Neil Hay’s Post

Today marks my third year anniversary with Turn 14 Distribution, Inc.! Reflecting on the past three years, It's hard to believe how fast the time has gone; most days I walk in feeling like I just started yesterday. When I first came here, I thought I knew a lot more about - well, everything - than I actually did. In looking back at all the things I've learned and accomplished, I can only attribute these successes to the support from all of the lovely people here (not just in the HR department) and the culture that Turn 14 Distribution has built. Usually in interviews, I describe this as a 'learning' environment; a culture defined not by shaming mistakes, but by using them as opportunities to improve and reach higher. It's also an environment that takes the time to do and build things the right way, not frivolously jumping into things to say we do them. Ultimately though, it's the entrepreneurial spirit that makes this such a special place to be. From entry-level to senior leadership, it's a culture of innovators looking to build the best experience/product/process that they can so every team and business partner can benefit. Here's looking forward to the next few years!

As we near our 10th Anniversary celebrations at CM Advocates LLP, these are some of the most important lessons that I have come to embrace: 1. Don't try to be better; be different. In other words; always think differently; and often inverse. 2. You should be ruthless when it come to execution. Concerning this point, I wish to borrow these two quotes: (a) “Ideas are easy. Execution is everything.” – John Doerr (b) “Strategy without execution is hallucination.” – Thomas Edison 3. Always be bold and courageous. Never give room to fear or self doubt. In the words of Peter Drucker, “The best way to predict the future is to create it." 4. Resilience and agility are critical and indispensable skills or attributes in life and in business; therefore, cultivate them. By these I mean that we should always be ready to respond quickly to any disruptions or change. On this point, here is my favourite quote from the father of the rainbow nation, Nelson Mandela: "Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again." And this too: "When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this: you haven't."~ Thomas A. Edison

"Making bold decisions is usually scary. In business, you have to make tough decisions, and stick your neck out.  If it’s not feeling like this, then you're probably not challenging yourself or aiming high enough." - Belinda Everingham To mark our 10th anniversary last month, our founder and CEO, Belinda, sat down to reflect on the journey and share 10 of the biggest lessons she's learnt along the way. Read more of her thoughts on our journal: https://lnkd.in/gqgUfqmW

🔗 End of an Era at Electrolux 🌅 September marks the culmination of an incredible 7-year journey at Electrolux Group. In this time, I've been privileged to work under 7 different bosses. Although only a handful could be termed as 'true leaders', I've learned invaluable lessons from nearly all of them. 🔍 Leading the German Patent department, and at times, even the entire patent organization, was an honor. But what truly stands out is the empowerment I received. I began as a simple patent attorney and was allowed to evolve into someone who seamlessly merged IP-domain knowledge with business, management, finance, innovation and leadership. To the outstanding individuals I had the honor of leading, my talented peers, and everyone who crossed paths with me – thank you. I hope that just as I learned from you, there were moments and lessons you took away from our time together. Your dedication and camaraderie made the journey worth every second. 🔜 The horizon of October 1st beckons with a fresh chapter. While I've already laid the groundwork for what's next, I'll keep the suspense a bit longer. All I'll say now is: In the words of The Terminator, "I'll be back!". Every adventure, however, has its sunset. Today, as I step onto a new path, I carry forward countless memories, experiences, and learnings. The most immediate next chapter? 🏞 An Alpen-Cross challenge beginning tomorrow. But this time, my companions are my precious son and our spirited Cocker Spaniel. Here's to new beginnings and uncharted territories

(Post 1 of 4) During my Country visit to Poland, I had the pleasure of holding a Townhall with our Central and Eastern Europe Market Supply team and the Bielsko Distribution Centre. In the meeting, I was asked a great question that made me stop and think. It was something like: ‘what did it take for you to have a successful career across the various Companies that you have worked for and what can we learn from this?’ I thought I would share my answer, drawn from a career at P&G, Unilever, Amazon, Avon, and Coty, across four posts. I hope these reflections offer some help as you think about your own careers, and perhaps they will prompt further searching questions in future meetings. It has always been clear to me that you need to deliver results to be successful. Get stuff done, make a difference, and add value. This was clear from my first days at P&G, where I would update my quarterly action plan regularly and take on new challenges and responsibilities whenever they were offered. I had green scorecards almost all the time but wasn’t getting the promotions that I expected. It showed just how much I had to learn. As our business partners and leaders increasingly ask us to do more and faster, we need people who relish stepping up to the challenge of delivering these results. While the business environment is not going to get easier or simpler, thanks to advances in areas such as machine learning and generative AI, there are huge opportunities for us all to make a difference and rethink how we can deliver better results. More on that in the next post, but in my view, results are only part of the story.   My most significant promotion at P&G came from pure chance. I was on a flight to Cincinnati and met my boss’s boss in the airport. He asked me if I was busy and I told him I wasn’t, thinking nothing of it. Less than 30 minutes after landing, my boss called to let me know that I’d been selected to lead the multi-functional Wella integration into P&G Europe. Such a defining role in my career at P&G came from that chance encounter at the airport. Conversely, as a leadership team at Coty, we are trying to reduce the element of luck required to progress, by bringing teams closer and spending more time getting to know each other. Everyone knows that results matter for every company; so, I encourage you to make sure that decision-makers know what you are delivering. Although every leadership team I have worked in shares this same ambition of creating a clear pathway for talent, luck still inevitably plays a part – don’t be afraid of making your own luck! #coty #leadership #leadershipinsights #teamcoty

For those who prefer reflection over goal setting during the new year transition, here are a few journaling prompts to help you along… Hannah’s New Year’s Reflections: • Can I identify any themes over the past year? Any confirming patterns, circular challenges, or high level observations? • What do I want to leave behind in 2023? • What do I want to usher in; to this new year and next chapter of life? • Reflect on my core values, are there any areas I would like to focus on developing or reinforcing? • Reflect on the goals from last year, list my wins that were on the list, and the surprise ones that weren’t! • What will I be celebrating next year this time? What important milestones and achievements am I seeking this coming year? BONUS: Spend a few moments soaking in acceptance of and for yourself. Give your inner child some attention, making sure you are connected as you walk into 2024.

This #BokFriday we celebrate our All Star Lesego Senoelo who has been promoted to Account Manager. This is how he feels about causing waves Magna Carta Reputation Management Consultants. "This new role marks a significant milestone in my career, and I am truly honoured to have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the #PRindustry at Magna Carta. Magna Carta wholeheartedly invests in young talent (like myself) 😅 who consistently go, above and beyond in their work. They have recognised my dedication and potential, they have provided me with mentorship, increased responsibilities, and acknowledgement to foster my growth. Their commitment to nurture the next generation of leaders is not just a value; it is the Magna Carta way of ensuring a brighter future for both myself and the industry. Each day in this role presents a profound sense of purpose, akin to skill-fully navigating the ever-changing tides of creativity, strategy, and communication. It is both gratifying and exhilarating to witness our campaigns gain traction in the media, captivate the attention of viewer, generate substantial buzz and so much more. However, the true essence of this experience lies in the privilege of working alongside an exceptional team of professionals. Together, they have helped forge innovative paths, engage in collaborative brainstorming sessions, and adeptly navigate the dynamic landscape of #PR. As I embark on this new chapter in my career, I look forward to sharing valuable insights, remarkable stories, and the knowledge garnered along the way.” I extend my sincere gratitude to Magna Carta for believing in me. To more growth and learning!" On a sidenote #gobokke! #onthepulse #growthmindset #promotion #publicrelations #Springboks #StrongerTogether #MTNDoingWhatItTakes #RWC2023

HAPPY TEACHERS DAY! I had some really special teachers in Schooling, College, Corporate and Entrepreneurial journey! Today, I want to thank 3 special people in my corporate journey ! 1) Sumesh Wadhwa(Ex Levi Strauss & Co) - Highlight : His immense business knowledge, experience, amazing processes and how to grow global businesses (internally within company and externally with partners) ethically and with integrity. 2) Anil Menezes (Ex M.H. Al Shaya) - Highlight: Merchandising, Brand Management, Operations and now to handle things calmly and politely with regards to running Brands and Principle relationships. 2) Mustafa Frockwala (Ex M.H. Al Shaya) - Highlight: How to Run a Brand like a business and make it profitable; with all the money, business and commercial skills. The few things words above do not do justice to all that I have learnt and applied from them, but I need to express my gratitude in some way; for their time, immense patience and selfless teaching ! 🙏🙏🙏

Curious how you celebrated, witnessed, recognized and/or supported #EarthDay in your business today…? What we do at work matters and impacts SO many - our employees, clients, partners, suppliers, customers… who knows who, and how many, you may inspire with your words, actions or efforts.

Tomorrow we’ll be celebrating the 4th of July holiday and the birth of the U.S.A. For many, it’s a great day for gathering together, hanging out by the pool, grilling burgers, and enjoying fireworks. For me, this holiday truly marks the kick-off of Summer! Another great Summer tradition is spending the day at an amusement park. Growing up in the Philadelphia area, and visiting Hershey Park countless times, Fred Ende’s reflections on his day riding the roller coasters at Hershey Park caught my attention. Ende shares four leadership lessons: #1 – “If you go too fast, you’ll miss something”. As a leader, we need to slow down to see what is going on around us. Speed in our work and effectiveness are not the same. #2 – “You have to take the ups with the downs”. Ups and downs are part of life, and part of the rhythm of business, so leverage them to reflect, learn, and grow. #3 – “You can teach an old dog new tricks”. Learn from the past but recognize change is constant, so we need to adapt our business strategies, plans, and behaviors accordingly. #4 – “Relationships are everything”. Each touchpoint with our team, even a brief encounter, can make a big difference.   As Ende concludes, “reflection, at its core, is about analyzing connections to help us become better at what we do. On the roller coaster of life, it’s great to live in the moment and take the time to consider those past moments afterward.” Happy 4th of July holiday!