Alexander Lalande’s Post

Did anyone tell you how hard it is to be a trailblazer? Trailblazers, those who are the first do to something, the pioneers: ▶️ Have a compelling vision they express vividly. ▶️ Take a stand on topics that matter (to them and, more importantly, others). ▶️ Make a habit of innovating in order to show people what's possible. ▶️ Don't feel constrained by the status quo. In fact, they challenge it, daily. ▶️ Create followership by what they do and who they are. ▶️ Have bags of resilience. It's not easy either: ▶️ It can be lonely as your forge your path (before people catch on). ▶️ Admiration doesn't always lead to recognition. ▶️ Words of support, for example from sponsors or colleagues, don't always translate into action. ▶️Some will feel threatened and/or envious. *** When I think of trailblazers, right at the top of the list is Andy Woodfield, who is retiring shortly. He inspired people to be their best, to be themselves, and to break through limiting beliefs, behaviours, and practices. A fellow Dorset man. Who worked up the ladder, grafted to become a talented trailblazer as a partner in PwC. Countless lives are better from having worked with you and known you, Andy. You leave a powerful and lasting legacy. Thank you, sincerely, deeply. Can't wait to see how your next life chapter unfolds, who you become, and what you do next. With you, whenever you need me. #strategy #inclusion #belonging Photo: in his role as the creator of the reverse mentoring scheme in PwC Consulting UK, with my reverse mentor and brililant person Christina Elvers. All partners had to have a reverse mentor who was female - the idea being that we learned more about the day to day challenges of being a woman and we provided sponsorship too.

FinanceProfessionalsKE: A Hub for Professional Growth! 🌟   Our mission at FinanceProfessionalsKE is crystal clear - to empower professionals on their journey to continuous growth. Here's how we strive to achieve it through our four pillars:   1️⃣ Owning Your Growth: We're all about empowering our members to take charge of their careers. Your growth is your responsibility, and we provide the resources and support to make it happen.   2️⃣ Empowerment: Learning without progress is like a tree without fruits. We're committed to ensuring that our members not only learn but also progress in their careers, leading to better opportunities, promotions, and increased earning potential.   3️⃣ Mentorship and Giving Back: We're obsessed with not just achieving success for ourselves but also uplifting those within our sphere of influence. Mentorship and giving back are integral to our community.   4️⃣ Connection: Networking is the key to career progression in today's world. We emphasize building networks before you need them, fostering connections that can shape your professional journey.   Enter our "MENU" - Mentorship, Empowerment, Networking, and Upskilling activities. We've crafted a unique approach that stands out from the rest.   And Wednesdays are special at FinanceProfessionalsKE 📆 Join us for #FPKELeadershipWednesday from 7-8 am, where dedicated students of leadership gather. Later at 1-2 pm EAT, intentional parents meet for #FPKEParentingPeerGroup, understanding the vital role of parenting in shaping future generations.   Our Wednesday programs have taught us that investing time in personal growth and development is the cornerstone of a progressive life. Join us on this transformative journey! 🚀 #ProfessionalGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment #CommunityBuilding #careerempowerment The is just no way you can commit to the #FPKE ethos and remain the same. Abdulghafur Albusaidy, MBA, CPA. Jimmy Bogonko, CPA ALICEMARY KIMANI Andy Burrows Saleem Sufi CPA MWARIRI, Moses M. CPA,CFE Evelyn Kanjagua Shakeel Ahmad, MBA, ACA (ICAEW) Susan Kiamba Risper Ouso CPA Risper Genga Ohaga Edwin Mwangi

I observed that many #consulting firms frequently depend on #frameworks for structure and guidance. However, these frameworks, in isolation, overlook the unique stories and experiences that define each organization. To truly resonate and be impactful, these frameworks must be blended with the intricate, #reallife details of business operations. This integration is key to generating insights that are not only effective but also deeply relevant and actionable. By bridging the gap between theoretical models and practical experiences, we can move beyond abstract concepts to offer tailored, #practical recommendations. Thoughtworks HITEC Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Latino Corporate Directors Association (LCDA)

Simple and powerful message. Transform is the most exciting part to me! Forward thinking, listening to your customers, and addressing the limitations of your business model. Transformation can lead you into new and exciting growth opportunities.

Young Professionals you’ve done it again!!! Providing stellar networking and insight opportunities for underrepresented communities and encouraging us to learn discipline, rise above challenges and be open-minded. Today I attended “Black Leaders of The Future” event and firstly I’d like to say thank you to representatives from PwC, Fidelity International, Bloomberg, Fragomen, Bird & Bird, Legal & General, Farrer & Co, National Grid and TLT LLP. There were many wonderful and friendly speakers on the panels, an opportunity to Q&A not only with these professionals, but like-minded peers as well. An invaluable experience. Despite all the endless excitement and the extensive information I received today, I have managed to narrow this jam-packed event into 3 of my key takeaways/quotes. “Think Big, Start Small, Move Fast,” It’s extremely important to have ambitions, but I cannot stress enough how much MORE important it is to be realistic about your goals, and manage them well - hence, start small. There are certain aims that are the end-goal, or are quite far down along the line with many different points in between that you need to reach. To build yourself up to the main goal, you need to set smaller goals that will get you there - and who knows? Along the way you might find that your end goal has changed. This is where takeaway two comes in. “The jobs of tomorrow probably don’t exist today,” I discussed with members of pWc on their journey here and was surprised to learn that some, initially didn’t even see themselves in finance not to mention a “Big Four” firm. This is because society, technology and businesses are constantly developing, pushing forward and changing - rapidly. New sectors are emerging, new careers are available. The perfect career for you might not even be around yet. This is why it’s vital to be open-minded. There’s no harm in having specific and clear goals but adaptability and confidence to step out of your comfort zone is important. If you’re too narrow-minded, many great opportunities will pass you because you’re too set on one specific thing that you might not even achieve. “Failure is a key part of life,” In sectors like finance that are demanding, competitive and challenging. This is a truth that many refuse to accept. But failure is a key part of life, and that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I enjoyed the panels discussion of this, and everyone had different experiences and views to bring to the table - but it was unanimously agreed that failure is always going to be part of life, so our next steps are to address this, and work on responding to it in a productive and healthy manner. Dan M. Thank you for this opportunity!

Last week, Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University students had the amazing opportunity to connect with two distinguished alumni through fireside chats: Niyanta B. and Clarissa Lie. Niyanta talked about her journey with networking and how connecting with a SFU alum and industry professional during her undergraduate degree sparked her path towards Business Analytics. Clarissa shared her story on starting out as an accounting student and pivoting her career after graduation towards consulting with a focus on ESG practices. Below are three things that both speakers touched on which resonated with me: 💡Networking is a two-way street: don’t be afraid to reach out and learn from industry professionals, but remember a simple question of “How are you doing?” and “Is there anything I can help you with?” goes a long way 💡Be open-minded: opportunities to grow can be limited, so when an opportunity presents itself that is outside of your comfort zone, be open to exploring that 💡 Be genuine to yourself: pursue opportunities that match your personal values and don’t compromise for anything less Thank you to Niyanta B. and Clarissa Lie for sharing your wonderful career insights and a special thank you to our surprise guest Robert Tanra for sharing his tips as well on pursuing consulting as a career! #SFUBeedie #sfualumni #businessanalytics #datanalytics #consulting

🚀 Exciting News! 🚀 I’m honored to share that I am a certified Scaling Up coach. As I continue to grow my coaching practice, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the ScalingUp Coaches community for their warm introduction and support. To my LinkedIn network: If you come across any CEOs or business leaders who are curious about a proven way to grow a business, I can introduce them to the Scaling Up methodology built from decades of experiences and thousands of companies. Please don't hesitate to connect them with me! Grow reliably, implement thoughtfully! #ScalingUp #Coaching #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #Networking #CEO #ScalingSuccess

Did anyone ever tell you that you don't have to do everything yourself? That's a lesson I learned from an incredible mentor, Ken Turner, during my time at PWC (back then, it was PriceWaterhouse). In my late 20s, I was navigating the intricate and demanding world of a large-scale public accounting culture, quite different from any corporate firm I had worked for. This was PWC, a Blue Chip firm where every step felt like tiptoeing through a field of landmines and opportunities. Enter Ken Turner, my direct report and a mentor like no other. He wasn't just a guide; he saw potential in me that I hadn't yet seen in myself. Under his wing, I wasn't just surviving in the Big 8 environment; I was learning to thrive. He brought me to my first big client meetings with multinational corporations. I can still hear echoes of his voice in mine during meetings, using phrases like "that's interesting" or "clearly." These 'Kenisms,' as I fondly call them, are a constant reminder of his influence on my professional demeanor. But Ken's mentorship extended beyond just guiding me through client interactions. He taught me about the vast landscape of tax areas, like state and local tax, and how they intricately fit into the bigger picture of my work. More importantly, he showed me the art of selling work and surviving in a public accounting environment - skills that are indispensable in our line of work. One of the most pivotal opportunities Ken gave me was the freedom to build a property tax practice from scratch. Imagine the trust and belief someone must have in you to hand over such a monumental task to a 20-something. As part of my '365 Days of Thank You' series, I want to express my deepest gratitude to Ken Turner. His mentorship has been a cornerstone of my professional growth. Ken, you taught me an invaluable lesson: the power of delegation and trusting others with your vision. Thank you for being the mentor every young professional dreams of having. #365DaysOfThankYou #Mentorship #PWC #ProfessionalGrowth #KenTurner #Leadership

Did anyone ever tell you that you don't have to do everything yourself? That's a lesson I learned from an incredible mentor, Ken Turner, during my time at PWC (back then, it was PriceWaterhouse). In my late 20s, I was navigating the intricate and demanding world of a large-scale public accounting culture, quite different from any corporate firm I had worked for. This was PWC, a Blue Chip firm where every step felt like tiptoeing through a field of landmines and opportunities. Enter Ken Turner, my direct report and a mentor like no other. He wasn't just a guide; he saw potential in me that I hadn't yet seen in myself. Under his wing, I wasn't just surviving in the Big 8 environment; I was learning to thrive. He brought me to my first big client meetings with multinational corporations. I can still hear echoes of his voice in mine during meetings, using phrases like "that's interesting" or "clearly." These 'Kenisms,' as I fondly call them, are a constant reminder of his influence on my professional demeanor. But Ken's mentorship extended beyond just guiding me through client interactions. He taught me about the vast landscape of tax areas, like state and local tax, and how they intricately fit into the bigger picture of my work. More importantly, he showed me the art of selling work and surviving in a public accounting environment - skills that are indispensable in our line of work. One of the most pivotal opportunities Ken gave me was the freedom to build a property tax practice from scratch. Imagine the trust and belief someone must have in you to hand over such a monumental task to a 20-something. As part of my '365 Days of Thank You' series, I want to express my deepest gratitude to Ken Turner. His mentorship has been a cornerstone of my professional growth. Ken, you taught me an invaluable lesson: the power of delegation and trusting others with your vision. Thank you for being the mentor every young professional dreams of having. #365DaysOfThankYou #Mentorship #PWC #ProfessionalGrowth #KenTurner #Leadership

Career Conversations: Taking a Different Approach to Problem Solving As an Associate at McKinsey & Company, Stephanie Graskoski, CFA needs the financial acumen and agility to solve problems across different industries. Watch: https://buff.ly/4cr9IEP #CFAInstitute #CFAProgram #WomeninFinance #FinancialCareers #FinancialProfessionals