Getting to know Finance

– This post was written by Yasmin Gleghorn –

Financing is key to a scale-up’s success, and no one is more aware of the ups and downs than Tiqets’ own Finance team. We spoke to the Head of Finance, Esther Smids, to find out more out the trials and tribulations of working on a global scale, the need for extreme attention to detail and how, at the end of the day, Finance just wants to have a little fun.

Let’s start with the basics – how would you describe your role at Tiqets, in complete layman’s terms?

In simple terms, my role is mainly to look after all the cash that goes in and out of the company. That means making sure all the correct procedures are followed – something you need to be extra careful within Finance due to all the legal regulations we work with on a daily basis. There’s also dealing with VAT issues in all the countries we operate in and creating all the reports for internal and external stakeholders.

Tell me more about your team. Who does what?

The team is divided into two sections: financial control and business control. The financial control part looks after the administration, so booking invoices, customer refunds, banking, deposits and monthly closing of the accounts. Business control supports the business with all different kind of analysis on monthly performance, payment method usage, currencies, budgets, and forecasts.

As the company grows bigger, is scalability a concern? Is that just a case of expanding the team?

In the case of start-ups and scale-ups, financial teams don’t evolve as quickly as the rest of the company. That means we always have to be on the ball! We’ll be focusing on core processing automation over the next period so we can handle the growth more effectively over the coming months.

What is Tiqets doing to retain its start-up culture?

Start-ups go through such rapid growth, so there’s a constant need to adapt plans on the go. However, the main focus at Tiqets will always be to work hard and have fun – I hope we never lose that.

What’s the biggest change you’ve seen at Tiqets since you started/since its inception?

The company has come on in leaps and bounds, and the number of employees has grown very quickly. This has led to a lot of changes in people’s roles and ways of working: it feels like the company as a whole is maturing.

It’s hard to keep up a sense of workplace camaraderie with such rapid growth. How do you tackle team bonding in that situation?

When I joined Tiqets, the Finance team was already very close. I think that camaraderie has only grown stronger. We work hard, but we always make time to have fun and listen to each other. Making time for the team makes it a great place to work and leads to more active involvement in the company.

What’s the biggest challenge you face in 2019?

Keeping up with growth abroad and new business models. New countries mean new rules and regulations that we need to incorporate into our processes. Most of this work is still manual and can be very time-consuming, but we’re ready to take on the challenge!

What qualities does someone need to fit in at Tiqets?

They need to be hard workers and love change. Situations can change at the drop of a hat.

What makes Tiqets different?

The diversity of people and the common goal to make this company a success year after year.

How would you describe people who work at Tiqets?

The people at Tiqets are some of the most dedicated and fun colleagues I’ve ever had. It’s very unique to see a group of people all working towards the same goals and having so much fun together at the same time. It’s a very cool environment to work in!

What are the perks of working at Tiqets?

Having such a varied job with many (international) challenges, so every day is different and full of surprises. You’ll never have a dull moment.

Want to join our growing team?

Head over to the Jobs page or read the blog to learn more about what it’s like to be a Tiqeteer!