Today’s Notable Young Professional is Kerri-Lynn McAllister, Marketing Director at RateHub.ca, a website dedicated to connecting Canadians to the best mortgage rates and credit card deals. A founding member of the company, Kerri Lynn has seen it grow from three people at a kitchen table to a multi-million-dollar business with over 50 employees. We caught up with her to find out what inspires her and what advice she would share with other young professionals…
WORK
1. Describe what you do in less than 140 characters. Go.
I am a founding team member and Marketing Director at RateHub.ca, a website that compares mortgage rates, credit card deals, savings accounts and insurance.
2. What was the inspiration for your career route?
After graduating university, I moved to Belgium and worked as a consultant in the diamond industry. It sounds glamourous, but it really wasn’t. It’s a very archaic business, and I discovered I needed to be in something more forward-thinking.
When I moved to Toronto in 2010, my classmate from Queen’s School of Business was starting RateHub, and I ended up loving tech and startup life. Now, I could never imagine myself working for a large, bureaucratic company where you cannot see the direct impact of your work.
3. What is the most memorable milestone in your career so far?
When I worked in the diamond industry, I once was locked in a room by one of our diamond manufacturing clients and tasked with writing a letter to the President of Angola, to convince him to sell diamonds to our client. I was 21 years old. That was the craziest “you’re not in Kansas anymore” moment in my career.
My proudest moment, however, was seeing our company RateHub grow from three people at a kitchen table to a multi-million-dollar business with over 50 employees.
4. Where do you see yourself in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years?
I want to stay and see RateHub grow to be a recognizable financial brand for Canadians and an alternative to the bank branch, which I think can be done in the next five years. At the same time, I’m open to new challenges and opportunities and wouldn’t rule out living in a new city, preferably with a strong tech scene.
I want to start a travel blog centered on boutique hotels, restaurants, and shopping, and I would like to write a book one day.
5. Do you have any advice for other young professionals?
I would tell my 20-year-old self to work hard, be resourceful and build a solid network. Once you’ve developed a solid reputation, opportunities will come your way. Lastly, be grateful to get paid for work that you enjoy, but don’t shy away from demanding your worth.
6. Do you support any charities? If so, which one(s) and why is it (or they) important to you?
Women face a unique set of challenges and, generally, a lot of those challenges relate to confidence. I am both a Big Sister and Women in Leadership Mentor, and it is very rewarding helping my Little Sister and Mentee work through some of these issues, which I had too. Women make 77 cents on the dollar that men make. It’s just not right.
7. What is one major challenge that you’ve had to overcome in your career? How did you overcome it?
As anyone in marketing would know, marketers are constantly asking for things – budget, resources, internal support – but as many women do, I struggle with asking for things for myself. The guilt! Books have been written about this guilt. I’ve worked through this with some professional mentorship and guidance, and by putting in a lot of preparation for those hard discussions. I have a slide deck for everything, including myself.
8. What does the word notable mean to you?
It means standing out, hopefully in a positive sense.
PLAY
1. Where is your favourite place to wine/ dine in your city and why?
I recently bought a house in the Leslieville area, and I love my new hood. If I start off the day at Bonjour Brioche for brunch and end it at La Carnita with a margarita in hand, it’s been a good day. I also live around the corner from The Real Jerk, where Drake and Rihanna shot their “Work” video, and I’ll throw that in for the street cred.
2. What’s the most visited website on your Internet browser? The most played song on your phone?
Obviously, I have to say RateHub.ca for the website. I rarely listen to music anymore because I’m so into podcasts. Right now I’m listening to Death, Sex & Money, Here’s The Thing with Alec Baldwin, and my guiltiest of pleasures, Here to Make Friends – A Bachelor Recap Show.
3. Who’s one person you think everyone should be following on social media?
I am a Toast (@toastmeetsworld) fanatic. She’s a King Charles Spaniel puppy mill rescue with no teeth and a stuck out tongue. She has a Karen Walker sunglass campaign, she’s flown all over the world and has her own coffee table book. Talk about a Cinderella story!
(I’m also a proud Cav mom to @kingstonatwork)
4. What’s your favourite country to visit and why? And what’s the next one you plan on travelling to?
I love Italy. The Amalfi Coast is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. I recently got married and my husband and I are going to travel to Thailand and Bali, Indonesia for our honeymoon.
5. What gives you the greatest FOMO?
Travel pics!
6. What’s your guiltiest pleasure?
I not only watch The Bachelor, but I listen to a Bachelor recap podcast, per above.
7. What’s something you wish you didn’t spend so much money on? What’s something you wish you spent more on?
I am a clothes horse and I love fashion. However, I wish I had the willpower to refrain from shopping so I can travel more and save more for retirement.
8. And finally, what does success look like to you? Work, play, or otherwise…
Success to me is doing something impactful and getting recognized, both financially and professionally. It’s also having earned the flexibility to travel and enjoy life.
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