Here, we catch up with Susan Brady Managing Director of Consumer and Small Business in eir to chat business plans, professional goals and shattering glass ceilings.
As title sponsors of the POW awards, it’s very clear eir as a company champion women in business and on a personal level, you’re a big advocate for this too. Has it always been something you’re passionate about?
I’ve been quite lucky to have female bosses throughout my career, so I have always seen women in leadership roles. I do not take that for granted though. It’s incredibly important for leaders to look for opportunities to champion women and develop them. I’m a strong believer that any organisation or team should reflect the population they’re working in. My management team is composed of a 50/50 gender split and many different backgrounds. Diversity of experiences, lead to diversity of thinking and better decision-making.
Tell us about your role as Managing Director of Consumer and Small Business, what lead you to this?
I’m very much a telecommunications veteran at this stage! I joined Eircell in 1999 since then I’ve had a number of positions across different telecommunications companies, roles in customer care, sales, product management, marketing and more. Now, I lead a 700-person strong team; we create and look after everything that touches consumer and small business. At eir, our purpose is to connect for a better Ireland. We connect people, homes, communities and businesses. We’re delivering the latest technology, the fastest Gigabit fibre broadband and Ireland’s most widespread 5G, to allow our customers to get the most out of life and to make their lives a little bit easier and more seamless!
What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced over the years, getting to where you are now?
It’s the constant juggling act being a busy working mum. On a typical day, I go from school drop-offs, discussing exams with my daughter, straight into a commercial meeting discussing fibre sale numbers. I have to make sure to carve out time for what’s important, and to ensure I’m giving people the support they need, whether that’s at home or at work.
Tell us about your proudest achievements and the most rewarding part of your job.
Without a doubt, my proudest achievement is my team. They are an incredible group of leaders, such a talented, supportive and energetic bunch. We are one team with one set of goals, all working for the same purpose.
It’s so important to see women in these high seniority roles, especially in the tech world, shattering the stigma. of ‘glass ceilings’, would you agree?
Of course, if you can see it, you can be it! I’ve seen first-hand how the dynamic of a group or team changes when a woman is added to it. Women are naturally more empathic and emotionally intelligent, they can articulate clearly what’s needed and consider the impact their decisions will have on people. I think it’s incredibly important to have empathy in the board room to get the best results possible.
Our Power of Women awards are a great way for women in business to reach out to others, network and get advice from fellow entrepreneurs, but what advice would you give to anyone looking to perhaps follow in your footsteps, or to drive their own success in the business world?
You need to have a plan and you need to know what you want. Success means different things to different people so you need to figure out what it is for you. Then you need to decide what you are willing to give to achieve that. You have to set your boundaries that align with your personal values. You need to get organised, reach out to people in work, find mentors, ask for advice and support. People are usually very willing to help so use that!
What’s next for you Susan, what are your hopes for the future?
In eir we’re committed to delivering fibre to the home broadband to 1.9 million premises, that is 84% of homes and businesses across the country. We will be busy upgrading customers to our incredible 5G network, and we will continue to deliver new innovative technologies like GoMo and eir TV so that our customers have the best connectivity, choice and technology available to them. As a mother, I want my daughters to believe they have unlimited potential.
eir is Ireland’s No. 1 Business Broadband Provider with a purpose of connecting for a better Ireland! The company is proud to support 60 thousand small businesses across the country; reliable service, great value and cutting edge technology are vital to success.
For more, visit eir.ie/business/smb/ follow on Instagram @eir.ireland and Twitter @eir