International Women's Day 2024
Here at Acre, we're blessed to count among our customers some truly remarkable women. To celebrate this year's International Women's Day, we felt inspired to spotlight their invaluable perspectives and experiences within our industry.
Erin Murray – Monarch Financial
Can you share a specific achievement in your career that you are particularly proud of?
There’s 2 moments that come to mind – one at the very start of my working life & one more recent. Firstly, I am a first generation University Student in my family from a working class background. I was accepted to study Scots Law at the University of Glasgow, an extremely prestigious degree which traditionally had a much higher male (and privately educated) acceptance rate. I had to work part-time whilst studying as well as travel from my hometown into Glasgow every day. This was by no means an easy feat for 4 years but in 2014 I graduated with a 2:1 LLB Honours degree, something which I am still immensely proud of. Latterly, when I made the move into my current role as a Mortgage & Protection Advisor, I studied for my CII exams whilst working & raising my young daughter. This also presented it’s challenges as my husband works away so quite often I would need to study during my lunchbreak or after I’d put my little girl to bed. I managed to pass both exams first time within 6 months of each other. This was a huge personal & professional achievement.
What advice would you give to young women starting their careers in your industry?
I’ll be honest, I didn’t leave school knowing I wanted to get into Mortgages. I think there’s a huge pressure on young people in general to know exactly what they want to do before they even leave school or university. My advice would be, don’t rush in to anything. Take the time to work out what you enjoy, what you don’t enjoy, what sort of lifestyle you want to have, where your strengths lie & what you need to improve on. I have a legal background but I also worked for an estate agent for 3 years before moving into Mortgages. These things, although not intrinsically linked, have served me well in the Mortgage & Insurance industry. You might have worked part time in a supermarket whilst at college or university – although it’s not obvious, the sales experience & dealing with the general public you will naturally have developed doing this job will serve you well for a career in Mortgages. A lot of the role is being able to speak to people, work well under pressure & having the confidence to react when things don’t quite go to plan. Look beyond what you might have studied at school & focus on what you can bring to the job personally.
How can women navigate and thrive in male-dominated fields?
I’ve always worked in male-dominated roles and although I think things have come a long way for women in the workplace, I also believe there is still a long way to go in terms of equality. It’s a huge political, social & economical issue that is often lead by law makers, however I think there’s a lot to be said for individual women knowing their worth & finding their voice within the culture of a certain field or company. Having the self-belief to know that you are as qualified & as capable of doing the job as any man is takes confidence but it’s just that – confidence - which will help you in a male-dominated industry. I also think there’s a lot to be said for the onus being on employers to support their female employees, especially if they are out-numbered by men. In my own experience, a lot of networking days in this industry are still carried out on the golf course, traditionally a male-dominated sport. So what did I do? I started playing golf. Sadly, a lot of the top positions in many industries are still occupied by men, who perhaps don’t realise that a lot of events are not as gender-neutral as they could be but if more women in the industry have the guts to speak up, change might just happen that bit sooner.
Have you encountered any stereotypes or biases related to work-life balance, and how did you address them?
There is a lot of networking in this industry, something that is often after hours or involves a bit of travelling. This can be more difficult for women who tend to be the primary carers of children. In my own experience, I have felt the internal pressure to be in 2 places at once – at a work event knowing it will help my career, but also at home with my daughter. I think setting boundaries & having open conversations with employers about your time spent at work or participating in work-related events is something that should be encouraged more, especially for those with younger families. I think working from home when children are ill or if there is a school holiday should not be a taboo for women (and men) to ask employers for – it is certainly something I have approached my own boss about when the situation has presented itself in the past.
Rachel Ramsay – Ramsay Financial
Can you share a specific achievement in your career that you are particularly proud of?
In 2022 I took a calculated risk and left a 20 year career in Retail Banking behind to qualify as a Mortgage Adviser. I gained full CeMAP qualification in under 3 months and worked for a brokerage firm for 5 months before joining The Cornerstone Network as a self employed adviser. Within 6 months and with the support of the Network, I set up my own AR Firm, Ramsay Financial Ltd of which I am very proud. I'm enjoying seeing my business develop and excited for the future!
What advice would you give to young women starting their careers in your industry?
Be ready to step out of your comfort zone, surround yourself with knowledge and love what you do!
How can women navigate and thrive in male-dominated fields?
Women are naturally more empathetic and this helps to build trust and likeability more easily. I believe trust and likeability is the most important quality to have in my industry which helps develop meaningful and deeper relationships with clients. Having the knowledge, experience and credibility through building these relationships is empowering to me as a woman in a male-dominated field.
Have you encountered any stereotypes or biases related to work-life balance, and how did you address them
Employer attitudes towards work-life balance has improved dramatically in recent years, but in my early career there was pressure to work at unsociable times sometimes at little or no notice. My productivity was always affected when under pressure to work additional or unsociable hours especially after having children. I found that putting in 110% during my working day gave me a sense of satisfaction in a job well done while helping to support the need for a good work-life balance. The 'Wellness' movement has flipped attitudes around and employee engagement has improved significantly across many industries through offering flexible working arrangements.
Samantha Youells – Mortgage Matters Direct
Can you share a specific achievement in your career that you are particularly proud of?
After being in the mortgage industry for almost 15 years, I felt I had reached my peak as a mortgage adviser and wanted to help other people achieve their goals. Moving into a management role in banking gave me a whole new challenge and I loved helping and watching others succeed on their own merit but knowing that I have had a positive influence on their journey. This led me back to my true passion of working alongside and leading people in financial services. I am very proud of what I have achieved since working for Mortgage Matters Direct and Arun estates, in just over 5 years, I have built up and established a team of mortgage advisers, admin and lead generators in our Direct Sales department. I have also led many projects including the replacement of our customer relationship management tool with Acre.
What advice would you give to young women starting their careers in your industry?
Follow your intuition. It is not about what you do, it is about how you do it, so thinking through the solutions will lead you on a strong path and there is rarely one option. Surround yourself with positive, passionate, and driven people will help inspire you and allow you to learn and grow.
How can women navigate and thrive in male-dominated fields?
My advice is to always lead by example and never compromise on your own standards. Also, be confident and believe in yourself and your ability. Doing this has given me a strong voice and led to me being a key part of the senior management team. It has also taken my journey down a varied path, giving me new experiences, and learning new skills in projects that I never imagined I would be involved in but have loved every second.
Have you encountered any stereotypes or biases related to work-life balance, and how did you address them?
Covid opened a new way of working for a lot of companies introducing hybrid and home working, whilst we are predominantly a customer-facing business, management is very supportive of individual needs. Learning about personality profiles and character analysis as part of studying and achieving the Level 3 award in Leadership and Management through Leeds Beckett University has allowed me to adapt my management style to accommodate employees in different scenarios but this has also helped me when speaking to my leaders and understanding the best way to approach any situation.