Hiring & Inspiring

In this episode, I'm joined by Kyleen Smith, a real estate agent in New York City. 

We discuss the unique challenges of the New York City real estate market, including strict rental requirements and complex buying processes. Kyleen shares her journey into real estate and how she has transformed her business in the past few months.

She emphasizes the importance of collaboration and networking in generating leads and finding success in the industry. 

In this episode, Kyleen discusses the importance of being curious and getting to know clients on a personal level in the real estate industry.

She emphasizes the need to question everything and be genuinely interested in people's lives. Kyleen also talks about the challenges of the real estate business and the importance of constantly learning and improving.

She shares her experience of moving to New York City and transitioning from a career in acting to real estate. 

In this epsisode expect to learn :

• Why The New York City real estate market is highly competitive and has strict rental requirements, making it challenging for tenants to find housing.
• How buying property in New York City involves navigating co-ops and condos, which have complex processes and requirements.
• How Kyleen transformed her real estate business by increasing her networking efforts and collaborating with other agents.
• The best way to generating leads in real estate
• How being passionate about your job and willing to talk about it in all situations can help generate business and stay top of mind. 
• Why being curious and getting to know clients on a personal level is crucial in the real estate industry.
• How moving to a new city and transitioning to a new career can be challenging but rewarding.

Great to catch up with Kyleen. Love how she has transformed her career over the past few months and grateful she was able to share that with me.

In this episode I'm joined by the founder of Claverdon Consulting Rusell Webb. Russ shares his journey of starting his own business and offering learning and development (L&D) services to companies. 

He has recognised the need for L&D support in the industry, as many companies lack a dedicated L&D employee. Russ helps companies with strategy, leadership development, and coaching for consultants. 

He emphasizes the importance of being a role model as a leader and compares leadership to being a parent. 

Russ reflects on his role as an Operations Director at Evolution Australia and the importance of supporting sales directors by taking on non-sales tasks. 

He discusses his experience working in different countries and cultures, highlighting the need to adapt and have a thirst for knowledge.

Russ emphasizes the value of education and continuous improvement, as well as the satisfaction of helping others succeed. He shares his approach to the future, focusing on working with clients who appreciate personal and professional growth.

Main Takeaways :

• Starting a business requires prioritizing and taking time for personal matters before diving into work.
• Asking for help and building a network of like-minded professionals can provide valuable guidance and support.
• Companies often lack a dedicated learning and development (L&D) employee, creating an opportunity for L&D consultants.
• Leadership development is crucial for future leaders, and it involves gradually improving various skills and being a role model.
• Recognizing whether one truly wants to be a leader is important, as leadership responsibilities come with challenges and responsibilities. Operations Directors play a crucial role in supporting sales directors by taking on non-sales tasks.
• Working in different countries and cultures requires adaptability and a thirst for knowledge.
• Continuous learning and improvement are essential for success in any role.
• Helping others succeed and making a positive impact is a rewarding aspect of any career.
• Focusing on personal and professional growth and working with clients who appreciate it can lead to a fulfilling future.

Really enjoyed the chat with Russell - check him out below :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/russellwebb/

https://claverdonconsulting.com/

In this episode I'm joined by Hacene Baleh. Hacene is a vastly experieced technical director in the civil infrastructure construction space. In this conversation he shares his career journey and insights in the industry. 

He highlights his experience in Dubai and the global nature of the construction industry. Hacene emphasizes the importance of understanding international standards and the need for collaboration and knowledge sharing among professionals. 

He discusses the analytical problem-solving mindset that has guided his career and the constant learning and improvement he strives for. Hacene also emphasizes the significance of building strong relationships with clients and being a solutions provider rather than just a salesperson.

In the epsiode expect to learn :

• What Hacene took away from his recent trip to Dubai where he was offerred opportunities for learning and collaboration.
• The importance of understanding international standards in the construction industry, as different regions have different approaches and practices.
• Having an analytical problem-solving mindset is valuable in any industry, as it allows for adaptability and learning in new environments.
• Building strong relationships with clients and being a solutions provider is essential for long-term success in any business.
• Continuous learning and improvement are key to staying relevant and successful in a rapidly changing industry.

Unfortunantely I lsot the last 15 mins of my chat with Hacene, however from what I published I still took a lot away from the conversation. His commitment to lifelong learning and improvement is very inspiring.

Check out Hacene below :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hacenebaleh/

In this episode I'm joined by Karen Buitrago, a sales professional for Endress and Hauser. 

Karen shares her journey from South America to Australia and her transition from internal sales to external sales engineer. She explains the nature of her role, which involves selling instrumentation and automation products to industries such as mining, oil and gas, chemical, food and beverage, and wastewater. 

Karen emphasizes the importance of technical knowledge and understanding customer requirements in her role. She also discusses the challenges she faced in starting her career in a new country and the importance of setting goals and being disciplined to achieve success.

In this episode expect to learn :

• The key takeaways from transitioning from internal sales to external sales engineer at Endress and Hauser
• How important technical knowledge and understanding customer requirements are in her role.
• The challenges in starting her career in a new country but believes in the importance of setting goals and being disciplined to achieve success.
• Her advice to anyone looking to relocate to a new country
• How she has developed a level of discipline to everything she does.
• How Karen defines success

Really inspiring chat with Karen after effectively starting her career again in a new country. Loads to take away from this conversation with Karen and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Check her out below:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-lorena-buitrago-galindo-32678057/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
00:27 Karen's Role and Journey
04:24 Technical Conversations with Customers
09:06 Successes and Challenges in the Role
15:18 Relocating to Australia
22:42 Developing Discipline
28:54 Defining Success
31:09 Importance of Meditation
33:08 Conclusion

In this episode I'm joined Ara Carrasco. Ara is a sales professional who has recently relocated from Chile to Australia!

We discuss Ara's experience settling into life in Australia and her previous career in sales.  Ara highlights the lifestyle balance, safety, and kindness of the people in Australia as some of the things she enjoys the most. She also reflects on her time at Mattel, where she had three different roles and gained valuable sales experience. Ara emphasizes the importance of building trust with customers and taking action in sales. She also shares her goals for the future, including exploring opportunities in sales, marketing, and sales analysis, as well as starting a volunteering path.

In this epsisode expect to learn: 

• Why building trust with customers is crucial in sales.
• How taking action and not overthinking is important in sales.
• Understanding the big picture and working towards priorities are key skills for success in sales.
• About how Ara meaning of success is about embracing change, facing challenges, and having new things to dream of.

Really enjoyed talking to Ara in this epsiode. As I mentioned she is on the market for a new position here in Australia so if you're interested in adding her to your team please feel free to make contact wiht her:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/arantxacarrascos/

In this conversation Shimark Ghaffour and I discuss various topics related to sales.

Shimark shares his recent job change and promotion, as well as his experience during Ramadan. 

We delve into the future of sales, with Shimark emphasizing the importance of creativity, building a digital presence, and leveraging data. 

Shimark discusses the myth that the customer is always right, highlighting the value of challenging customers in a respectful manner. 

Additionally, we touch on the significance of personal branding for salespeople and the potential resistance from companies in embracing this approach. 

Shimark also shares his belief in the power of energy and gut feeling in sales, the myth of building up to the best feature in a demo, and the advice to be fearless and open to conversations with others.

Expect also to learn:

• How future of sales will require salespeople to be creative, build a strong digital presence, and leverage data.
• Why challenging customers in a respectful manner can be beneficial in sales conversations.
• How personal branding is crucial for salespeople, and building an online presence can help establish trust and connections with potential customers.
•  Why salespeople don't need to be experts to start building their personal brand; and the importance of documenting their journey and sharing their experiences can be valuable content. 
• What Sales tech tools are a the forefront of the sales conversation and how they can be helpful.
• What Shimarks most controversional sales opinion is
• And much more

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Job Change
03:02 First Week on the Job
04:48 Ramadan
07:21 The Future of Sales
11:10 Common Myth about Sales
28:16 Sales Tech and Tools
32:15 Closing the Sale and Email in the Sales Process
34:22 Understanding Human Psychology in Sales
39:05 Controversial Opinion on Social Media and Content
42:01 The Power of Conversation and Networking

In this episode I catch up with Paris Matin, a recruitment veteran with over 13 years of experience in the healthcare industry. 

Paris shares his passion for healthcare recruitment, driven by his desire to ensure the best care for his own grandmother. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the market and building strong networks in order to stand out in a competitive industry.

Paris also discusses the challenges of a candidate-driven market and offers tips for finding hidden gems in the talent pool. He advocates for putting people over profits in recruitment agencies and highlights the significance of mental health in the industry.

 Finally, Paris reflects on his own success and the satisfaction he derives from helping others.

In this episode expect to learn :

• Where Pari's passion for healthcare recruitment comes from
• Why understanding the market and building strong networks are crucial for success in a competitive industry.
• How staying consistent when staying in contact with candidates and networking is key to finding hidden talent.
• Why putting people over profits is essential for creating a positive and supportive work environment.
• How he feels about taking care of mental health and knowing when to take time off is important in the recruitment industry.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
01:07 Passion for Healthcare Recruitment
06:03 Importance of Knowing the Market
08:39 Putting People Over Profits
10:09 Candidate-Driven Market in Healthcare Recruitment
12:41 Finding Hidden Gem Candidates
14:30 Importance of Networking
14:56 Motivation and Drive in Recruitment
21:23 Dealing with Mental Health Challenges
27:34 Advice for Young Recruiters
31:04 Defining Success in Recruitment

Check out Paris below:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paris-matin-0469109a/

Summary

In this episode I catch up with Callum Bird, a UK-based recruiter in the engineering field. We discuss Callum's recent move to a new position and his day-to-day responsibilities. We also touch upon about the current state of the job market in the UK, particularly in the engineering field and the challenges of finding new clients. 

Callum reflects on his recruitment career and the lessons he has learned. He emphasizes the importance of building relationships and enjoying the journey. 

Callum also shares his career goals and the meaning of success to him.

Main Takeaways :

• The job market in the UK, especially in engineering, is a mix of candidate-driven and company-driven opportunities.
• Building relationships and getting to know clients on a personal level is crucial in recruitment.
• Callum has learned the importance of enjoying the journey and building momentum in his career.
• He advocates for doing an apprenticeship as a positive alternative to university.
• Success, to Callum, means making a positive impact on people's lives and enjoying personal fulfillment.

Great to catch up with Callum on this episode. For a young bloke he has a mature head on his shoulders and is en route to doing some great things in the industry. Bright future ahead for this guy!

Check him out below :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/callumbirdrecruiter/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
00:59 Recent Move and New Position
03:36 Business Development and Client Visits
05:58 State of the Job Market in the UK
07:04 Challenges in the New Role
08:11 Business Development Strategies
10:01 Reflection on Recruitment Career
12:16 Professional Development and Growth
13:32 Enjoyment and Rewards of the Job
15:25 Recognizing Personal Strengths
16:14 Areas for Improvement
19:26 Benefits of Apprenticeship
20:49 Career Goals and Ambitions
21:51 Mentors and Learning from Others
23:21 Importance of Efficiency and Momentum
24:24 Defining Success and Personal Growth

In this episode I'm joined by Derek Wardrobe.

Derek is an entrepreneur, podcaster, former sales and country manager and above all a genuine top bloke.

Summary:

In this conversation, Derek discusses his transition from corporate life to starting his own business in the home service industry. 

He shares his motivation for wanting to be his own boss and his experiences with bad customer service in the past. Derek started Total Home Pro, a business that offers external cleaning services, and also launched a podcast called the Total Service Network to document his journey and provide advice to others starting service-based businesses. 

He emphasizes the importance of building relationships, selling, and taking initiative to progress in your career. Becoming a sales manager requires a shift in mindset from being an individual contributor. It's no longer about personal success, but about the success of the team. Trust and support are crucial in this role. Patience and adaptability are key skills for success as a sales manager. 

Success should be measured not just in financial terms, but also in terms of work-life balance and overall well-being.

I love the lessons dropped from Derek in this episode. From taking ownership of your career, from going from I to We, right through to finding balance in you life there are so many pearls of wisdom I personally picked up from him in this conversation.

His humble nature, and down to earth personality make you even more drawn to Derek and I feel very grateful that he took the time to chat with on on this show.

I really admire what he is doing with his new venture and I've no doubt it will be a huge success.

Check him out below :

https://www.linkedin.com/company/totalhome-pro/about/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-wardrobe-24132a8a/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTXnAiv0eKWi04EP3p2IOnw

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Career Change
01:30 Starting Total Home Pro
05:57 Early Days of Total Home Pro
08:01 Knocking on Doors for Sales
10:45 Adjusting to the Solo Game
12:09 Building a Supportive Community
14:09 Reflecting on 12 Years at Greco
16:17 Driving Career Growth
23:41 Transitioning from Individual Contributor to Sales Manager
24:38 Shifting from 'I' to 'We' Mentality
25:08 Supporting and Empowering Team Members
26:04 The Importance of Genuine Care as a Leader
26:53 Being Genuine and Knowing Your Motivating Factors
27:22 Taking a Leap and Pursuing New Opportunities
28:02 Developing Patience and Adaptability
29:36 Learning to Overcome Imposter Syndrome
31:46 Acting As If and Building Confidence
32:27 Don't Wait for the Next Thing, Take Control of Your Destiny
39:13 Building a Business and Creating Total Home Pro
40:23 Defining Success as a Balance of Different Aspects of Life

In today's episode I'm joined by Jesse Wenskus. Jesse has ten years contruction sales experience and works in the remote area of regional central Queensland.

In this epsiode expect to learn:

• What the day to day looks like for a sales professional for Hanson Australia
• The current state of the concrete market in Australia
• Some of Jesse's strengths as a sales person
• What you need to do to be successful in the construcion industry as a saleperson
• How he finds selling and working in a remote area such as regional QLD
• His biggest career lessons to date
• What the future looks like for Jesse and what success means to him

Really enjoyed chatting with Jesse. Loved to hear his perspective of the current state of the constrction market and his perspective on selling in regional QLD.

Jesse is doing some good things out there check him out below :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-wenskus-2b47b421b/