Growing up in a tower block in London’s East End, Vanessa could see the financial district from her bedroom window, but a career there seemed far from guaranteed. She left school at 16 with only a handful of GCSEs, including an F in technology, and faced repeated rejection when trying to break into banking.

Eventually, an opportunity through a programme designed to recruit young people from challenging schools gave her the opening she needed.

What followed was a 25-year corporate career spanning nine financial institutions, a successful move into technology and leadership, and ultimately the decision to leave corporate life behind and build something of her own.

Topics discussed:

• Growing up in London’s East End and entering the corporate world without traditional academic credentials.
• How rejection, conscious bias and having “nothing to lose” shaped Vanessa’s early career.
• Why saying yes to opportunities helped accelerate her progression.
• Building a reputation as someone who gets things done.
• The value of observing great, and not-so-great, leaders and learning how they manage conflict, negotiation and workplace politics.
• How confidence can be gradually eroded by managers, setbacks and worrying about what other people think.
• The impact of informal workplace networks, from pub conversations to golf clubs, on access to opportunities.
• Why proximity to senior leaders can influence who receives the projects that transform careers.
• Discovering that a male colleague doing the same job was earning £20,000 more.
• Sacrificing personal time to deliver a major project, only to watch promotion opportunities go elsewhere.
• Returning to work after short maternity leaves and rebuilding confidence.
• The moment Vanessa realised she was ready to walk away from corporate life.
• Why a volunteering trip helped change her perspective on success and fulfilment.
• The beginnings of We Are The City and the need for a professional network where women could connect, learn and support one another.
• Taking the risk of leaving a successful career, even when people around her questioned the decision.
• What receiving an OBE, honorary doctorate and honorary degree meant to Vanessa and her family.
• Why refusing to give up remains one of her proudest achievements.

Links:

This episode is hosted by Dave Savage Host of Pod Tech Talk

The guest: Vanessa Vallely - visit her website here

Vanessa is the Author of 404 Women Not Found - A new book aimed at helping women in the tech industry thrive and survive 

Buy the book on Amazon here

Check it out on Instagram here 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.