2024 Women to Watch
This year we showcase over 80 South Australian women to watch throughout the year. From business, to careers, arts to science. This year’s selected women highlight the depth and diversity of the women in our state and also the vast array of opportunities to develop a business or career in South Australia. Find our more about our inaugural Women to Watch initiative here.
A finance professional who takes pride in the delivery of quality advice and high quality work, with experience in excess of 25 years across public practice, in addition to the Retail, Defence and project environment industries. With a high level of integrity and excellent people management skills that compliment technical and commercial acumen, I pride myself on the ability to ensure financial information is conveyed professionally and relevantly for stakeholder decision making, tailored to the audience.
Being willing to question the status quo and seek innovative ways to improve the efficiency of finance to provide relevant financial reports and analysis on the costs of each project and utilisation of available resources has allowed me to contribute to the strategic direction of the organisation through the development and implementation of short and long term financial plans. I possess excellent verbal and written communication and strong initiative; am well organised with excellent time management skills and am able to effectively lead teams and mentor others to achieve required business results and individual career goals .
The ability to work efficiently and effectively across all levels of the business and build beneficial relationships with internal and external stakeholders has been key to my professional success and I am often sought as an external adviser to cast an independent opinion on organisational initiatives. I also provide financial governance and expertise with a number of organisations on a volunteer basis in a Board Member capacity.
// Favourite inspirational quote
If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got. Henry Ford
// Let’s get to know you
After not really applying myself in Year 12, I commenced an Associate Diploma in Accounting at TAFE, where the counselor suggested I apply for university on completion, receiving part credit for the course. I commenced the Degree in Accounting at UniSA (part time at nights) and also started working in public practice in an accounting support role. After a year, I applied for a role with Grant Thornton and finished the degree and also CA course, working in Business Services to strengthen my technical skills and with clients to implement GST.
My passion was being out with clients to help manage their business rather than preparing tax returns in the office and post the CA, I decided to venture into the world of Commerce, applying to work at Tenix (BAE). This was eye-opening – I worked with a manager who was very knowledgeable but also a very hard task-master. His work ethic and standards became the benchmark I measured myself on, and I still today consider how fortunate I was to have had a mentor that helped me transition to a role where the importance of showing the value I could add was key to my future long term success.
From that role I then moved into the retail sector at Radio Rentals, then a role in Construction Projects, before I was approached to consider a role with Spendless Shoes. My love of retail and shoes is well known amongst family and friends, so this role was a perfect fit! I have been with the business about 7.5 years, including through due diligence and change of ownership, I am the CFO and also an Executive Director, where I actively present and participate in board meetings, and help guide the business through the gambit of obstacles of the retail environment. I also volunteer in the community on Boards providing financial advisory.
// What makes you a Woman to Watch for 2024?
I love being in a role that touches every other part of the business. Liaising with other managers and providing information to ensure the best possible outcomes are achieved for the overall business, often acting as a conduit between departments. Information I report is used business-wide, and I am proud to work with a Finance team of high-performers who take pride in their work, who also know they are encouraged and supported to perform their roles without micro-management, who also work collaboratively within the team to ensure we are adding value to the oranisation. I like to think that I lead by example, to ensure that our department are viewed as business partners internally and that we are able to support decision making company wide.
In my spare time I also work with community organisations – Bene Aged Care, Radio Italia Uno, NALHN and other smaller Italian organisations to offer financial perspective and opinion on initiatives under consideration, and also recommend strategies to improve efficiency, profitability, record keeping and sustainability.
// What is your goal or intention for the year ahead? And how are you going to achieve it?
The focus this year is to help a successful rollout within Spendless Shoes of another independent brand and store chain (I can’t reveal specific details just yet – but watch this space!) ensuring the behind the scenes functions are carefully planned and executed and the best possible information is available and relied upon by my colleagues. In addition we are implementing a new ERP and the Finance team is heavily involved in system testing and roll out.
We have a number of working groups for both projects and I am supporting the Finance team to add value across all areas – from tracking project progress and spend, testing to ensure seamless finance functionality for customers, back end accuracy and all of this while still operating “business as usual”.
By checking in with everyone, ensuring mental and physical well being is paramount, I know as a team we can succeed and I am there to support and encourage them. As the Executive Leadership Team at work we are also rolling out a revitalised mission and vision for the future to the entire Spendless team and this will help establish and realign clear goals for everyone.
// What would being a 2024 Woman to Watch mean to you?
It is an honour to be nominated in the first instance! For me it means that hopefully something that I have said or done has inspired someone in their professional or personal life to be better, do better or feel better!
// What would you like to see for the future of South Australian women and girls?
Freedom to aim high and achieve whatever it is that person wants to achieve – personal/professional/sporting/private life . Don’t let anyone hold you back, especially your own fears – you do not want to look back when you are 70 with regrets because you didn’t give something a chance. What is the worst that can happen? Even if it didn’t pan out as planned, you still learnt from the attempt.
Ensure there are avenues or people to access support, knowledge and safety. Even if it just to know who to call for advice. Educate students at school on where they can call if they need someone independent and non-judgemental to talk to.
Get in touch with Tina:
LinkedIn: Tina Taddeo
Website: www.spendless.com.au
Check out all of the incredible Women to Watch for 2024 here as their profiles are uploaded throughout the year.
To become an SA Woman Member, check out our Membership Options here.
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