This month our Charterpath Co-founder Alex Marsh was invited to speak at a Marks Sattin x Colmore Collective networking breakfast - in this blog he shares the background to this event, the question that almost stumped him... and his thoughts on the power of the network!
It’s been just a few months since launching the partnership between Charterpath and Marks Sattin to inspire more accountants to volunteer their time and expertise to non-profits... and what an incredible few months it’s been!
As we enter 2023 we have seen a +15% rise in our Charterpath LinkedIn followers to +1,200 and even more impressive, a +50% jump in the number of signed up Charterpath volunteers - with over 200 accountants now pledging to volunteer their skills at least 2 days each year.
This means Charterpath is already contributing the equivalent of over 1 year’s worth of accountant time and skills to UK charities and non-profits!!
As part of this partnership, Marks Sattin are promoting Charterpath across their network of over 100,000 accounting professionals - be that through newsletters, on social media and with a series of events to help grow our community of volunteer accountants. And what a cracking start to 2023 - with Becky Hughes, the Director for the North West and Midlands at Marks Sattin, inviting me to Birmingham for a Q&A over breakfast, jointly hosted with the recently formed Colmore Collective.
For background on the Colmore Collective, they’re a new young professionals network launched in 2022, hosting events in central Birmingham targeted towards corporate finance advisors, corporate lawyers, and investors. I had the pleasure to chat with their founding committee Lydia, Huw, Doug and Libby back in November 2022 - and was immediately impressed with their passion and drive to create an inclusive and fun community supporting the personal and professional development of professionals in their local area.
Looking back on my own +20 year career I could immediately relate to the benefit of such a networking group. I spent much of my early career in central London focused on building my internal network within PwC and Close Brothers. Whilst having this strong internal network was a huge help in getting things done, finding new opportunities and making career progress - with hindsight at times it was at the detriment of building a broader, external network.
Over the past five years, I have invested heavily in building out my external network as a natural part of work related meetings but also through contributing to trade groups, attendance at industry or alumni events, and importantly giving back through non-profit activities. Even to this day, I can find it hard to walk into a room full of strangers and integrate quickly into animated conversations going on around you - ahhh and then the relief when you see a familiar smiling face from your network!
Time and time again through your career this network comes back to help you - a case of you reap what you sow - advice with a tricky question (15 years on I'm still picking up phone to former PwC colleagues as my accounting knowledge gets a bit rusty), a joint opportunity for you and someone else already in your network (think of Charterpath for Alice and I!), or a warm introduction through to someone else not yet in your network (Becky making the intro between me and the Colmore Collective). The list goes on... And as the Colmore Collective are proving, it is never too early to start building your network.
So it was a very easy yes to accept their invite to speak at their breakfast - and a month or so later, here I am joining Becky and the Colmore Collective team together in person.
Despite this only being their second networking event - and it being rainy chilly winter's morning - they secured a remarkable turn-out of over 80 young professionals, filling the stunning Vinoteca in the heart of Birmingham.
Fuelled with caffeine and pastries - and a good dose of networking to warm us up - Libby Roberts and I climbed up onto our high stools for a very fun and varied conversation navigating a wide variety of topics including personal lessons from my journey training as a chartered accountant to leading the UK business at Klarna (the power of the network!), the Buy Now Pay Later revolution and the regulatory developments ahead - and of course our mission with Charterpath and the benefits of volunteering for our wellbeing, personal development and also in building our professional networks.
Libby is a fantastic interviewer - she had told me before we started that she was nervous and this was her first proper stab at public speaking - but you would have never known - an absolute natural and as you can tell from the pictures we had a great time.
I did almost got stumped by a question from the audience - ‘what is the most inspiring book you've read?’ - and the answer for those not in Birmingham… ‘They F*** You Up’ by clinical psychologist Oliver James. I love this book, exploring nature vs nurture and how understanding your past is the first step to controlling your present. I strongly believe in the importance of self awareness to inform our decision making, reaction to situations and ongoing learning - and help us to lead a happy life. Definitely worth a read.
P.s. for all those with young children like my wife and I, there is now also the much needed sequel ‘How NOT to F*** Them Up’.
All in all a brilliant morning - a chance for a good chat and some self reflection - departing Birmingham with a number of new additions to my own network - and excitingly more Midland based accountants looking to sign the Charterpath pledge and get volunteering.
A huge thank you to Becky, Mark and Dan from Marks Sattin for hosting me in Birmingham and Lydia, Huw, Doug and of course Libby from the Colmore Collective for the opportunity to speak at their event.
I can’t wait to see how their network of young professionals continues to grow in 2023!
And for all accountants reading this - if the idea of volunteering your skills with a non-profit has caught your imagination - follow these 3 simple steps:
Follow Charterpath on LinkedIn for all the latest news, inspiration and roles
Have a look around our website at www.charterpath.org.uk for case studies, helpful resources and live volunteer opportunities
Sign the Charterpath pledge to show your support for our mission and volunteer your skills for at least 2 days each year
About Charterpath
Alice Clementi and Alex Marsh co-founded Charterpath as a community interest company in 2020, with a mission to increase the proportion of accountants volunteering from 10% to 50% - inspiring more accountants to volunteer their time and skills, connecting them with non-profit opportunities, and engaging with a wide range of organisations so volunteering is a core part of an accountant’s career. For more information, visit www.charterpath.org.uk.
About Marks Sattin
Marks Sattin is a heritage recruitment brand. With offices across the UK, Ireland and Europe, they have over 30 years’ experience of finding professionals their next exciting opportunity, and consulting with companies - from global organisations to growing SMEs - to find the very best talent to drive their businesses forward. They offer a full multichannel recruitment service for interim and permanent financial, accounting, risk compliance, business change and technology positions. For more information, visit www.markssattin.co.uk.
About Colmore Collective
The Colmore Collective is a new young professionals network hosting exciting and regular events to 100 individuals in central Birmingham. Their founding committee, which is made up of corporate finance advisors, corporate lawyers, and investors, and is broadly representative of the attendees expected. The term young professionals is hard to define. The Colmore Collective is open to professionals of all ages in the early stage of their career, usually having completed applicable qualifications. For more information, visit www.colmorecollective.co.uk.
If the idea of volunteering your skills with a non-profit has caught your imagination - follow these 3 simple steps:
Follow Charterpath on LinkedIn for all the latest news, inspiration, and roles
Have a look around our website at www.charterpath.org.uk for case studies, helpful resources, and live volunteer opportunities
Sign the Charterpath pledge to show your support for our mission and volunteer your skills for at least 2 days each year
About Charterpath
Alice Clementi and Alex Marsh co-founded Charterpath as a community interest company in 2020, with a mission to increase the proportion of accountants volunteering from 10% to 50% - inspiring more accountants to volunteer their time and expertise, connecting them with non-profit opportunities, and engaging with a wide range of organisations so volunteering is a core part of an accountant’s career. For more information, visit www.charterpath.org.uk.