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For this week’s Monday Motivation, we chatted to Sarah Young, Vice President of Engagement Marketing at the award-winning small business current account, Tide. We asked her to talk to us about what motivates her, how she measures success and what’s next for Tide:

How do you like to start your day? 

I like to start each morning with a 30-minute-high-intensity workout at my local club, varying between a Spin class, 5k run or an outdoor HITT. It gives me a boost of energy, a feeling of accomplishment and a positive mindset to start the day. After that, I tend to grab a coffee (and dash to the office) but when I can, I make sure to refuel with some fruit or porridge, depending on the weather!

What book inspired you recently?

I love reading crime novels. You could argue that this genre doesn’t necessarily “inspire”, but I love it because it engages my mind, my investigative nature and my intuitiveness. 

Who inspires you?

Rather than listing out a selection of celebrities, public figures or historical legends, I would have to say that my current network. I work with a great team; I have great friends and family and we all have different perspectives; There is always something to learn from or take note of. I had a great ex-manager who I am still in contact with today. He has been a great mentor to me and always told me to stay true to myself which sometimes can be easy to forget! 

How do you like to measure success? 

I like to measure success on; 1. The results. When the data is actually there in front of us to see and share, we can see our successes. 2. The team. How do the team feel like they performed, did they do everything they possibly could do to achieve success, can they identify (if anything), what they could have done differently? Success means continuously striving for better, improving on improvements and learning from our failures.

How do you cope with failure? 

The same as I do with success, there is always something to learn from. For example, something I do without fail is using data and insights when forecasting targets. If there is a scenario where targets are not met, I can track these back and make adjustments for next time.

What motivates you?

Watching other people succeed is a real motivator for me, particularly if I have shared my advice, tips and tricks or helped with a problem that a friend or colleague was trying to solve. For me, if I am not putting 110% effort into a task, whether it is in my personal or professional life, I have to question why and reflect accordingly on what my goal is.

Sarah Young

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I once believed that your future should be onwards and upwards and always visualised that I would be where my bosses’ boss was in my 5-year plan. However, in 5 years, a lot can change, whether it be the industry, the economic climate, my goals or my circumstance. I want to build a legacy however long that takes and wherever that may be.

At the moment, I am focused on creating and delivering a first-class effortless customer experience from the moment business owners join Tide, aligning to our mission to save our members time and money. Whether that be through triggered or 1:1 communications, in-app touchpoints, added-value content, perks, events, seminars and more – we are starting from scratch so there is a lot for us to do.

Do you have any tips for time management?

You will never have enough time for everyone or everything; prioritise. But remember priorities can always change.

Do you have any words of wisdom for anyone wanting to start their own business?

Focus on the things that you can control, what you believe in and what you have a passion for (you will always put in more hours than you think, so you better enjoy it).

 

Angelica Malin’s She Started It Podcast is sponsored by Tide, the smart business current account for entrepreneurs. Click here to get started, and receive £50 when you open an account!