What did you learn from your experience in the program?
Bianca: The AMI Emerging Marketers Program is a fantastic experience that anyone starting out in their career should have. The course had clearly defined modules which has empowered me to feel well equipped as a young marketer in the industry. Above the program modules, spending time with Luke was very valuable. Throughout our mentoring relationship, Luke taught me the importance of staying true to my purpose – in all stages of my career. He also taught me the importance of backing myself and believing in my own journey to date – even if I am only a few years into my journey. At the start of the program, I had a rough idea of where I wanted to take my career in the future, however, having Luke there to brainstorm ideas with really gave me clarity on new perspectives and actionable steps so that I could move forward. I also learnt more about social enterprise business models from Luke – he often shared stories and learnings from his own business (The Behaviour Change Collaborative), and it has inspired me to consider a similar path in the future.
Luke: I’m a regular mentor in this and other similar programs. While working with Bianca, I was reminded that no matter how much experience one has, there is always more to learn. Bianca was particularly knowledgeable in the digital marketing space and I was able to gain new knowledge thanks to her willingness to share experiences. What I learn from mentoring is that young, early career marketers think differently. Bianca was no exception. She is a creative and dynamic emerging leader.
Why do you think mentoring is important for the career of marketers?
Bianca: My mentoring experience with Luke has been really enjoyable. It’s important for marketers of all ages to experience mentoring, because there is incredible value in having someone experienced alongside you to problem solve, encourage you and challenge you when you need a fresh perspective. Mentoring also gives both the mentee and mentor the opportunity to reflect on where they are in their career and life.
Luke: Mentoring affords mentee and mentor a unique opportunity to connect and learn. For me, mentoring isn’t just about helping mentees to build a career. It’s about helping them to find balance and perspective so that they can grow professionally without sacrificing other things that are equally important outside the workplace. Mentoring programs challenge mentees and mentors to see things from different perspectives. I think that’s always important.
What were you hoping to gain from joining the mentoring program?
Bianca: At the beginning of the program, I wanted to gain more clarity on where I wanted to take my career in the next 3-5 years. I also wanted to equip myself with the necessary skills and knowledge in order to set myself up for success in any future roles I would take on.
Luke: I don’t hope to gain anything. I genuinely enjoy participating and find it rewarding to build new relationships with emerging marketers. That said, I do get intrinsic satisfaction from knowing that I’ve helped somebody during the early stages of their career.
If you were applying for the program today, what advice would you give to yourself?
Bianca: Make sure you do it – it’s so worth it! The more you invest time into the program, the more you get out of it!
How did you work together to get the most value out of the mentoring relationship?
Bianca: Coming into our conversations with a clear idea on what I wanted to discuss, and the advice I needed from my mentor was really valuable. Luke also made it a very enriching experience because he always came with an open mind and an attitude of wanting to help me the best person I could be, not just the best marketer.
Luke: We worked together up front to establish clear objectives, desired outcomes, boundaries, a safe environment for both parties, and trust.
What do you think are the biggest challenges in navigating a career in marketing?
Bianca: You need the best systems and people to enable you to 1) execute on great marketing activations but 2) also articulate the ROI to stakeholders.
Luke: This very much depends on which part of the marketing kaleidoscope one is navigating. As somebody who uses marketing to affect positive social change, the biggest challenge is trying to encourage consumers to substitute instant gratification for long term benefit and/or societal gain. Social marketing (not social media marketing) is not well understood. This is a shame because there’s so much potential for more marketing professionals to meaningfully address the world’s wicked problems.
Did you have any funny moments during the program you’d like to share?
Bianca: Not necessarily funny moments, but I do want to say that I’m incredibly grateful for Luke as my mentor – I had such an enjoyable experience throughout the program and have become a lot more confident because of our mentoring. He approached the mentoring relationship with a lot of care for me as an individual, was encouraging, but also wasn’t afraid to challenge me when I needed a different perspective.
Luke: I don’t recall any specific funny moments, though Bianca and I certainly shared plenty of laughs. It was a really enjoyable experience and I look forward to continuing to work with Bianca long into the future.
Applications for Mentees and Mentors are open until mid-April for the 2021 Emerging Marketers Mentoring Program.
The AMI Emerging Marketers Mentoring Program provides aspiring emerging marketers with an opportunity to connect with senior marketing professionals, get valuable insight into the industry and develop their skills to give them a competitive edge in their career. Our mentors are Certified Practising Marketers who work across Marketing & Communications, Advertising, Media, and Professional Services.
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