Hi I am Sophie, a recent MOB member, mother and Fractional CFO - becoming a mother didn't just change my life; it launched my career into a whole new orbit, here's my story.
Before kids, I was Sophie Wright, a driven Finance Director, climbing the corporate ladder in the fast-paced world of media and advertising. Long hours, demanding projects, and frequent travel were the norm. I thrived on the energy and challenge, and my ambitions were sky-high. Then came my daughters, Charlotte and Emily. Suddenly, the world tilted on its axis.
Charlotte arrived five weeks early, with my husband Simon on a business trip in New York. While my amazing colleagues rallied around me throughout the night, passing the baton to Simon when he landed in the morning, I couldn’t shake off the concern about my baby’s microtia diagnosis which meant she was partially deaf.
Just 11 months later, Emily decided to make her grand entrance nine weeks early. Weighing less than two pounds, she spent four months in the hospital, and those agonising days and nights forever etched the fragility of life into my mind.
Then, the rug was pulled out from under me.
On my second maternity leave, while still reeling from Emily's precarious start in life, I received the dreaded call: redundancy.
My company had decided to keep my maternity leave replacement, and I was out of a job. The injustice was staggering, but with my brain still fuzzy from the sleep deprivation and mentally reliving the trauma of Emily’s “close calls”, I lacked the energy to fight. I took the cheque.
Faced with the need to provide for my family, I knew I couldn't return to the old way of working. Long commutes and inflexible hours were no longer an option. I began reaching out to CEOs in West London, closer to home, hoping to find part-time finance roles. It was during one of those meetings that a CEO said, "I can't afford you full-time, but I could really use your help one day a week"; And that's when the lightbulb went off. Why not offer my expertise to multiple companies on a part-time basis? I could be the CFO they needed but couldn't afford full-time.
And so, WrightCFO was born.
In the beginning, it was just me, juggling client work with school runs and bedtime stories.
But I quickly realised that many small businesses needed the strategic financial guidance of a seasoned CFO, but simply couldn't afford one full-time. I was filling a critical gap, providing fractional CFO services long before the term became commonplace. This was bigger than me and I needed a team.
Fast forward ten years, and WrightCFO is an award-winning consultancy with a team of nine Fractional CFOs. We're not a recruitment agency; we're a collaborative team of experienced finance professionals passionate about helping businesses grow and succeed. We share our expertise, support each other, and celebrate our clients's wins.
The benefits of working fractionally as a parent are immeasurable. Just this morning, I was able to be home when my daughter was sent home from school feeling unwell, without missing a beat on client work. The school holidays are long but I have the flexibility to be present for my children while building a successful career that I love.
Fractional work has not only given me the freedom and control I craved as a mother, but it has also made me a better finance professional.
Working with diverse clients across various industries has broadened my skillset and deepened my expertise. I'm constantly learning and growing, and that's incredibly rewarding. If you're a mother feeling the pull between your career ambitions and your desire for a fulfilling family life, I encourage you to explore the world of fractional work. It might just be the perfect solution to help you achieve your goals and find that elusive work-life balance.
To learn more about WrightCFO and what we do check out our website:
https://wrightcfo.co.uk
If you’d like to chat about your own business and see whether a Fractional CFO is for you, please feel free to book a call https://calendly.com/sophie_wrightcfo
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