Pros
I’ve taken 3 years to write this review, and I have digested my experience, seen my life change and I can look back and see accurately what shaped where I am now.
- Sales obvious one, but not only was I given coaching and help. I was given freedom, to become anyone I wanted. A watch connoisseur, a wine enthusiast, or just someone who was excited to talk to people. This freedom gave me a way to find my style, how to mind meld with people and connect in a very different way.
- Negotiation, it’s harder when it’s for deals that you are paid commission on. But now I don’t work for commission I negotiate like a master using things I developed at Ink.
- Hard work, I worked hard, no doubt and now my schedule isn’t as hectic I can appreciate it. I put my hours in and I was handsomely paid (admittedly I didn’t think so at the time ha I wanted more, don’t we all always?). The work ethic I learnt at Ink drives me to be better because I WANT TO BE not because I’m being asked to.
- Friendship, while there I had great people around me. Unfortunately I don’t see or speak to many from the company any more but social circles evolve over time. That’s ok, I’m sure I’ll see some of them again and have a laugh with a beer.
- Travel, I traveled to some of the best and most beautiful places.
- I experienced financial freedom for the first time in my life. Within less than 1.5/2 years.
- Management, this is a pro/con, they care but sometimes they overuse the tough love. I had many many chances and I thank them for that. Sometimes though for me, a hug would have done better than a scold. They do care deep down, and I genuinely thank Gerry, Simon, Mark and Michael for everything. For without those guys I wouldn’t be who I am today.
- Discovered a love of helping people, loved nothing more than smashing goals and seeing my people succeed. I could have been a better leader but I just did what I knew, I worked hard and demanded the same drive from my team.
- There’s many more wonderful things but I’ll end with this, I was given the gift of moving from London to the US, this was a momentous and extremely important turning point in my life.
Long story short, great company, I look back fondly now though I was admittedly a little salty when I left.
Thank you MD for my letter of recommendation, next round of golf/beers is on me.
Cons
- Allow more weakness in people, then you can demand more strength when it counts.
- Recognize that some folks put on a brave face but inwards they are struggling.
- Pay lower salaries and higher commission, weed out the weak :)
- The biggest con, is that when you are there you feel like you are family, when you leave it feels like you have died and disappeared from earth.
