My alarm goes off at… 6am every day, even on the weekends! My son is an early riser,
so naturally I wake up early too. I start my day with a strong coffee and watch a bit of Good Morning Britain before bracing myself for a busy, day of meetings.
Challenges of working from home have been … My dog! My two-year old cocker spaniel takes his guard duties very seriously; he’s on watch all day and lets me know if so much as a feather blows past the drive. Home-schooling whilst working full time has also really tested me as my son has been home from school for the best part of a year. It has been difficult to maintain a balance between the two.
But on the plus side… I am truly lucky to have such an inspiring team who have kept me motivated and have helped to keep our team culture alive. I have also learned a lot about my own resilience and vulnerabilities. We all have good days and bad days and it’s important to be honest and talk about how we’re feeling.
The main purpose of my job is… leading and motivating my team to deliver high partner and people engagement in the intermediary space.
A common misconception about my role is… that because my title begins with ‘head of’, I know everything there is to know and I make all the decisions. This definitely isn’t the case as I believe it’s essential to collaborate with my team, share our opinions and knowledge and make decisions together.
My typical day entails… a team catch-up followed by several internal and external calls. Over the last 12 months, it has also included Maths, English and reading classes with my son and a dog walk. My days are generally very busy, but I still make sure I get some fresh air and clear my head for my own well-being. I strongly believe in maintaining a work-life balance so each day I love to cook meals for my family and watch a bit of TV.
My favourite work memory is… when I (unknowingly) first met my previous chief executive officer. I introduced myself and asked her what she did at the company – definitely a career defining moment for me!
A perk of the job is… the flexibility I have to plan my own day.
To unwind after work I… usually go for a walk. I love nothing more than getting out and enjoying the simple things in life.
My experience as a woman working in the finance industry has been... Very mixed – at times it has been frustrating, but other times it has been very inspiring. It can be difficult to not dwell on the frustrating times and let it affect my confidence, but my drive and passion always keep me from spending too much time looking back and keeps me focused on pushing forward.
In my opinion, International Women’s Day is… a time to celebrate women and their remarkable accomplishments and successes. While there is still more to do, businesses and the financial industry have come a long way in recognising the importance of diversity and inclusion, so it’s a time to reflect on this in a positive way. It also provides a great opportunity to motivate and encourage women to continue influencing, inspiring and driving change across the board.
