We asked David Mckenna a few questions about his career as Sales Executive of a language services firm called North by North Communications. He was also integral to the conception and formation of the company.
When discussing various roles and duties during the start-up phase of the company, it was decided that David would be the most suitable candidate for the sales executive position because of his previous experience and his aptitude. He therefore didn’t apply for the position in the conventional sense.
David plans to further his studies but he is currently focusing all his attention on NBN Communications. Although he has not had any formal tertiary education, he credits hard work, life experiences, travelling and entering the work force at young age for his current success. His first job was as a direct salesman for an Internet company based in the UK. That job required him to do door-to-door sales in the middle of the British winter. Those experiences equipped him with indispensable personal skills such as time management and the mastering of inter-personal relationships. It also enabled him to build a network of who’s whos in his industry. He considers his attendance at networking events a priority, which he enjoys as he not only prefers, but also takes pleasure in, face to face communication more than emails and calls.
He admits that there aren’t a fixed number of hours that he is required to work a day because as an entrepreneur one is constantly thinking of new ideas and strategies. He adds that not having the typical fixed daily routine elevates the level of enjoyment. The field of sales is generally difficult, according to David, and he claims that it requires a positive and competitive attitude to be successful. He relies on his instincts and his ability to perform better under pressure to motivate himself, especially since he knows that his results are constantly measured.
He says, “Working in sales can be one of the most rewarding vocations out there, provided that you have the right attitude and can handle working under pressure.”
By Lauren van Schalkwyk, Online Content Administrator at Who’s Who
