Frances Manwaring

I’m Frances, and I’ve spent my career helping great ideas—and the people behind them—find their voice. Whether I’m helping build standout brands or dissecting the beautiful chaos of everyday life, my mission is the same: Never succumb to beige.

Two Sides of the Same Coin

My writing lives at the intersection of professional strategy and eclectic observation:

* For the Trail Blazers: In Brands with Moxie, I distil years of experience as a Managing Director and creative lead into eight actionable steps to build a winning brand. It’s professional practice without the corporate fluff.

* For the Curiously Minded: My "side hustle" and essay collection, Never Succumb to Beige, is where I let my Scottish-born New Zealand-dwelling spirit run wild. My aim, like my non-beige approach to life. These are stories about blazing a colourful trail through life and wearing your high viz vest with flair and panache.

Why I Write

I believe—alongside Sophia Loren—that mistakes are simply the dues we pay for a full life. That philosophy underpins everything I do. I don’t just want to inform; I want to entertain you, challenge your perspective, and remind you that the most interesting path is rarely the smoothest one.

Stay Colourful

If you enjoy a mix of sharp wit and strategic thinking, join me at The Colourful Times. It’s my personal monthly newsletter where I share new stories, updates about my writing, musings on why we should all be a little less beige and other colourful stuff.