.

Not in passing. Not buried deep online. 

Our CEO, Katie Bullon’s story was featured in the careers section of one of the world’s most influential business publications, positioned between global brands like Paramount+ and Starbucks.

For us, that moment mattered.

Business Insider reaches millions of readers worldwide and helps shape global conversations about careers, entrepreneurship, and the future of work. To see Katie’s journey shared in that context is not about recognition for recognition’s sake. It is about what it represents.

The story shows how the once struggling marketing freelancer, has made the journey to franchisor – now helping other marketing freelancers to grow sustainably. 

It signals that the way activ approaches self employment is part of a much bigger, global conversation.

At activ, we talk a lot about building a better way to work. One that offers freedom without isolation and ambition without burnout.

That belief exists for a reason.

It is rooted in the lived experience of our CEO, Katie Bullon.

Before activ became what it is today, Katie was a corporate marketing manager. She loved the pace, the challenge, the travel, and the momentum of building a career in a high performing environment. It worked brilliantly for her life at the time.

Then she became a parent.

Like many people stepping into parenthood, Katie knew she did not want a career that forced her to constantly choose between being present for her family and showing up properly at work. Her initial solution was to step back into corporate life part time, believing that would offer balance.

It quickly became clear that balance was an illusion.

To do the job well, to the standards she expected of herself, required total commitment. Even part time. And that reality collided head on with the demands of caring for a young baby.

So Katie made what felt like a brave, logical decision.

She left her corporate role and became a self employed marketer.

On paper, freelancing looked like freedom. The ability to work flexibly. To be present with her child. To shape work around life rather than the other way round.

The reality was very different.

Self employment removed the structure that had quietly held everything together. There was no team. No boundaries. No safety net. Every client, every task, every decision, every unpaid hour sat squarely with her.

Trying to build a business while learning how to be a parent at the same time was relentless. Sleep deprivation, emotional strain, and the constant pull between work and family left her permanently running on empty.

Katie has spoken openly about trying to work as if she did not have children, while parenting as if she did not have a business.

It was unsustainable.

As her family grew, the pressure intensified. Determined to prove it was possible to do everything well, she pushed harder and harder. The cost was significant.

Her mental health suffered. Her physical health declined. Her relationships were strained. What was meant to be a better alternative to corporate life had become even harder.

This is the part of self employment that rarely gets discussed.

The idea that working for yourself is automatically easier, especially for parents, is deeply misleading. Without the right support, it can be far more demanding.

Something had to change.

In 2014, Katie joined a marketing franchise called activ. Not as a growth play, but as a lifeline. It allowed her to continue doing the work she loved, while no longer carrying the entire weight of the business alone.

There was structure. Shared services. A team. A framework that created space to breathe.

That experience became the foundation for everything activ stands for today.

Fast forward to now, and Katie leads activ as CEO, having intentionally rebuilt the business around one clear belief. Self employment should not require sacrifice of health, family, or identity.

Katie did not just rebuild activ for herself, she rebuilt it specifically to change the experience for other marketing freelancers facing the same pressures

activ exists for marketers who want autonomy without overwhelm. Independence without isolation. A business that supports life, not consumes it.

At activ, structure means franchise partners are not building a business from scratch. They step into a proven model with systems, processes and delivery support already in place. Training is ongoing and practical, designed to build real confidence across websites and joined up marketing, with support as partners grow rather than a one off handover. 

Community is central to how activ works, with head office support and a network of franchise partners who share knowledge, challenges and momentum. It removes isolation and creates the space to build a sustainable marketing business without burning out.

The recent Business Insider feature is particularly significant.

Katie’s story did not appear quietly on a niche platform. It was shared in the careers section of Business Insider, positioned between global household names like Paramount+ and Starbucks.

For us at activ, that moment mattered.

Business Insider reaches millions of readers worldwide and plays a powerful role in shaping how people think about work, careers, and entrepreneurship. To see our CEO’s story featured alongside some of the most recognisable brands in the world is not about ego or headlines.

It is a signal.

It shows that this conversation about a better way to work is no longer happening on the margins. It is being discussed globally.

That visibility has continued. In recent weeks, Katie and activ have also been featured in Forbes, Brand You Magazine, and other international publications, amplifying a message that is resonating far beyond the UK.

This is bigger than one person’s journey.

It is an invitation to be part of a company, and a movement that is being talked about on a global stage.

A movement built around sustainable success. Human ambition. And work that fits real lives.

At activ, we are proud to be building a model that reflects that shift.

Because freedom should not come at the cost of everything else.

If you would like to learn more about how activ could help you, take a look here!