Shannon Delong

Head of Accounting & Finance, eCapital

Of her over 15 years experience in finance and accounting, more than half has been spent at eCapital where she has quickly risen through the ranks to her current role as head of accounting & finance.  A skilled leader within her division, Shannon is responsible for overseeing the financial reporting of eCapital’s core operations and subsidiaries, budget,
plus internal control, and compliance.

Shannon is also responsible for financial systems and reporting, tax, and treasury. Her previous experience includes a tenure as senior accountant and manager with BDO Canada LLP, and lends to the overall expertise she brings to eCapital. Shannon holds her CPA CA certification and is a graduate from Brock University with a Bachelor of Accounting degree.

What advice do you normally give to the junior talent you mentor?

Mentorship has played an important role in my career, so when I have the privilege of mentoring young professionals, the first thing I tell them is to ‘ask questions’. When we instill in our young talent the confidence to voice questions, concerns or to challenge the status quo, we empower them to use their knowledge to succeed. Questions are the gateway to in-depth conversations and the collective collaboration that facilitates a stronger team, stronger department, and stronger organization. The more we foster conversation and collaboration, regardless of the role that someone holds in the company, the more open we become to learning, growth and change.

How do you define a good leader? 

While the question is ‘how do you define a good leader?’, I have been fortunate that the leaders who have shaped my career have been great leaders, and I believe that is an important distinction. Great leaders have the perfect combination of confidence and humility which allows them to not only share their knowledge and experience, but to also admit when they don’t have the answer. The leaders that have had the biggest impact on me in my career have taken the time to listen and provide honest feedback. They have helped me elevate my ideas to the next level and be an equal contributor at the table, regardless of my title. Most notably, Charles Sheppard, chief product officer & chief operating officer at eCapital, has always encouraged me to push my boundaries. As a mentor from early in my career, he believed in me and taught me that being willing to learn from your team can be very inspiring. When I reflect on the leadership examples that I have had in my life, I take these lessons and try to embody them and become for my team what my leaders have always been for me.

How would you encourage young professionals to become more involved in their community or volunteer? How have these activities outside of work helped shape your professional life?

The lessons I have learned from being active in my community motivate me in my professional life. I truly believe that being connected to a community is part of what makes us human, helps us to thrive. From a very young age, I have volunteered with different organizations and have been able to meet a wide variety of people from many different backgrounds, some of whom have become great friends or colleagues over the years. Working collaboratively with so many different people and personalities towards a common goal is one of my first formative memories and has formed the base of what I feel teamwork truly means. I align myself to organizations that complement both my interests and my values. It energizes me to currently be involved with Junior Achievement, an organization which combines two of my favorite things, children and finance. It is empowering to teach young people about entrepreneurship, work readiness skills and general financial literacy. The goal of the organization is to turn today’s students into tomorrow’s leaders so in this way, I feel that my work both on and off the company clock is making a difference. Mentorship is valuable at every age and stage of your career, and I think being involved with Junior Achievement has made me not only a better leader, but a better parent, friend, and community member.