Advice is free, but not all advice should be taken. During undergrad, I had a handful of professors who made points or statements about life, career or the future that resonated with me heavily. I would say the most important lesson that comes to mind most often and has, in large part, shaped the way I make most of my professional and personal decisions is to ask myself “is the juice worth the squeeze?” before moving forward with any decision. Is the effort and resources allocated worth the potential outcome. Is what you put in worth what you’re going to get out of it or accomplish.
I wondered what other notable encounters and advice resonated with my coworkers. I also wondered if the advice that resonated most with them was because it was the best advice they’ve received or because it was the worst. So I asked them. I decided to chat with some of the team and ask about some of the major “mile markers” in their professional journeys and we thought we would share it!
Here is what Andres Rodriguez, Managing Director of ace Talent Curators, had to say…
What is the best advice you have ever received in regards to professional growth?
I’ve received such amazing advice throughout my career so it’s hard to say there’s a “best”. One of my most recent and favorite tips came from Garyvee, “The Best Marketing Strategy: Care”. It’s so simple and often flies in the face of R.O.I. and efficiency and da da da. The intangible value of truly caring is immense, treat everyone you partner with externally and internally like you care and eventually you will. Care for their problems, care to bring them timely solutions, care about them personally and professionally. It will bring value to your work and sincerity to your interactions. And trust. People respond exceptionally well to sincere people.
What is the worst advice you have ever received in regards to professional growth?
More than a piece of advice, it’s a way of thinking and working: the idea that someone has to lose in business interactions and deal making. This mindset can undoubtedly win in the short term, but over the long haul, relationships will deteriorate and customers and employees will lose trust. A win/win solution may yield less profit today but help build long term trust and camaraderie that will lead to exponentially more value and profit.
What is the best and worst advice you’ve received about work/life balance?
Best
The best would be to blur the lines between the 2, business culture today make it nearly impossible to disconnect, it’s most important that you’re in the moment in whatever you’re doing, whether it’s spending time with family, working, or spending time with friends. Worry less about weekdays vs weekends and mornings vs evenings, worry more about being 100% in the moment with what you’re doing and be flexible to get things done when they require you’re attention.
Worst
I haven’t necessarily received bad advice. If any, the idea that all ambitious people should work 80-100 hours per week early in their career is it. I could personally never sustain that type of schedule and be happy. Some people can, and more power to them, but there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution to work/life balance. Some people are hyper focused and incredibly effective in a 35 hour week. Other people need 60 hours to get the same amount of work done because they enjoy taking mental breaks and working on puzzles. There is no right answer. Just get shit done.
Who was your most memorable client last year and why?
That’s easy! It would be JUUL. I’ve always found polarizing topics to be energizing and JUUL is as polarizing as they come. For most adult users their device is life changing. They’ve been able to quit smoking after a lifetime of smelling like cigarettes, having breathing issues, and bringing immense harm to their lungs. For many parents, teachers and communities of underaged users, they’re a very real and scary new type of vice. This vice is easily accessible, undetectable, and highly addictive. I took an unbiased approach, embracing both sides of their reality when working with talent and encouraged people to make an informed decision.
What is the most valuable client interaction you’ve had to date? What did you learn and how has it shaped you professionally?
It would probably be the CMO search for Pabst Brewing Co. Their CEO at the time, Simon Thorpe, has an incredibly thoughtful approach to evaluating talent: it’s just about skill set and accomplishments. He looks for vision, philosophy and storytelling. He challenged me to dig deeper with candidates than I ever have before, ensuring I could communicate their brand philosophy and vision for the Pabst portfolio moving forward. His expectations help evolved my entire approach towards evaluating talent and fit.
What is the best and worst advice you have ever received? What is the most valuable business lesson you have learned? Share with us your most notable piece of guidance via our socials or contact our Marketing Specialist, Trisha Patel at [email protected]!