Meet Isabel McParland, Commercial Business Partner at BVNK
In this edition of Life at BVNK, Isabel talks about moving teams and why meritocracy matters.
Meet Isabel McParland, Commercial Business Partner at BVNK
In this edition of Life at BVNK, Isabel talks about moving teams and why meritocracy matters.
Tell us about your role.
I work as a Commercial Business Partner, so my job is to help BVNK achieve its commercial goals by making sure that we plan, make decisions and work in the most effective way. Every day is different, which is one of the reasons I love this role: it’s a great mix between operations, strategy and people management.
Why did you decide to join and what keeps you here?
I joined BVNK two and a half years ago when the team was just 20 people. From day one, I saw the huge potential to work with amazing people, work hard, and grow my career. We are a team of do’ers who want to achieve great things and have fun in the process, which makes it a pleasure to come into work every day.
Describe the culture at BVNK in one word.
Ambitious. We have big, hairy goals, and we’re not afraid of them: we’re motivated by them! When there is doubt, we lean on each other to get things done.
Tell us about your career journey so far.
I started working in the People and Talent team. I was working very closely with our Chief Revenue officer Matt Barclay on hiring and we worked well together, so when the opportunity came about to work full time in the Commercial team, it was a no brainer. I love the variety of this role, and the ability to influence commercial outcomes. I’m also learning a huge amount! I’m not sure where it is going to take me, but I’m excited to see.
Your favourite thing about working at BVNK?
It sounds simple, but we have the nicest people working for us. We look out for each other, we’re there when times get tough and we celebrate the wins. We have a strong team spirit, which gets stronger as the business grows. Every meeting, conversation and project brings something new and an opportunity for knowledge sharing between colleagues.
Which BVNK values resonate most with you?
Meritocracy – it encourages us to be brave in setting our goals and strive for excellence. It also means that we have to set aside any differences and come together as a team. Above all, it means not making assumptions, staying open minded and recognising that everyone should be judged based on their abilities and potential, rather than preconceived notions or biases.
What keeps you motivated?
The more you put in, the more you get out. What I mean by that is the more effort, time and energy you put into your role, the more you learn and grow. The sky’s your limit if you want it to be.
Any advice for someone joining BVNK?
Get involved. We hire talented individuals and we love it when new people come in and share their previous experience with us. What will set you up for success is giving it your all, getting involved in the culture, being obsessed with what we do and researching everything you can.
Any podcasts, books or resources you’d recommend?
I love to listen to The Diary Of A CEO – you get such a variety of speakers. One minute you might be listening to an episode on how to invest wisely and the next you're listening to one on the benefits of sleep. I try to listen while on a run, but I just find myself walking and making notes on my phone (you win some, you lose some!).
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