Sarah Shapcott

Share your journey to Bain.

After university, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to be out in the real world rather than stuck with books. I decided to join the Teach First program and taught math in North London.

Do you feel like you can do impactful work at Bain? What opportunities excite you?

As a former math teacher, I’m always keen on being involved in social impact work. Since joining Bain, I’ve been able to support several education charities tackling exciting and significant challenges.

“Build Your Own Bain” means creating a thriving career on your own terms. How have you been able to “Build Your Own Bain?”

As an experienced hire at Bain, I already had a few areas I wanted to focus on. It’s been great to work across different sectors that interest me while still enjoying the variety that consulting offers.

How did you end up in consulting?

I’ve always wanted to work in a fast-paced environment with variety, so consulting seemed like the perfect fit. Consulting has opened my eyes to many new experiences.

How do you balance your life with work as a consultant?

I live with my fiancé in South London. We both love to balance work with lots of travel. I take full advantage of time off at Bain. We’ve recently explored many places on our bucket list, including Patagonia and Japan!

How did your previous experience help you excel at Bain?

I brought my previous skill set to the firm and have built on my consulting experience using Bain's approach and expertise. However, nothing quite matches the lessons I learned from teaching—no board meeting is ever as intimidating as a classroom full of teenagers.