Jennifer Smith: Founding Member Profile

Introducing Jennifer Smith, CFO and Advisory Board Member! In this interview Jennifer shares the path she has taken to become CFO, what would have helped when she was starting out and what made her want to get involved with Potentia.

Please outline the journey you have taken to get to this point in your career: My career started in a traditional place: I worked as a financial analyst for Shell in their General Accounting department. I managed to secure a spot as an "off cycle" hire at a bank, but I didn't like the hierarchy there, and after a few years I jumped ship (and took a significant pay cut) to join a technology start up. I had met the founder through friends.

This was a really eye-opening experience and shaped the choices I made in the rest of my career. Unfortunately, the start up went bankrupt during the recession of 2008/2009, but it launched the next stage of my career. Unable to find another finance job during the recession, I went back to school, and through the school's alumni network, I got hired into a technology company. I was responsible for acquiring other technology start ups as Corporate Development Manager. Eventually, we filed for IPO, and ended up selling the business to Cisco right before IPOing. I knew at that point that I did not want to work for a big company, so I left to join a small digital infrastructure business. My role at that company grew over time, and when the CFO left, the CEO asked me to step into the role. Since then, I have held other CFO roles at Dark3 (a Series-A start up in cybersecurity) and more recently at Wildstone (a private equity owned digital infrastructure business).

Aside from your career, what makes you, you?

I'm a true nerd: I like books, technology, history, board games, films, and crosswords! I'm also a "third culture kid", having lived in five countries across America, Europe, and Asia. I live with my partner and two young kids in Deptford, southeast London.

What key things do your think would have supported you when you were starting out on your career?

I was embarrassingly arrogant and insecure in the beginning of my career. I wish someone had been around to assure me that it was OK to believe in yourself and to doubt yourself at the same time, and that those two emotions can coexist and work for you if you acknowledge them. I wish that I had had other women to share stories with, as I do now in my career. I want to pass that on to other women who are starting out, and to learn from their experiences as well.

Why Potentia?

I want to learn from other women as well as give back by sharing my network and experiences. I hope I can positively validate some of the worries that I know come with excelling in one's career as a woman. Sharing experiences with other women at all stages of life is one of the most rewarding experiences of my career right now.

If you are interesting in joining Potentia, please register via https://www.potentianetworking.com/register