19 minute read
Developing our Diamonds in the Rough
Diamonds In the Rough Developing our
SHINE YOU DIAMOND
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021 imes are changing. The traditional career trajectory is facing interruption with more and more companies using recruitment methods such as Instagram and LinkedIn as opposed to the (let’s face it) rather archaic method of posting an advertisement and requesting GCSE grades or details of ‘work experience’. This isn’t to say that going to University is ‘redundant’ in this new age of career development. Studying to a certain degree is something to be proud of and grateful for; however, what we want to make clear to our readers is that they shouldn’t feel under-qualified to apply for a career with us purely based on their grades. To ‘qualify’ for a career in Direct Sales, you don’t need a ‘perfect’ CV; in fact we’re looking for those imperfections that make up a human. We’re looking for a bit of personality. We are looking for people who know how to engage with another human being, how to empathise and how to make meaningful connections. T
We are expanding at an extraordinary rate, so we are currently searching for a vast array of new recruits to make up the teams in our offices all over the UK. Could this be you? We wanted to share with you some stories of people in our team who never imagined their career to take this path, but who have made huge progress in the last 6 months or so, to give you an idea of what this sort of career move looks like.
First up, we have Paul Coombe who boldly decided to take the plunge and leave a career in horse racing after 22 years! Paul began working for Rob Cotterell at RedSeven in July of last year and ‘hasn’t looked back since’. The year prior to the move, he had gone over to work with horses in New Zealand, which despite being an amazing experience in terms of the country itself, didn’t fulfil him in terms of the work. His career had started to feel stagnant. Upon returning to the UK, he took some time out to reconsider his options - an admirable thing to do in this modern age where we seem to cultivate an attitude of ‘can’t stop, won’t stop’ when it comes to working - and it was during this time that he met up with James Buckley, head of Mantra Marketing: ‘James is actually my future brother-in-law, so we met up, he introduced me to Rob and I started at RedSeven the very next day! It’s been a whirlwind but I am absolutely loving it and I’m so glad I made the move.’ Paul wanted a change. He had had enough of working in a salaried position where he felt stuck and where his lack of agency had begun to frustrate him. Many people never pluck up the courage to make a big life change such as a brand new career later on in life; however, there is much to be learnt from doing so: ‘I wanted to challenge myself, I wanted to get out of my comfort zone. I wish I’d done it a few years ago’.
- VIK VERMA -
Despite Paul’s career change seeming drastic, there was very little drama involved; the process was relatively simple and Paul found himself at his very first door within literally 24 hours of joining RedSeven! ‘I was nervous! The first door I knocked on, I was absolutely bricking it, thinking ‘what am I meant to say again?’, ‘Who is going to answer?’, ‘what are they going to ask me?’ etc., but as soon as you start the conversation you’re ‘in it’ and you figure it out! The more doors you knock on, the more your confidence develops and the more you start to find your feet. It really is just a case of getting out there and learning as you go’. This might all sound rather nerveinducing and spontaneous, but we can assure you that the coaching strategies we have in place ensure that you are sent out with all the tools necessary to make your first sale. In fact, it’s more than likely that you possess most of these skills already! That’s what a lot of people don’t realise; in this industry, it’s as much about the positive attitude - your willingness to throw yourself in the deep end and your open-mindedness - as it is about your ability to crunch numbers and follow a hardcore business plan. Paul describes how, ‘In terms of coaching, I spent my first day with Rob and then I was sent out into the Field! I then made a concerted effort to position myself near the best people in the office so that I was directly learning from those people. I started making phone calls to people in other offices, widening my network and making an effort to connect with those people above me. It’s one thing learning through coaching, and another by simply getting out there and going for it, watching how it’s done and repeating that method yourself. That’s where the inspiration comes from’. This is where the Entrepreneurial Spirit comes into play. At the end of the day, coaching will only get you so far, and then it’s down to you. As a self-employed Entrepreneur, you are the one in charge of your success, so it’s about being pro-active and using your initiative. We will provide you with a solid foundation to support your career, but then it’s down to you to make the connections, add some personality and find out just what kind of Entrepreneur you want to be.
Let’s talk about transferable skills! Our industry is all about striking up engaging conversations with people. How often do you get to practise that in other parts of your life? Paul describes how ‘there have definitely been skills that I’ve transferred over from my work in the horse racing industry; for example my ability to work with people. Communication skills are a big part of both worlds. I joined the company with some of those skills already in place which was great’. A lot of the work is simply about conducting yourself with confidence, with good manners and positivity. Many of those qualities you will already possess, and then it’s just a case of learning the facts and the figures and getting stuck in. Paul tells how how he’s learned to ‘approach my sales with an answer to why we’re there, not just what we’re doing. The reason behind the work is rooted in good-will and positivity, so I want to share with my customers why we are here for the charities and what each charity's goals are. Of course you’re going to come across some people that are disengaged on the doorstop or don’t have time to chat, but you have to remember that we’re working with a law of averages - I refer to that law of averages like a deck of cards - so I want to find those four aces. You have to go through every single one to find them’. We then helped him to build upon the skills he already had, coaching him in how to improve his public speaking and how to run meetings - ‘That was something that I had never done before and was a challenge’ . Our Owners are extremely good at finding out where your strengths or weaknesses lie, and coaching you accordingly. It’s not simply a ‘one-sizefits-all’ process of development, but rather a subjective one.
COWLEY 2020
025 Since then, Paul has gone from strength to strength. He aims to be hitting AO by the end of February and then go on to open up an office in Oxford by April, working in residential lotteries. If you put the work in, there is a window here for rapid progression. Paul describes how, ‘It’s not taken me very long to get where I’ve got to and that is purely based on the support network and the coaching formulas that they have in place; it allows fresh faces to really fly. The opportunities here are something else. I worked in the racing industry for 20 years, I’ve been here for 6 months and have already been to Sri Lanka, and won a place on the Miami trip later this year, it’s phenomenal. The people that I’ve met have been so supportive and I feel more inspired than I have in a long time’. He’s now got 3 people on his team that have followed his lead and also left the horseracing industry to pursue a career with us, which we think speaks volumes, don't you?
Next up, we have Josh Keeble and Vik Verma who at just 22 and 24 years old are at the other end of the spectrum in terms of career development. Rather than making a career change as such, both Vik and Josh left their studies prematurely in order to invest in Promotions Company, joining Phil Reid over in Bristol. Here, we look at the benefits of joining a company at a young age, and reconsidering the idea that University is
the sole springboard for a career as an Entrepreneur. (Steve Jobs himself dropped out of college after just one Semester!). There’s lots to gain from going against the grain if you believe that’s the best decision for you. We’re not advocating one way or another, rather we are encouraging you to think for yourself and exercise a subjective attitude to your career.
Josh Keeble graduated with a BA in Accounting and Finance last July and was working at Bel Italia to save money for his Masters when his fiancé, Magda, who had recently started working for Promotions Co. herself, suggested he join her team. Josh tells us how he ‘had never worked in Marketing before - I’d never done anything like this - so it’s been a huge overhaul in terms of career!’. Much like Paul, Josh was apprehensive about the transition: ‘having never worked in promotions or sales before, it was quite a spontaneous decision to come in for an interview, but 6 months later I’m still here, so that speaks for itself’.
Whilst he had enjoyed his studies thus far, he couldn’t stop thinking about his work at Promotions Company: ‘I had this schedule where I was going to try and juggle both, but every time I was at Uni I was so distracted by wanting to think about my Sales and Marketing work, I just couldn’t focus! Ans then when I was here at work, I wasn’t thinking about Uni and so I didn’t have the drive to finish my assignments, That’s when I knew that my heart lay in this industry and I needed to leave my Masters ASAP. I didn’t want to continue studying in a half-hearted manner, so I made the huge decision to quit. I put all my efforts into this job and I’ve never looked back’. He is planning on opening an office over in Cardiff with his partner, Magda, and you can read more about that later on in the magazine.
Vik was in a similar position to Josh in that he was supposed to be going back to study Marketing at UWE when he decided that route wasn’t for him. ‘There’s nothing wrong with going to university, but once you’ve got those credentials how are you going to turn that into experience? Sometimes you have to weigh up whether or not continuing your education is going to benefit you anymore than heading straight into the industry’.
So, Vik took on a placement year before being invited to work alongside alongside Phil, an experience that he describes as having ‘transformed (his) life completely’. The coaching and development process was swift. Phil taught him to sell, how to develop a formula in order to train other people, and finally to coach and to manage a team of his own. Following this process, Vik was quickly able to start building a team of his own: ‘I was able to focus on what my team wanted to do - what their reason was for working - and generally how to concept a business successfully. Direct Sales isn’t like other industries; people are working for themselves and there’s a continuous flow of promotions, progression and striving for the next level. We don’t just sit in a role, we are continually moving forward. That’s what our business concept is: envisioning a bigger, brighter and better future and turning that into a reality’. He hadn’t expected his team to grow so rapidly; rather than putting that on hold to go back and complete his Masters, Vik saw an opportunity that he was’t going to let pass him by - ‘I didn’t want to just let that go to return to studying. I knew I had something great’. His team regularly started hitting their targets and Vik went on to win a trip to Sri Lanka as a result of high-rolling the country in Sales. He has also won a trip to New York and has qualified for Miami as well, so he has experienced a pretty significant lifestyle change in just over 6 months and is on track to hit Assistant Ownership this quarter.
His ambitions are to open in Leeds and to establish a similar business culture there: ‘By this I mean inviting people on board that have a strong moral compass, who are respectful, positive, reliable. People who possess a student mentality, an eagerness to learn and a great attitude towards each other and towards the work. It’s not just about the skills that people have already, it’s about how they conduct themselves in this career’. In December, Vik’s team raised about over £130000 for their clients which is fantastic. His focus now is on building depth within the team, making sure he has enough people on board to promote new Leaders, and furthermore that these Leaders know how to sell, how to manage and that each member of the team is financially stable. Their first office will be in Residential and the second in Events. continued --->
‘Not only do we feel as if we’re making a difference, but the work we are doing is for massive clients such as Great Ormond’s St., Alzheimer’s Research; it’s really important work and I personally gain a lot from knowing that I have helped in some way.'
- JOSH KEEBLE -
’Our work is customer facing. Simply put, we are paid to have relatable, human conversations with people, so actually a lot of people who have come from other industries already have the skills needed to be able to do that well. Lots of the (transferable) qualities we’re looking for already exist in the people we are hiring, they just might not realise that.’
- ROB COTTERELL -
029 I caught up with them both to find out more about their journey into our industry:
What drew you to becoming self-employed and committing to a career in this industry?
JOSH: The ability that I can provide myself an abnormal lifestyle. I don't want to settle for less than that. I’m in control of my income, the hours I work, how I work, the future I make for myself. There are so many opportunities for progression and so I call this industry the University of Life. There are so many skills that I’m developing here that can be transferred into other sectors later on in life; the things you learn really are invaluable and incredibly useful across the board, in a variety of different contexts. Whether I’m talking to a customer in the shop, or simply walking down the street, I’ve learned a huge amount of social skills, how to bond with people and relate to a broad demographic of clients; it’s really opened my eyes and I feel part of something important. Especially working in the Charity Sector, I feel as if I’m doing just that little bit more to to make a difference, which is important to me.
VIK: The benefits of being self-employed, even though we may end up working longer hours are that we’re working in a resultsbased business; therefore we are in control of our earnings, our progression and lifestyle. You don’t get that in other companies and that sense of autonomy is invaluable. We are able to make decisions that have an impact on Day 1 of working in this field, so you really feel as if you’re a meaningful part of the team from the very beginning. You’re not just getting lost in a sea of recruits with no sense of purpose or gratification, you are seen. If you want to get a promotion, you are in charge of that. You prove yourself, you make the sales and it will happen.
Were you nervous about making the shift to working for yourself?
JOSH: Yes, I was incredibly nervous! Because I’ve never worked in a commission and results-based industry before, I assumed - like most people! - that commission-based basically meant I would never make any money, because money wasn’t ‘guaranteed’ in the traditional salaried manner. I had
to take a step back and re-evaluate my preconceptions about this industry. I realised that ‘commission-based’ meant actually having the potential to earn a lot more than the average person’s fixed salary, and that contrary to my earlier opinion, that’s actually an incredibly exciting way to work. Once I had made that transition in my head and started to really focus on the fact that I was in charge of my own income, that was when I started to move forwards. Obviously there is risk involved with that - especially as my partner and I both made the move at a similar time - but it’s one hundred percent worth it. To be honest with you, that financial instability was my greatest anxiety, but I’m so pleased that I took the plunge. With that instability comes opportunity for a huge amount of growth and progression and with that risk factor comes drive, adrenalin and passion.
VIK: The biggest thing for me is that this industry offers so much support and networking; whereas at University this wasn’t the case. Sometimes it’s better for the individual to move away from the traditional avenue of recruitment and take matters into their own hands. Being around people who are likeminded and taking an authentic interest in their work is incredibly motivating. You know, I look around at other people sometimes and you can tell they’re not happy with what they do, but it’s not like that here. I genuinely love my job to the extent that it doesn’t even feel like work! That attitude is quite rare these days.
When you first joined, were you given coaching?
JOSH: Yes, upon joining the company, I was coached my Phil himself. It wasn’t a huge amount of coaching time - about half a day! - but it was very useful. Obviously he had just opened a company himself, so he was having to juggle bringing on new recruits and driving the business forwards, and whilst this meant I was little nervous, it allowed me to jump straight in the deep end which I’m grateful for (now!!). On my second day, I was sent straight into the Field which was daunting to say the least, and I actually ended up doing my first ever sign-up with Phil on speakerphone!! I went in to this guy’s home and said hands-up ‘I’m really sorry, it’s only my second ever day,
I need to call my Boss up!’ and completed the pitch with Phil on the phone. After that it was sort of a learn-on-the-job situation, which sounds chaotic, but is actually the only way to learn! You can prepare yourself as much as you like outside of the Field, but you’ve really just got to take the plunge and get out there. That was the biggest adventure for me.
In terms of transferable skills, what qualities do you think you already had (but maybe hadn’t realised!) in order to succeed in this line of work, and what have you had to work on?
JOSH: I was quite an organised person as it was, but I’ve definitely learned how to organise and manage a big team - the logistics of that - and I think I’ve really improved at face-to-face contact with people. By this I mean getting my clients to understand different viewpoints, as well as being able to do that myself. I think that’s really important, that sense of empathy that you have with your clients, being able to see things from their perspective and using that to make a sale. Before working here, my way of thinking was perhaps quite single-minded and straightforward - I wasn't really open to opinion - whereas now I can sit down with someone and appreciate both sides of the conversation which is hugely important for me. I think that’s the mark of a good Entrepreneur, to be subjective in your work, to adapt to each individual as opposed to operating with a ‘one size fits all’ attitude. That’s not how the world works. That’s what makes our company stand out from the crowd.
VIK: I try to be like a big brother to members of his team. I understand how they feel because I’ve been there and I have complete respect for them, and vice-versa.
In conclusion, these stories prove to us the benefits of taking risks. When we think about our career trajectory, it’s often helpful to visualise where we want to be in five, ten years time and this can be beneficial in lots of ways; however, on the flip side of this, curating an idea of who we think we are in terms of our work can be limiting. Perhaps you can’t imagine what you will achieve in the next few years! Take a risk, step outside of your comfort zone and see what it feels like to exceed your expectations.
- VIK VERMA -
