Susan Cully is Managing Director of Marlin Apartments, London’s leading serviced apartment provider. Susan joined Marlin Group in 2001 as General Manager, working initially within the financial arm of the business. As part of this role she oversaw the build and completion of what was to become Marlin Apartments’ first property at Queen Street. Alongside Marlin Apartments’ CEO, Susan established the company throughout the official launch in London in 2003.
Since then, Susan has played a pivotal and consistent role, growing the company to six sites and now with over 700 apartments and a staff of more than 100, while also successfully earning an MBA at Imperial College London.
She was made Managing Director of Marlin Apartments at the age of 27, and also holds several other directorships. In this position, Susan is now leading the continued growth and expansion of the company as it looks forward to opening its seventh London location, in Westminster.
Education vs. Experience?
I believe that key learnings come from both theory and practice. Education, collaboration and theory are invaluable but so is practice. It is in the “doing” that theories come to life with full effect. Today’s society seeks education but I would encourage a balance of learning from both theory and practice. As Aristotle famously quoted “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it”.
I owe a lot to the work ethic of my parents and the upbringing I was afforded. I was raised in a home where I was taught the value of money from a young age and was encouraged to ‘earn my keep’. I did have part-time jobs while growing up, starting on the serving counter of my mother’s bakery shop from mid-teens through to waitressing roles (where I discovered I had no talent whatsoever for waitressing!) and other shop jobs.
Later on through a mutual acquaintance I came to work for the CEO of Marlin. I started initially in the company’s brokerage house in Dublin and soon after moved to London to oversee the completion of our first development and the formation of Marlin Apartments. I have always sought to know how everything works within the company and got involved in every project that came our way.
Best Piece of Advice
The best piece of advice I ever received when it came to my career would definitely be to work smart. Know your goals, put a plan in place on how you intend to achieve them, build a strong network around you of people you trust and who will challenge you.
My Inner Circle of Influencers
In my journey I seek inspiration from many people, male and female, famous or otherwise. However, it is more often the people around me who can inspire, offer clarity, provide motivation and strength, many of the qualities associated with a role model. When you are surrounded by colleagues and friends who offer these traits, why is there a need to look beyond them? I think the most important influencers and inspiring people are often those around us who endeavour to help us on our journey by encouraging us to grow and develop, push boundaries and challenge our thinking.
I have always sought advice and guidance from those around me. I have never had just one individual who has mentored me but a range of professionals who have been kind enough to help and guide me on decisions through the years. I have an open-door policy and I encourage those in my team and my network to speak with me on any matter pressing to them.
Leadership Style
To me, management and leadership go hand-in-hand with mentoring. Knowing your colleagues well, knowing their goals and inspirations, guiding and assisting them in achieving their ambitions should be the duty of any manager and has always held precedence with me.
Motivations
There are many things that motivate me on a daily basis. A successful business, feeling like we’re achieving something, striving to be the best at what we do, seeing others motivated and happy, empowering my colleagues, being challenged, solving problems, to name but a few!
Biggest Achievement
My biggest professional achievement was to become MD at such a young age whilst sitting on the board of several companies and completing my MBA.
The serviced apartment industry is a young dynamic industry with many bright people and a lot of ambition. It is a pleasure working with so many likeminded people.
What Would I Say to My 20-Something Self?
Today, if I could meet my 20-something self I would say to her: Don’t doubt yourself, you can do it. Moreover, when I give tips to other aspiring career women in their early 20s today, I tell them to continue to push boundaries, both personal and professional and believe in themselves. We are often our own biggest critic so it’s important to find a good support network and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
What are the Most Common Challenge Faced by Women in Business Today?
Perceptions. Perceptions are changing, boundaries are moving, however while we’ve made progress, many of the age old issues still exist such as the gender pay gap, pregnancy and maternity discrimination, the glass ceiling, fewer women on boards and so on. This is coupled with the fact that many professional women on the way up need to prove themselves more proactively, many of us still attempt to be all things to all people – have a successful career, be an amazing spouse and the perfect mother, run a family home and fit in other pursuits and interests.
How Does The Future Look For Women in Business?
I do feel that there are more women managing to secure the senior positions in business and on boards but there is still a male dominance in the boardroom. I feel this is changing albeit slowly. Fortunately I have never come across gender inequality in my career; in my organisation, you are hired and promoted on your ability and not your gender.
I know I am in a minority as a female MD, but that doesn’t bother me. I drive Marlin forwards to the best of my ability and I lead and mentor my team to be the best they can be while achieving their ambitions and goals.
If I am to think outside of our industry, I have huge admiration for Hillary Clinton – a tough woman who made tough choices and is now a political force to be reckoned with. I also admire Karren Brady who has forged a very successful career in a male dominated environment.
…And What About Marlin?
So what’s new for Marlin? Since overseeing the acquisition of our London city centre property, we have gone on to grow our workforce, and our properties with over 700 serviced apartments in central London, with a new 218 Aparthotel opening at Westminster Bridge next year.
To learn more about Marlin Apartments, the UK’s Industry Leader in Serviced Apartments, head to www.marlinapartments.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter
Read some of Susan’s column in Hotel Industry Magazine:
http://www.hotel-industry.co.uk/2014/11/how-londons-economic-growth-is-driving-the-relocation-sector/
http://www.hotel-industry.co.uk/2014/12/whats-in-a-name-understanding-the-confusion-about-serviced-apartments/
The post Power Pack: Marlin UK Managing Director Susan Cully appeared first on The Business Woman Media.