I am actually pretty good at that ….

It’s odd how sometimes you forget/dismiss how good you are at something, and then a situation comes along and reminds you.

(It’s also surprising how guilty you can allow yourself to feel for admitting that you are good at something, but that’s another topic!).

I qualified as an Accountant in 1990.

Until 2013 I worked in a variety of corporate businesses across several industries.

Never one to sit still, I moved up the ranks and took on challenge after challenge.

I was fortunate enough to experience the support of a couple of amazing mentors during this time and to work predominantly with thriving and growing businesses. 

 As an example, I worked in a start-up entity that grew to become a multi-million-pound turnover business over a period of just over four years. We were a solid team of experienced individuals. A team that grew quickly, but that had each other’s back. We worked hard. We had respect for each other and we also enjoyed each other’s company. 

During this time, I experienced leading my first people re-structure and all the emotions that accompanied that. On the day of communicating the final decision on who was to stay and who was to leave, I drove to the office with a sinking feeling in my stomach. I was truly amazed and grateful when the individuals whose roles were deemed redundant expressed gratitude for how I had handled the process.

I grew my head office team from zero to around twenty, developed my team leadership and management skills, and definitely developed my ability to multi-task! I built efficiencies into recently acquired businesses and helped lead the development of consistent systems and processes. I was involved in financing acquisitions and legal documentation – all with a people focus.

At another point in my career, I worked in another smallish business overseas that was SO efficient and profitable, that the business owners were able to sell it via a reverse-merger route, based on a significant multiple, years before they had considered doing so.  

During this time, I worked side by side with the CEO and was significantly involved in every professional meeting. Andrew (CEO) was an amazing business leader with strong ethics and morals.

He trusted me implicitly to achieve the best deal for the leadership team and I was proud to lead on many of the intense acquisition meetings. Post deal, there was a high degree of restructuring required and of course efficiencies to be introduced into the new organisation as a whole.

Again, Andrew and I worked jointly to achieve this as painlessly and effectively as possible. The improvement in profitability of the overall business was unbelievable and any negative effect on individuals was minimised.

In complete contrast, I also worked for a highly corporate head office where you could hear a pin drop. The atmosphere was very stilted. No one trusted each other. No one wanted to put their lunch on the ‘wrong’ shelf of the fridge. Everyone tried to outdress everyone else. Everyone clock-watched. Many procedures were in place but not followed by the uninspired employees.

The working day was very dull and uninspiring.

This position was short-lived.

During these and other experiences, I understandably accumulated a fair amount of business acumen.

I thoroughly enjoyed managing other areas of the business as well as the Finance team. I doubled as an IT Manager and worked well and regularly with Operational Managers. 

I enjoyed being heavily involved in the direction and growth of the business.  

It struck me that my knowledge could be valuable to smaller businesses that perhaps couldn’t employ a full-time Finance Director and over six months, my career changed direction.

I left my corporate role and began my own business as a consultant finance director.  

At this point, I wouldn’t have considered myself to be a confident individual, yet I pushed myself out of my comfort zone to network with each of the major banks. I sourced contact details within the banks for the SME Business Managers. I made contact and found myself surprised when they were happy to meet.

They were undoubtedly the source of my early clients.

Over the last eight years, I have worked in many different industries and with many different characters.

I have worked fairly short term with some businesses to perhaps introduce funding to the business, or the review of processes and procedures. I have created numerous business plans, liaised with many professional advisors, reviewed business valuations, participated in due diligence processes, improved efficiencies of finance teams and above all, always looked to maximise shareholder value.

I have worked for a couple of clients for around two years each, with the time spent with each varying from a few hours a month to three days a week. 

I have also worked for one client for around six years and continue to do so.  

In all instances, I have worked with the leadership team.

My intention in writing this blog was to share that whilst I have been developing my coaching business, I feel that I have started to belittle what I have achieved previously.  

Until that is very recently when I attended a meeting for a client with a professional advisor as their finance director, and with ease, I identified areas in the report which if corrected, would add approximately another 30% again on top of the current business valuation. It wasn’t difficult for me. It was an example of a situation where a strategic view and a good understanding of the business when combined with my financial skillset, it came naturally.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, don’t underestimate what you have previously achieved just because it comes naturally to you.

Yes, open pathways for a varied future, but always acknowledge what you have worked hard to achieve and that for which you WILL always be valued.

I am very excited to continue business coaching alongside my life coaching :)

Angela

www.chrysalis-coaching.co.uk