Name: Carrie Highfield- Group Lending Executive
Favourite quote or saying: Go for it, because missed opportunities hurt more than rejections.
Welcome, Carrie – great to have you with us. To start with, please tell us a little bit about what brought you to Cherry Godfrey: how did you get started, and where did you work before CG?
I started at Cherry Godfrey on 1st September; before that, I worked at Butterfield Bank, where I’d spent five years in Relationship Management. I was looking for a new challenge when the Group Lending Executive role came up at Cherry Godfrey; and when I started discussions with CG, it felt like the right company for me.
What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?
I took on my first job when I was in college: it was a weekend job handing out warm drinks to hospital patients. The role taught me so much - conversation skills, confidence, and patience. It was humbling, too. Some patients didn’t have any family, or simply did not get to interact with other people very often, so you’d also be providing a little bit of contact and normality.
Who are your professional role models – who inspires you?
Grace Beverley [fitness entrepreneur and founder of activewear line TALA and fitness app Shreddy]. She started selling her workout guide at university and went on to create two successful businesses that are not only popular and affordable, but also promote a sustainable ethos.
What qualities make a great leader?
Patience, respect, and compassion. A great leader also needs to possess the ability to motivate and inspire.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve ever faced at work – and how did you overcome it? It was whilst working for Volkswagen – a very memorable day! It was the first time I’d been asked to stand in a shopping centre and sell test drives for a new Volkswagen UP. I was 17 and terrified of people rejecting me, so I was extremely nervous. In reality it was not as bad as I’d feared, and I learnt a lot: from new conversation starters to how to passively sell (as opposed to hard selling), which seemed to work a lot better for face-to-face settings. Facing the challenges of that day really deepened my love for client/front-facing roles, and the things I learnt then I still benefit from now, twelve years later.
What do you love about Cherry Godfrey? I love that everyone is treated equally and the fact it is family run, as not many businesses are – you can immediately tell you are not just a number. Instead, every single staff member is valued for their input and output.
Thanks for these very insightful answers, Carrie! We’ll finish with something more light-hearted. To start: if you were able to invite any three people round for dinner (living or dead), who would you choose?
Cristiano Ronaldo, Prince Harry and Michelle Obama.
And, finally, what do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
This year I decided to go on a few solo travel trips which I hope to continue in the next couple of years – I love to travel. I also enjoy sport: playing netball and dodgeball, and watching football! I am a big Manchester United fan and I enjoy watching them (most of the time…!).
