After a few years of designing, estimating and managing my own projects an opportunity arose to take a more sales focused role in the internal account management dept, looking after the demanding DSG account, which at that time required a technical eye, as we were specifying much of the signage that was deployed in store.
After a further year of two building this side of the business, a call came out of the blue to work for a company that a very good friend of mine was involved with - Pinpoint Digital Media - The opportunity was too good to pass up, and I undertook a combination of Sales, studio, and project management - unfortunately the directors parted company, and soon after I was back at Signwaves for my second 'tour of duty'. As soon as I returned I was thrown into building the trade operation, and made good headway opening several new avenues of business before I was transferred back to my old internal account management dept - this time around to lead the team.
Three highly successful years ensued, with me looking after my own accounts with a BDM on the road, and also managing the rest of the account management team, plus taking on the signoff of quote activity - from here I was promoted to the role of Commercial / Project manager, with a team of two estimators to assist on the commercial side of things.
After 3 successful years I left to run the family business upon the death of my father, a tough choice to make, but nonetheless one that had to be made. The change of scene could n ot be more acute, from POP / POS to running a thriving Boatyard / Charter business, the learning curve was vertical, with a lot of new skills being needed to be acquired in a short space of time, including the Project management of a new vessel.
I prevailed from that experience, and during 2011 it became clear that the charter business was becoming untenable due to an American multi national buyout of the two available charter agencies - the decision was made to sell the business rather than risk being left in the cold, which we did.
Since the sale of the business, I have worked freelance for a number of businesses in the retail and digital arenas. If you would like an informal chat about the ways that I might be able to assist your business, please feel free to call me on 07771 778112.