How to stand out in a competitive world

I had a very happy childhood in the northern seaside town of Southport. I was the middle child of three with a brother either side and I fondly remember family camping holidays in the South of France. I also have a really clear memory of meeting my best friend on my first day of primary school, aged 5. We’ve been friends now for 45 years.

I had absolutely no clue and, no, I definitely didn’t have a yearning to go into telecoms, that was entirely accidental.

I don’t consider myself to be overly ambitious and I never really set out to have the kind of job that I do, so I think my 20-year-old self would be a bit shocked if they could see me now. If I was to try and articulate how it’s happened (given that it wasn’t exactly intentional), I’d say it’s as a result of hard work, unwavering dedication to every job I’ve had and a lot of good fortune along the way.

In the very early part of my career, aged 21, I worked in insurance and went on an intensive 2-week residential induction which focussed on how to stand out in a competitive market – what I remember from that was to be explicit about your targets and objectives, be relentless in achieving them, be professional at all times, delight the customer at every opportunity and always do what you say you’re going to do. This early mantra has stayed with me throughout my career. To this day, I try to instil these core ethics into my team - conduct yourself with the highest level of integrity at all times, make sure you are open to any kind of scrutiny and ensure that honesty and good intentions are at the heart of everything you do.

I’ve worked for amazing bosses and terrible bosses in my 30yr career, and both have had an equally important influence on the kind of person I want to be. The best mentors are those that have encouraged me to back myself when I’ve felt uncertain or daunted. Even when you move to a senior level in an organisation, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed or nervous at times, having someone by your side saying they believe in you is important no matter what level you are. 

Well, I just turned 50 and so I’ve recently started to think about what the final years of my career might look like, and dare I even say the “R word” (Retirement). It’s alarming that I’ve arrived at this point so quickly. I still have a lot of energy and passion for my job so that will continue for as long as I continue to love it. Longer term, I would like to think I can add value to other organisations maybe through some Charity or Non-Executive Director roles and, once I’m done with all of that, I hope to be somewhere in the world spending long days in the sunshine when Jersey is cold and grey. We just need to get all the kids out of our hair (and bank accounts) first. 

Always be prepared to do a job that is beyond that which you’re currently being paid for. By that I mean take on responsibility, volunteer for additional tasks and always show up with enthusiasm, optimism and positivity. 

Fast! It’s hard to believe it’s been 12 years but I think that’s because I’ve taken on so many challenges in this time and it’s been such an exciting and varied career. I started out as an Account Director looking after some of our highest profile clients, predominantly in the finance sector. In 2013, I got the opportunity to lead the team across both the islands and then, as the business expanded beyond the shores of the Channel Islands, my remit extended to a UK team and also took me to Chicago to lead the relationship with a very large US client. Over the past few years, my role came back to a purely CI focus and I was delighted to be appointed as the Chief Commercial Officer in November 2022. We have a bold and exciting plan to deliver and I’m looking forward to the next chapter.

It’s crucial to me. I don’t function terribly well if I don’t get a good balance. I’ve worked all of my adult life and I have three children and a husband who also works, so balance is something you have to prioritise and learn to manage. I’m incredibly organised which definitely helps, and I have to have everything in one calendar so that I know exactly where I need to be and when. When the children were younger, I always scheduled in time for parents' evenings, school plays, show and tell, etc.  All the things that they did where my presence really mattered to them. Of course, there have been many times when work had to come first but I always recognised when I needed to prioritise the children over work and to not feel guilty for making those choices. 

Nowadays, the kids are far less reliant on us (the two eldest are away at University) and so I can finally make a bit more time for me. Work is extremely demanding, and I regularly work long hours but I try to make sure I schedule in time out for things like Pilates and walking the dog, at times that work for me. We’re so lucky that modern ways of working allow for this and I’m able to flex work and home life so that everyone gets what they need, including me.

Authentic, fun, dependable, loyal.