On the 11th of January 2016, I started working at e-magination InfoSolutions. I was ready to make use of the opportunity, both eager and enthusiastic, but my knowledge of the product and ethos of the business was still vague and limited.
I was given the title Sales Administrator and had all the ambition but no clear plan as to how I would settle into my new role. During the first month we experimented with some cold calling, LinkedIn and internet research; and I was guided by my mentor and MD, Richard Bezuidenhout. There was also general assistance and interest in my growth by all within my circle at work. This model of business development was still new to me and that made me feel vulnerable. It wasn’t until my second month of telephonic cold calling that I was able to land more than just a handful of meetings.
With continuous assessment and analysis, it was clear that my development had yet to begin. My calls were not great, I sounded unsure and vulnerable. It got to a point where it became unbearable to hear myself. We took one week, and made time to focus on calls and self-development. We looked at what was working, what wasn’t, and how we could do things differently.
During that week I learned so much, not only about our products and services but about myself. Something that really stood out for me at one of our team meetings, where we focused on the resources within us, was when Richard asked me, “Dwayne, what is your ‘why’?”. It was that moment that made me think about why I work for e-magination; why we help people, what my goals were and why I was working towards them, why I am where I am right now and what I would like to do with it.
Amongst my ambitions and goals, I enjoy engaging with people as there is so much to learn when your mind is open. There is just something about being helpful in a situation where help is needed that drives and encourages me to do even more. One of my ambitions in life is to live a purposeful one. One day when it is my time to pass, I would like to have made a positive impact on those I encountered. It would be a privilege and an honour to be remembered for my purpose, the very reason my Creator made me, more so than because of the fact that I simply existed.
e-magination InfoSolutions is made up of a similar creed. Over the years, the leaders and founders of the company have come to find that many people find themselves at their wits end when it comes to their jobs and tasks. e-magination InfoSolutions has made it their mission to alleviate the frustration and the cost of the sacrifices some have had to make to meet the demand of their roles. I currently speak to just less than 100 people per week, mainly financial managers, and constantly hear stories of leaders who spend a quarter of every month rushing to deliver reports by deadline, and working after hours while sacrificing family and home time because that is what the job requires.
Our products and services speak directly to their very need. We partner with people and their businesses to add as much value as possible where we can. I am privileged to be one of the people who are on the other side of that ringing telephone, waiting to ask (what could potentially be you) “May we have the opportunity to help you?”
In the life that we have, there is no one destination. I have learnt that my life is a journey filled with many destinations. A constant learning cycle filled with possibilities, dreams and opportunity. I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to introspect and reflect on that. Today I am grateful to be a Business Development Consultant for this dynamic organization, e-magination InfoSolutions. Today I would like to leave you, the reader, with a question before I leave you with a well known quote. What is your ‘why’ and what would you like to do about it?
“The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.” – Mark Twain
