‘Grow boldly, stay curious, and trust the journey’

By Tony Sanchez 7th October 2024

In our latest Women in Finance Interview, Tony Sanchez speaks to Sophia Lee, Relationship Manager Avamore Capital.

Sophia has been a Relationship Manager at Avamore Capital for over 3 years covering Central and North London.

What brought you into financial services?

My dad owns a finance brokerage and has always been in property so I have always grown up with an interest.

Eight years ago I started my first finance role as an apprentice at Natwest Bank doing relationship management.

As I was more interested in the property side, I left and worked at Cynergy Bank for a couple of years, where I discovered my passion for development finance and seeing projects from start to finish.

I’ve now been at Avamore for over 3 years doing just that.

What do you think makes a successful leader? And in particular women leaders?

Having confidence is key in making a successful leader as well as being resilient and bouncing back from challenges.

Emotional intelligence is equally important having the ability to build strong relationships whilst also being strategic with a clear vision.

What are the biggest barriers you have faced in your career in financial services?

Being in financial services, market volatility can be a huge barrier as it’s so unpredictable and in the past few years, it has been tough.

As well as this it’s also competition as other firms may react differently to the market.

If you could tell your younger self one thing you know about business now, what would it be?

Embrace failure rather than allowing it to get you down, learn from it and keep moving forward.

What’s your own personal mantra?

“Grow boldly, stay curious, and trust the journey.”

This reflects ambition, continuous learning, and having confidence in your path, which are all key traits in the finance industry.

What do you think is key for finding a successful work-life balance?

It’s so easy to work from home and get the laptop out late at night to respond to emails or complete those tasks but setting clear boundaries allows a successful work-life balance as well as prioritising your tasks during working hours.

What’s one key leadership lesson you’ve learned along the way?

Listening. I work with a lot of successful people and listening to their perspectives and needs is key.

What advice do you have for women aiming for leadership positions?

Build resilience and stay persistent.

Do you think there is still a glass ceiling?

Yes, the concept of a glass ceiling still exists in many industries, including finance and corporate environments.

What is your biggest achievement to date?

There have been a lot of personal milestones recently like buying a house, building a portfolio and now expecting a baby however I’d say my biggest professional achievement is achieving and exceeding targets in an exceptionally challenging market.

Last year I stepped into the RM role for the first time and it has not been an easy market however still being able to push deals through and hitting the numbers will forever be an ongoing achievement that I am very proud of, I think any RM in this space should be!