How did you get your job?
I fell into consulting almost by accident. Since then, I have worked across several businesses in the sector before founding Lagom Sports Compliance.
My greatest strength is sales because, at its core, successful consulting is about understanding people, identifying their needs and demonstrating how you can help. To truly excel as a consultant, you also need to be an effective salesperson.
What's a typical working day like?
My day looks quite different from that of my co-founder, Isabel. I oversee:
- business development
- finance
- marketing
- operations
- the general management of the company.
A typical day might involve:
- developing strategies to reach and engage prospective clients
- ensuring the smooth delivery of our services
- invoicing
- managing the company's bank accounts
- writing content for our website and blog.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The thing I enjoy most is talking to people and problem solving. It is a job that is perfect for critical thinkers, as you have to solve issues and problems, often with the tools you have to hand.
As a kid, I loved playing with Lego, and I see a lot of similarities. A main difference is that sometimes we have to write the instructions as we go along, as it may be something completely novel.
What are the challenges?
Competition is one of the biggest challenges. I need to demonstrate clearly why my company is the right choice for each prospective client.
Another challenge is balancing sales with delivery, which can be particularly difficult for smaller consultancies.
When client work becomes busy, business development naturally takes a back seat. Then, as projects come to an end, you can find yourself scrambling to replace that work with an intense period of sales activity. To avoid this cycle, I try to dedicate at least 50% of my working week to business development and marketing.
How is your degree relevant?
To be honest, the degree is not directly relevant to what I do today, but many of the skills I developed at university are.
It made me more organised and taught me how to communicate with people and stakeholders at various levels.
The business management elements of the course have also proved particularly useful. I originally chose the degree because I wanted to start a record label, so I studied how businesses are managed and what it takes to build one. Many of those lessons have stayed with me throughout my career.
What are your career ambitions?
I want to grow Lagom Sports Compliance into a sports-focused governance, regulatory, compliance and anti-financial-crime consultancy that supports organisations across the entire sports sector, not just football clubs. We believe football will be the first sport to face this level of regulation, but it is unlikely to be the last.
Long-term, I also want to expand the team and create opportunities for more consultants, particularly at the junior level. I would love to help people who are interested in entering the industry, and I am always happy to discuss how they might do so.
What advice can you give to others wanting to get into this job?
- Listen. You can't be a good consultant if you don't know how to listen to a client. Often, it is not what they are saying but also what they are not saying. Determining this comes with experience, as omissions can be telling.
- Be an inquisitive sponge. I learnt everything by listening to conversations around me and then researching what I heard. This process has allowed me to quickly pick up enough knowledge to start in a new industry across multiple consultancies.
- Don't be afraid to reach out to people. I am always happy to take calls and chat with people looking to get into the industry, and as a hiring manager, I always remember those who do that.
- Sell yourself but be sure to make it relevant to the consultancy you speak to. People want to hear about the benefits of hiring you, not what you can do.
Find out more
- Explore sports graduate jobs.
- Learn how to start a business.
- Discover what the business, consulting and management sector can offer.