Staff in the Spotlight - Matt Reeds

This week's our Staff in the Spotlight focus is on?Matt Reeds. Matt is a licensed Insolvency Practitioner at Bailey Ahmad Business Recovery. We spoke to Matt about what his day to day activities look like, what his favourite thing is about his job and how he likes to start the day with a strong coffee!

BABR- How would you summarise what you do???

M- I am a Licensed Insolvency Practitioner, which I’ve always struggled to explain to my friends and family!? My Mum thinks I’m a debt collector, my friends think I’m paid to eat out every day, whilst some of my former accountancy based co-workers thought the role was the “sexy” side or “the dark arts” of accountancy!

In reality there may be the odd networking breakfast from time to time and I do have a duty to collect book debts on behalf of insolvent companies, but essentially, I consider myself to be a problem solver by way of finding solutions for companies and individuals who find themselves in financial distress.

BABR- What does your daily routine look like???

M- I like to start the day quite early with a few strong cups of coffee and, before the traditional “working day” begins, I spend my quiet time planning the day ahead and catching up on compliance matters/technical updates.???

On a typical day I will usually have at least one consultation with an owner of a distressed business, plus I’ll usually attend a virtual meeting of creditors at least once a week.?

I also manage our Onboarding Team, who deal with all new insolvency instructions up to the date of the client going formally insolvent.? I therefore spend a fair amount of my time working alongside them progressing matters, as well as reviewing and signing all of the necessary documentation they have prepared.???

BABR- Can you tell us a few details about your favourite part of your job??

M- When I meet owners of insolvent businesses they are usually at their lowest point, which is understandable as they have put their heart, soul and finances into their “baby” and naturally have an emotional attachment.? However, more often than not, I am able to alleviate concerns and help find a solution, which can be incredibly rewarding.??

BABR- Describe how you’ve grown professionally since you started working for us.??

M- The Partners have encouraged me to become a leader and given me the support and confidence to progress within the firm.? They recently asked me to re-activate my insolvency licence and I am delighted to be an appointment taking Insolvency Practitioner once again.

BABR- What about our management team has impressed you the most???

M- The Partners dedicate a lot of their time to staff development and I feel like I have benefited from their mentoring since joining the firm last year.???

There is also genuine care about staff wellbeing, given that we all work remotely and the Partners are very active in staying in regular contact with everyone.? Paul Bailey encourages us to go on “Walk and Talks” with him, which is a great way of staying in contact, exercising and getting some fresh air away from your desk.? Furthermore, a virtual catch up Tom Ahmad is always high energy and leaves you feeling positive!??

BABR- What’s the most unique part about working here???

M- This role is my first experience of working entirely remotely and the firm has the correct infrastructure in place to make this work.? But it’s not only that, the people are some of the kindest I’ve worked with and provide a great support network.?????

BABR- Which company values resonate with you the most and why???

M- Bravery – we are encouraged to be ambitious and take chances, obviously without being reckless! There is a “dare to fail” mentality, which I have completely brought into.? I have learnt so much throughout my career by analysing my past failures and learning from them, so it’s great to be in an environment which supports this.??

BABR- What’s the best advice you can give to someone who wants to work for us??

M- Hard work pays off!? We work in an environment which rewards those with the right work ethic and attitude.

Don’t be afraid to speak up!? Being visible at a remote working firm is imperative and speaking up with new ideas and/or problems being experienced is massively encouraged too.

Engage with your peers!? We are a diverse and experienced team and the first thing I did when I joined was arrange a one to one with every member of staff.? This helped me settle in quickly, understand what they did day to day and I got to know them all on a personal level.? I believe that it’s important to surround yourself with people who are smarter than you (and who make you smile) and we have plenty of those here!??