I wanted to work for a firm big enough to have all the great support in place but small and focused enough to have the kind of clients I wanted to work with.
Katie Foister, Accountancy Associate
What were you doing previously, and why did you make the switch to Bishop Fleming?
My career is more of a squiggle than a straight line! I started in retail, training on the Marks and Spencer graduate scheme as a merchandiser in the Lingerie team. I worked with buyers to predict and buy the stock sold in stores.
I then moved into retail/fashion tech and worked for several early-stage, VC-backed start-ups, including a virtual fitting room technology and a Generative AI company. I worked in client servicing/business development and operations, but as with many start-ups, I was involved in all elements of the business. We had clients and investors from all over the world – I was lucky enough to travel to Brazil, India, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and China and moved to Singapore. My husband and I were in Singapore for 5 years and loved it! We had our first baby over there, and once we were a family, it felt like time to come home.
Although start-up life gives you a lot of opportunities, it's very unpredictable, and you're pulled in so many ways; I didn't feel like I was an expert at anything. Having lost my job during Covid and whilst pregnant with my second child, I had some unexpected time to re-think my career.
I have always been interested in finance and how businesses operate. I started to think accountancy would not only give me a proper skill but would also help me learn about different businesses.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Everybody at Bishop Fleming is lovely, and I like any work which involves cross-team/seniority. Management Accounts are great for that, and you get to understand and know your clients, even at a junior level.
How do you juggle a young family with studying and a new career? What advice would you give someone else in a similar position?
The juggle is real! My husband and I stick by the approach of whatever makes us the happiest as a family unit. Both of us working and me progressing my career works for us, and although it brings its complexities, it means all four of us have the same weekly routine and are all in it together.
My son asked me the other day if, after I've trained to be an accountant, I could become an Inventor. To me, the fact that a 6-year-old boy thinks his mum can do anything makes it worth it (I haven't had the heart to let him down yet…).
My advice would be to back your instinct and your choices. I've certainly found that whatever route you take as a parent, you'll always feel a bit guilty that you're not doing it another way. You know what's best for your unit, and it isn't easy whichever way you choose.
What attracted you to Bishop Fleming?
I'm from Plymouth and have a real affinity for the South West. We can't make life work further down in the South West (yet…), but I really wanted to work somewhere that supports and works with owner-run businesses in a region I love. The training and approach at Bishop Fleming seemed to resonate with me.
I chose Bishop Fleming because I wanted to work for a firm big enough to have all the great support in place but small and focused enough to have the kind of clients I wanted to work with.
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?
I would have stuck at the M&S graduate scheme for a bit longer. I was there for 2.5 years, felt I had learned enough, and was impatient to progress my career. The support and training they provided were fantastic, and I'm sure I would have left at some point, but a few more years of structured work and progression would have really set me up.
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