August 6, 2023 • 17 mins
Maddie Birtwistle’s story is a powerful reminder to us all that taking risks and having confidence in our abilities can lead to unexpected places. Maddie, who is the Internal Communications Manager at the boohoo group, explores her extraordinary career journey. From beginning in customer service to now being part of the legal department. She boldly breaks down the stigma around not having a university degree, proving that practical life skills and experience can lead to great success.
Our conversation with Maddie is also a masterclass on overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome. Maddie pulls back the curtain on her own struggles, sharing how admiration from friends and guidance from managers helped fuel her success. She also touches on the crucial value of making a social impact, a key element of her role at boohoo. Join us as we engage in this empowering dialogue with Maddie Birtwistle, a true testament to the power of perseverance and a positive mindset.
Find out more about We Are PoWEr here. 💫
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
The Northern Power Women podcast for your career
and your life, no matter whatbusiness you're in.
Hello and welcome to theNorthern Power Women podcast.
This is our Path to Powerseason, and every week I am
talking to some fantasticchangemakers, trailblazers and
purely kick-ass role models, tobe honest, who are making a
difference in their communities,challenging the norm, creating
(00:42):
more inclusive cultures, andevery week I have these
conversations.
Every week I learn somethingnew.
Every week I get inspired.
Every week I go away motivated.
I think that's helping me andus to drive our personal and
professional growth.
And this week I am delighted tochat with Maddie.
We had a good chat before.
I've never been Maddie.
Maddie is the internal andMaddie Birch was the internal
(01:04):
communications manager at theboohoo group.
Welcome, how are you?
It's been ages.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Thanks for having me.
Yeah, I know it's nice to seeyou, shlon.
I know we've caught up briefly,but yes, always good to have a
chat with you.
I always find you incrediblyinspiring.
So, yeah, I'm excited to chat,I know I always loved the before
, hans.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
and then I think, oh God, we better start recording,
otherwise we will be based onexactly the same talk.
Oh well, that's what we do,don't we?
We love a good chat.
Hey, listen, you've been atboohoo.
Where are we now seven yearsand it has been quite and I know
we've talked before about this,but it's the.
You know, we talk about thedifferent.
We always love to sort ofshowcase different career
journeys and you have been onquite a career journey.
(01:42):
Talk us through it, and howeasy was it to kind of navigate
the sort of the roles along theway?
Speaker 2 (01:49):
So, yeah, I started at boohoo seven years ago and I
started a customer service role.
I was a customer serviceadvisor for, I want to say,
about six months and then Iquite quickly moved to team
manager.
So I looked after a team of 17people and then, within probably
about a year and a half, therewas a job in the HR department
looking after comms andengagement.
Never done anything like thatnever worked in comms, never
(02:11):
worked in engagement didn'treally understand the role but
still went for it, had theinterview and the HR director at
the time said it was the bestinterview they've ever done.
Don't know what happened, itwas a blur, but yeah, to get
that feedback was pretty special.
So, yeah, worked in HR forabout two years and then the
last three, maybe four years, Iworked over in the legal
(02:34):
department doing total comms.
So, yeah, it's been quite ajourney and, to be fair, I never
really saw myself here, buthere I am and I'm loving it.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
I am loving it, and I know you went to uni, didn't
you?
And then, but you didn't finisha degree.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
How much of an impact did that have on you and your
confidence in those early years,I think when I went to
university there was a stigmathat if you didn't go to
university you wouldn't get asuccessful job.
So that always stuck in my mind, especially when I dropped out
and obviously I made lots offriends during uni and to see
them graduate it was a littlebit like that could have been me
(03:10):
.
But yeah, I knew that I neededto get myself out, find a job
and hopefully find a career.
I guess there was.
So I live in such a small time,there isn't many opportunities,
so to find a job or a career inlittle old Burnley was always
going to be tough.
So I started at Sports Directand I worked stupid hours and
(03:33):
even during when I was workingat Sports Direct I was seeing
all my friends graduate, all myfriends having a good time at
uni, and I was like, oh my god,I'm doing like 50 hours a week
here and I'm getting peanuts,like I'm not earning a great
deal of money.
But yeah, I guess in terms ofthat confidence wise, you kind
of got to take yourself out ofthat situation, just be like
(03:54):
that's not me, that's theirjourney.
And I've always been reallyproud to land a job at Boohoo
and obviously to get where I amtoday, and I guess I didn't need
a degree to do it, like Istudied graphic design, or,
whilst my job is incrediblycreative, I haven't needed that
experience to get where I am.
You just got to take risks, Ithink.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
And I think, yeah, absolutely.
And we do talk, don't we, whenwe do our power-ups, our monthly
kind of paid-for sessions,where no one has the same path.
Everyone has a differentjourney, and I think that's
really important.
And sometimes, actually, youmay think, oh God, whatever,
don't do that, and I alwaysthink about the sliding doors
moment.
What would have happened, and Iknow, is that how that got you
(04:36):
through and onto that next stepor next chapter, isn't it?
I think it's a new chapter.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
I guess you've always got to be really proud of what
you've achieved and not dwell onwhat could have been to your
point.
Like you're your own person,you're in your own lane, you
make what you want to happenhappen.
So, yeah, you're just going tobe confident about your
abilities as well.
Like you don't need to go touniversity to learn life skills
(05:02):
I think life skills are sovaluable and you don't
necessarily get those fromuniversity.
Like you'll learn, like thenitty-gritty that the process is
and all that carry on.
But actually getting into thereal world of work and meeting
different people, experiencingdifferent projects and all that
stuff that comes with work, Ithink that's valuable in itself,
(05:23):
just as valuable as going touniversity.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
In my opinion, it's part of that, you know it's part
of that.
You know sort of day to dayuniversity.
I know I joined the Navy, thatwas my university and sort of
the adventures that I had, youknow along the way, I think
always they make me who I am now, I think, and all those
experiences do along the way.
We talk a lot about socialvalue and social impact, and I
know that's one of the thingsthat falls under your remit now,
(05:45):
isn't it?
The social impact strategy?
Tell us about that.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
So as a business, we've always given back to
charities.
That isn't something that we'venever not done.
All of our brands do incrediblecharity campaigns.
Just a bit of an idea.
So maybe Miss Pap, do the MissPap, your smear, plt, do Girls
vs Cancer, like they do somereally great things in the
charity space.
However, from a groupperspective, we didn't really
(06:11):
have a strategy to tie it alltogether so we couldn't talk
about it collectively.
It felt a little bit disjointed.
So I think two years ago wecreated the social impact
strategy.
We made a commitment to giveback at least 1% pre-tax profits
and, yeah, from that we builtsome really great partnerships
that with yourself, simone, andwith part of another, power
Women, with partner with Everfi.
(06:32):
We look at different charitypartnerships moving forward.
It is really just to be able todo more and talk about it
better internally, externally,but yeah, that's it in a
roundabout way.
Obviously there's lots ofthings that go into its own, but
I'll be here all day to talkabout it otherwise.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Why is it so important that organisations
give back to communities?
I know that is something thefirst time we met.
We were straight into that atthe start of our conversation.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
I think it's the right thing to do.
Simone.
If I'm completely honest, somany charities wouldn't exist
without the support fromorganisations and businesses,
and especially for Boohoobecause of the size that we are.
It's not always about givingback like in money.
It's about raising awareness onunderstanding the charity, what
they do and how they support.
(07:20):
So I think that's probably thethe most important thing for me.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
And what advice would you give?
You know when we have these,when you are giving back and
when we're having these sessionsand stuff like that, when you
get kind of one to one withpeople or want to agree, what is
the advice that you would giveout there to people you think
that are struggling where theyare?
You know, whether it be theyare in their careers, whether it
be they are in you know sort oftheir well-being.
You know what advice would yougive?
Speaker 2 (07:48):
I would probably say you never grow in your comfort
zone.
So I think one of the reasonswhy I am in the role that I am
today is I've always gone forthings that I don't think I'm
necessarily qualified or skilledenough to do, because you're
going to learn more, you'regoing to speak to people who are
(08:10):
going to give you knowledge andexperiences.
That's going to really helpyour knowledge bank.
So, yeah, I just think go forthings.
Even if you don't think you cando it, put yourself out there.
And if you don't even if youapply for a job, for instance,
alone and you don't get the role, even the interviews and
experience you're learning inthat process.
So I think, yeah, just go forit.
(08:31):
Even if you don't think you cando it, just do it.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
And you talk about.
You know use that phrase a lot.
You know here, don't you?
I'll fake it till I make it.
And you know you said.
You said at the start when wewere chatting, that people would
label you as confident orchatty.
We've talked a lot on thispodcast about impossessing Joan
and I think that's one of thestrategies that people use to
kind of banish it, which is thatfake it till you make it.
How does that?
(08:53):
How do you embrace that?
How do you stem off that monkeyon your shoulder?
Speaker 2 (08:57):
I always like to think about.
So one of my very close friends.
He always boasts about me tohis friends he'd be like oh, my
friend, my day.
She works at Boo Hoo, she worksin the legal department, she
does internal, comes to thegroup like she's in such a
really qualified role.
And then when I speak to peopleI'm like, oh yeah, just do
internal, comes to Boo Hoo, likeI see it very humbly.
(09:19):
But then when I listen to myfriend talk about me as though
I'm like some sort of celebrityand I'm like Brad, I'm really
not.
I'm just mad at you.
But I think you actually needto step away, don't you A little
bit and actually think likeI've actually done all right.
But yeah, I think listening toother people's opinions on where
(09:41):
you are in your career journeyor your life journey, I think
that's a really good way tobanish that imposter syndrome,
because you're only seeing itfrom your own perspective on you
.
I think really taking a stepaway and actually listening to
the great things that people aresaying to you, I think that
really does help.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
And you are, am I right?
You're 27.
27.
27, right?
Okay, I think, of everythingthat you've done already in your
career.
I think you've packaged a lotin, haven't you already?
And you've got some greatstories.
What have been?
What are the barriers thatyou've faced along the way?
Have you faced barriers becauseof your age?
(10:19):
Have you faced barriers becauseyou haven't got a degree?
What are those barriers?
Or have they not been there?
Speaker 2 (10:25):
I think going right back to when I went to
university and I didn't finishmy degree.
When I came out and I was likeI need a job, the first thing
that came to my head was I'll goget an apprenticeship.
That's the best way to grow upmy career.
So I went to the college wherethey were doing an assessment
(10:45):
centre, sat there for two and ahalf hours some on I was like I
just want to go and at the endthey asked me to fill out a form
and I had to write in therebasically what I've done in
terms of college, university XYZ, and I did my foundation degree
and then I did, like I think, ayear and a half at university
(11:06):
and then, after sitting therefor two and a half hours, a lady
came over to me and she waslike oh, you went to university,
you're overqualified for anapprenticeship.
I was like I've sat here fortwo and a half hours and you're
just now telling me that I can'tdo an apprenticeship.
So I guess that was a barrierinto the world of careers, like
straight away.
And then trying to get up thatladder was tough at the start.
(11:29):
It was because I was young andI was like you just want to earn
that 100k a year, don't you?
At 18?
You're just like like I stilllike that.
Take play, be nice.
Yeah, you're just like I wantto get out there.
But I think a barrier for me isnot being able to buy your time
.
Just wait it out Like you justwant to do it straight away,
don't you?
(11:50):
You're just like I want to getmy teeth into it.
But, yeah, I think just takeevery day as it comes and just
enjoy the moment that you're in.
Do you know what I mean?
Don't think too far ahead.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Like live now live in the present.
Is that impatience, isn't it?
I think I was like that.
Every job I got into, I alwayswanted to have been there two
years, so when you were a bitmore.
There's elements enjoy everymoment, isn't it?
So, if I take it back to that,it's so you're saying to enjoy
every moment and not be Don't beimpatient, like.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Simone, yeah, absolutely.
I just think you only get to doevery day once, don't you Do?
You know what I mean?
So just enjoy the day.
Enjoy the day and your timewill come when you're on that
100k.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Absolutely.
I think I meant and what helpedyou along the way?
So when you receive, you knowyou're making that decision.
You sat in that waiting room,you know, going I want to do
this, and then that didn't quitework out.
Where did you go for guidance?
Where did you go?
Who did you go to?
Did you have a mentor?
Did you have a role model?
Or did they really exist in myworld at the time?
(12:54):
I suppose Did they exist inyours?
Speaker 2 (12:56):
I've always been really lucky that I've had some
really great managers.
I can't call them, I can't namethem all because there's that
many but yeah, they've alwaysbeen really supportive and I
think, because of the personthat I am, I've always been
quite confident to go and havethat conversation or address an
issue or call something out.
So I think being able to talkabout how you're feeling and
(13:20):
where you want to be withsomeone that you trust, I think
that's invaluable.
But yeah, I've been so lucky tohave some brilliant managers
along the way and, yeah, Iprobably wouldn't be here Well,
I wouldn't be here without them.
Big shout out to everyonethat's ever managed me.
Thanks.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
And that's probably why you're so passionate now
about paying forward and givingback, you know, and looking back
on the journey so far.
What are you most proud of?
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Other than getting to where I am today in such a
short period of time like I'm 27, I mean quite a successful role
and I'm happy in my role and soon.
But maybe just to call out oneachievement in June gosh what?
Six weeks ago we did our summerparty, the Boothie group, where
we had 13,000 guests and yeah,it was incredible.
(14:07):
At a venue in Manchester we hadDizzy Rascal there, we had a
realist coming from the ceiling,we had Catwalk.
It was mega, I'll tell you that.
But yeah, a lot of work wentinto that and yeah, it was just
really a proud moment when itall came to life on the night
and I was like panicking, butyeah, it was like a bit of a
breathtaking moment to thinkthat yeah, I've helped do this
(14:29):
and yeah, pretty, cool, you wereon the side.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
It's almost at the side, like looking in, isn't it
going?
Oh my gosh, I made that happen.
I feel like that every year atthe awards.
Quite frankly, to be honest, Ilook out where that room and you
just think, oh my gosh.
Sometimes you just think thisis never going to come together
and then you're like, oh my god,but it does.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Yeah, it all happens on the day, doesn't it?
And you just like, oh, I feellike we haven't done everything,
and then, two minutes beforeopening the doors, everything
just comes together.
You think, oh, the relief.
But yeah, it was incredible anda shout out to the guys that
worked on the project with me aswell Like it wouldn't have
happened without them.
So, yeah, thanks.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
What's next for you, matty?
You're clearly part of a leaderin the center of this amazing
team.
It's always such a positivevibe when I come in, but what's
the ambitions for you future?
Do you have any like specificgoals?
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Probably just go back to my last point.
Obviously, I take every day asit comes.
I try not to think too far inthe future because I know how
quickly things change.
But I have had quite aprogressive career over the last
seven years so I guess I'mquite happy where I am now.
I'm gaining new skills andspeaking to different people all
(15:44):
day, every day and working on asocial impact strategy, which
is something that before a yearand a half ago I had never been
in that world.
So I'm learning lots in thatarea and I guess professionally
I'm looking to grow that further, learn more in social impact
strategy realm.
And yeah, that's probably me inthe next probably one to three
(16:04):
years.
But yeah, I try not to thinktoo far ahead.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Because you never know what's going to come and
swerve you out the way, do you?
You never know, and what is theone bit of advice you would
give to your 17, 18 year oldself?
I think?
Speaker 2 (16:19):
I would probably say to myself it's tough now, but it
won't be forever, it does geteasier.
I know I mentioned earlier whenI worked as sports director.
I was working crazy hours and Ididn't feel like I was getting
anywhere.
I was thinking like what isthis going to do for me in the
long run?
But actually, no matter whereyou are in your career journey,
(16:41):
you're learning.
So whether I worked in sportsdirector, whether I worked in
Boo Hoo or went to university orwent to college or whatever,
I've learned things along theway and it will make you into
who you are today.
I think just persevere isprobably the word of the podcast
for me, simone.
Like, stick with it, you'll getthere.
And yeah, keep smiling.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Oh, maddie, thank you so, so much for joining me on
the podcast today and thank allof you for listening today.
I'm always kind of totallygobsmacked and inspired and
wowed by my guest, maddie.
You're a legend, as are you,and thanks all you to listening.
Remember these are our weeklyepisodes and please do subscribe
that you don't miss a singleepisode, as we are on our
(17:24):
pathway to power.
If you want to join us on ourmission of professional and
personal development, please docheck out all of our power
source legacy content on ourdigital hub.
We are powernet.
Join us on all our socials, atNorth Power Women, on Twitter
and Northern Powering and allthe others.
We love to hear from you, so dogo or school, drop us an email,
leave us a review.
(17:44):
We are so delighted you'vejoined us for this week's
podcast.
My name's Simone.
This is the Northern Poweringpodcast and what goes on media
production.
The Northern Power Women podcast for your career
and your life, no matter whatbusiness you're in.
Hello and welcome to theNorthern Power Women podcast.
This is our Path to Powerseason, and every week I am
talking to some fantasticchangemakers, trailblazers and
purely kick-ass role models, tobe honest, who are making a
difference in their communities,challenging the norm, creating
(00:42):
more inclusive cultures, andevery week I have these
conversations.
Every week I learn somethingnew.
Every week I get inspired.
Every week I go away motivated.
I think that's helping me andus to drive our personal and
professional growth.
And this week I am delighted tochat with Maddie.
We had a good chat before.
I've never been Maddie.
Maddie is the internal andMaddie Birch was the internal
(01:04):
communications manager at theboohoo group.
Welcome, how are you?
It's been ages.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Thanks for having me.
Yeah, I know it's nice to seeyou, shlon.
I know we've caught up briefly,but yes, always good to have a
chat with you.
I always find you incrediblyinspiring.
So, yeah, I'm excited to chat,I know I always loved the before
, hans.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
and then I think, oh God, we better start recording,
otherwise we will be based onexactly the same talk.
Oh well, that's what we do,don't we?
We love a good chat.
Hey, listen, you've been atboohoo.
Where are we now seven yearsand it has been quite and I know
we've talked before about this,but it's the.
You know, we talk about thedifferent.
We always love to sort ofshowcase different career
journeys and you have been onquite a career journey.
(01:42):
Talk us through it, and howeasy was it to kind of navigate
the sort of the roles along theway?
Speaker 2 (01:49):
So, yeah, I started at boohoo seven years ago and I
started a customer service role.
I was a customer serviceadvisor for, I want to say,
about six months and then Iquite quickly moved to team
manager.
So I looked after a team of 17people and then, within probably
about a year and a half, therewas a job in the HR department
looking after comms andengagement.
Never done anything like thatnever worked in comms, never
(02:11):
worked in engagement didn'treally understand the role but
still went for it, had theinterview and the HR director at
the time said it was the bestinterview they've ever done.
Don't know what happened, itwas a blur, but yeah, to get
that feedback was pretty special.
So, yeah, worked in HR forabout two years and then the
last three, maybe four years, Iworked over in the legal
(02:34):
department doing total comms.
So, yeah, it's been quite ajourney and, to be fair, I never
really saw myself here, buthere I am and I'm loving it.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
I am loving it, and I know you went to uni, didn't
you?
And then, but you didn't finisha degree.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
How much of an impact did that have on you and your
confidence in those early years,I think when I went to
university there was a stigmathat if you didn't go to
university you wouldn't get asuccessful job.
So that always stuck in my mind, especially when I dropped out
and obviously I made lots offriends during uni and to see
them graduate it was a littlebit like that could have been me
(03:10):
.
But yeah, I knew that I neededto get myself out, find a job
and hopefully find a career.
I guess there was.
So I live in such a small time,there isn't many opportunities,
so to find a job or a career inlittle old Burnley was always
going to be tough.
So I started at Sports Directand I worked stupid hours and
(03:33):
even during when I was workingat Sports Direct I was seeing
all my friends graduate, all myfriends having a good time at
uni, and I was like, oh my god,I'm doing like 50 hours a week
here and I'm getting peanuts,like I'm not earning a great
deal of money.
But yeah, I guess in terms ofthat confidence wise, you kind
of got to take yourself out ofthat situation, just be like
(03:54):
that's not me, that's theirjourney.
And I've always been reallyproud to land a job at Boohoo
and obviously to get where I amtoday, and I guess I didn't need
a degree to do it, like Istudied graphic design, or,
whilst my job is incrediblycreative, I haven't needed that
experience to get where I am.
You just got to take risks, Ithink.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
And I think, yeah, absolutely.
And we do talk, don't we, whenwe do our power-ups, our monthly
kind of paid-for sessions,where no one has the same path.
Everyone has a differentjourney, and I think that's
really important.
And sometimes, actually, youmay think, oh God, whatever,
don't do that, and I alwaysthink about the sliding doors
moment.
What would have happened, and Iknow, is that how that got you
(04:36):
through and onto that next stepor next chapter, isn't it?
I think it's a new chapter.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
I guess you've always got to be really proud of what
you've achieved and not dwell onwhat could have been to your
point.
Like you're your own person,you're in your own lane, you
make what you want to happenhappen.
So, yeah, you're just going tobe confident about your
abilities as well.
Like you don't need to go touniversity to learn life skills
(05:02):
I think life skills are sovaluable and you don't
necessarily get those fromuniversity.
Like you'll learn, like thenitty-gritty that the process is
and all that carry on.
But actually getting into thereal world of work and meeting
different people, experiencingdifferent projects and all that
stuff that comes with work, Ithink that's valuable in itself,
(05:23):
just as valuable as going touniversity.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
In my opinion, it's part of that, you know it's part
of that.
You know sort of day to dayuniversity.
I know I joined the Navy, thatwas my university and sort of
the adventures that I had, youknow along the way, I think
always they make me who I am now, I think, and all those
experiences do along the way.
We talk a lot about socialvalue and social impact, and I
know that's one of the thingsthat falls under your remit now,
(05:45):
isn't it?
The social impact strategy?
Tell us about that.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
So as a business, we've always given back to
charities.
That isn't something that we'venever not done.
All of our brands do incrediblecharity campaigns.
Just a bit of an idea.
So maybe Miss Pap, do the MissPap, your smear, plt, do Girls
vs Cancer, like they do somereally great things in the
charity space.
However, from a groupperspective, we didn't really
(06:11):
have a strategy to tie it alltogether so we couldn't talk
about it collectively.
It felt a little bit disjointed.
So I think two years ago wecreated the social impact
strategy.
We made a commitment to giveback at least 1% pre-tax profits
and, yeah, from that we builtsome really great partnerships
that with yourself, simone, andwith part of another, power
Women, with partner with Everfi.
(06:32):
We look at different charitypartnerships moving forward.
It is really just to be able todo more and talk about it
better internally, externally,but yeah, that's it in a
roundabout way.
Obviously there's lots ofthings that go into its own, but
I'll be here all day to talkabout it otherwise.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Why is it so important that organisations
give back to communities?
I know that is something thefirst time we met.
We were straight into that atthe start of our conversation.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
I think it's the right thing to do.
Simone.
If I'm completely honest, somany charities wouldn't exist
without the support fromorganisations and businesses,
and especially for Boohoobecause of the size that we are.
It's not always about givingback like in money.
It's about raising awareness onunderstanding the charity, what
they do and how they support.
(07:20):
So I think that's probably thethe most important thing for me.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
And what advice would you give?
You know when we have these,when you are giving back and
when we're having these sessionsand stuff like that, when you
get kind of one to one withpeople or want to agree, what is
the advice that you would giveout there to people you think
that are struggling where theyare?
You know, whether it be theyare in their careers, whether it
be they are in you know sort oftheir well-being.
You know what advice would yougive?
Speaker 2 (07:48):
I would probably say you never grow in your comfort
zone.
So I think one of the reasonswhy I am in the role that I am
today is I've always gone forthings that I don't think I'm
necessarily qualified or skilledenough to do, because you're
going to learn more, you'regoing to speak to people who are
(08:10):
going to give you knowledge andexperiences.
That's going to really helpyour knowledge bank.
So, yeah, I just think go forthings.
Even if you don't think you cando it, put yourself out there.
And if you don't even if youapply for a job, for instance,
alone and you don't get the role, even the interviews and
experience you're learning inthat process.
So I think, yeah, just go forit.
(08:31):
Even if you don't think you cando it, just do it.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
And you talk about.
You know use that phrase a lot.
You know here, don't you?
I'll fake it till I make it.
And you know you said.
You said at the start when wewere chatting, that people would
label you as confident orchatty.
We've talked a lot on thispodcast about impossessing Joan
and I think that's one of thestrategies that people use to
kind of banish it, which is thatfake it till you make it.
How does that?
(08:53):
How do you embrace that?
How do you stem off that monkeyon your shoulder?
Speaker 2 (08:57):
I always like to think about.
So one of my very close friends.
He always boasts about me tohis friends he'd be like oh, my
friend, my day.
She works at Boo Hoo, she worksin the legal department, she
does internal, comes to thegroup like she's in such a
really qualified role.
And then when I speak to peopleI'm like, oh yeah, just do
internal, comes to Boo Hoo, likeI see it very humbly.
(09:19):
But then when I listen to myfriend talk about me as though
I'm like some sort of celebrityand I'm like Brad, I'm really
not.
I'm just mad at you.
But I think you actually needto step away, don't you A little
bit and actually think likeI've actually done all right.
But yeah, I think listening toother people's opinions on where
(09:41):
you are in your career journeyor your life journey, I think
that's a really good way tobanish that imposter syndrome,
because you're only seeing itfrom your own perspective on you
.
I think really taking a stepaway and actually listening to
the great things that people aresaying to you, I think that
really does help.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
And you are, am I right?
You're 27.
27.
27, right?
Okay, I think, of everythingthat you've done already in your
career.
I think you've packaged a lotin, haven't you already?
And you've got some greatstories.
What have been?
What are the barriers thatyou've faced along the way?
Have you faced barriers becauseof your age?
(10:19):
Have you faced barriers becauseyou haven't got a degree?
What are those barriers?
Or have they not been there?
Speaker 2 (10:25):
I think going right back to when I went to
university and I didn't finishmy degree.
When I came out and I was likeI need a job, the first thing
that came to my head was I'll goget an apprenticeship.
That's the best way to grow upmy career.
So I went to the college wherethey were doing an assessment
(10:45):
centre, sat there for two and ahalf hours some on I was like I
just want to go and at the endthey asked me to fill out a form
and I had to write in therebasically what I've done in
terms of college, university XYZ, and I did my foundation degree
and then I did, like I think, ayear and a half at university
(11:06):
and then, after sitting therefor two and a half hours, a lady
came over to me and she waslike oh, you went to university,
you're overqualified for anapprenticeship.
I was like I've sat here fortwo and a half hours and you're
just now telling me that I can'tdo an apprenticeship.
So I guess that was a barrierinto the world of careers, like
straight away.
And then trying to get up thatladder was tough at the start.
(11:29):
It was because I was young andI was like you just want to earn
that 100k a year, don't you?
At 18?
You're just like like I stilllike that.
Take play, be nice.
Yeah, you're just like I wantto get out there.
But I think a barrier for me isnot being able to buy your time
.
Just wait it out Like you justwant to do it straight away,
don't you?
(11:50):
You're just like I want to getmy teeth into it.
But, yeah, I think just takeevery day as it comes and just
enjoy the moment that you're in.
Do you know what I mean?
Don't think too far ahead.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Like live now live in the present.
Is that impatience, isn't it?
I think I was like that.
Every job I got into, I alwayswanted to have been there two
years, so when you were a bitmore.
There's elements enjoy everymoment, isn't it?
So, if I take it back to that,it's so you're saying to enjoy
every moment and not be Don't beimpatient, like.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Simone, yeah, absolutely.
I just think you only get to doevery day once, don't you Do?
You know what I mean?
So just enjoy the day.
Enjoy the day and your timewill come when you're on that
100k.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Absolutely.
I think I meant and what helpedyou along the way?
So when you receive, you knowyou're making that decision.
You sat in that waiting room,you know, going I want to do
this, and then that didn't quitework out.
Where did you go for guidance?
Where did you go?
Who did you go to?
Did you have a mentor?
Did you have a role model?
Or did they really exist in myworld at the time?
(12:54):
I suppose Did they exist inyours?
Speaker 2 (12:56):
I've always been really lucky that I've had some
really great managers.
I can't call them, I can't namethem all because there's that
many but yeah, they've alwaysbeen really supportive and I
think, because of the personthat I am, I've always been
quite confident to go and havethat conversation or address an
issue or call something out.
So I think being able to talkabout how you're feeling and
(13:20):
where you want to be withsomeone that you trust, I think
that's invaluable.
But yeah, I've been so lucky tohave some brilliant managers
along the way and, yeah, Iprobably wouldn't be here Well,
I wouldn't be here without them.
Big shout out to everyonethat's ever managed me.
Thanks.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
And that's probably why you're so passionate now
about paying forward and givingback, you know, and looking back
on the journey so far.
What are you most proud of?
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Other than getting to where I am today in such a
short period of time like I'm 27, I mean quite a successful role
and I'm happy in my role and soon.
But maybe just to call out oneachievement in June gosh what?
Six weeks ago we did our summerparty, the Boothie group, where
we had 13,000 guests and yeah,it was incredible.
(14:07):
At a venue in Manchester we hadDizzy Rascal there, we had a
realist coming from the ceiling,we had Catwalk.
It was mega, I'll tell you that.
But yeah, a lot of work wentinto that and yeah, it was just
really a proud moment when itall came to life on the night
and I was like panicking, butyeah, it was like a bit of a
breathtaking moment to thinkthat yeah, I've helped do this
(14:29):
and yeah, pretty, cool, you wereon the side.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
It's almost at the side, like looking in, isn't it
going?
Oh my gosh, I made that happen.
I feel like that every year atthe awards.
Quite frankly, to be honest, Ilook out where that room and you
just think, oh my gosh.
Sometimes you just think thisis never going to come together
and then you're like, oh my god,but it does.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Yeah, it all happens on the day, doesn't it?
And you just like, oh, I feellike we haven't done everything,
and then, two minutes beforeopening the doors, everything
just comes together.
You think, oh, the relief.
But yeah, it was incredible anda shout out to the guys that
worked on the project with me aswell Like it wouldn't have
happened without them.
So, yeah, thanks.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
What's next for you, matty?
You're clearly part of a leaderin the center of this amazing
team.
It's always such a positivevibe when I come in, but what's
the ambitions for you future?
Do you have any like specificgoals?
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Probably just go back to my last point.
Obviously, I take every day asit comes.
I try not to think too far inthe future because I know how
quickly things change.
But I have had quite aprogressive career over the last
seven years so I guess I'mquite happy where I am now.
I'm gaining new skills andspeaking to different people all
(15:44):
day, every day and working on asocial impact strategy, which
is something that before a yearand a half ago I had never been
in that world.
So I'm learning lots in thatarea and I guess professionally
I'm looking to grow that further, learn more in social impact
strategy realm.
And yeah, that's probably me inthe next probably one to three
(16:04):
years.
But yeah, I try not to thinktoo far ahead.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Because you never know what's going to come and
swerve you out the way, do you?
You never know, and what is theone bit of advice you would
give to your 17, 18 year oldself?
I think?
Speaker 2 (16:19):
I would probably say to myself it's tough now, but it
won't be forever, it does geteasier.
I know I mentioned earlier whenI worked as sports director.
I was working crazy hours and Ididn't feel like I was getting
anywhere.
I was thinking like what isthis going to do for me in the
long run?
But actually, no matter whereyou are in your career journey,
(16:41):
you're learning.
So whether I worked in sportsdirector, whether I worked in
Boo Hoo or went to university orwent to college or whatever,
I've learned things along theway and it will make you into
who you are today.
I think just persevere isprobably the word of the podcast
for me, simone.
Like, stick with it, you'll getthere.
And yeah, keep smiling.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Oh, maddie, thank you so, so much for joining me on
the podcast today and thank allof you for listening today.
I'm always kind of totallygobsmacked and inspired and
wowed by my guest, maddie.
You're a legend, as are you,and thanks all you to listening.
Remember these are our weeklyepisodes and please do subscribe
that you don't miss a singleepisode, as we are on our
(17:24):
pathway to power.
If you want to join us on ourmission of professional and
personal development, please docheck out all of our power
source legacy content on ourdigital hub.
We are powernet.
Join us on all our socials, atNorth Power Women, on Twitter
and Northern Powering and allthe others.
We love to hear from you, so dogo or school, drop us an email,
leave us a review.
(17:44):
We are so delighted you'vejoined us for this week's
podcast.
My name's Simone.
This is the Northern Poweringpodcast and what goes on media
production.
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