Kathleen M. Barrett

Director, Marketing & Communications, Scargo Hill Capital

Biography:

Kathleen Barrett is Scargo Hill Capital’s director of marketing and communications, responsible for the planning and execution of firm’s corporate marketing and communications strategy. Kathleen directs all media and community relations, branding, advertising, market research and digital/social media activity for the firm. She also manages Scargo Hill’s sponsorships, events, employee development and training initiatives and corporate relationship building across relevant industry sectors.

Kathleen brings more than 10 years of marketing experience within the financial services industry. Prior to joining Scargo Hill Capital, she was the director of marketing at Brighton House Associates, a Boston-based capital introduction firm where she supported the marketing and logistics of the organization’s annual conference. Previously, Kathleen was the assistant vice president of marketing and communications at Salus Capital Partners, where she was responsible for all internal and external communications, including email marketing, public relations, social media and corporate philanthropy. Kathleen has also held positions in marketing at affinity credit card founder The Kessler Group, and non-profit American Consumer Credit Counseling.

Kathleen graduated from Saint Anselm College with a degree in business.

What advice would you offer to women just starting out in the industry?

Women or men, no matter the industry — always trust your instincts. Your gut is your best guide when making decisions. Five years ago, I was looking to leave my role at a non-profit in hopes of making the next big jump in my career when I interviewed with a company and was promised the world.  The problem was they didn’t put any of those promises in writing, so my gut told me to force the issue, because something didn’t feel right. When I did, I was met with nothing but negativity and was told I didn’t seem to be a “team player” – I politely declined their offer and waited until I found a company that was just as passionate about me as I was about them.

What do you know now that you wish you knew in the beginning of your career?

It’s okay to make mistakes on the job, but be sure you learn from each of them. I’m not suggesting that one purposefully make a mistake that may cost themselves or their employer, but rather that you likely learn the most from the mistakes you make on the job. At the beginning of my career, I feared making mistakes, not wanting to disappoint my boss, my company or myself. But, as my career progressed, I have found that making mistakes on the job, big and small, has not only humbled me, but has given me the opportunity to apply lessons learned into future projects, both professionally and personally. Surviving those mistakes and moving on from them has also helped me to let go of the fear associated with a risk or a mistake.

What kind of role has mentoring played in your career?

I have been lucky enough to have three individuals whom I consider the biggest influencers in my career. They all had one thing in common, trust. One of them trusted that what I lacked in experience, I made up for in enthusiasm and a desire to learn and build my career. One of them trusted that I wasn’t out to take their job, but rather was there to help and improve our processes to increase the productivity of the department. My most recent mentor trusted I had the experience and wherewithal to lead multiple strategic projects concurrently. I have learned two important things when it comes to mentoring. First, it is important that you don’t force a mentor relationship, that you let it develop organically and second, oftentimes you don’t realize someone has been mentoring you until you look back on how you have grown since beginning a role.

What do you think the industry could do to attract and retain the best and the brightest today?

Challenge your employees and provide development opportunities. The sole reason I left my past employers was because I no longer felt as if I was being challenged or encouraged to develop my skills.  Fostering the development of your employees shows not only your appreciation for their commitment to their current job function but also your trust in their ability to take on more responsibilities. I’m lucky enough to have been encouraged to join the SFNET’s Women in Commercial Finance Committee and to attend not only their meetings, but other industry events and gatherings. Providing these types of opportunities shows you place value in the professional development of your team and will breed loyalty.

Put the effort into building your team and your team will put the effort to help you grow your company.