FEATURE
New name – Four distinct companies have now come together under the Verve banner .
Marketing and business support services were also added , making four separate limited companies , with four teams and three pieces of tech across them . “ I wasn ’ t sitting 14 years ago planning all of this , I have just been reacting to gaps that I see or responding to clients ’ needs ,” Cathi says .
The firm has recently been through a big restructure to launch Verve , “ pulling everything together ”.
“ I feel like , on one hand , we ’ ve been going for 14 years , but on the other hand we have entirely rebranded and started over ,” Cathi says .
“ We help other businesses to run their business while they concentrate on giving financial advice or whatever their skillset is .”
Despite her impressive success , Cathi says being named Tees Businesswoman of the Year was “ completely unexpected ”.
“ I ’ d struggled to get childcare and had to drive so couldn ’ t drink , and when they announced my name and I was being interviewed , I was just speechless !” she says .
“ To win something like that and be recognised outside your own industry , where there is a phenomenal amount of strong competition , is really valuable and great recognition for the team .”
In terms of diversity and inclusion , Cathi says the financial services industry has “ progressed a lot but has still got some way to go ”.
Even with branding , Cathi has been keen to bring the feminine touch to financial services .
She says : “ In finance , you see a lot of navy blues and greys .
“ But that has made it really easy to be more noticeable , with a bright , colourful and more feminine feel .
“ You can use what you have and make it a strength – you can flip it around . I get noticed a lot more easily than I would if I was a 60-year-old man in a grey suit in a room full of 60-year-old men in grey suits .
“ I feel comfortable with it now .”
The voice of business in the Tees region | 25