From Treasury Specialist to Finance Generalist
Everybody knows this: After lots of years in the same job, same routines, same colleagues this one day is coming where you think about your day to day life: is this what you want to experience again and again for the rest of your professional career?
Analyzing my situation
For me it was the same: After working 10 years for ALBA, one of the biggest recycling companies in Germany, I felt surprised when I was holding my ten years certificate in my hands. In both of my previous jobs I worked for 8 years and ALBA has given to me so many topics, that time just flew by. My two kids were suddenly 10 years older and I nearly didn’t realise it.
So I decided to quit my job where I was responsible for leading 12–14 people, specialized in covering the interface from the company towards the bank or the investor, responsible for all problems and tasks related to money, cash needs or cash equivalents. Well positioned in the whole team of 2nd level executives, having a back -up in all other financing matters within the company. By the way very nice colleagues!
But: I needed something new, wanted to build up something new, hire new colleagues and do something related to Finance but also entirely different. At the same time I wanted to explore new developing markets and domains and just like that I ended up in the healthcare market.
Established corporate vs. start-up
As I am trying to live healthy and do sports on a daily basis I think sometimes I got on my old colleagues´nerves with my “no sugar”, “no wheat”, “only organic food” — but that brings us too far away….What I want so say: healthcare fits like a glove.
But the first decision was not the market: It was the start-up scene. Where do you have the possibilities to grow, build financial processes according to your ideas and implement them in a short time frame?
Established companies have their processes already in place or if something new has to be implemented, you have to involve sooooo many different departments. Also, these implementations take up so much time that they almost have to be renewed again right after they have been completed.
Of course: you don´t know how long the happiness will last and if the solution you’re building will turn out to be a sustainable and enduring company. But for as long as it lasts: everybody is very motivated, thinks positive, wants to bring something forward and and does not get stuck in meaningless and time-consuming discussions. Everybody wants to make it happen:-)
Berlin as Pole Position
As my hometown is Berlin, the pole position for start-ups is right in front of my door. Unfortunately or better for my luck — how you like to take it — I am not living in Mitte where almost every startup wants to be. By the way I have no idea why: traffic jam like hell even in Covid times, no parking space or if so it costs you A LOT OF MONEY. The price is calculated in 15min pieces and the apartments cost you your left arm….but this is my personal view. My family and myself are living in the south of Berlin, with a garden for the soccer goal and the trampoline.
Start-up versus start-up
After having a few interviews in startups I realised quite quickly the difference between startups and startups. The ones which are so young and dynamic that they don´t know what to do with the 27 ys experience in different finance positions (in plain language: I am too old). And on the other hand, there are startups that want to get every next step right, taking care to look at things from different perspectives and hiring the right talents with the right experiences and skills. All this to be the best in class and create a standard for their business.
My new team
And here I am right: At medudoc. They -or since January 1st of 2021 better “we”- try to develop the best support for patient communication with the vision to build the standard in digital patient education. By using qualified resources, rethinking and iterating each step in the process while staying motivated and structured at the same time. I am happy to be in this team. Especially in finance where I am now responsible in total — not only in my known Treasury area — there is still a long way to go. But I am motivated to the tip of my toes.
If you like to follow our development, you can check out other articles about our business here:
For finance related topics in particular, you can expect one article each quarter from me.
Let´s start!
About the author:
Sonja Brei is working as finance director at the digital health start-up “medudoc” in Berlin. Coming from a banking & treasury background she is now working on building up the finance & admin infrastructure such as Accounting, Controlling, Tax, Treasury, HR & Legal as well as interfacing the investor´s / bank´s /auditor´s view with the growing companies needs, views & expectations. Through video animation, medudoc digitizes, automates and standardizes the analog and tedious practice of patient education before a medical intervention. You can contact her via mail (sonja.brei@medudoc.com) and LinkedIn.
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