Tracey McFadden, Senior Client Relationship Manager, who joined the team in 2017, tells us about her Capitalflow journey to date!

When did you join Capitalflow?

I joined Capitalflow in 2017 straight off maternity leave, after having my second child. I made the decision to leave a more established company to join the Capitalflow team, despite its infancy, for a couple of reasons – firstly, as I had worked with some the management team previously I was confident they had the right mix of experience to make the business work. And secondly, and probably the clincher for me, was the “Family First” ethos, as I had been having nightmares about re-entering the workforce with two small children. Thankfully, it was the right decision and I haven’t looked back since.

What is your professional background?

I am a qualified accountant and financial advisor, I have been studying at night since as long as I can remember, both pre and post family life. Capitalflow encourages upskilling which suits me. I am currently studying a diploma in SME Credit to gain as much knowledge as I can in the area. I have over 15 years’ experience in the lending sector, particularly in the area of Invoice Discounting, where I have had various roles and responsibilities across several areas, from support to operations to field auditing and finally relationship management.  This journey has helped me gain real insight into the inner workings of SME’s  and where the needs and gaps lie.  In contrast to more established finance providers, Capitalflow products are constantly evolving based on the customer needs, and to my mind, that is what Capitalflow does so well,  constantly finding ways to better serve the SME Market.

Tell us about your role in Capitalflow?

 I think my current role is a key part of effective SME lending. It’s so important to develop a customer relationship through regular contact, this way I am more familiar with the dynamics of my clients business and industry. This insight and knowledge is essential when structuring and presenting a proposal in pursuit of my customers finance needs and also meeting in house credit policies.

It’s a customer facing role, liaising with our broad range of customer across multiple industries and sectors. It’s my responsibility to develop a detailed understanding of a customer’s business and ensure that they receive the highest standard of customer service. It’s important to develop the relationship through open and honest communication as I feel most businesses are looking for a finance partner these days and this is something Capitalflow has to offer.

There can be a lack of understanding around Invoice Discounting and Asset Based Lending as an alternative source of finance, but in my experience once a client comes on board and reaps the benefits of the freed up cashflow, early discounts, and the ability to maintain optimum stock levels, they never look back. Our systems are invaluable in terms of time saving – all the drama and hassle of month end reconciliations is completely gone, which can only be a win-win for everyone! The majority of our customers stay with us for the long haul so we get to know each other very well, which is something I really like. There is never a dull moment in Capitalflow but right now it really feels like the world is our oyster, or indeed the SME lending market is. I feel lucky to be part of it all.