LaunchMe Spotlight: Saoirse Culkeen + Janet Cunningham
As Saoirse Culkeen prepared to complete her MSc in Finance at Trinity College Dublin and begin her career in corporate banking, she knew she wanted guidance from someone who had already navigated the industry she hoped to enter.
That search led her to LaunchMe and to her mentor, Janet Cunningham.
Janet, Founder and Managing Director of Atlas Advisory, has spent nearly two decades building a career across banking, investment funds, governance, and large scale transformation. For her, mentoring through 100 Women in Finance is an extension of her commitment to developing future talent and helping others navigate the industry with confidence.
“I was drawn to mentor in LaunchMe because programmes like this can make a real difference at an important stage in someone’s career,” Janet shared. “Access to practical guidance, honest insight and encouragement can accelerate growth in ways that formal training alone often cannot.”
For Saoirse, the mentorship provided exactly that.
“I joined LaunchMe because I wanted access to a mentor with lived experience in the finance industry, someone who could offer more than textbook advice,” she explained.
Through regular conversations with Janet, Saoirse gained both practical career insight and a stronger sense of confidence in herself and her future.
“She has shaped how I think about my career,” Saoirse said. “She’s made me feel far more confident and focused about the road ahead.”
One of the most impactful aspects of the program for Saoirse was the opportunity to engage directly with successful women in finance through 100 Women in Finance events. Attending industry conversations and hearing senior leaders openly discuss their career journeys helped make the industry feel more accessible and achievable.
“Hearing their journeys firsthand made a career in banking feel achievable,” Saoirse shared.
Networking and relationship building became a major focus throughout the mentorship. With Janet’s guidance, Saoirse learned how to approach networking with greater intention, confidence, and authenticity.
“Networking was always something I wanted to be more intentional about,” Saoirse explained. “Janet has really helped me elevate how I make connections, how I approach conversations, and how I present myself.”
For Janet, watching mentees develop confidence and begin recognizing their own value has been one of the most rewarding parts of participating in LaunchMe.
“Seeing mentees grow in confidence, ask bigger questions, and begin to recognise the value they bring has been incredibly rewarding,” Janet said.
Their mentorship also became a reminder that career growth is rarely linear and that adaptability, resilience, and self belief are just as important as technical expertise.
“One of the key things I’ve learned from Saoirse is the importance of staying adaptable and continuously building your skill set in a highly competitive market,” Janet reflected.
For Saoirse, one lesson stood above the rest:
“Back yourself.”
Through LaunchMe, mentorship became more than career advice. It became a source of confidence, connection, and clarity at a pivotal moment in her professional journey.