Share
We recently spoke with ScottMadden employees Kendall Knorr, Senior Associate, and Isabel Severino, Junior Associate, about the firm’s Fresh Start employee resource group (ERG). Fresh Start was created to welcome and support employees at all levels as they begin their careers at ScottMadden by providing a community where they can build relationships, learn, and grow.
Vault: For someone unfamiliar with Fresh Start, how would you describe it?
Isabel: Fresh Start is a community built for new hires here at ScottMadden. It was created as a year-round resource for those in their first two years at the firm in addition to our annual New Hire Orientation and training forums. It’s meant to be a safe space to ask questions, connect with fellow news hires, and learn about our culture and the “ScottMadden way.”
It’s not just for people beginning their careers, either. Fresh Start welcomes new employees at all levels and with all types of prior work experience. The group also includes “allies”, which are employees who have been with ScottMadden for more than two years and who come to Fresh Start events to share their experiences and help newer colleagues navigate the firm.
Vault: Starting a new job can be intimidating. How does Fresh Start make ScottMadden feel smaller and more connected?
Kendall: What I love about Fresh Start is that it automatically gives new hires a network on day one. We reach out to new hires during their first week to introduce the ERG and make our community available to them as a resource. One thing we’ve started this year is our Fresh Start Friday series, which was created as a way for our members to get together more regularly outside of quarterly meetings. During these optional 30-minute meetings, our membership gets the opportunity to network, discuss their weeks, and ask the questions they may hesitate to ask elsewhere. It also allows us to connect with our community across a hybrid workforce and ensure all members, both in-person and remote, feel a sense of belonging and inclusion.
Vault: What does Fresh Start actually do?
Isabel: Beyond Fresh Start Fridays, our ERG does a little bit of everything, with the intent of balancing networking and social events with opportunities to learn more about ScottMadden’s culture and professional development.
Social activities have included attending an Atlanta United soccer game, yoga in the park, and hosting a scavenger hunt at New Hire Orientation to welcome our newest colleagues and summer interns. Quarterly meetings provide opportunities for new hires to gain exposure to topics they may not encounter through their day-to-day project work, like performance management, business development and the proposal process, and advice on managing client travel. We also do new hire spotlights at each meeting to give them a chance to introduce themselves to their new colleagues. We always make time for interactive networking activities at the end of meetings to make sure our members can constantly build new relationships and a broader network at the firm.
Vault: What's something you know now that you wish you had known when you first joined ScottMadden?
Kendall: How quickly you can become comfortable with being uncomfortable and that you don’t have to figure everything out on your own. When I first joined ScottMadden, there was a tremendous amount to learn, not only about consulting, but also about new clients, industries, and subject matter that I didn’t know much about. I quickly learned that what you know when you walk in the door matters less than your willingness to put in the work, learn quickly, and take ownership of your development.
Part of that initiative is knowing how and when to lean on the people around you. There are a lot of people here who remember what it felt like to be new and are more than willing to share their experience and perspective. ScottMadden has an inclusive environment with incredible resources and people at your fingertips, whether that’s your project team, a colleague who has been in your shoes, or groups like Fresh Start. I wish I had known from the beginning how willing people are to help as long as you are willing to ask.
Vault: What would you tell someone considering ScottMadden about being new here?
Isabel: ScottMadden takes care of their people and everybody here wants you to succeed. Be prepared to learn quickly and hit the ground running. Your project work will be the best way to learn the firm, build foundational relationships within your team, develop as a consultant, and get your feet under you. Be present and make an effort to meet people throughout the firm because the people at ScottMadden are our greatest asset. As you become more comfortable and established in your project work, there are plenty of opportunities to expand your involvement into areas that interest you. You don’t have to do everything at once–the opportunities to contribute outside of your project work will always be there.
Share
