The Athennian team is run by diverse and dynamic learners, creatives, and builders from all over the globe. To share our stories with you, we've created this series: Faces of Athennian.
Meet Charlé
It all started as a little girl, in the middle of Southern Africa, with a dream to one day, be like her dad. I always admired the way he had started two companies and built them from the ground up. I watched him leave early in the mornings (before sunrise) in a little van, to drive to the most remote parts of Botswana, and sell pots and pans for days on end!
Fast forward a couple of years and he had built two incredible companies that employed many people. He had created his own space in this world, and loved every minute of what he did. He also loved the people he worked with, and it was inspirational seeing him take care of people and families whilst loving his career.
That’s what I wanted. I wanted to love what I did and I wanted to be darn good at it.
Charlé's Career and Inspirations
So, I decided to try and figure out what that would mean. I dabbled into Interior Design and lived on a French Island in the Indian Ocean for a few years. Being the person I am, I got bored, and decided I’d study Corporate Law instead. (I’m a bit radical at times haha!)
I moved back to Durban, South Africa and started on this new path. My dad had always said I had a business mind. Fast forward 8 years and my husband and I now live in Calgary, Alberta.
I’ve worked in E-Commerce helping online businesses, and I’ve worked in Payroll, helping businesses pay their people, and now I work in the legal tech space, helping Law Firms adopt Athennian to better grow, scale and manage their firms!
My biggest accomplishment would be how well I’ve learned to adapt to change. Change is hard, change is scary, but if you embrace the process - it will take you to wonderful places! Nothing in life is permanent, and the sooner you learn that, the more enjoyment you’ll find in your normal everyday life.
The people that have influenced me the most are endless. Every leader I have worked with, every team member I’ve collaborated with, and every client I have worked for has taught me something. You should always be learning from everyone, and you should always take their feedback (whether good or bad), because someone will always be better than you at something and in that, there’s endless opportunity for growth.
My favourite hobby is anything outdoors! I love hiking, kayaking, biking, backpacking, and camping. It clears my head and grounds me. I need that sometimes.
My favourite dish is a vegan curry! It’s a mixture of red lentils, rich spices, coconut milk and then has a really nice “pop” of almond butter to surprise you. Although, I am Afrikaans and there’s nothing quite like a sugar cinnamon “pannekoek” on a rainy day. It was tradition in our house to make pancakes whenever it rained.
One of the most magical moments in my life was when I went skydiving for the first time. Being in the air, thousands of feet up, with absolute nothing to hold onto - there’s something incredibly freeing about that. It makes you feel small, and you realize that all those thoughts buzzing in your head really don’t matter that much. All that matters is this moment right here, right now.
Charlé & Athennian
Athennian invests in your potential to excel, and they give you the freedom to do whatever you need to, to make that happen.
What I look most forward to at work is the opportunity I have to make an impact. Whether it be with clients and their processes, team members, or Athennian at large. I am always given the freedom to do my best and think out of the box. I am not limited by “what ifs” and “could haves.” Athennian invests in your potential to excel, and they give you the freedom to do whatever you need to, to make that happen.
I am motivated by the energy that the teams and leaders have at Athennian. It’s collaborative, it’s engaging and it’s contagious! We celebrate each other's wins, and we help when someone on the team has failed.
Athennian, to me, is irreplaceable. It’s home. It’s provided me with everything I need to love what I do.
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