¶ Career Journeys and Giving Back
The Northern Power Women podcast for your career and your life , no matter what business you're in . Hello and welcome to the Northern Power Women podcast .
This is our Path to Power season , and every week I am talking to some fantastic changemakers , trailblazers and purely kick-ass role models , to be honest , who are making a difference in their communities , challenging the norm , creating more inclusive cultures , and every week I have these conversations . Every week I learn something new . Every week I get inspired .
Every week I go away motivated . I think that's helping me and us to drive our personal and professional growth . And this week I am delighted to chat with Maddie . We had a good chat before . I've never been Maddie . Maddie is the internal and Maddie Birch was the internal communications manager at the boohoo group . Welcome , how are you ? It's been ages .
Thanks for having me . Yeah , I know it's nice to see you , shlon . I know we've caught up briefly , but yes , always good to have a chat with you . I always find you incredibly inspiring . So , yeah , I'm excited to chat , I know I always loved the before , hans .
and then I think , oh God , we better start recording , otherwise we will be based on exactly the same talk . Oh well , that's what we do , don't we ? We love a good chat . Hey , listen , you've been at boohoo . Where are we now seven years and it has been quite and I know we've talked before about this , but it's the . You know , we talk about the different .
We always love to sort of showcase different career journeys and you have been on quite a career journey . Talk us through it , and how easy was it to kind of navigate the sort of the roles along the way ?
So , yeah , I started at boohoo seven years ago and I started a customer service role . I was a customer service advisor for , I want to say , about six months and then I quite quickly moved to team manager .
So I looked after a team of 17 people and then , within probably about a year and a half , there was a job in the HR department looking after comms and engagement .
Never done anything like that never worked in comms , never worked in engagement didn't really understand the role but still went for it , had the interview and the HR director at the time said it was the best interview they've ever done . Don't know what happened , it was a blur , but yeah , to get that feedback was pretty special .
So , yeah , worked in HR for about two years and then the last three , maybe four years , I worked over in the legal department doing total comms . So , yeah , it's been quite a journey and , to be fair , I never really saw myself here , but here I am and I'm loving it .
I am loving it , and I know you went to uni , didn't you ? And then , but you didn't finish a degree .
How much of an impact did that have on you and your confidence in those early years , I think when I went to university there was a stigma that if you didn't go to university you wouldn't get a successful job .
So that always stuck in my mind , especially when I dropped out and obviously I made lots of friends during uni and to see them graduate it was a little bit like that could have been me . But yeah , I knew that I needed to get myself out , find a job and hopefully find a career . I guess there was .
So I live in such a small time , there isn't many opportunities , so to find a job or a career in little old Burnley was always going to be tough .
So I started at Sports Direct and I worked stupid hours and even during when I was working at Sports Direct I was seeing all my friends graduate , all my friends having a good time at uni , and I was like , oh my god , I'm doing like 50 hours a week here and I'm getting peanuts , like I'm not earning a great deal of money .
But yeah , I guess in terms of that confidence wise , you kind of got to take yourself out of that situation , just be like that's not me , that's their journey .
And I've always been really proud to land a job at Boohoo and obviously to get where I am today , and I guess I didn't need a degree to do it , like I studied graphic design , or , whilst my job is incredibly creative , I haven't needed that experience to get where I am . You just got to take risks , I think .
And I think , yeah , absolutely . And we do talk , don't we , when we do our power-ups , our monthly kind of paid-for sessions , where no one has the same path . Everyone has a different journey , and I think that's really important . And sometimes , actually , you may think , oh God , whatever , don't do that , and I always think about the sliding doors moment .
What would have happened , and I know , is that how that got you through and onto that next step or next chapter , isn't it ? I think it's a new chapter .
I guess you've always got to be really proud of what you've achieved and not dwell on what could have been to your point . Like you're your own person , you're in your own lane , you make what you want to happen happen . So , yeah , you're just going to be confident about your abilities as well .
Like you don't need to go to university to learn life skills I think life skills are so valuable and you don't necessarily get those from university . Like you'll learn , like the nitty-gritty that the process is and all that carry on .
But actually getting into the real world of work and meeting different people , experiencing different projects and all that stuff that comes with work , I think that's valuable in itself , just as valuable as going to university .
In my opinion , it's part of that , you know it's part of that . You know sort of day to day university . I know I joined the Navy , that was my university and sort of the adventures that I had , you know along the way , I think always they make me who I am now , I think , and all those experiences do along the way .
We talk a lot about social value and social impact , and I know that's one of the things that falls under your remit now , isn't it ? The social impact strategy ? Tell us about that .
So as a business , we've always given back to charities . That isn't something that we've never not done . All of our brands do incredible charity campaigns . Just a bit of an idea . So maybe Miss Pap , do the Miss Pap , your smear , plt , do Girls vs Cancer , like they do some really great things in the charity space .
However , from a group perspective , we didn't really have a strategy to tie it all together so we couldn't talk about it collectively . It felt a little bit disjointed . So I think two years ago we created the social impact strategy .
We made a commitment to give back at least 1% pre-tax profits and , yeah , from that we built some really great partnerships that with yourself , simone , and with part of another , power Women , with partner with Everfi . We look at different charity partnerships moving forward .
It is really just to be able to do more and talk about it better internally , externally , but yeah , that's it in a roundabout way . Obviously there's lots of things that go into its own , but I'll be here all day to talk about it otherwise .
Why is it so important that organisations give back to communities ? I know that is something the first time we met . We were straight into that at the start of our conversation .
I think it's the right thing to do . Simone . If I'm completely honest , so many charities wouldn't exist without the support from organisations and businesses , and especially for Boohoo because of the size that we are . It's not always about giving back like in money . It's about raising awareness on understanding the charity , what they do and how they support .
So I think that's probably the the most important thing for me .
And what advice would you give ? You know when we have these , when you are giving back and when we're having these sessions and stuff like that , when you get kind of one to one with people or want to agree , what is the advice that you would give out there to people you think that are struggling where they are ?
You know , whether it be they are in their careers , whether it be they are in you know sort of their well-being . You know what advice would you give ?
I would probably say you never grow in your comfort zone . So I think one of the reasons why I am in the role that I am today is I've always gone for things that I don't think I'm necessarily qualified or skilled enough to do , because you're going to learn more , you're going to speak to people who are going to give you knowledge and experiences .
That's going to really help your knowledge bank . So , yeah , I just think go for things . Even if you don't think you can do it , put yourself out there . And if you don't even if you apply for a job , for instance , alone and you don't get the role , even the interviews and experience you're learning in that process . So I think , yeah , just go for it .
Even if you don't think you can do it , just do it .
And you talk about . You know use that phrase a lot . You know here , don't you ? I'll fake it till I make it . And you know you said . You said at the start when we were chatting , that people would label you as confident or chatty .
We've talked a lot on this podcast about impossessing Joan and I think that's one of the strategies that people use to kind of banish it , which is that fake it till you make it . How does that ? How do you embrace that ? How do you stem off that monkey on your shoulder ?
I always like to think
¶ Career Journey and Advice for Success
about . So one of my very close friends . He always boasts about me to his friends he'd be like oh , my friend , my day . She works at Boo Hoo , she works in the legal department , she does internal , comes to the group like she's in such a really qualified role .
And then when I speak to people I'm like , oh yeah , just do internal , comes to Boo Hoo , like I see it very humbly . But then when I listen to my friend talk about me as though I'm like some sort of celebrity and I'm like Brad , I'm really not . I'm just mad at you .
But I think you actually need to step away , don't you A little bit and actually think like I've actually done all right .
But yeah , I think listening to other people's opinions on where you are in your career journey or your life journey , I think that's a really good way to banish that imposter syndrome , because you're only seeing it from your own perspective on you .
I think really taking a step away and actually listening to the great things that people are saying to you , I think that really does help .
And you are , am I right ? You're 27 . 27 . 27 , right ? Okay , I think , of everything that you've done already in your career . I think you've packaged a lot in , haven't you already ? And you've got some great stories . What have been ? What are the barriers that you've faced along the way ? Have you faced barriers because of your age ?
Have you faced barriers because you haven't got a degree ? What are those barriers ? Or have they not been there ?
I think going right back to when I went to university and I didn't finish my degree . When I came out and I was like I need a job , the first thing that came to my head was I'll go get an apprenticeship . That's the best way to grow up my career .
So I went to the college where they were doing an assessment centre , sat there for two and a half hours some on I was like I just want to go and at the end they asked me to fill out a form and I had to write in there basically what I've done in terms of college , university XYZ , and I did my foundation degree and then I did , like I think , a year
and a half at university and then , after sitting there for two and a half hours , a lady came over to me and she was like oh , you went to university , you're overqualified for an apprenticeship . I was like I've sat here for two and a half hours and you're just now telling me that I can't do an apprenticeship .
So I guess that was a barrier into the world of careers , like straight away . And then trying to get up that ladder was tough at the start . It was because I was young and I was like you just want to earn that 100k a year , don't you ? At 18 ? You're just like like I still like that . Take play , be nice .
Yeah , you're just like I want to get out there . But I think a barrier for me is not being able to buy your time . Just wait it out Like you just want to do it straight away , don't you ? You're just like I want to get my teeth into it . But , yeah , I think just take every day as it comes and just enjoy the moment that you're in .
Do you know what I mean ? Don't think too far ahead .
Like live now live in the present . Is that impatience , isn't it ? I think I was like that . Every job I got into , I always wanted to have been there two years , so when you were a bit more . There's elements enjoy every moment , isn't it ? So , if I take it back to that , it's so you're saying to enjoy every moment and not be Don't be impatient , like .
Simone , yeah , absolutely . I just think you only get to do every day once , don't you Do ? You know what I mean ? So just enjoy the day . Enjoy the day and your time will come when you're on that 100k .
Absolutely . I think I meant and what helped you along the way ? So when you receive , you know you're making that decision . You sat in that waiting room , you know , going I want to do this , and then that didn't quite work out . Where did you go for guidance ? Where did you go ? Who did you go to ? Did you have a mentor ? Did you have a role model ?
Or did they really exist in my world at the time ? I suppose Did they exist in yours ?
I've always been really lucky that I've had some really great managers . I can't call them , I can't name them all because there's that many but yeah , they've always been really supportive and I think , because of the person that I am , I've always been quite confident to go and have that conversation or address an issue or call something out .
So I think being able to talk about how you're feeling and where you want to be with someone that you trust , I think that's invaluable . But yeah , I've been so lucky to have some brilliant managers along the way and , yeah , I probably wouldn't be here Well , I wouldn't be here without them . Big shout out to everyone that's ever managed me . Thanks .
And that's probably why you're so passionate now about paying forward and giving back , you know , and looking back on the journey so far . What are you most proud of ?
Other than getting to where I am today in such a short period of time like I'm 27 , I mean quite a successful role and I'm happy in my role and so on . But maybe just to call out one achievement in June gosh what ? Six weeks ago we did our summer party , the Boothie group , where we had 13,000 guests and yeah , it was incredible .
At a venue in Manchester we had Dizzy Rascal there , we had a realist coming from the ceiling , we had Catwalk . It was mega , I'll tell you that .
But yeah , a lot of work went into that and yeah , it was just really a proud moment when it all came to life on the night and I was like panicking , but yeah , it was like a bit of a breathtaking moment to think that yeah , I've helped do this and yeah , pretty , cool , you were on the side .
It's almost at the side , like looking in , isn't it going ? Oh my gosh , I made that happen . I feel like that every year at the awards . Quite frankly , to be honest , I look out where that room and you just think , oh my gosh . Sometimes you just think this is never going to come together and then you're like , oh my god , but it does .
Yeah , it all happens on the day , doesn't it ? And you just like , oh , I feel like we haven't done everything , and then , two minutes before opening the doors , everything just comes together . You think , oh , the relief .
But yeah , it was incredible and a shout out to the guys that worked on the project with me as well Like it wouldn't have happened without them . So , yeah , thanks .
What's next for you , matty ? You're clearly part of a leader in the center of this amazing team . It's always such a positive vibe when I come in , but what's the ambitions for you future ? Do you have any like specific goals ?
Probably just go back to my last point . Obviously , I take every day as it comes . I try not to think too far in the future because I know how quickly things change . But I have had quite a progressive career over the last seven years so I guess I'm quite happy where I am now .
I'm gaining new skills and speaking to different people all day , every day and working on a social impact strategy , which is something that before a year and a half ago I had never been in that world . So I'm learning lots in that area and I guess professionally I'm looking to grow that further , learn more in social impact strategy realm .
And yeah , that's probably me in the next probably one to three years . But yeah , I try not to think too far ahead .
Because you never know what's going to come and swerve you out the way , do you ? You never know , and what is the one bit of advice you would give to your 17 , 18 year old self ? I think ?
I would probably say to myself it's tough now , but it won't be forever , it does get easier . I know I mentioned earlier when I worked as sports director . I was working crazy hours and I didn't feel like I was getting anywhere . I was thinking like what is this going to do for me in the long run ?
But actually , no matter where you are in your career journey , you're learning . So whether I worked in sports director , whether I worked in Boo Hoo or went to university or went to college or whatever , I've learned things along the way and it will make you into who you are today
¶ Persevere and Join Us for Power
. I think just persevere is probably the word of the podcast for me , simone . Like , stick with it , you'll get there . And yeah , keep smiling .
Oh , maddie , thank you so , so much for joining me on the podcast today and thank all of you for listening today . I'm always kind of totally gobsmacked and inspired and wowed by my guest , maddie . You're a legend , as are you , and thanks all you to listening .
Remember these are our weekly episodes and please do subscribe that you don't miss a single episode , as we are on our pathway to power . If you want to join us on our mission of professional and personal development , please do check out all of our power source legacy content on our digital hub . We are powernet .
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