Leveling Up in the Compliance Field with Kristy Grant-Hart - a podcast by Mary Shirley and Lisa Fine

Today on the show, we have Kristy Grant-Hart, one of the most well-known women in the industry. She became a Chief Compliance Officer at an early age, is the published author of several books, a board member of a nonprofit organization, and is now an entrepreneur with her own compliance consultancy company with its own publishing arm. She is undoubtedly a great woman in compliance, and she’s here to share with us her best advice for women who are ready to level up in this field.
What traits do you attribute to your success?We already have good technical skills, but what sets truly successful practitioners apart is the ability to connect with people. It’s an underrated skill, but an absolutely necessary one.
What advice do you have for women hoping to make a name for themselves in compliance?Start writing and speaking, even if you start small. When people see you stand in front of them or read what you have to say, you’re not only serving the profession and the community, but you’re doing so in a way that showcases your skills and abilities.
What interested you in joining a board, and what has your experience been like so far?Kristy shares how much she respected and enjoyed her participation in the SPCE that running for board member was a natural next step. It wasn’t smooth sailing though — Kristy didn’t make it the first year she ran. It takes a lot of persistence, staying involved, and really being in front of leadership to position yourself to be accepted as a board member.
What advice would you have for women who want to become board members?In some cities, there are organizations dedicated to helping people get on board, so that’s a good place to start. Kristy also shares that it’s true: once you get on one board, it’s much easier to get on others. So try to get on the board for any other organization that you like, because it’s a great way to build others’ confidence in your abilities. You want to show that you know what you’re doing when it comes to being a board member
What was the experience like starting your own company?It was a multi-month process for Kristy, which involved a lot of research, networking, and pitching. If you really want to go into consulting or become an entrepreneur, it really is about meeting other entrepreneurs and honing your business skills, because while you probably already have technical skills, business skills are different.
What has been your most significant learning moment in your compliance career?It’s a huge shift to go from big law, where people hang on to your every word, to in-house work, where people stop listening and don’t reply to emails. It became necessary for Kristy to figure out how to make herself more important and valuable to their business in a real way.
What advice would you have for someone in the market for an in-house job?There needs to be a showing of commitment: get skilled in the other areas you need, get your qualifications and certifications, take classes, and network. You make a much stronger impression that you genuinely want this career, and that you’re in it for the long haul.
Last wordsOnly three Fortune 500 Companies have an equal number of male and female board members. If Kristy inspired you today, get up and do something about it. The power is with us to turn these statistics around. Put your hand up, raise your voice, and be heard.
Resources for KristyLinkedInWebsiteSpark Compliance Consulting

Further episodes of Great Women in Compliance

Further podcasts by Mary Shirley and Lisa Fine

Website of Mary Shirley and Lisa Fine