They say time flies when you are having fun! And although it would be a stretch to say that working is ever my idea of the ultimate “fun” to be had in this world, the past four years I have spent working with the fabulous Eleftheria and her little Blackbook family have definitely flown by in a whirlwind of easy collaboration, open communication, professional development – and dare I say it, sometimes even fun!
I was first put in contact with Blackbook in 2021 through a personal friend and occasional professional collaborator who was working with the team on the web design side of the business. Eleftheria was looking for an experienced English language content writer and I had recently made the shift to being freelance full-time and was keen for new clients and new challenges. It seemed like fate!
Before that serendipitous first encounter, I hadn’t yet heard about Blackbook – the hot new marketing company on the scene. However, it was not the first time I had heard of Eleftheria. Her reputation as a marketing powerhouse preceded her (as it still does today wherever she goes), and in fact, I had worked with Eleftheria in her previous capacity as the head of marketing at the Limassol Marina.
My own career experience as a writer had thus far been focused primarily on the travel sector. For many years I had been working as a travel writer, including over a decade with one of the industry’s leading B2B travel trade magazines. As the publication’s editor, I was already familiar with the name Eleftheria Voskaridou. And while I had yet to put a face to the respected name, she had long been on my email contact list, sharing latest news and comms from Cyprus’ first luxury destination marina project since its inception. Even then, I was always impressed by her professionalism, organisation and efficiency.
Back to 2021 and the beginning of our current relationship, Eleftheria had only recently made the brave move to set up her own business. With Blackbook just barely out of the “start-up” phase, the company was still small, but with a big vision and the experience and expertise to bring that dream to life.
The first clients I worked on were small-scale compared to the multinational industry leaders that we handle today. I remember the first job we did together well. It was a one-off personal website for a famous concert pianist, living and working in Cyprus. Although the website was uncomplicated and the job relatively easy, the bespoke care and attention to detail given to the client was just as meticulous and thoughtful as it is today with the biggest names on the Blackbook roster. It was clear then, and it remains clear today, that at Blackbook, every client is given focused commitment, prioritised time and energy, and dedicated resources.
In those early days of our now long-standing relationship, Blackbook was only outsourcing me once every couple of months for projects that required my specific services. I had no idea then that the collaboration would blossom into what it is today. However, as time went on, the company quickly started amassing some seriously hard-hitting clients – among the first that I remember working with was UDS – one of the best and most stand-out architectural firms in Cyprus, and MHV, a real estate tycoon pioneering a collection of groundbreaking projects in Nicosia and Limassol.
The client list – and subsequently the work load – was growing by the day and I could clearly see that this little start-up was going places within the real estate industry, swiftly becoming the go-to agency for some of the islands most significant and iconic projects. Around this time, I remember receiving an email from Eleftheria saying that as the Blackbook pipeline was set for a serious upward trajectory, they were going to need me to get really familiar with the real estate sector. In short, she was checking if I was up for the challenge!
I didn’t really need to give the question much thought. I had already found that there were a lot of similarities between the luxury travel writing I’d been doing and writing about high-end real estate developments. I am also always up for a challenge and learning new things, so fully immersing myself into a new sector and acquiring in-depth industry knowledge felt like a win-win for both Blackbook and my own personal development.
But perhaps the most decisive factor in the decision was that so far, all of my experience working with Eleftheria had been positive. She continued to be the consummate professional I remembered. And the whole of her team were an absolute pleasure to work with, and all clearly excellent in their respective roles. The communication was quick, easy and open and there was an overall feeling of collective support, team spirit and understanding.
It is hard to believe that that was nearly five years ago now. In that time, Blackbook has come on in leaps and bounds, led by Eleftheria with passion, expertise and genuine, intuitive care and support for her team. Together, we’ve crafted unique brand identities and compelling marketing and communication strategies that make the desired impact. We’ve created immersive and engaging websites that bring brands to life online. We’ve built and grown the social media presence of clients around the world. We’ve supported rebrands, start-ups and already established names. And the results that Blackbook delivers to clients time and time again are proof that the approach works!
Driving real measurable success has helped the company establish a reputation that has secured new business. In fact, these most recent years have seen Blackbook win clients who can be considered regional titans in the real estate, development and construction sectors. And with the company opening up a branch in Athens last year – run by the lovely Andreas – the portfolio is only set for further growth in the future.
Eleftheria, Maria, Katerina, Anastasia, Andreas, Sophia and Andy, it has been and continues being a pleasure and a privilege working with you all. I’m grateful for the freedom, the trust and the support. So, here’s to Blackbook and the next five years of success!