Laura's Story at Azets
1. Tell us a little bit about your career journey so far, from when you started your training and the different milestones to where you are today.
After finishing sixth form, I began my accountancy career and completed the AAT qualification. After qualifying, I decided to take a break and travel through India, South East Asia, and Australia for a couple of years. During my time in Australia, I qualified as a massage therapist and managed a restaurant in the evenings.
Upon returning to the UK in 2012, I joined a public sector external audit team, qualified with ACCA, and eventually became a Senior Manager. After starting a family in 2018, I found the return to work challenging and sought new opportunities, which led me to join Azets in 2019. Since then, I grew the commercial external audit offering in Birmingham, and in 2022, partnered with colleagues in Scotland to establish the firms new Public Sector External Audit National Service Line. Our team has grown significantly, and I now lead the finance and operations side of our team nationally.
2. In your opinion, are there any leadership challenges that are unique to female leaders today?
Yes, women often face biases rooted in societal norms. Workplace equity is a significant focus area for me, and our firm plays a crucial role in this area. Flexible working is essential to ensure everyone can achieve their best, in a way that works for them.
3. What strengths do you think women can bring to the table in leadership roles?
Diverse leadership teams encourage more balanced decision-making and promote a culture of equality and open-mindedness. This allows us to benefit from everyone's expertise, past experiences, values, and opinions.
4. What are the most significant barriers you have had to overcome in your career to date, and how did you do so?
As a single mum to two boys, balancing childcare and work has been my biggest challenge. Azets has been very supportive, and I have found ways to manage my time effectively, such as working flexible hours and incorporating self-care activities like yoga and meditation into my routine.
5. Have you ever experienced imposter syndrome? If so, how did you overcome it? How would you advise people who may be feeling the same way?
Yes, I have experienced imposter syndrome. However, I now try to reframe such thoughts positively. As long as you believe in what you do and understand why you are doing it, then you are going in the right direction. I encourage others to do the same and believe in their abilities.
6. What, if anything, in your opinion, holds women back from progression in comparison to their male counterparts? Do you think these are internal (e.g., self-belief) or external factors, or a combination of both? What can we as a business do to change this?
It's a mix of internal and external factors. One example of this is that women are more likely to downgrade themselves in performance reviews, compared to men, and may be less likely to ask for promotion. As a business, we need to understand our differences and react, to address such areas which we know can impact our workforce detrimentally.
7. What role have your male colleagues played in your career, for example, mentorship, and what have you learned from them?
My male counterparts play a huge role. I am grateful to work with some of the best male allies at Azets who continue to inspire me. In my opinion, men play the biggest role in achieving true equality for women by acting as allies and being open and understanding to the biases that exist, helping to facilitate equity. They have taught me to be less hard on myself and to focus on my successes.
8. How do you keep yourself inspired?
I try to learn something new to keep inspired. I have started reading more over the last six months and have also recently started to learn British Sign Language.
9. What kind of leader would you like to be known as?
I would like to be known as a leader who cares about every person in our team individually, no matter how big we grow. Our firm is built on individuals and fulfilled and happy people are the key to our success.
10. What advice would you give to your younger self?
I would encourage my younger self to prioritise her mental and physical health above all else.
"I would like to be known as a leader who cares about every person in our team individually, no matter how big we grow. Our firm is built on individuals and fulfilled and happy people are the key to our success."
Laura Hinsley
Partner, Head of Public Sector for England