TIME - Travel Industry Mentor Experience
TIME - Travel Industry Mentor Experience
Growing Through Mentorship: Navigating B2B Relationships and Embracing Adaptability with Brett Thomson
Embark on a journey of growth and discovery with Brett Thomson, the corporate sales maestro from APAC at TAG, as he recounts his transformative experience with the mentorship program TIME. With the wisdom of his mentor, industry titan Martin Cowley, Brett navigates the complexities of B2B relationships and commercial strategy, revealing the profound impact of mentorship on his career trajectory. You're guaranteed to walk away with a blueprint for approaching professional mentorships that marry structure with the necessary flexibility to thrive in today's dynamic sales landscape. Our conversation doesn't just skim the surface; we plunge into the essence of adaptability and open-mindedness, the secret ingredients for success in the modern business world.
Networking can seem like a minefield, especially for the introverts among us, but fear not—we dissect the intricacies with ease and a touch of humor. As Brett and Arnaud & Timo swap tales from our troves of professional adventures, from horticulture to acting stints, we uncover the hidden skills that shape us outside the boardroom. Our banter about the Melbourne-Sydney rivalry through the prism of French cafes provides more than just a chuckle—it's a testament to the unexpected ways our personal journeys enrich our professional networks. Tune in for an episode that's as much a celebration of authentic connection and community as it is a guide to the perpetual art of learning and giving back.
Right, yeah, we're happy to be back again. Episode four, season four. That's something to celebrate. Absolutely. It's exciting. Who did you bring with you today? Well, today actually is a really special guest. Brett Thompson is head of corporate sales APAC at TAG. And yeah, welcome Brett, thank you for being with us.
Speaker 2:With pleasure. Thank you, arnaud, and thank you, timo, for inviting me on. Well, it's very great, I'm really happy.
Speaker 1:It's really good. I'm really happy actually, that you're here today, because I think that people will get probably something I'm not going to say more, but a different perspective out of the interview today from someone that has a different type of seniority than some of the people that we've interviewed in the podcast in the past, and so I'm really glad that you've accepted to our invitation. So, yeah, I think it's going to be a good episode and we'll probably talk about croissant again, but it's okay, croissant and no pressure Brett, no pressure at all Okay, let's see how we go.
Speaker 1:No, it's a flour. I used to work for Finnair for a long time, so this is from Marimeko. It's a coffee cup with the Unico pattern, which is the most iconic pattern from Marimeko, which is a Finnish brand, and it's also printed on the tail of some of Finnair's aircrafts Fantastic, thanks for sharing.
Speaker 2:Back to Brent yeah, good segue. No, so we are well, I was aware of time for some time, time for some time, but on this particular occasion the opportunity came up. I think my TMC is a part of CT Partners and I think there was an opportunity through that buying group to get involved and my initial investigations were great. I guess it was one of those situations. I'm sure many participants in time will say the same thing. It's a very thorough process. You get introduced to Mary and she's like a bit of a dog with a bone. She makes sure that everything is sent in on time and she chases you and makes sure that you're not skipping out on anything. So, yeah, very thorough, very professionally run outfit.
Speaker 2:I didn't think well, I didn't really have any kind of negative expectations, but I didn't have. I certainly had my expectations were exceeded. I suppose you might say in my first impressions yeah, it was an interesting little journey. So I think I first sat down and went through the process Was it two years ago now? Because we did have the mentor that I was assigned actually had some business activity that he had to take on board all throughout 2022, which meant that my mentorship was going to put back a year, which was fine Because, as we'll probably talk about, I think that the matching with that particular mentor and myself was really spot on and I'm really glad for that opportunity and we'll continue to be friends and professional contact now, I think, forevermore.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, I think from that initial touch point, even though there was a delay with it, it was definitely worth the wait. Yeah, good question. I think I kind of wanted to go in with an open mind and I wanted to look at it as a opportunity that, having a sales background as I do, I like to be malleable in my approach and how I look into anyone's scenario, because you just have to be in modern sales, and it was no different with this approach from myself. So I was kind of open minded but I also knew what I wanted to get out of it in the long run. So, yeah, I guess probably some of the you know throughout the journey and some of the achievements, some of the highlights I look back on, you know they certainly weren't things that I thought were all situations that I thought may play out throughout the mentorship, put it that way.
Speaker 1:Who was your mentor? Can you tell us who was your mentor and what he does?
Speaker 2:So, while we're in the business of name dropping, you know famous people. Yeah, the one and only Martin Cowley. So a bit of an industry veteran, known by many, respected by almost everyone, I think Martin is. He's one of those guys that he has a really good, I guess, aspect or view upon anyone given scenario and it really taught me a lot about how to kind of subjectively look at something without kind of getting down or losing motivation or focus if something didn't go away. So you know, I think I look, I'm probably not the youngest of all the mentees going around out there and Martin's kind of the senior industry veteran. So I think it worked well with age gap as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's an excellent question and very relevant, I think, because at the stage of my career that I'm at, I'm kind of looking at it probably a lot more of that business to business liaison type of scenario, so acquiring other businesses, getting into commercial discussions and the sorts of things that Martin's had a lot of experience with. So I guess his experience and his knowledge and his mentorship was really really beneficial for me and what I wanted to achieve. As I sort of alluded to before. Some of that sort of stuff I wasn't really expecting, but I was so thankful for and so appreciative for, because it was probably, in some cases, what I didn't know, that what I was looking for out of the program that I actually achieved. So, yeah, very, very positive.
Speaker 1:Yeah, really.
Speaker 2:Some people are really kind of, I guess, have got that plan really mapped out really detailed, whereas for me I had some ideas.
Speaker 2:But I was also kind of open minded about what could come off of this partnership, what sort of areas of my professional development could be enhanced or could be counseled or sort of guided in a certain way. So, yeah, my advice to people and I've spoken to many, actually a lot of people ask me about it and I sort of say to them well, look, that's my experience. But I think the beauty of time is that it really does focus on the individual and whether they have got a structured plan in place or they have thought through it, or, if they haven't, and that's okay as well, Because that can mean you're really dealing with an open slate and you can really sort of, with your mentor, carve something out and through that, through the process, that's what you find out, right. So you kind of probably find out a lot about yourself. Yeah, like you two, these podcasts talking to each other, you're finding out about each other all the time, right.
Speaker 1:All the time, all the time.
Speaker 2:I can help out for another reason.
Speaker 1:There you go you know, I really appreciate your feedback on that, brett, because the thing is, I feel like what you said, we pretty much get it like every single time we interview someone. You know, regardless of how structured is your original plan coming into the program whether it's super structured or not your expectations are always like exceeded right. And we've spoken to various people that have been on that journey, you know, and every single time we get that feedback and that's really really good because that means that it's so much more valuable than what people think, right, I think it has and that obviously I've got plenty of them.
Speaker 2:Tim, yeah, definitely were, you know. And yeah, I think I don't know about the other mentors, but Martin had a particularly professional is the right term and also probably element of care about how he kind of provided his counsel to me. You know, so you know, whereas anyone else, if they're warning to insult me, would just say, look, you really suck at that. He should just get better. No, but you know, martin kind of he definitely had a way around how he was sort of you know structure his advice, you know, for any of my blind spots and probably helping me to kind of realize that you know the capabilities are there. It's about sort of helping you to unpack them and realize your potential. So, yeah, I'm not going to give you away all of my secrets or my blind spots.
Speaker 1:rather, Thank you, martin, though you know I mean you know like maybe ask him.
Speaker 2:You know he might tell you a few other little secrets on the side. I don't know.
Speaker 1:Oh, so we need to. Okay, all right, let's call Martin right now Going to do like the Jerry Springer show, and he comes, Martin.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I am to be honest, since, since graduating late last year, I haven't really had a whole lot of time, as you were talking before we got on air. I have, you know, been traveling a bit and there's been a lot of kind of business activity, you know, which has meant that I haven't had a whole lot of spare time. But I will. My intention is to get to as many as I can. You know, I do. You know, I mean even as per Martin's advice. You know, he obviously encouraged me to continue to do that as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah that's the plan. I do, you know, I do. I do definitely want to continue to be part of the community whenever I have time to do it. For sure, 20 plus. Can you not make a laugh at this point?
Speaker 1:Sorry, sorry, yeah, continue. So you're 20 year old, you're young, gone, yeah, continue. 20 plus 20 plus. Yeah, 20 plus 20. Yeah, yeah, I'll look at you.
Speaker 2:I mean in my role, what I do, and this is very relevant to the current process. I'm hiring some people at the moment and, you know, one of the one of the clarification things that I like to understand about any of the candidates I'm talking to is, you know, how much emphasis or how much importance that they place on their own personal network, their own personal brand, what they do in that space, how, how they use, you know, opportunities that might be available to them to kind of continue to develop professionally and also, you know, gain great contacts out there in the market. It's incredibly important to me professionally and also, you know, to anyone that I'm looking to bring on board. So, yeah, it's, you know again, it's, it's an element of the time program that I, you know he's, he's super important and I'm sure all of the graduates would say the same thing, right, like they see the value in continuing to sort of network and participate in those events.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean you can ask certain questions which will probably indicate that they are, you know, fairly comfortable in those situations.
Speaker 2:You know, it's probably for some it does take some courage to walk up to a complete stranger and say, huh, my name's Breton. You know, lovely to meet you, what brings you here or whatever it might be. You know, I think those sorts of things you can generally tell from a, from a persona like salespeople generally get it, but it's not for everyone. So I think it's, you know, asking certain questions that will probably uncover their comfort, level of comfort in something like that. But it's also, I think I mean it's obvious in terms of when you have a look at their LinkedIn profile, for example, you know, are they relatively active on a platform like LinkedIn? You know, you know, do they talk about, I guess, things like business developers or professional networks that they might have been a part of or know of? So those sorts of things kind of all contribute to the you know whether you know I can establish if someone's going to, you know, go active and believe in the whole kind of process of professional networks.
Speaker 1:If someone has.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, for starters, if I saw them with the time program on the CV, then I'm, you know, I'm instantly impressed. I think that's, you know, that's a big tick, and especially if they're continuing to play a part in the community in that space and or other similar types of communities. Yeah, it tells me that you know they've gone through the process and you know if their mentorship was anything like mine, you know they're incredibly, incredibly positive about the program and what they achieved out of it. And then to to probably a more important topic what they want to do with their career, what comes next, and then what value that they could then add to my organization. Yeah, it's huge. I think there's no doubt about that, and I'm sure there's many other programs out there that are similar. But you know, time, as we all know, all taken part in it. I only hear the same sort of positive feedback from other people that have participated. So, yes, yeah, yeah, I have, I have, yeah, I'm open to becoming a mentor If that's, you know, going to be offered.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, I'd love to continue to be a part of the part of the community and add some value and give back. I guess you know that's something I mentioned in my graduation speech. You know, I think there's something you can do as a human being, you know, just in general, not necessarily professional careers. You just give back wherever you can. So you know, that's something that's kind of huge and I spoke about that, I think, throughout the mentorship with Mind. You know giving Vax a big part of, I think you know, being just a good human really. So, yeah, I'd love to. I'd love to.
Speaker 1:I have to admit, like you know, when I used to see you at networking events at time I thought you were actually there as a mentor. I didn't know that you were part of the program. You try to say like I'm the oldest guy there, because I'm probably older than you anyway, but because I know you as like you know like a seasoned professional in the industry and you know I mean it was just an assumption and obviously assumptions are wrong. That's also the point of saying that you know it's not because you're a seasoned professional in the industry that you can't benefit from that program Right, you can't join that at any time in your career. But personally I thought that you were there as a mentor and you were mentoring people, because this is how I see you, right.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, yeah, spot on. You know, mentoring it can be for anyone. And, like you know, I've had several other people sort of say to me are you joining the program to be a mentor? And I said no, no, I'm going to be a mentee. And you know this is you know, my thoughts are you never? You never stop learning, right. You're never too old to learn. So, yeah, you know you said that in a really nice way or not that I'm like an old guy.
Speaker 2:So thank you, yeah but, yeah, thank you, I was very, very nice.
Speaker 1:I'm pretty sure that today I'm the one that has the biggest numbers in the age category. So you know, I haven't got anyone old because I've. You know. And look, brett and I, we share, we have something in common is that you know we have the same, you know, category challenge.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we have the same problem. Yeah, very good, same problem.
Speaker 1:But what's the expression you know? Like yeah, anyway.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a good question. Yeah, it's a good question. And I, you know, I, as I mentioned, you know it was kind of delayed a year but which probably helped timelines as well, because there was a lot going on, you know, with work for me at the time. So it was kind of all not not thankful but almost, you know, appreciative, of kind of having that time back and then picking it up the following year. But, look, I think the mentor plays a really good part in this as well as the mentee, and you know, it's about really having clear communication pathway with them from the outset and saying, look, you know, like let's get together once a month, you know, or once every two weeks, and let's keep it fluid if we have to. We're both busy, you know, and that's exactly how Martin and I kind of portrayed it. But we, the first thing that we wanted to commit to, was that we, you know, we would 100% focus on making it happen, you know, whenever we could. So, and if it couldn't work on a certain week, then we agreed to meet the following week. And, yeah, I think I was kind of unfortunate enough in my role that I can be sort of fairly immobile and you know, out and about and that kind of thing. So you know, I wasn't necessarily tied down to a desk or committed to being anywhere for a set period of time.
Speaker 2:So, and I think the you know, the transparency with your employer as well is really important.
Speaker 2:So, you know, because they obviously going to get benefits out of this as well, right, but you know they're going to get, you know, an employee that's probably a lot more focused and motivated at the end of the time program and you know, so that's like an investment for them. So they want to see, you know, they want to allow you to have that time during working hours to go and meet with your mentor. And, yeah, I think most employers out there today would be, you know, if they understand it correctly, like they should, you know they're more than happy to give up that time for their staff member to go and see someone. So, yeah, my advice would be you know, just have that. You know, have that really kind of clear Discussion with your mentor from the outset and really kind of make a pact or make a bond that you know that you will both commit to making it happen and being sort of flexible around times. That's a yeah, that works for me anyway, so hopefully that bit of advice helps others.
Speaker 1:Is there any project to for like for TAG, for example, to involve more people in the time program or to implement some mentorship?
Speaker 2:you know, yeah, I think definitely, you know, I will definitely be an advocate internally to sort of, you know, promote the opportunity, you know, for TAG employees to get involved. And I think, as I mentioned before, I'm not sure if CT partners will still kind of have, you know, that availability for, you know, one of the TMC members to sort of have a spot open, I'll stuff. That was how I was fortunate enough to come across it. So, but not only within TAG, you know, within my network of a girl who used to report to me at a previous employer actually wants to talk to me about this coming week. So I hope to catch up with her and have a chat about this coming week, you know which. I'll be saying the same sorts of positive things to her in regards to the program. So, yeah, it's not just within TAG, I think, it's, you know, throughout the industry, definitely so.
Speaker 1:Obviously you can tell her to listen to the podcast. She needs to download that right. She needs to become, you know she's to subscribe.
Speaker 2:Correct, there you go. You know she doesn't need to talk to me. She's downloads the podcast and and listens to the dulcet tones of you two guys.
Speaker 1:I'm sure he has already subscribed to Hades who?
Speaker 2:has not.
Speaker 1:Exactly who has not really.
Speaker 2:I'm just going to ask themselves if they haven't, what exactly are they doing with their life?
Speaker 1:What's the meaning of their life? Yeah, exactly. It should be part of your interview screening question.
Speaker 2:There you go. We're really unpacking this. Yeah, that's a really good question. I think there are probably a few things that I would have in mind. I think something that we were just talking about. I think the power of networking and building your professional network Like LinkedIn shouldn't be about getting to over 500 contacts first, because, as we know, once you've got 500 contacts, you can't see how many they've got, so it's the judgments out the window. There's so much more to it. I think that would be probably my go-to. It could be probably something around networking. I don't have to have a bit more of a think about it and what went into that, but no doubt if I did do something like that, I'd be involving you guys anyway.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that sounds good. It's actually really good because the thing is that we organise networking events but sometimes the techniques or some of the tips and tricks on how to effectively network no one really talks about. And I agree with you, for people who can be potentially shy or a little bit introvert going back to one of the episodes that we did last season knowing a couple of things on how to do networking, I think would be very, very beneficial for a lot of people.
Speaker 2:There's ways around it for those sorts of people that are introverted and they're not necessarily comfortable in those rooms. I have my personal doubts as well, and if I go into a networking event, I like to at least know when, maybe one or two people, and then I can ease myself into it, start talking to the people you know and then you've got a bit of momentum in a way you go. But even in those situations, the event of having someone who can help you make introductions this is Arno. He likes to work out, can't you tell? Look at his body, yeah. So whatever it takes to kind of help ease that trepidation about getting into something like that, I think that's more than one way to skin a cat, as we say in Australia.
Speaker 1:Very quickly. That's the place where all the chatterboxes are. Yeah, so it didn't happen.
Speaker 2:Yeah, wear something outlandish, shiny Mule, ooh, that's a good one. I'm going to go out there and go against my home city and say Melbourne, oh, wow. And that's probably just down to the fact that I've kind of been to a few French cafes that are there, that are. I thought the date just did it better. I don't often like to say that, because you know the rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney and Check it out on my next Melbourne visit.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you should. Yes, I thought you'd go to play the Australian open. Maybe you can.
Speaker 2:What about a resident Frenchman? What's your Surely? You have some, some advice on this subject.
Speaker 1:Very critical. I'm very critical. I found a place in Sydney that I think, yeah, probably the best. They're not too far from my house, and so I occasionally walk there and get a little cross up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, lovely, I won't have to talk about that offline.
Speaker 1:Yes, I'll definitely give you the address. Yeah, and it's really like literally from your office, it's like a five-minute walk. Yeah, well, it's a little bit of a tradition that we ask people to talk a little bit about themselves. We, we ask them, you know, to tell us a little dark secret that they have that not a lot of people in the industry know about them. So, you know, do you have anything, anything to share? We've had someone said that there used to be an opera singer and they used to fake the Russian accent when she used to sing opera.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, look, I mean, the one that kind of tends to surprise people is that I'm actually trained for a culture, so I know a lot about plants, but you know it kind of can tie in with travel a little bit. That's um yeah.
Speaker 2:I do I do I do enjoy. You know growing plants, you know cultivating plants and that kind of thing, so I spent a lot of time in that in my early, early years. Yeah, that one was a young fella, but I think as well I don't know, probably just ties in with, you know, the person that I am really I, um, I studied drama at school, so I was Well, probably in my early years grade seven and eight, you know not necessarily getting the big parts, but then, and in grade 10, I was given the lead role in a production and, um, yeah, I, I got got uh A grades or whatever it was at the time. Um, oh, you know, for my part, as the lead, the lead role, so, um, yeah, I think I'm probably okay at acting, you know, pretending that I'm someone that I'm not. I don't know.
Speaker 1:Reacting yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly, um. No, I don't know. It's uh, that's kind of. You know, I think that sort of um Elemental of, of Of anyone's kind of upbringing is. It can be quite challenging because it's sort of in related to what we're talking about now. You know it is kind of you're trying to, I guess, probably be, you know, seen as a confident, extroverted type of a personality, whereas not everyone is like that right and you know it's. It's about kind of adapting. You know how you present yourself um authentically, but you know as, whilst sort of still Um kind of trying to work on the skills to have that you know capability to to interact socially and you know, in those professional Um situations. So that's probably something that not a lot of people know about me. It's a question I mean thinking.
Speaker 1:Yeah, of course that's why I asked the questions when in reality I was not prompted at all to ask the question. So you know, like who's the nosy one there. But anyway, I'll take the blame for that. I was gone. We'll put it in the mail, okay.
Speaker 2:Well, beautiful, no. Thank you both. I've enjoyed Coming on the podcast and thanks for inviting me. Uh, yeah, it's great to be part of the time community and, um, yeah, everything I've said today, you know it's uh, it's, it's from my heart. I think it's a it's great program and, um, you know, love what you, you're both doing as well as part of this podcast, so it's a well done to you both. Thank you.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you our photo and you can put it next to robie williams in reception. Okay, all right, I will.
Speaker 2:I'll do that, yeah, next to the one that's already there, right, are you guys?
Speaker 1:next to the one that's already there? Yes, of course, an updated one. All right, happy days, talk soon.
Speaker 2:Thanks, jones.
