Carrie Willmer
Advertising Sales Professional & Co-Founder, The Cherwell Agent
We are so proud to introduce Carrie Willmer, the Founder of Mary's. Carrie brings a grounded, practical blend of corporate experience and hands-on small business knowledge to our community.
For over 15 years, Carrie has worked in advertising sales, collaborating with and pitching to some of the largest ad agencies in the UK. As a dedicated individual contributor, her day-to-day focuses on the mechanics of good business: designing clear sales strategies, creating engaging presentations, managing key accounts, and navigating 7-figure proposals. She also really values the opportunity to support and guide junior members of her team as they navigate the industry.
Alongside her full-time career, Carrie has firsthand experience of what it takes to get a business off the ground. Three years ago, while on maternity leave, she teamed up with her husband to launch The Cherwell Agent, an estate agency specialising in village and country homes. While her husband is the property expert who runs the day-to-day business, Carrie stepped in as a founding director to help define their initial go-to-market strategy, build the brand identity, and set up their digital presence.
Today, Carrie remains fully committed to her primary career in ad sales, while continuing to act as a strategic board member for The Cherwell Agent. She created Marys to build a supportive space where women can share these exact kinds of practical skills, experiences, and realities of balancing work and life.
Whether you are looking for advice on how to structure a presentation, need a second pair of eyes on a sales strategy, or want to talk through the reality of setting up a brand from scratch, Carrie is always happy to share her experience.
Areas of Expertise:
Pitching & Presentations: 15 years of practical experience creating and delivering engaging presentations to large UK agencies.
Sales Strategy & Negotiation: A strong background in building commercial proposals, managing client relationships, and navigating complex negotiations.
Brand Building & Launch: Hands-on experience building a brand identity, establishing a digital presence, and executing a go-to-market launch for a startup.
Mentorship & Support: A collaborative approach to work, with a passion for supporting women in business and fostering a strong, knowledge-sharing community.
"Whether I am working on a presentation in my day job or talking through growth strategies for The Cherwell Agent, I love the process of creating things that genuinely connect with people. Mary's was founded as I believe that networking can be done differently. I believe that when women come together, incredible things can happen, plus, who wants to meet in a stuffy conference room or somewhere where there isn't a nice glass of wine on offer?!" Carrie
Carrie lives in Aynho, with her husband and two young children.
