Firstly, can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your current role?
Hi, I’m Tessa Hebditch. I’m the founder of Chickp., where we’re on a mission to disrupt the corporate world for good by transforming finance in a way that actually puts people first. My career has taken me through large corporates and SMEs, but what really drives me is building healthier, more inclusive environments where all can thrive. I’m also a mum, so I know first-hand how important it is to design work that works for people, not against them.
At Chickp., I lead on developing and delivering our proven process for finance transformation sure we always balance efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability with the wellbeing of the teams we support. I spend a lot of time shaping our client programmes, creating frameworks like our Close in 5 Accelerator and Exit-Ready Finance Lab, and bringing bold new ideas into play so CFOs can hit their targets without burning out their teams. Day-to-day, that means blending strategy, people-first leadership, and a bit of challenger spirit to show that finance transformation doesn’t have to come at the cost of people or planet.
If you could sum up what it’s like being a working mum in tech in one sentence, what would it be?
Being a working mum in tech is like running two start-ups at once with both being unpredictable, relentless, and wildly rewarding.