The Case for Self-Improvement
When I started my first business in 2006, I didn’t have any skills in the functional areas of business. I had spent the years between 1999–2005, first studying law (a 2-year diploma), then pursuing a degree in philosophy. I had to stop studying for the latter in the first semester of my final year.
I didn’t graduate.
Learning How To Sell and Run a Business
I needed to know how to sell to become a successful entrepreneur. Fortunately, I love reading, so I started buying and reading lots of books on sales. I picked up customer service and accounting knowledge as well because these were also important skills to have as an entrepreneur.
In 2009, I got my first professional job — a sales roles — and my selling skills were refined; Standard Chartered Bank is arguably one of the best banks when it comes to training.
A few years before, a friend got into FATE Foundation’s Aspiring Entrepreneurs Programme (AEP), and told me great things about it. I finally applied in 2012 through a scholarship, and got accepted.
At FATE, I wrote my first business plan and sharpened my business management knowledge. After that first plan, I began writing business plans for people.
Falling in Love With Marketing
Another job opportunity came in 2013 — I had left StanChart in 2010 to focus fully on my business — and I spent almost 2 years leading a sales team.
But my desire to switch to marketing had started growing and I commenced studying to become a chartered marketer.
By 2015, I was desperate for a marketing role, and that opportunity came in June.
My role at Madison & Park was as a strategic marketing manager. I learnt so much from it — how to develop awesome pitch decks, how to develop and implement strategy, etc. I also started getting paid to write proposals for people.
Improving My Marketing Skills
After I left M&P, I took up a communications coordinator role at House of Freedom. I always say it was my least challenging role and I didn’t grow while I was there. But managing social media accounts, working to create graphics, editing the website, developing scripts, developing content for social media and newsletters added to my pool of knowledge.
This year, along with my business partner, Deyo, I managed a marketing campaign for a tech product and that experience improved my Adwords knowledge and understanding of Google Analytics.
I have started studying to become Adwords Certified (one module to go!).
All That Learning and Self-Improvement Comes Together
It almost seems like I have picked up random skills, but the thought hit me a few days ago that everything I have learnt in the last 10 years has now come into play.
My current role as a product manager utilises every skill I have picked up and everything I learnt in all those roles. I’m responsible for strategy, sales, promotions, product development, email marketing, customer service, social media, relationship management and profitability of the products.
Keep Improving Yourself, Keep Growing
It’s all about self-improvement — developing yourself, making sure you constantly improve the skills you need and picking up new skills to get you to where you want to be.
I don’t feel like I’m anywhere near the best that I can be. But I’m going to keep on learning, trying and working hard to become that person.
