Melissa Max-Macarthy’s Post

🔥 Call me DRAMATIC, LinkedIn, but this is a pretty big deal for me. When I was younger, I said I wanted to be in “business”. What does that even mean? And here I am, 17 years later, a FINALIST for The Black British Business Awards. Yep, God really is great. 🖤 I have spent most of my career either consulting on growth from the outside or sitting on the inside, shaping agendas that could ultimately impact everyday people. I have built businesses, launched propositions, made Partner, built new practices, led business units and worked across Asia, Europe and America with some of the biggest organisations in the world. There have been some incredible highs. Serving the Grenfell community as part of a six-week pro-bono project because Accenture genuinely cared. Making Partner at EY and building a new business unit focused on the things I still care about today: customers, growth and innovation. Working with the formidable Kanya King on MOBOLISE and proving what can happen when we create access for people who have traditionally been locked out. Launching Serai at HSBC and meeting some of the best people I have worked with to date. As a founder, helping HubSpot transform its presales organisation with a focus on people, empathy and performance. And working for one of the UK’s biggest banks and helping shape the strategy for 19 million customers, always asking what would genuinely make our lives better. I am also so grateful for the teams I have led over the years. They taught me what servant leadership actually looks like, how to create safe spaces, how to advocate for people even when it is hard and how to speak up when you are the only one. There are also leaders who saw me, backed me and helped make me who I am. Accenture leadership, in particular — that company remains undefeated for me. And I have to mention Zahra Bahrololoumi CBE. You have continued to support me, champion me and back me at every turn. Thank you. I genuinely would not be a finalist without you. But there have also been some real lows. Burnout. Being made redundant after maternity leave. Not feeling good enough. Walking away when something no longer aligned with my values. Imposter syndrome. Being scared. Being exhausted, but knowing the people I led still needed their leader to show up. So yes, it is a bloody big deal. Not simply because I am a finalist, but because of everything it took to get here. Through the self-doubt, the setbacks, the fear, the vulnerability and the moments when being unapologetically myself felt like the hardest option, I showed up every single time. And I am proud of me. 🥹 I am going to keep showing up, keep being open, keep being me and keep doing the work that matters. I’ma keep on, keeping on. Thank you, BBBAs, for shining a light on a career that hasn’t always been linear but has always been authentically me. Natasha Chetiyawardana | Nnenna I. | Gareth Hall | Shaheen Sayed | Alex Jones |Wendy Redshaw |Amanda McCalla-Leacy