Ex-MP consultants » Andrew (United States)

Andrew (United States)

Graduate of University of Texas at Austin, Currently lives in Hong Kong

The impact of my experience with Media Plus in both my personal and professional life is so pervasive that it’s difficult to quantify.

The sink-or-swim, “anything’s possible” spirit of the company prepared me – a green young graduate fresh from the bubble and security of university life – to live the life which I had always imagined for myself. I learned to see opportunity in everything. I have always been a “glass is half full” kind of guy, but as a result of my experience with Media Plus, I quickly learned that opportunity is everywhere, and in the midst of adversity lies opportunity. Life, just like sales, is a series of peaks and troughs, and that bringing energy, enthusiasm, hard work and a positive attitude each day will ensure that you will always succeed.

Another major attribute which my experience at Media Plus helped me to develop is confidence and poise. I have interacted and “rubbed shoulders” with some of the world’s most intriguing and influential leaders in both the public and private sector. Being able to walk into any situation – personal or professional – armed with a smile and a quiet confidence has earned me more than just relationships or business deals; it has earned me respect, and that respect has enriched my life beyond description.

How I’m applying what I learned working at MP to my current tasks & functions at work, there’s really not a day that goes by in which I’m not applying skills I acquired during my time at Media Plus. Being in sales, your time is money, and I learned with Media Plus that every action and every minute you’re working should be progressing a deal towards its eventual closing. I see many young sales people “spinning their wheels”, in which you can see a lot of activity but no real results. I learned to never confuse activity with results. Secondly, I’ve learned the art of networking and finding out quickly from people what mutual benefits can be gained through a relationship. Another huge skill I learned at MP is listening. Selling is not about talking
features & benefits; it’s about listening, understanding client pain points, and proposing a consultative solution.

Currently, I oversee teams scattered across all of Asia Pacific and the Middle East. My experience at MP taught me a great deal about management and motivating people so to ensure their success. When I’m interviewing potential new hires, I like to find out how they react to adversity. When the going gets tough and people aren’t having success, I see many people start making excuses for their poor performance -
pointing the finger anywhere and everywhere else except at themselves.  Good people are able to evaluate their own performance, make the necessary adjustments and move on. When hiring, I try to stay far away from people who are not willing to accept responsibility for their own actions.

I worked in Russia for nearly 7 months – half the time in Moscow and half the time in St. Petersburg. Selling there was fun, but it was extremely challenging in that it required more of a forceful approach. Many of the executives we met had been installed prior to the fall of communism in the country, so naturally, finding selling points and subsequently closing our prospects often required that we teach a crash course on basic free market principles! Often, emotions were running high and the excitement in the room was thick. More often than not, we were successful and completed two profitable projects in Russia. We were pleased with our hard fought successes.

Fast forward a few months later to our next project in Seoul, South Korea…Russians and Koreans could not have been any more different! We tried to use the same approach in Korea as we did in Russia. Needless to say, that didn’t work so well. We had to re-group and re-evaluate our strategy. After a few frustrating weeks, we adapted, adjusted, and ultimately achieved. It was an incredible learning experience.

Current position:  Vice President at Sales APAC & Middle East TransPerfect, Hong Kong