Against the Odds: A Path to Financial Leadership

My career journey has been an incredible one, filled with opportunities and promotions. Honestly, I've often attributed my success (so far) to being in the right place at the right time, under the right manager. The truth is, my path to becoming a Director of Finance wasn't something I ever envisioned for myself. Not because I lacked the drive or ambition, but because of my unconventional upbringing and the fact that I never had the chance to earn a traditional college degree. I knew early on that "the piece of paper" was important, that formal qualification that signifies years of study and hard work.

My earliest memories are of living on the Camden Military Base near Ermelo, South Africa. In 1994, as South Africa transitioned away from apartheid, my parents made a life-altering decision. They sold everything and moved to Cape Town to serve at The Ark City of Refuge. This Christian non-profit provided shelter and support to homeless and abused individuals. We lived among them, and I attended school with children who had experienced unimaginable hardship.

In 1996, we moved back to Ermelo, and my parents secured a place for my brother and me at a Christian school. Education in South Africa isn't free, and this private school was a significant financial burden, one that they could not take on. Resources were scarce, and the support of the church that ran the school was the only reason that my brother and I were able to attend the school. I vividly remember sitting under the church hall stage, erasing old pencil marks from used workbooks so we could use them. It's a small detail, but it represents the sacrifices my family made. Eventually, the church provided us with a hall to live in, and my parents transformed it into a home.

Life began to shift when my mom secured a management position at a clothing store, and my dad started a hydraulic shop. We moved into a proper house, and things began to look up. Around the age of 12, we moved back to Cape Town, into a small apartment. My brother and I shared a bedroom with a wardrobe separating our space so that we had privacy as I entered my teenage years, and I started public school. Coming from a different education system, I had to work harder to keep up. This ignited a fire in me, a determination to excel.

In Grade 7, I missed out on the top student award, and my reaction shocked my mother as I broke down and felt that I had failed. That moment fueled my drive even more. High school was where I discovered my passion for accounting. It just clicked. The balance, the logic – it made sense. I poured my energy into accounting, but when it came time for college, my parents simply couldn't afford it. Nobody in my family had gone to college, and we didn't have access to guidance or information about scholarships or loans.

The weekend after graduation, while my classmates celebrated, I started a full-time retail job. I had worked part-time in retail since I was 15, so it was a natural progression. But I wanted so much more. My uncle in the UK, aware of my desire to study, sent me money to enroll in an accounting diploma program. I worked long hours and studied late into the night, excited by the opportunity to have a qualification outside of high school that was linked to something I enjoyed.

That diploma led to other opportunities, and I eventually earned my AAT qualification in the UK. At 25, I had my first daughter. During maternity leave, I decided to pursue my CIMA qualification, despite concerns from my family that the burden of full-time work, having a young child and studying was too much to manage. I told them I'd take it one step at a time. With each promotion and exam passed, I knew that I could not stop studying. I wanted to provide for my children, to give them the opportunities I never had. Growing up with those who had nothing instilled in me a deep desire to break the cycle and create a better future.  In 2016, the year I had my second daughter, I got the equivalent of my bachelor's degree.

And here I am today, 9 years later, leading Financial Operations for a $300M+ division at the age of 37. My journey has been challenging, but it's a testament to the fact that success is possible, no matter your background or the obstacles you face. If I can do it, so can you. Don't let your circumstances define you. Embrace your drive, pursue your passions, and never give up on your dreams.

My story is not over, in fact, it feels at times like it is just starting. If your story is just starting, then just know that it won’t be easy and there will be times where you wonder if it is worth it. In the long run, I can tell you that it is. And as I look ahead, I don't see a finish line. I see opportunities to learn and grow every day. I see opportunities to mentor others, to open doors for those who, like me, might feel the odds are stacked against them. Because ultimately, my success isn't just about reaching a title or a salary. It's about using what I've learned and achieved to make a real difference, to show my girls that hard work pays off, and it is about knowing that I never gave up.