She has established herself in the world of big money. In a world where it is difficult for a woman to succeed. She climbed to the top of her career and found out that the way up was continuing. We bring you an inspiring story of Kateřina Mačáková, who understands money and people and has mastered all the challenging roles that life has prepared for her.
You have worked your way up from scratch to your top position in a big bank. Do women find it harder in finance?
Higher positions in the bank were and are the domain of men. It wasn't easy at all, but I always had a huge desire to grow in myself and I always faced challenges. I didn't want to blame myself for not taking the opportunity in the future.
Life has presented you with the greatest life challenges in the family and at work in a short time in a row. How did you do it?
In 2008, a family tragedy struck me. I was alone with two small children in the middle of the completion of a family house. At the same time, I was experiencing a huge career challenge in the bank - a shift from the position of a personal banker to a private banking team. These were changes in all directions at once. I have confirmed several times in my life that one really does not have anything for free, and believe me, it was often really uncompromising knowledge.
In 2018, as a mother of two children, you won a tender at the bank for the position of director of the micro-region. In a big competition mostly male men.
I wanted to pass on what I could. I am very determined, the desire to succeed is what keeps me going, and what helped me win then. At that time, we moved the micro-region commercially within the bank from 32nd to 6th place. The people in my team grew professionally and in terms of salaries and were satisfied.
Why did you leave the bank after all those successes?
My inner desire for further professional growth won me over and pushed me forward. At the bank, I have always been lucky to have enlightened managers who have given me a certain degree of freedom and creativity, but of course with some limits. They themselves were not free in their decisions. At the product level, we were all bound by the bank's offer. From my point of view, changes and movements with people and positions came very often.
I gave my whole professional life to one bank, I worked really hard. But over time, you will realize the importance of work-life balance. You will begin to value your personal time more. I wanted to spend time with the kids and my partner. I appreciate what I learned at the bank, but sometimes it wasn't easy.
I try to be constructive in my approach to different life situations, so one day I wrote a list for staying in the bank and against. I was thinking about how effective my job is and what I have to do as part of a large corporation.
The result was the realization that I didn't want to do spreadsheets, meeting meetings, and things I didn't primarily agree with. That I don't want to have a directive assigned to sell specific products and be forced to constantly shift attention from one task to another.
On the contrary, I made sure that I wanted to expend energy only on things that really matter to me and make sense to me - a happy family, children, partner life, physical health. Work yes, but also fun and relaxation.
The bank gave me a lot, but I also gave a lot to the bank. I wanted to work meaningfully.
After leaving the bank, you went into your own business. Is it easier for a woman outside the corporate wall?
I decided to work for clients and not for the bank. I build relationships with clients based on real values, such as trust and respect for their wishes and goals. I rely on a personal approach, partnership, expertise and long-term experience. Every client is a personality for me and so I approach him as well. Such an approach is disappearing in banks with increasing pressure for profit, mainly in terms of quantity.
My success, growth and future now depend solely on me - that's the biggest difference. I don't have to prove anything to anyone and compete with anyone. I have it in my hands.
I enjoy my absolute independence from financial institutions and the wide range of products from all over the investment world. The advice is governed by the client's request. For me, it is full of self-realization, freedom, time flexibility and huge professional growth.
It is necessary for the counselor and the client to sit down chemically. You are then looking forward to every meeting and working regardless of the changes around you. I am a doctor for a client. I know his family, I comprehensively take care of his family property. We often become friends. Then it can only be a long-term partnership.
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