Saturday 8th March is International Women’s Day. To honour the occasion, we sat down with three of our partners at PKF Smith Cooper – Natasha Scott, Catherine Desmond and Sarah Flear – to talk about their career journeys so far, balancing work with life and motherhood, and advice for aspiring female leaders.

Please can you share your journey to becoming a Partner at PKF Smith Cooper?

Sarah - I joined PKF Smith Cooper in 2010, nearly 15 years ago, after having the last of our sons. The Firm was a very different place, and I found the culture so different to the one I left! I spent the first few years building up a portfolio of clients and was lucky to join when academies were becoming a thing. I found myself a niche in education, building up a large portfolio of education clients. I also became the ‘go to’ for technical stuff and threw a lot of energy into developing audit quality within the Firm and growing the Nottingham office, particularly the audit practice.

I became a Partner a few years after joining and I guess being the lead on audit quality, winning work and being part of building a great team got me to Partner. Save a few exceptions, challenges have mainly been just day-to-day juggling (at times too much!) and client and team stresses. But I do love my role, most of the time. Hard work has paid off!

Catherine - I originally did a law degree and law society finals. Having completed several work experience placements, I was not sure that law was what I wanted to do, so I looked around for roles that needed a similar skill set.

I started as a Tax Assistant at a large accounting firm, working for a partner who looked after farms and landed estates, and decided to continue on that route. I later gained experience in dealing with tax enquiries and advisory work at the “old” PKF in Leicester and was heavily involved in the Veltema tax case, including going to the Court of Appeal – that law background was very useful with the case prep!

A few years down the line, I had just returned from maternity leave after my second child and went through the partnership process at another accounting firm. I was successful but ultimately made the choice to leave and start again elsewhere at a company that could offer a better work/life balance so that I didn’t miss out on time with the boys.

I approached Smith Cooper and persuaded some past and current partners that I could build a new portfolio of clients, including some of the landed estates that I had enjoyed working on so much in the past. I can’t pretend that it’s been easy, but there has never been pressure on me to sacrifice family for work here, and that enabling environment has led to the growth of a client base and a team that I can honestly say that I enjoy working with and am proud of.

Natasha - My journey to becoming a Partner at PKF Smith Cooper has been quite an adventure. I started out as a junior, eager to soak up as much knowledge as possible. One big milestone was getting my professional qualifications, which took a lot of hard work and late nights. Another highlight was leading a major project that was the first of its type for the Firm at the time. This not only sharpened my technical skills but also helped me develop as a leader.

Were there any women who inspired or mentored you in your career or personal life?

Sarah - Honestly? No. I worked at just two firms before PKF SC. At the company where I trained, there were no female partners or any in senior positions in the office, it was very male dominated and traditional! There were barriers to being a woman, but I learnt a lot and toughened up. Then I moved to another firm and there was never a female partner in the Nottingham office history, until the day it shut! So, there were few role models there either. There were female partners dotted around the firm at the time, e.g. one in my service line in Birmingham, however those I did meet either didn’t have children or had nannies. They didn’t inspire me a great deal, as I couldn’t quite relate and felt there was going to be a career ceiling if I wanted to be the mum I also wanted to be. But mainly I couldn’t see how I would ever get the work/life balance right there. There have, however, been people who have mentored and inspired me and I have valued their support.

Catherine - I was inspired to study law by a woman called Helena Kennedy, who is a barrister and expert in human rights law and civil liberties. Her books on how women are treated by the criminal justice system and indeed within the profession are eye opening for anyone wanting a good read.

Most of my mentors have been male but there was one female partner at a previous employer, who taught me that you don’t have to try to behave like a man in order to succeed – we all have our strengths, male or female, and learning to be comfortable with your own style and skills will engender far more trust with clients than trying to make yourself more like someone else! Fortunately, the partner group here are definitely very varied personalities and hopefully that is a strength.

Natasha - Definitely. I’ve been lucky to have some amazing women mentors throughout my career. One of my early mentors was a partner who taught me the importance of strategic thinking and building strong client relationships. On a personal level, my daughter has been a huge inspiration. You can gain a lot of perspective when you see the world through the eyes of your kids.

How do you manage the balance between your professional responsibilities and personal life?

Sarah - It would be disingenuous to say it is easy and at times it has been a challenge. When the children were young it was tough, and I drank more wine back then! Less flexible working, expectations of presenteeism in the office and my husband and myself working full-time, meant I was usually knackered trying to juggle it all. There were tears in the early days and stress along the way. But I never seriously thought about throwing the towel in and I rarely ever give in, full stop!

My husband then went part-time ten years ago when the boys were 7 and 5 and that helped a lot, along with flexible working practices getting better and mainly attitudes as generations moved on. I think we have a much better culture at PKF Smith Cooper and I am aware people may look to me to be a role model, particularly for women. But I would say managing for anybody really does come down to how you deal with things mentally and, by my age and experience, it’s much easier. I find it far easier to set boundaries, deal with stressful situations and I’m far better at not giving a hoot when things don’t go to plan. That wasn’t the case when I was younger! I probably took myself and things way too seriously, but life gives you perspective.

Catherine - I am a single mum of two sporty teenage boys as well as being a partner at PKF Smith Cooper. I would not have been able to survive doing both in most firms without the team that I have around me. There is a far greater understanding here that performing well means allowing yourself to take care of your home life and your down time than I have seen in most professional environments.

Natasha - I’m still learning but understand that it’s super important. You can go through the motions of prioritising tasks and setting clear boundaries but you just need to accept that there will be unexpected events that you can’t plan for. Selma (Operations Partner at PKF Smith Cooper) once shared an article with me about juggling the mental load. It likens all responsibilities to glass and plastic balls – some days you will drop balls, and when you do, just make sure they are the plastic ones. I think about this most days and prioritise not dropping those glass balls!

What advice would you give to young women aspiring to reach leadership positions?

Sarah - Go for it. It might be a sweeping generalisation, but studies show that women don’t have as much self-belief as men when it comes to promotions and asking for pay rises. Compared to when I was a young woman, the barriers have gone. It’s down to mindset, ‘believe you belong’ and making sure you have good practical back-up plans in place if you have a family! I don’t regret any career decisions, and I am proud of what I have achieved, despite what life has thrown at me.

Catherine - Find the things that make your job enjoyable and build on them. That might be a particular technical department, such as employment tax, or it might be a specific type of client base (rural ones for me) or it could be that you enjoy people management more than client management. Then find a way to make it the part of your work that you do most. If you enjoy what you do, you will do it well and others will see what you are capable of, regardless of whether you are male or female.  Glass ceilings do still exist for women in some workplaces, however, if you find the right people to work with, the issues that you might come across along the way can be addressed and overcome.

Natasha - My advice to young women aiming for leadership roles is to believe in yourself and your abilities. Find mentors and role models who can guide and support you. Don’t shy away from challenging projects and stepping out of your comfort zone.