Career Lesson

Shivana Maharaj comes from the tiny Caribbean island of Trinidad and her curiosity of the world led her to work in several countries and across many sectors. She is currently at WhatsApp focused on unlocking commerce safely. In 2015 she spotted a gap in the market for using data-science and technology to drive better and deeper insights in the M&A process. She developed and led the M&A Transaction Analytics product to drive more accurate observations and intelligence. 

Shivana has spent her career largely in Consulting: EY, Oliver Wyman and KPMG focused M&A Strategy and Operations across the deal lifecycle. She co-founded Financial Equality Standards, which aims to break the barriers women face in Financial Services. She is also a Board Trustee at Twining Enterprise, a mental health charity focused on helping Londoners get work and to stay employed. In her spare time, she still loves to explore the world and learn more about different cultures and has worked and supported social causes in Uganda, Rwanda, India, UK and Trinidad, to name a few.

In Today's Episode you Will Learn:

1) What are the skills that can make a junior consultant stand out and be promoted to a partner level in a shorter period of time?

2) What are the reasons to work in consulting and NOT to build a career in the industry?

3) What are the difficulties and similarities between large and small consultancies? 

4) What are the skills that Shivana learnt that are useful for her role at WhatsApp? When is the best time to exit consulting? What are the different career paths that one can take after working in consulting?

For behind the scenes content & career tips you can follow Anna on Instagram here.

Yana Abramova is a Managing Partner at Pretiosum Ventures, a UK based venture capital firm with a focus on seed and Series A companies in AI, Fintech, and the Future of Work/Life sectors. Prior to Pretiosum Ventures, she spent several years working in a $1,5bn investment fund as well as advising startups that want to expand to the UK. Yana holds an MSc in Management from Cambridge University. She is also an ambassador for Tech Nation UK and an exceptional Tech Talent Visa holder. Yana speaks fluent French, Spanish, Russian, and Mandarin which is quite helpful to build a wide network around the world.

In Today's Episode you Will Learn:

1. What advice did Yana give to students and young professionals who would like to break into Venture Capital? With so much competition, how can one differentiate oneself?
2. How to grow your network through Tech Nation UK? What are the options to get a visa through one of Tech Nation programs?
3. What is the importance of networking for career advancement? What are the best ways to build a strong network? What NOT to do when you network?
4. How to cope with a busy schedule of being an investor & start up advisor? How to avoid a corporate burnout?

For behind the scenes content & career tips you can follow Anna on Instagram here. Check out Tech Nation UK - the growth platform for tech companies and leaders!

Carl Hazeley is responsible for content across all channels and market analysis for external publication at Finimize. Carl spent over six years at Goldman Sachs as an equity research analyst leading the European internet research team. During his tenure, he led the IPO of Just Eat among others and covered stocks like Zalando, Rocket Internet, and ASOS. Carl's expertise covers a range of topics regarding markets from macro to sector and company analysis. He’s particularly versed in discussing internet and consumer-facing business models, startups including fintech, and developed market economies.

In Today's Episode you Will Learn:

1) What skills can you learn in Investment Banking that are applicable to Startups? 

2) What are the differences between a startup and big corporate? 

3) How do students & young professionals can start their investing journeys? What are the necessary steps that need to be done before one starts investing? How does Carl manage his personal finances / what's his approach to financial planning?

For behind the scenes content & career tips you can follow Anna on Instagram here. Subscribe to Finimize daily newsletter for news that won't make you fall asleep.

Shajia Meraj is an MBA candidate at London Business School and an incoming Consultant at Bain & Company’s London office.

Shajia grew up in Bangladesh where she was the first person in her extended family to go to university. Prior to the MBA, she was working as Vice President and Team Head in the Corporate Banking team of HSBC.

Shajia is passionate about the representation and progression of women and other minority backgrounds in business. In line with her passions, she has led a number of initiatives at LBS, including co-chairing the largest ever Women in Business conference and co-founding FLII (First-generation, Low or Intermediate Income) club to promote socioeconomic diversity.

Shajia is an advocate for breaking stereotypes, dreaming big and paying it forward. During her free time, she loves travelling and is a big foodie who loves exploring different cuisines!

In Today's Episode you Will Learn:

1) What are the reasons to pursue an MBA and how to secure a scholarship? What are the reasons not to do an MBA?

2) How to secure an internship in the midst of the global pandemic?

3) How to deal with the impostor syndrome?

For behind the scenes content & career tips you can follow Anna on Instagram here.

Shivendu Nadkarni is a seasoned FMCG industry veteran with a 25-year track record of business leadership across multiple markets and a wide variety of cultures & business contexts across AMEA. In his last operating role, Shiv was Vice-President of the Kellogg’s Snacks business across the Asia-Africa region. He oversaw doubling of the business with a sustained 6-year phase of growth acceleration & margin expansion after the successful Asia/Africa-wide integration of Pringles into Kellogg’s. Before Kellogg’s, Shiv built a successful 15+ year career with Procter & Gamble (P&G).

Shiv has a number of roles and acts as an Advisor for SG-based SMEs & Start-Ups. He is a Founder of TenX Mezzo, Corporate Advisor in the Agri-Food-Sustainability domain at Temasek International Enterprise Development Group, Adjunct Associate Professor at NUS Business School’s Department of Strategy & Policy, Partner at Trinity Brand Group and Innovation Advisor at IPI Singapore.

In Today's Episode you Will Learn: 

1) What is Ikigai and how can this philosophy help you find a self-fulfilling life purpose? 

2) How can Ikigai help with work life balance? 

3) What is a meaning of career success? How to define it? 

4) How to effectively manage / plan for a paternity leave? 

For behind the scenes content & career tips you can follow Anna on Instagram here.

Kathryn Robertson Arrebola studied geography at university and have always been interested in Sustainability. She started her career at L.E.K. Consulting where she worked for three years. During her time there, Kathryn got involved with pro bono consulting group (project lead and business development roles) and became interested in impact investing.

Kathryn has recently completed her MBA at London Business School. She interned with impact measurement start-up 60 Decibels and climate VC Drashta Impact; co-led careers team for the Social Impact Club; co-founded the first impact investing conference at LBS and did a research project on sustainability and strategy consulting.

After her MBA, Kathryn decided to go into investing rather than back to consulting and joined KKR European PE team in May. She is an advocate for work-life balance (takes part in duathlon competitions) and female representation in business / finance. During her free time, Kathryn writes a blog showcasing inspiring women.

In Today's Episode you Will Learn: 

1) What are some of the reasons to pursue MBA? How can MBA help you to pivot from one industry to another?

2) What are the differences between being an advisor/working with Private Equity funds and being an investor/owner of the business?

3) How one can distinguish oneself when applying for PE jobs and start as an Associate?

4) How do PE funds work with ESG and what promise does ESG hold for the future?

5) How to balance a side hustle/blog with a busy PE job?

For behind the scenes content & career tips you can follow Anna on Instagram here.

Ani Filipova is an international banking executive with more than 25 years of banking experience. She has been with Citibank for 21 years working in Bulgaria, Romania, London, Singapore and Hong Kong in roles spanning product and relationship management, operations and risk and control. 

Her latest job was Regional Chief Operating Officer for Citibank Treasury and Trade Solutions in Asia.

In Today's Episode you Will Learn: 

1) For students and young professionals who would like to break into finance, what are the top three technical and soft skills to master and how to do it?

2) Disruptive forces such as blockchain, fintech, advances in robotics and AI are changing traditional finance, will traditional banks survive?

3) When is the right time to take a sabbatical and what are the benefits of doing so?

4) How to cope with a corporate burnout in the industry that has "always on" culture?

For behind the scenes content & career tips you can follow Anna on Instagram here.

Maariyah is a Senior Manager for Global Ads Strategy at Uber Eats. Prior to Uber, she worked in Investment Banking in the healthcare coverage group at J.P. Morgan in NYC. Maariyah is passionate about women’s empowerment, especially uplifting women of color and helping them navigate the corporate/tech world. In her free time, Maariyah runs a lifestyle blog (@lifewithmaars on Instagram) where she gives business and confidence tips to working women.

In Today's Episode You will Learn:

1. What is the difference between university education approach to studying in the US and UK?

2. How can internships help you find your passion and understand if investment banking is a good career choice for you?

3. When is the best time to exit Investment Banking and why? How to use Investment Banking as a launching pad?

4. How to balance multiple side hustles with a busy corporate job?

5. What are the differences between Tech and Investment Banking jobs?

Join Muslim Women Professionals Network on LinkedIn.

For behind the scenes content & career tips you can follow Anna on Instagram here.

With over 2 million followers on LinkedIn, Eric Sim is one the most followed thought leaders on career and life skills. Eric is the founder of Institute of Life whose mission is to train young professionals to be successful at work and in life. Previously when he was based in Hong Kong, Eric served as a Managing Director at UBS Investment Bank and as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Finance at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Today, he teaches at Queen’s University in Canada and Renmin University in Beijing. A sought-after keynote speaker, Eric has spoken in London, Beijing, New Delhi and many other places.

In Today's Episode You Will Learn:

1) What has inspired Eric to pivot from a successful career in investment banking to founding Institute of Life career coaching business?

2) Why personal brand is crucial to an exception career and how to build it? How to position yourself as a thought leader? 

3) How to leverage LinkedIn to reach out to people who you admire, even if you don’t know them?

4) Valuable Career Lesson Eric picked up from Princeton PhD rejection experience?

For behind the scenes content & career tips you can follow Anna on Instagram here.

Kat Norton (@miss.excel) energetically teaches Microsoft Excel to individuals, businesses and educational institutions. She is a mission driven entrepreneur, a spreadsheet connoisseur, and a passionate teacher.

Since launching Miss Excel on TikTok and Instagram in June 2020, Kat has built a growing community of over 300,000 people from around the world. She infuses her lessons with creativity, music and dance that creates a memorable experience for the viewer and makes learning fun! Before taking the leap into full-time entrepreneur life, Kat spent 4.5 years working at a consulting firm doing securitization reviews for banks as well as developing CPE credited Excel training programs, traveling around the US hosting workshops and leading virtual international training sessions.

In Today's Episode You Will Learn:

1) How to balance a busy corporate job in consulting that requires a lot of energy with a successful side hustle? 

2) What secret ingredient has helped Kat to grow her social media accounts so quickly and scale her business in less than a year? How to find the inspiration to start? 

3) Many side hustles don't bring the financial stability so at what point did Kat realise that she could quit her day job and grow Miss Excel full-time?

4) What does a work day look like for Kat Norton? 

For behind the scenes content & career tips you can follow Anna on Instagram here.

Allie Jenkin is a Head of Personal Investor Services at Vanguard, one of the largest investment companies in the world. Allie has been in Financial Services for the last 15+ years and previously worked in Coutts bank. Her passion is firmly focused on people - nurturing and developing her own and ensuring the client is at the heart of the decisions being made.

In Today's Episode You Will Learn:

1) How not having the plan sometimes can be the best plan. How Allie navigated through her career starting in a military planning firm, moving to accountancy and events and then joining prestigious financial institutions?

2) What can we do to support women in the workplace and why we need to have diversity in the workplace?

3) Why do we need to stop worrying about what others think of us? What's a "Personal Board"?

4) Her perspective on ageism in the workplace

5) Why is it important to remain calm to be a good leader? How does she strike a good work life balance?

For behind the scenes content & career tips you can follow Anna on Instagram here.

Mark Herschberg is the author of the "The Career Toolkit, Essential Skills for Success That No One Taught You" book. Educated at MIT, Mark has spent his career launching and fixing new ventures at startups, Fortune 500s, and academia. He’s developed new software languages, online marketplaces, new authentication systems, and tracked criminals and terrorists on the dark web. Mark helped create the Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Program, MIT’s “Career Success Accelerator”, where he’s taught for twenty years and also serves on the boards of non-profits Techie Youth and Plant a Million Corals.

In Today's Episode You Will Learn:

1) The importance of career planning

2) Based on his Ivy League teaching experience, what skills Mark recommends to develop to facilitate your career

3) Negotiation as one of the key skills that we need to practice 

Join us on Instagram for behind the scenes content - it's fun!

For behind the scenes content & career tips you can follow Anna on Instagram here.

Anastasiya Belyaeva one of the youngest female co-founders of a Venture Capital fund focused on the decentralised Internet. She co-founded Fabric Ventures when she was 23 previously holding multiple roles in other European VC funds including Open Ocean, a Series-A fund that backed multiple billion dollar companies including MySQL and Truecaller. Anastasiya has recently stepped down from the world of VC to get experience on the other side of the table and is currently heading Growth at a project in decentralised finance.

In Today's Episode You Will Learn:

1) How Anastasiya made her way into the world of venture capital and told us about an alternative way to traditional applications?

2) What has she learned as a female founder?

3) What VC myths has she demystified?

For behind the scenes content & career tips you can follow Anna on Instagram here.