This week on Behind the Scenes, we’re chatting with our chief of staff at Florence, Lauren Rofe.
Lauren’s leadership and communication skills help information flow smoothly between shareholders, board members and the Florence team.
Who are you, and what do you do at Florence?
My name’s Lauren, and I’m the chief of staff to the CEO and the leadership team here at Florence. My role is relatively new and involves three main “buckets” of responsibility.
Firstly, I manage company-wide communication and information distribution. So, for example, if the board has a request, it’s my job to translate it into something we can have a valuable conversation about.
Secondly, I provide leadership support. I help set data-driven goals for the company, organise cross-collaboration between teams and arrange off-sites – things like that.
Finally – and this is a bit more obscure – I come up with potential cross-functional projects and try to answer “big questions” about company benefits, retention, customer relationship management and so forth.
What made you want to join Florence?
After five years in a technology, strategy and operations-focused role at my previous company, I felt ready for change. Two key things drew me to Florence: the potential for development and the company's purpose.
I knew that Florence had just come out of a successful Series B funding round, and I wanted to use my background and experience to help the company scale successfully. It’s been wonderful to contribute, even in a small way, to such a worthwhile cause.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
This is an interesting question. I’ve heard – and read – a lot of good advice during my career, so it’s hard to pick just one thing. But my favourite nugget of wisdom is this: learn quickly, let go of your failures and move on.
I used to beat myself up a bit when things didn’t go to plan or as well as they could have done. But it’s much better to say, “Okay, that didn’t go the way I expected, but it’s alright. I’ve learned from it, and I’ll do things differently next time.”
Life is an ongoing learning curve. If something doesn’t work out, you’ve got to let it go and try again.
What’s your favourite thing about working at Florence?
Probably Florence’s potential. We’re at a juncture between being a small company and a big company, and my role gives me a window into every team in the organisation. I can use that insight to understand how we can all work together more effectively, which is excellent.
If we get things right, the next few years could be incredible – and that’s motivating and exciting for me. It’s a good reason to get up in the morning.
What’s the biggest challenge Florence is facing at the moment?
As a growing company, we must keep finding ways to differentiate ourselves in an ever-busier marketplace. We’re moving into new territories – for example, Canada and France – and we need to work out how to present ourselves in every new frontier.
We’ll deliver better results if we embrace change, work collectively and set cross-functional goals.
What’s a fun fact about you that might surprise us?
My grandad did a lot of work on the family tree a few years ago: apparently, I’m related to Pocahontas! She married a man called John Rolfe, and over the generations, one branch of the family became “Rofe”.
What piece of advice would you give to someone thinking about joining Florence?
Get stuck in, learn as much as you can about the mission and commit yourself. If you do these things, you’ll gain some amazing experience, make great friends and be part of a high-growth startup. What could be better than that?
Where do you see Florence in five years?
If we continue with the same drive and dedication, I think we’ll be a global player in the healthcare sector. I hope we’ll be the best health and social care staffing provider in the UK, and that we’ll challenge the rest of the industry to be better. If we can make our competitors up their game and be more transparent and honest, everyone will be better off.
If you’d like to work for Florence, take a look at our open roles.
You might also be interested in:
- A chat with Charles, our CEO
- A chat with Dan Blake, COO
- A chat with Ronan Gallagher, Commercial Director
