Meet Julia Brownley | Sales & Development Director | Manchester Money

Having worked for a huge corporation for the las 16 years, I found myself this time last year, giving in my notice to head up a team of 13 in a fast growing but relative new mortgage business, Manchester Money.

This was a scary prospect for me as I enjoyed my job working for the largest estate agency group in the Country and had great relationships with the firm but something was niggling me to change as I was beginning to feel stale in my position and having completed a leadership and management foundation degree a few years before, I knew that I was ready for my next challenge which has turned out to be to learn all about what it was like working for a company at the other end of the spectrum.

So what has been the difference during the last 12 months working for an independent brand rather than an industry giant?

Working for a large organisation:

1. They provide instant access to resources for help and information but training tends to be tailored specifically to how they wish you to carry out your job role
2. Large business tend to be successful by sticking to doing what they do well. They work on formulars to measure success and know if they do enough of one thing, the results will pay off.
3. I am grateful to have had the training and discipline from working for such a well-known company and having this on my CV has certainly helped with my next position.
4. Within a corporate organisation, you are a small cog in a large machine, this can allow for a steadier work pace dependent upon staffing levels however if the business does lose employees, you tend to find you can be doing more than one job role as the business needs are still the same.
5. Making changes in a large organisation is often like trying move mountains as the chain or command is so long, it can be incredibly frustrating at times. The entrepreneurial spirit can often be crushed under the weight of bureaucracy .
6. The chances are, you have a rather defined job specification and with this, you become very good at your job role itself, but you only tend to learn the part of the business in which you operate.
7. With so many different departments, cliques and factions in a large business, you are always considering the politics of working in a silo mentality and considering the need to be diplomatic. This can be time wasting as every department can have the opinion, they are more important than the next or feel that they are being let down by each other.
8. It can be frustration when higher management make decisions that are inadequate or not in line with employees on the front line. Many stakeholders may not have first hand experience at doing the job they make changes for although they feel it is in the best interest of the business, it can be incredibly demotivating for those involved.

Working for a new independent business:

1. The corporate shackles are released, and it is extremely refreshing and personally fulfilling to know that the business can success through your direction and actions.
2. You are now the master of your own destiny. What you input will reflect the output you receive so hard work and long hours are key but you can concentrate on work that excites you and then it actually doesn’t feel like work. Being willing to try new skills and flying into unchartered territory however is essential so you must be prepared to be pushed out of your comfort zone.
3. Being in a smaller company, it gives you the chance to learn all job roles as you need to get involved in all aspects of the business gifting full knowledge of the working business from finance, HR to sales and marketing.
4. A good level of diligence is essential as you cant rely on other departments to pick up work that you cant cope with or you don’t have the best knowledge of. There is little in the way of formal support
5. Working for a newer independent business can mean taking a longer-term view on financial gain but in time, concentration on the right areas and being able to make change quickly and when needed, the financial rewards will pay off.

So from sixteen years of working for a corporate giant and now twelve months under my belt for an independent business, your attitude to risk and your experience plays a big part I feel. I have always had an entrepreneurial streak and as climbing further up the corporate ladder didn’t interest me, the diversity of my new job role has taught me so many new things. Starting out at a large business has helped certainly helped to have the foundations in place and the competitiveness to succeed.

Julia Brownley

Sales & Development Director

Manchester Money