086: Leading with Conviction and Empathy with Sam Smith

In this episode of Evolve: A New Era of Leadership, I’m joined by Sam Smith, founder and former CEO of financial services group FinCap, now Cavendish Financial. Sam shares her incredible journey as the first female chief executive of a city stockbroking firm and provides deep insights into empathetic leadership, culture, and growth.

 

Sam's leadership journey is marked by her focus on treating people fairly, which she considers a cornerstone of her business success. She has worked on over 200 transactions, including IPOs and secondary fundraisings, and is now a champion of entrepreneurship and inclusion in the UK, serving as a non-executive director on several boards.

 

🔑 Key Themes & Takeaways:

• Empathetic Leadership and Culture: Sam emphasizes the importance of creating a positive, inclusive culture and how it has been a key driver for her company’s growth. She explores how treating both clients and employees with empathy fosters long-term success. 🤝
  
  

• Entrepreneurial Journey: From age 23, Sam started out with no initial intention of being an entrepreneur but soon found herself leading a team, building a successful business, and scaling it with a focus on fairness and equity. 🌱
  
  

• Authenticity in Leadership: Sam discusses the importance of being your authentic self in leadership, sharing how she has developed her leadership style over the years to align with her values. She also highlights the power of trusting your gut and fighting for your beliefs. 🧠
  
  

• Scaling with Empathy: Sam provides insights into scaling a business by embedding a growth mindset into company culture, emphasizing that growth doesn’t have to be chaotic but can thrive in an environment of support and fairness. 📈
  
  

• Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Sam talks about the challenges of imposter syndrome and how trusting her instincts helped her stay on course despite external pressures. 💪

 

We talk about:

• 00:00 Intro

• 05:02 Building a Unique Corporate Culture

• 10:29 The Importance of Self-Belief

• 19:26 Finding Clarity and Balance

• 24:11 Embedding Growth in Company Culture

• 25:37 Creating an Open Culture for Ideas

• 29:42 Personal Leadership Growth

• 32:12 The Importance of Self-Awareness

• 36:34 Final Thoughts and Advice for Leaders

 

#EmpatheticLeadership #CultureMatters #AuthenticityInBusiness #ScalingWithPurpose #InclusionInBusiness

Connect with Sam

• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/SamsmithTF 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samsmith

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