Women in finance, serving the underserved

FOR 30-year-old Shyanna Masters, work involves navigating urgent situations daily to meet the needs of Jamaicans who have emergencies of varying kinds, many of whom have nowhere else to turn for support. As a personal loan credit officer at Access Financial Services, Masters understands that her job isn’t considered an essential service but is quite confident that what she does brings immeasurable value to people’s lives.

“Had a client one time whose mom was in a bad car crash, literally waiting on the money to do life-saving surgery at a private hospital. They wouldn’t touch her until the money was paid. We processed that loan in no time, and she got the money to the hospital. To this day she recommends people to me. Another recent example is a teacher who was studying at one of the universities. She had been barred from doing her exams because she owed tuition and couldn’t get the money. She was down to the wire when she came to us, and we delivered in the nick of time,” shared Masters, who was the company’s top personal loans officer for the 2023-2024 financial year.

Clients of the microfinance entity largely fall within the category of those underserved by the wider financial sector. Masters and the team at Access Financial Services cater to individuals and small business operators who are usually unable to meet the loan requirements of the larger lending institutions, such as commercial banks. Client demand is high and while that creates opportunities for the microlender, it means employees have unique challenges to navigate.

“You will have clients who fall behind, so you have to stay close to them. You can’t just write a loan and move on. Sometimes it gets stressful, but when you do something you love it makes it easier. I like the fact that I get to help people realise their dream of home improvement, or just do day to day things like pay bills and school fees. It’s the impact for me. I’m very passionate about helping people and in this job, we’re always helping people,” said Masters.

It’s the same passion that drives Nordia Dennie, the regional sales manager responsible for the six locations in the parishes of Clarendon, Manchester and St Elizabeth. Originally from Dunkirk in East Kingston, Dennie says she grabs every opportunity to help wherever possible.

“Growing up, outside of my parents, I didn’t see many role models in the community. It’s so important, for young people especially, to have someone to look up to, to see people doing well and have people who can motivate them when things get rough. That’s what I try to do in my space. Once I get the opportunity to inspire someone I do,” Dennie explained.

In addition to her substantive duties at the microfinance company, Dennie, a single mother of two who’s currently pursuing a master’s degree in finance, is also the chairman of the Access Financial Pension Fund, and president of the Parent-Teacher Association at Mayfield Primary and Infant School in Southfield, St Elizabeth.

“You have to be really organised. Otherwise, it won’t work. I compartmentalise and prioritise. Everything is important, whether to me or someone else, so I always try to do my best. I write down everything I need to do on a ‘to-do’ list, ensuring that I meet my work obligations and set aside time for family. My work with the parents at Mayfield means a lot to me as well. Growing up, mom was the principal of a basic school, so I know how important it is for parents to get involved. Schools can’t do it alone, and if you’re invested in your child’s education then you have to play a part in school,” she stressed.

With a demanding client base comprised of mostly farmers, shop owners, hairdressers and barbers, Dennie takes the role of people manager seriously even as she creates strategic opportunities for sales and marketing to achieve stretch targets.

In a company where women outnumber men three to one, including at the management level, senior executives like Catherine Thomas, vice president for Operations and Credit, could easily be described as the engine behind the whole operation. The only woman on the senior management team, Thomas has a massive portfolio covering operations, credit, maintenance, verification as well as customer service and retention.

“When I joined the business in May 2010, Access had recently been listed on the Stock Exchange, so my experience in crafting and implementing systems and processes was valuable, especially as it relates to meeting and complying with regulatory standards. Many of the procedures I have engineered over the years have improved operational efficiency and productivity significantly. I’m proud of the work we’ve been able to do to ensure that this business continues to thrive,” Thomas explained.

A seasoned practitioner in the financial sector, Thomas is leading the planning for the company’s 25th anniversary celebrations in 2025. She takes her leadership role very seriously but says she’s careful to separate work from personal life. With a love for sports, the St Jago High School past student says balance is definitely how she has been able to stay focused on and off the job.

“When I’m here, I’m here 100 per cent. My team knows they can count on me. But once I leave office, it’s time to focus on me. Back in the day I played netball right up to Business House. I’m still an avid sports fan, but I don’t play anymore. I enjoy a good game of cricket and football. I also focus on reading something for my own development. I don’t socialise much, but family is very important to me. Family is why we do what we do after all,” added Thomas.