Building Business Through Relationships: An Interview with Helen Berry of Diggecard
With a passion for building strong relationships and a wealth of commercial experience, Helen Berry helps clients maximise the value of their gift card programmes at Diggecard.
She has a deep understanding of incentives and customer engagement, gained across a career spanning retail, operations, and business development. Before joining Diggecard, Helen worked as a Business Development Executive at Inspire, where she supported major travel and lifestyle Gift card programmes for global brands. Her career has also included leadership roles in operations and aftersales, as well as more than a decade in merchandising with the Outdoor & Sports Company.
We caught up with Helen to discuss business, networking tips, and strategies for growing client relationships.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about your background and your role at Diggecard?
I started out in construction and then moved into sports retail, but back then it felt like women were mostly in admin roles with little room for progression. I wanted something different. That led me to Inspire and, more recently, to Diggecard.
At Diggecard, we’re a global provider of gift card expertise and technology. We help retail, leisure, and hospitality businesses manage B2C and B2B gift card programmes, whether that’s physical or digital, for rewards, incentives, benefits and promotions for customers, employees, members, or direct to consumers What really drew me in was the sense of empowerment I saw here. There are strong female leaders, a lot of personality in the team, and a genuine care for our lives outside of work — that matters just as much as the job itself.
Q: You’ve had a career that’s spanned a few sectors. How have you made those moves?
I always say networking has meant I’ve never had a proper job interview! Every opportunity I’ve had has come through relationships. I’ve never gone through a big panel interview or an assessment day. Instead, people I’ve worked with, or even people I’ve met at events, have opened doors for me.
When you show up, build genuine relationships, and stay approachable, opportunities tend to find you.
“Meeting Tracy, who’s now my manager at Diggecard, at a WiiN event was a turning point. She noticed I wasn’t quite myself at the time and suggested we chat — and that chat turned into my role here. But even before that, many of my moves happened because someone knew me and my work ethic.”
Q: How else has networking shaped your career?
I wouldn’t call myself a naturally confident person, but pushing myself to talk to people at events has changed that. Each time I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone, it’s become a little easier. I’ve also made friends, not just contacts, which is a bonus.
One moment that stands out was in a coffee shop. I struck up a conversation with a gentleman nearby who turned out to be the owner of a small company. He didn’t know much about gift cards or other benefits, so we ended up discussing how they could work for his business. That quick “good morning” turned into business for us. It shows that being open and approachable can create opportunities anywhere.
Q: Many people find networking intimidating. What’s your advice for someone walking into a conference and not knowing where to start?
Keep it simple: look up, smile, and say hello. Eye contact and a smile can spark a conversation. Don’t bury yourself in your phone or appear to be busy. Most people are glad when someone else breaks the ice. And you don’t need to launch straight into business — talk about kids, hobbies, travel — anything that builds common ground. The business chat comes naturally after that.
Q: At Diggecard, relationship-building is at the core of your role. What does a strong client relationship look like to you?
For me, it’s about trust and mutual understanding. I’m not a hard-sell person. I want to know what matters to the client and how we can support that.
I do think women often take a slightly different approach — conversations might start with family or what you’ve been up to, then move into business. It’s a warmer style that helps build trust. I try to balance personable with professional, so the client feels both supported and understood.
Q: You’re still relatively new to Diggecard. How have networks like WiiN and IMA helped you settle in?
They’ve been huge. In my first week at Diggecard, I went straight off to Brussels for IMA Europe’s regional conference, which threw me in at the deep end — but in the best way.
“The WiiN events especially, have given me the chance to connect with people outside my immediate team and hear different perspectives.”
It’s made my transition into the role so much smoother.
Q: Looking ahead, how do you want to grow your network — and what’s one thing you’d love to achieve in the next year?
I want to keep building genuine connections — not just in gift cards, but across incentives and rewards more broadly. As for goals, I’d love to push myself further by getting involved in mentoring . It’s about growing in confidence and also giving back to the industry that’s given me so much.
_________________________________________________________
Written by Elaine Keep - https://elainekeep.com/