“When you're in-house, you're living the mission every day,” says Abigail Whittaker. As Chief of Staff at Funding Circle, that mission is clear: ensuring that policy decisions in Westminster translate into real access to finance for small businesses across the UK. Working at a fintech lender focused on small business finance means seeing policy play out in real time. “I get to see the direct link between a policy change in Westminster and a small business owner in the regions getting the access to finance they need to run or grow their business,” she says. That connection, she adds, is what makes in-house public affairs particularly compelling. “I really value the sense of long-term ownership.” That immediacy also shapes how she approaches the job. In a fast-moving environment where both technology and policy evolve quickly, timing matters. One piece of advice she returns to often is simple: “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.” In practice, she says, “waiting for perfectio...