“Mutual respect is key to fostering a culture where all voices are heard”
As the founder of a successful venture, doddl’s Martina Hennessy has learned the true value of embracing diverse perspectives to drive business success and competitive advantage
Business was always my strongest subject in school, so when it came to college choices, I decided to study Commerce at University College Cork (UCC).
I majored in marketing and management, as I was ironically much stronger in these subjects than in the accounting and statistics modules.
Luck played a part in my path to becoming a Chartered Accountant. In my final year at UCC, I attended several milk round information evenings for the Big Four firms.
As a student, it was definitely the lure of the free food and drink at these evenings that attracted me rather than the recruitment opportunity. However, having learned more about the training and qualification, I applied, interviewed and was fortunate enough to receive some offers.
Back then, if I had followed my heart, I would have undertaken a master’s in marketing at the Smurfit Business School. However, my head knew that the opportunity to train with a Big Four firm, and become a Chartered Accountant, was too good to pass up.
I also might have gotten a push from my parents, who, after paying school and college fees, wanted me off their books!
I joined PwC and trained within the Financial Services and Audit team. The team environment within the firm, along with exposure to different clients, really supercharges learning.
My four years at PwC were hugely positive. The training, discipline and work ethic you experience working as part of a professional services firm really stands to you for life.
When I left PwC, I took a role with one of my audit clients, AIG. I left AIG two years later to establish a brokerage in 2004 and have been self-employed since then.
Being a Chartered Accountant has influenced almost everything I have done in my career. Initially, it gave me the confidence to take the leap to become self-employed, knowing that I had a solid fallback.
For any self-employed individual, regardless of business size, understanding the fundamentals of profitability and cashflow are critical to continued growth and success. I draw on my qualification in most commercial decisions I make for our business.
Network and mentoring
Many great business opportunities have been influenced by someone in my network.
While I strongly believe in the value of networking and mentorship, I have never pursued a formal approach to either.
Throughout my career, I have been lucky enough to meet fantastic people who have been hugely generous with their time and support. To pay this forward, if someone asks me for help, I will gladly do all I can for them.
Mentoring is hugely important, particularly for self-employed individuals. Business can be tough and sometimes when you are in the weeds, you need someone with a different perspective to pull you out.
“BALANCE IS HARD TO ACHIEVE. AT CERTAIN TIMES IN MY LIFE, FAMILY HAS HAD TO TAKE PRIORITY OVER WORK; AT OTHER TIMES, WORK HAS HAD TO TAKE PRIORITY OVER EVERYTHING ELSE, AND I THINK THAT’S OK. IT HAS TAKEN ME MANY YEARS TO REALISE THAT ‘HAVING IT ALL’ IS NOT FEASIBLE ALL THE TIME”
Some of the best mentoring I have received has come from close friends who possess skills in areas different from my own and have helped guide me through challenging times. I have received this guidance on walks or over coffee, thrashing out a problem and sharing knowledge and experience.
“Balance is hard to achieve”
Anyone self-employed brings a great deal of themselves to work. I know work impacts me so much that my home and work life must co-exist.
Balance is hard to achieve. At certain times in my life, family has had to take priority over work; at other times, work has had to take priority over everything else, and I think that’s ok. It has taken me many years to realise that ‘having it all’ is not feasible all the time.
Sometimes you have to do what you have to do to get through—don’t feel bad about what you are doing or not doing.
When my four children were younger, I was plagued by the idea of what I should do or be as a mum. I always worked and, like all parents, felt guilty.
As my children have grown older, I have realised that it is really important to me that they see me as ambitious and hardworking.
They say that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day. I’m not so sure about this—I really love what I do, but it is hard work, and some days I ask, ‘Why am I doing this?’ I think it’s important to acknowledge that this is normal; not every day can be a great day.
A break can bring real clarity and reignite the fire in your belly by giving you the time you need to remind yourself of what you are trying to achieve.
I am also fortunate enough to have the support of some amazing friends and peers, who normalise the juggle and who are amazing parents, while still being laser-focused on advancing their careers and using their qualifications.
Gender equality
Having worked within financial services for two decades, much of my career has been spent in male-dominated environments.
I believe mutual respect is key to fostering a culture where all voices are heard. My experience in my own business has shown me that a different perspective can be a key differentiator and advantage.
Over the past five years, it has been encouraging to see an increase in female representation at senior levels within the financial services sector. A significant gender imbalance persists in senior leadership positions, however.
Raising awareness of gender equity and promoting the benefits of diversity in teams is essential if we are to reshape corporate culture.
Importance of professional development
Professional development is hugely important to me. I constantly look to challenge myself, and I love learning from others.
As a business founder, the focus was on me initially, but as we have grown, it has become more about the team.
I am extremely fortunate to work with some super smart people who are at the top of their game.
My role has evolved over the last five years, and part of my responsibility is to develop the team to achieve its full potential.
Part of why we continue to grow is to ensure that we can offer opportunities to our fantastic team, allowing them to advance and succeed in their own careers.
Our entire team contributes to the success of our business, but the determination of our management team to deliver the best possible outcomes for our clients is something I am very proud of.
The doddl management and leadership team comprises people from a range of backgrounds.
We have people who have re-entered the workforce after a career break, who have worked in completely different industries and exceptionally talented young professionals who have developed within the business, who have that spark.
A wise man once told me to hire people who are better than I am. I now sit at meetings and learn from colleagues who are the very best at what they do. This can be in technology, customer excellence, operations or people management.
Working on cross-functional projects means I continue to learn from those around me.