We Are Power Podcast
The We Are PoWEr podcast spotlights voices and perspectives that need to be heard. Our weekly podcast, with listeners in over 60 countries, delivers PoWErful conversations that inspire, challenge, and empower... from personal life stories to business insights and leadership lessons.
We share diverse experiences, bold discussions, and real solutions. Whether you're looking for career advice, topical themes, or stories of resilience and success - this is where voices spark change.
We Are Power Podcast
From Intern to Leader: Tarifa Simpson The Hidden Truth About Career Growth
In this episode of the We Are PoWEr Podcast, we’re joined by Tarifa Simpson from Forvis Mazars, who shares the story of how she built her career and the lessons she learned along the way.
Tarifa opens up about how she explored different internships to find her true career path, leading to a graduate role in transactional services. What started as an opportunity turned into a 17-year journey at KPMG, shaping her expertise and leadership skills.
She reflects on the mentorship, coaching, and training that helped her develop confidence, embrace not having all the answers, and become an effective leader. Tarifa also highlights the importance of guiding and advising others, whether it’s leading a team or helping clients navigate critical decisions.
She also shares why she recommends reading The Psychology of Money, a book that goes beyond finance to explore what drives individuals to take their next leap in life and work.
This episode is packed with insights on career progression, leadership, and the value of lifelong learning—a must-listen for anyone looking to grow in their field.
Find out more about We Are PoWEr here. 💫
Hello, hello and welcome to the we Are Power podcast. If this is your first time here, the we Are Power podcast is the podcast for you, your career and your life. We release an episode every single Monday with listeners in over 60 countries worldwide, where you'll hear personal life stories, top-notch industry advice and key leadership insight from amazing role models. As we Are Power is the umbrella brand to Northern Power Women Awards, which celebrates hundreds of female role models and advocates every year. This is where you can hear stories from all of our awards alumni and stay up to date with everything MPW Awards and we Are Power. I'm delighted today to be joined by Tarifa Simpson from 4Vis. Never imitated, never replicated, singularly wonderful, everybody's wonder girl. I'm delighted today to be joined by Tarifa Simpson from 4Vis and Mazzars Welcome. Thank you very much. We've known each other for quite a long time now, haven't you? How long have you been at Mazzars? Now I'm coming up to five years.
Speaker 2:Wow, where did that time go? Yeah it's gone really fast. I was a lockdown hire so it's kind of slow but also fast at the same time.
Speaker 1:Now tell us about your role, because I know you talk about. You fell into accounting.
Speaker 2:And I did so. I originally thought I would go into medicine and so I did a lot of science A levels and things was really into that and that didn't work out for me. Um, lesson learned, and so I went, I stayed. I stayed at um, my, my hometown, birmingham, did my my degree there. As part of that, I had a year out. So it was quite good, because they sort of forced you to have a year out to kind of you know, know, do an internship, which was fantastic to me, went down to London, thought I'd see what that's about Bright lights, big city, exactly and I think it confirmed A. I didn't. I didn't feel like I needed to be in London, but I loved the experience. I did a role in global marketing, so something very different. Again, fantastic, really good experience, but it actually gave me an insight into professional services. It wasn't something that I knew any family members or friends were into, so it was quite an education in itself.
Speaker 2:I then found the firm that I joined, sort of you know, became aware of them. So I did another internship with KPMG. So I'm a big fan of sort of different internships and using that as a, as a route to figure out what you want to do. And then I got offered a graduate role and they said that because I'd done this internship, I could choose whichever office. And I was very sensible and said I'd stay at home, you know, raise some money to buy a house sort of things you think you're meant to do. And when I went for the interview house, do all the sort of things you think you're meant to do, um, and when I went for the interview, um, they said we've got a new role and, um, it's in something called transaction services and we think that you'd be suited to it. So will you come up and chat to the partner and see what you think? And I was like, is this a trick?
Speaker 1:question what is it?
Speaker 2:you know I was applying for a similar but different role and from there, what was a conversation, turned out to be a job offer, turned out to be something that I did with that firm for 17 years, you know, had two children, had a fantastic career, travelled the world, and I did fall into it, and part of that was falling into accounting as well, so I chartered as an accountant as well.
Speaker 2:Um, so, yeah, I fell into it, but it was the best decision ever and I think it was very true to something I've done along my career and even how I sort of came to be at Vorbis Mazars, which is, you know what's the worst that can happen. Um, you know, I mean that in a very positive sense, you know, give every opportunity a go. So, yeah, I had conversations with the firm, really liked the team that I was joining, really liked the sense of actually being really entrepreneurial. So, you know, building up a team in the Manchester area actually supporting clients across the north, which I'd, you know, I'd been based in Manchester for a long time by that point. So it really appealed and I just felt, okay, now's the time to maybe take the risk, you know, take the chance. What I hadn't realised is I made that big decision two weeks before we went into lockdown.
Speaker 2:So, it was. It was scary. It was quite a scary decision to make.
Speaker 1:How did you build those connections? Because you know we talk about the power of connections, don't we? And building those individuals that are either going to be part of your team or you're working as part of and you've got to collaborate with, and it was at a time when we were making the world up and the rules up, as we were every day. Weren't we making history?
Speaker 2:yeah, and I think part and part it was flexibility. So for the first few months that I joined, I agreed I agreed with the firm that I wouldn't come and work full-time. So they gave me a lot flexibility because I didn't know whether nurseries were going to close down. I had a four-year-old and 18-month-old at that. You know, I had a young family and I knew that.
Speaker 2:You know, it could be very challenging to actually come in and do the justice that I thought I need this role to, you know, and this impact that I wanted to make. The connections bit was difficult. I mean, it was obviously all virtual, but I think that the really nervous part was you know, it's a, it's a people business. It's all about connections with people you know, and, um, yes, you take them through actually a really scary time in their, their professional or business career. You know, you're helping them sell their business, you're helping them buy something that takes, you know, the business into another stratosphere of success. Um, so there's a lot of emotions in that and I think what it proved to me that those people where I'd had really successful transactions with that, we'd worked together really well. First of all, they were hugely supportive. So when I announced that I was moving. You know a lot of well wishes and success that gave me the boost. And then it was really just bit by bit just making those connections and they had to be authentic. So it wasn't about sort of peppering everyone that I knew to say I'm here and a big sale, and I've always been quite true to that. I think people can see through that clearly. But you know, we're here, we're a business and you know I have to sort of you know, show that I can make it work.
Speaker 2:But I think, gradually over time, I just used, I used my network A to find, you know, individuals that could be referred on. I used it to just find out what was going on in the marketplace, because a lot of it was accepting what was there. You know that you weren't going to suddenly be winning lots of projects and starting work. That just wasn't the world we were in, um, so very much using that time to just actually, in quite a nice way, take stock, um, and think about more, about sort of how I wanted to be individually as a partner, how I wanted to be in the firm. So it gave me actually a lot of thinking time about that style because you know, I'd worked in the industry. I'd worked in my particular profession and team transactions for 17, 18 years by that point.
Speaker 2:So I know a lot about the doing and that goes as a given. But actually that heightened sense of how you interact as a partner. Where the book stops with you, you've got to make those really difficult decisions. That bit it's a bit of an art and there isn't a textbook of how to do it. And I'm sure you know a lot of the listeners and watchers of this will appreciate that as well that you know you've really you get to a point and it's certainly a piece of advice that I impart to a lot of people that I mentor as well is, you know, you've got to find that authenticity because otherwise it's really tough. Yeah.
Speaker 1:You just can't keep it up otherwise. I think and I know mentoring is is something that you're very passionate about, and you've been a finalist yes, um for Northern Power Women Awards on a couple of occasions. Um, what is it that? Has that really spurred you into being a mentor? Were you on the receiving end?
Speaker 2:um, I was, um I did. I did have some mentors because the the profession I went into. Um you go back. So I I sort of started in the early 2000s but back in the 90s it was, um, you know, it was like special projects, so it was very much done out of um existing teams. It wasn't sort of a dedicated team for it, so it was still evolving. So I was kind of joining at a time when it was very new and at a time when they wouldn't often take graduates that were still studying for their accountancy exams. So it was all new in terms of A how people had to coach me and train me and help me to understand what was going on, and there wasn't the same web resources or, you know, online resources to research in the background. So mentors were really important about helping me to kind of bridge that gap and being a bit of a safe space for me to say I really don't know what that?
Speaker 2:means you know, and you know, when we're in that meeting and someone said, oh, this or this, what were they actually talking about? How does that actually relate to the big picture of what we're doing? So I had um, I did have quite a few mentors. They weren't titled that way. You know, I never thought of that in that way mentors come in different boxes, don't they?
Speaker 1:in shapes and sizes?
Speaker 2:and they do, and time and they do, oh, absolutely, um, and I think I I then got access to sort of formal mentoring courses. Actually it was one helping female founder startups, okay, and that was when I'd moved to Manchester and it was a program and you know it was a range of businesses. One lady, she, basically supplied costumes into the big television companies or into theatres, et cetera, so it was that, as well as professional makeup products. So I was mentoring her. So it was trying to switch my mind to actually you know where are you trying to get to and help individuals actually to think out situations, and I just really enjoyed it.
Speaker 1:It's addictive isn't it, it is.
Speaker 2:It's something I don't think I can ever really convey how much I love doing it and how I don't know. I think just because I enjoy it. I don't know if I'm any good at it I think my mentees would have to be testament to that but I do really enjoy it and I think it's all about just being interested in someone. And you know, we were just talking earlier before you know we started recording around. You know, finding those different connections connecting people. It's a lot of that as well. It maybe strays more into sort of sponsoring, I think, where you sort of go right, I know such a body. Why don't you just have a chat If I don't know a woman or man?
Speaker 1:who can? I always think. I always think what this community is about, because you never want anyone to be without or without that information, a bit like taking it back to yourself around that table going. What did that mean? Again, you know, having those safe space to ask the questions, be curious, you know, and I think that's where the different forms of mentoring comes in. And I know you've got a new role now, haven't you? Which is a UKwide role. What has been? You know that's a big role it is. You know, what are you? Have you been most sort of excited and motivated about creating this high-performing team?
Speaker 2:I suppose yeah, it's been a challenge and actually for about a year beforehand, the idea of taking over the head of roles. So in my line of due diligence to take over the team for the UK, it'd been discussions and I was really keen to do it. As I said, you know never want to sort of not take up an opportunity, so I was really keen to do it but I was nervous. I knew it was a big challenge. I knew that it was a team that was obviously located in a number of offices and I knew that it wouldn't team that was obviously located in a number of offices and I knew that it wouldn't be easy. And I knew that there was lots of things that I wanted to do whilst also driving the business and ambitions that I've got here in the north. So I was apprehensive and even practical things, like my daughter was starting school. So I was even like I've got a lot going on personally and so I'm not sure if I do want, like another thing to actually, you know, build up and that was really well respected. So at first I think it felt like you know, there's never going to be a perfect time, but you know we understand that there is lots going on in everyone's life, so don't put extra pressure on yourself when you don't have to. But no, when it got announced and it was happening, I was really excited.
Speaker 2:And you know it's a fantastic team. First and foremost, it is a fantastic team. So you know, to a certain extent, there's not a lot I need to do on that, you know. Carry on being fantastic. However, I think everyone can always recognise when they, you know, you come to taking on that sort of role, you see it through a different lens. I see it through being, you know, from a graduate all the way up to a partner in a lot of different teams, in a lot of different project situations and a lot of different cities. So I feel like there's a lot of that that I can bring to say there are different ways of doing this. Let's give it a try. I never know that it's going to work out, but I'm willing to kind of take the hit.
Speaker 1:Be brave.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly, totally. And I think one thing that I've been doing a lot of sort of around the time of taking on that role is really sort of listening to a lot of audio books and reading a lot around sort of. I guess the listening to a lot of audio books and reading a lot around sort of I guess the human psychology and the psyche around you know why people think the way they do, how you can better communicate with each other, the psychology around you know people that operate businesses and are part of high functioning teams. What do they do? Well, but how do they keep that authentic to their own style?
Speaker 2:I think, going back to the point about leading and sort of you know, advising people in your own authentic way, same for leading a team. In this, you know, we're all working with very different clients and they can absolutely do that in a way that works for them and clearly our clients love that too. But how can then I understand that better and understand the differences? So that's been quite a fascinating, I suppose, side part of just the doing of the role.
Speaker 1:Top tips, because I know you love the audible books. You've been reading about leadership, reading about the communication styles Any faves out there that you're reading at the moment?
Speaker 2:or where they've gone must read that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean I kind of flip between sort of like true crime podcasts and series to then like sort of deep psychology books I really liked. So, actually speaking of psychology, I listened to the Psychology of Money, which is actually quite a short listen, which is refreshing because some audio books can be quite long. I know I do a fair few miles in the car but even so. So psychology of money was great and actually it was less about you know how do you make more money. It was more about what's the thinking behind, what drives individuals to you know, start a business, to take the next leap. You know, how have we as individuals evolved? Individuals evolved when we think about the financial crash, what actually happened there, even when we think about the baby boomer era and post-war. What was the thinking around that and how has that evolved over time and what we see as sort of success now versus what we did back then. And that was really fascinating. So I love that book. So that's definitely a recommend. It's well known as well.
Speaker 2:I'm listening to Super Communicators at the moment. That's a great one Still going through that but again, it's talking about lots of the sort of nonverbal cues how you can, I suppose, kind of lean into a conversation, so how you, you know, ask the right questions or really think about the person that's here with me or the team that's here with me, what, what do they want to get out of this session? What's what's on their agenda and not in a um, not in a strategic way, actually genuinely using those opportunities, particularly post-covid, to really start to connect with individuals again so that you get what's motivating them? Um, because I suppose the one thing you can guarantee is it's like it's going to be different to what motivates you. So you've got to kind of find those common paths. But yeah, it's fascinating, there's, you know, lots in that book, lots of different. This could have been your sliding to what motivates you. So you've got to kind of find those common paths, but yeah, it's fascinating, there's, you know, lots in that book, lots of different examples.
Speaker 1:This could have been your sliding doors moment, I think in psychology, couldn't it? Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2:I mean, my degree was very varied and I quite liked that. But I kind of look back now and it's certainly the way that I'm really interested about what makes people tick. Interested about what makes people tick? Um, I could definitely see myself doing something like a I don't know psychology degree or something.
Speaker 1:Well, we've had Penny Traynor, dr Penny Traynor on the podcast and you know she has does DJing as a side hustle, you know I mean. So there's always space for a side hustle. You never know where those skills and that passion is might be your own podcast. It might be your own book series, who knows? We'll watch this space, but um, so your little ones? Now, if my math serves me right, must be what?
Speaker 2:five and a half, no, six, six and nine ish, something like that, because my math is really good. No, I can be a mathematician. That is impressive. So yeah, uh, son is about to turn nine in a couple of weeks time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, my daughter's six, and and I'm not, you know, I think it's always difficult to sort of look at how there's no having it all. It's impossible, you know. But how do you ensure harmony in your life?
Speaker 2:Yes, I mean, I think I'll sort of turn the phrase around. You know, behind this good woman there's a very good, there's a good man as well. You know, supporting my husband's, also quite senior in his profession. It's a crazy juggle at the best of times, but one that still kind of works for us. And I think I do have mentees, you know, that are in similar positions, either starting a family or thinking about that, or looking to take on maybe a more senior role, and they do ask you how do you manage it all? I think you've really got to have that deep, honest conversation with those around you maybe not a partner, but maybe family or whoever's sort of supporting you as well Friends too factor into that about what's going to work and a bit of acceptance, of sort of a trial and error which you know for us, I think, has been….
Speaker 1:Innovation.
Speaker 2:Yeah, for quite a long time, but it helps. I think that we're in similar professions so we have a bit of an insight. I think we also share it with the children. You know we explain that this is what we're doing, or you know, before I came here. You know son's actually poorly at home today, so I said to him he's fine, he's fine, he's watching David Attenborough, perfectly fine.
Speaker 2:But you know, we explain to them kind of how our day looks. You know, actually we share with them that we are traveling around a lot more, but actually for a lot of years and actually a lot of the younger years they've seen us at home a lot, but actually now it's, yeah, you know, before COVID came we travelled and you know, but we'll always be here and this is how our day looks. So it's quite interesting explaining to an eight and six year old what your job is. They still don't quite get it and keep their attention.
Speaker 2:yeah, yeah, other than you write reports and um yeah you're on a train a lot or in a car that that too.
Speaker 2:But, um, yeah, it's, it's, it's quite, it's quite an interesting challenge and you know it's a very, it's a very real challenge. Um, but we just, yeah, we just ride with it. I think you just have to do that. And then sometimes, I think you just have to sometimes accept defeat, when things don't work out, and say, look, I just can't do that, I just need a bit more time or a bit more space.
Speaker 1:And how do you then factor in? Because I know something that you're really, really passionate about is weightlifting. Yes, and those PBs, how are they going? Yeah, they're all right, I've got.
Speaker 2:I've got a bit of a shoulder injury at the moment so that, yeah, it's, I'm, I'm, I'm having a bit of a, an easier time, shall we say, at the gym. It's a, it's a massive thing for me, um, I think around sort of wellness and whatever that sort of outlet is. Um, I've been doing sort of strength-based training now for coming about four years. Four years, four years solid Um, and I've done it in various forms before. I've always liked fitness and a challenge Um, but I really see it as an outlet. Now I think even my family will say, when I've not had a chance to go to the gym, I'm just not quite the same and I need that release.
Speaker 2:And I think, as I come into, you know, um 40s, I sort of come to a stage of life for me.
Speaker 2:It is a really important way for me to get space away from the desk, from the office. Actually, when I've got a lot going in my head, it's a good opportunity for me to think out things, a bit like sort of self-mentoring myself, I guess, really using that time to sort of think through, right, how am I going to approach this opportunity? Or how am I going to approach, you know, this meeting I've got tomorrow, so I use it a lot for that. But then on the other side, I just like the sort of consistency gains, you know, those little wins every time I go, and how to face setbacks. You know, yeah, I've got an injury here and there, but how do I still keep going without kind of stopping and and and you know, actually going, going, going backwards, which is which is fine, but for me, again, it's an important kind of test that I feel like I can bring to my professional life as well how I build that it's a real crossover.
Speaker 1:It fings into, like the mentoring. It's that the feedback for that it's. It's absolutely all tied up, isn't? It in that you know, actually it's easy sometimes not to go because it's cold outside or it hasn't quite all gone right at home or at work. One day. It's easy not to go, but actually, like you say, if you don't go you don't become Tarifa yeah, no, and it is a really big part of me.
Speaker 2:I mean that as well, as I think my job can be very pressured at times. You know the hours can be long, there can be quite a lot of travel. So for me, how I try and build in sort of wellness in terms of what I eat you know the activities that I do it does help me to be at my best. You know you can't, you know you can't, you can't work when you know you're not energized yourself. You can't give when you've got nothing in the tank, basically.
Speaker 2:So I think a lot of that is really important and I don't sort of say it as sort of oh look at me I'm, you know I'm great, I'm eating all this healthy food and stuff. You know it is it's kind of choosing my heart, and you know, and it does take a lot of time choosing my heart and you know, and it does take a lot of time, but I personally really feel the benefits of it. Um, and I said yeah, it kind of gives me that energy to sort of keep, keep going when I need to. I love that. I feel like that's our tote bag moment for the day for your life.
Speaker 1:You're living like choosing your heart. I love that. I love that. So if I thank you so much for being such an amazing member of of our wider community. You're you're always so keen to get involved and support and give back.
Speaker 1:So thank you so much and really look forward to staying connected and and seeing you very soon, thank you. Thank you, subscribe on youtube, apple, amazon, music, spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Leave us a review or follow us on socials. We are power underscore net on insta, tiktok and twitter, or we are power on linkedin, facebook and we are underscore power on youtube.
