Gerno Eksteen

Summary of Duties:

• Plan, develop, and manage the company's short-and-long term growth and expansion strategies.
• Lead the company on local, national, or international factors affecting the buying or selling of products or services.
• Collaborated with other business units to create optimal strategies of product distribution.
• Strategize and implement business objectives to increase product growth and expansion.
• Formulate and control the execution of new sales avenues and streams of income for the company.
• Formulate business processes and strategies to ensure sustainability and growth.
• Evaluate and drive sales and marketing strategies based on company objectives, market characteristics and cost and mark-up factors.
• Manage and oversee market research studies, analyze findings, and interpret results to build the sales and marketing plan.
• Align the sales and marketing strategy with the theoretical and practical training program and drive the implementation thereof.
• Formulat targets and objectives and ensuring the set targets and objective are achieved.
• Identify and mitigate risks (Legal, Commercial, Economical)
• Responsible for delivery and implementation of the sales and marketing strategic operational plan.
• Communicate and ensure that sales and marketing policies are communicated and implemented throughout the company.
• Oversee the develop and implementation of innovative concepts to improve the sales and marketing material.
• Direct and oversee the employee lifecycle of sales and marketing department.
• Influence the sales and marketing staff to improve performance through various motivational interventions.
• Identify development areas within the sales and marketing staff through mentoring and coaching.
• Direct and oversee the forecasting, managing, and reporting of sales and stock.
• Evaluate and analyze sales and marketing reports of the operational functions of the department and performance versus set targets and objectives.
• Responsible for budget planning and forecasting and monitor all expenditure against set budgets.
  

Skills and knowledge acquired in this position:

• Due to the lack of time being back in this position I don't have anything extra to state apart from the skills I learned before.

Achievements in this position:

• Employee Training – Developed training programs and trained all sales and marketing employees on project management principles, managing processes and systems and strategic marketing to improve employee skills, effectiveness and inter-departmental alignment.

What I have learnt from working in this position:

• Employee Development – I have a big passion to develop people working for me or with me. I find that implementing my MBA practices and learnings immediately improve the alignment between employees, improving their effectiveness in analyzing and improving challenges or opportunities.
  

Summary of Duties

• Plan, develop and implement new business opportunities within the current revenue streams as well as global expansion
• Plan, develop and manage the company's short-and-long term growth and expansion strategies
• Lead the company on local, national, or international factors affecting the buying or selling of products or services
• Collaborate with other business units to create optimal strategies of product distribution
• Strategize and implement business objectives to increase product growth and expansion
• Formulate and control the execution of new sales avenues and streams of income for the company
• Formulate business processes and strategies to ensure sustainability and growth
• Evaluate and drive sales and marketing strategies based on company objectives, market characteristics and cost and mark-up factors
• Conduct economical or commercial surveys or research to identify potential markets for products or services
• Manage market research studies, analyze findings and interpret results to build the sales and marketing plan
• Align the sales and marketing strategy with the theoretical and practical training program and drive the implementation thereof
• Formulate targets and objectives and ensuring the set targets and objective are achieved
• Identify and mitigate risks (Legal, Commercial, Economical)
• Evaluate and analyze sales and marketing reports of the operational functions of the department and performance versus set targets and objectives
• Responsible for budget planning and forecasting and monitor all expenditure against set budgets.

Skills and knowledge acquired in this position:

• Communication – Communication with people outside the organization to research, grow and develop the business. (Public, government or any other external sources)
• Obtaining Information – Receiving and observing information from relevant sources to grow the business. (Market research, economic environments, different business models and strategies)
• Evaluating and Analyzing Information – Analyze data and information to ensure that the company comply with laws, regulations and standards. Using information and data to create business development and strategies.
• Macro and Micro Analysis – Analyze macro and micro-environments of countries, understanding the impact on internal business decisions, developing recommendations and strategies to overcome challenges and/or capitalize on opportunities. (PESTEL, CAGE, Porter's 5 forces, VRIOT, FSA's, CSA's)
• Speaking – Conveying information effectively; presenting sales and marketing business models.
• Business Process Analysis – Reviewing sales and marketing business processes; aligning process to strategy; improving efficiency.
• Organizational Structures – Reviewing and analyzing existing structure; develop new structure aligned with new business and remuneration model to increase sales, profit and performance.
• Learning Strategies – Utilizing training methods and procedures pertinent to different situations and apply when teaching new things.
• Service Orientation – Ardently incorporating and creating ways to serve, help and empower others.
• Legal & Governance – Knowledge of government regulations, laws, legal codes and procedures.
• Management & Administration – Acquired knowledge of management and business principles including but not limited to resource allocation, strategic planning, coordination of people and resources and human resource modelling.
• Negotiation – All supplier negotiation; negotiate and develop new business models.
• Business Development – Research and investigate international market and industry trends; creating alternative ways of revenue for the business; research, identify, analyze and create new target markets.
• Economic – Consider international macro and micro-climates when developing sales and marketing strategies; knowledge of economic practices, financial markets and recording of financial data.
• Financial and Accounting – Knowledge of financial reporting; incorporating and analyzing accounting principles together with financial data from product suite to implement new pricing structures.
• Training & Education – Implementing ways of identifying skills and development gaps to empower and improve employees; actively coaching employees in various business processes; knowledge of methods, and principles for the design of training material; training and teaching of sales and marketing team members.
• Decision Making & Judgement – Recognize and consider cost versus benefits of probable actions to assist with choosing the most appropriate solution.
• Writing – Developing proposals for new business models; drafting of terms and conditions and contract clauses specific to the company business model; effectively communicating in writing pertinent to the requirement of the audience.
• Customer Service – Research and identify customer needs to implement strategies aligned with the business objectives; identifying customer needs and provide solutions; ensure quality standards are met; knowledge of the process and principles of providing customer service.
• Project Management – Coaching and mentoring team members on how to implement project management skills and knowledge in the day-to-day work activities and planning.
• Complex Problem solving – Identifying complex problems, reviewing relative information to develop and implement solutions.
• Human Resource Management – Actively investing in the motivation, development and empowering of team members through coaching and mentoring.
• Critical Thinking – Use logic, data and reasoning to identify the best viable solution or approach to problems.
• Computer Literacy – Utilizing several technological systems, applications and media to conduct day to day activities.

Achievements in this position:

• Successfully led the company's entry into new sales channels, including partnerships with online platforms, which contributed to achieving budget targets from March to September 2023, despite challenges with product availability.
• Developed comprehensive market research frameworks, using tools like PESTEL analysis and Porter's Five Forces, CAGE, VRIOT, FSAs and CSAs to assess potential markets.
• Mitigated legal, commercial, and economic risks by establishing a robust risk assessment framework, ensuring compliance and reducing potential market entry obstacles.

Summary of Duties:

• Planned, developed, and managed the company's short-and-long term growth and expansion strategies.
• Lead the company on local, national, or international factors affecting the buying or selling of products or services.
• Collaborated with other business units to create optimal strategies of product distribution.
• Strategized and implemented business objectives to increase product growth and expansion.
• Formulated and controlled the execution of new sales avenues and streams of income for the company.
• Formulated business processes and strategies to ensure sustainability and growth.
• Evaluated and drove sales and marketing strategies based on company objectives, market characteristics and cost and mark-up factors.
• Managed and oversaw market research studies, analyze findings, and interpret results to build the sales and marketing plan.
• Aligned the sales and marketing strategy with the theoretical and practical training program and drive the implementation thereof.
• Formulated targets and objectives and ensuring the set targets and objective are achieved.
• Identified and mitigated risks (Legal, Commercial, Economical)
• Responsible for delivery and implementation of the sales and marketing strategic operational plan.
• Communicated and ensured that sales and marketing policies are communicated and implemented throughout the company.
• Oversaw the development and implementation of innovative concepts to improve the sales and marketing material.
• Directed and oversaw the employee lifecycle of sales and marketing department.
• Influenced the sales and marketing staff to improve performance through various motivational interventions.
• Identified development areas within the sales and marketing staff through mentoring and coaching.
• Directed and oversaw the forecasting, managing, and reporting of sales and stock.
• Evaluated and analyzed sales and marketing reports of the operational functions of the department and performance versus set targets and objectives.
• Responsible for budget planning and forecasting and monitor all expenditure against set budgets.

Skills and knowledge acquired in this position:

• Speaking – Conveying information effectively; presenting sales and marketing business models.
• Business Process Analysis – Reviewing sales and marketing business processes; aligning process to strategy; improving efficiency.
• Organizational Structures – Reviewing and analyzing existing structure; develop new structure aligned with new business and remuneration model to increase sales, profit, and performance.
• Learning Strategies – Utilizing training methods and procedures pertinent to different situations and apply when teaching new things.
• Service Orientation – Ardently incorporating and creating ways to serve, help and empower others.
• Legal & Governance – Knowledge of government regulations, laws, legal codes, and procedures.
• Management & Administration – Acquired knowledge of management and business principles including but not limited to resource allocation, strategic planning, coordination of people and resources and human resource modelling.
• Negotiation – All supplier negotiation; negotiate and develop new business models.
• Business Development – Research and investigate international market and industry trends; creating alternative ways of revenue for the business; research, identify, analyze, and create new target markets.
• Economic – Consider international macro and microclimates when developing sales and marketing strategies; knowledge of economic practices, financial markets and recording of financial data.
• Financial and Accounting – Knowledge of financial reporting; incorporating and analyzing accounting principles together with financial data from product suite to implement new pricing structures.
• Training & Education – Implementing ways of identifying skills and development gaps to Empower and improve employees; actively coaching employees in various business processes; knowledge of methods, and principles for the design of training material; training and teaching of sales and marketing team members.
• Decision Making & Judgement – Recognize and consider cost versus benefits of probable actions to assist with choosing the most appropriate solution.
• Writing – Developing proposals for new business models; drafting of terms and conditions and contract clauses specific to the company business model; effectively communicating in writing pertinent to the requirement of the audience.
• Customer Service – Research and identify customer needs to implement strategies aligned with the business objectives; identifying customer needs and provide solutions; ensure quality standards are met; knowledge of the process and principles of providing customer service.
• Project Management – Coaching and mentoring team members on how to implement project management skills and knowledge in the day-to-day work activities and planning.
• Complex Problem solving – Identifying complex problems, reviewing relative information to develop and implement solutions.
• Human Resource Management – Actively investing in the motivation, development and empowering of team members through coaching and mentoring.
• Critical Thinking – Use logic, data, and reasoning to identify the best viable solution or approach to problems.
• Computer Literacy – Utilizing several technological systems, applications, and media to conduct day to day activities.

Achievements in this position:

• Sales Structure – Restructured the sales and marketing function, establishing regional offices and appointing a direct sales manager to oversee operations across South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana. This led to a 104% increase in turnover in South Africa, a 31% increase in Namibia, and a 51% increase in Botswana for the 2023 financial year.
• Revenue Streams – Developed multiple cash-based revenue streams during COVID-19, boosting cash flow, profitability, and sustaining growth amid market challenges.
• Online Training – Created an online training platform that digitized the training process, allowing sales consultants to complete theoretical modules independently, saving time and enhancing training efficiency.
• E-commerce Sales Platform – Led the design of an e-commerce sales platform, improving user experience and streamlining order management for enhanced sales performance.
• Credit Vetting Procedure – Contributed to an AI-driven credit vetting system, enabling quick credit approvals, improving sales consultant efficiency, and enhancing conversion rates.
• Training Academy – Established a Sales Training Academy with dedicated trainers, providing targeted training that boosted consultant performance and sales turnover.
• Payment Structure – Implemented a new payment and target structure, transitioning from commission-only to a model that provided initial financial support, improving retention and sales productivity.
• Digitization of Sales and Marketing Tools – Developed digital sales tools (flyers, videos, catalogues) that improved customer engagement, supported sales presentations, and increased conversion rates.
• CRM Team and System – Set up a dedicated CRM team and systems, creating a central point of contact for customer and consultant queries. This improved service quality, streamlined communication, and ensured faster issue resolution.

What I have learnt from working in this position:

• Futuristic - I am by nature enthused about what I can accomplish in the coming months, years, or decades and this naturally feeds my desire to be the very best.
• Futuristic - I invest considerable time thinking of, mapping and creating the future which naturally feeds my desire to be the very best.
• Sharing Ideas - I get a lot of energy out of situations where I can share my ideas about what will be possible in the coming months, years, and decades.
• Strategic - I prefer mapping paths toward my long-term goals and I create orderly and detailed strategies and tactics to reach and secure my objectives.
• Straightforward - I appreciate straightforward, candid and concise conversations.
• Evaluating Data & Information - I can reconfigure factual information or data in ways that reveal trends, raise issues, identify opportunities or offer solutions which allows me to bring dimension to discussions.
• Multiple Action Plans - I generate multiple action plans before I choose the best one.
• I intentionally choose to exercise my expertise in situations that cater directly to my particular areas of specialization.
• Challenges - Driven by my unique talents, I pursue courses of study that challenge me to expand my thinking.
• Learning - Learning is exhilarating to me and my desire to train, empower and influence other people explains why I rather spend my personal time researching subjects of interest and not watching TV.
• Work vs Live - I learned that my work becomes my way of live and I believe that is why I gravitate towards leadership roles where I am a person of importance.
• Legacy Driven - Stepping into a director's role, again showed me the importance of why I want to build and leave a legacy behind. I challenge the status quo on a daily basis and because I love to improve, build and develop myself and everyone around me.
• Self-Awareness - Through learning about myself (essentially, having a higher level of self-awareness) and becoming more aware of my reactions and why I behave in certain ways, I am able to contribute towards the dynamic within my team, but also assist my team members better.
• Self-Awareness - A heightened self-awareness helped me to learn and be the best version of myself to make a difference in the lives of others. I strive to become unconsciously competent through learning about my blind spots and having a high level of self-awareness.

What did I learn after Covid about myself:

• Balanced - I learned about the importance of having a well-rounded and balanced lifestyle; how, where and when to invest my time and energy and how managing both of these effectively.
• Thinking Sustainability - I learned about the importance of “sustainability” and how to approach and manage it in work, environmental and social situations.

Summary of Duties:

• Developed business cases for sustainable sales & marketing strategies.
• Planned, created, and executed the development and implementation of all e-commerce and social media platforms aligned with the sales and marketing strategies. (achievements)
• Created and directed new sales avenues and streams of income for the company. (Layby, cash, and e-commerce revenue stream)
• Identified, developed, or evaluated sales and marketing strategies based on company objectives, market characteristics and cost and mark-up factors.
• Formulated, directed, and coordinated sales and marketing activities or policies to promote products and services.
• Directed the recruitment, training or performance evaluations of sales and marketing staff and oversee their day-to-day operational activities.
• Influenced the sales and marketing staff to improve performance through various motivational interventions.
• Identified areas of improvement of the sales and marketing staff within the sales and marketing process and provide training to overcome challenges.
• Identified development areas within the sales and marketing staff and provide coaching and on the job training.
• Responsible for the decision making relating to product growth and expansion.
• Managed and oversaw all promotional activities such as tradeshows, working with suppliers and distribution managers to market products or services.
• Initiated market research studies, analyze findings, and interpret results to build the sales and marketing plan.
• Developed and managed direct and e-commerce sales and marketing strategies to grow and support the revenue and corporate brand identity.
• Forecasted, managed, and reported on sales and stock.
• Planned and executed of a theoretical and practical training program.
• Managed and oversaw the design and implementation of a theoretical and practical training program.
• Created, developed, and implemented innovative concepts to improve the sales and marketing material.
• Responsible for setting targets and objectives and ensuring the set targets and objective are achieved.
• Reported on sales and marketing of the operational functions of the department and performance versus set targets and objectives.
• Responsible for budget planning and forecasting and monitor all expenditure against set budgets.
• Identified and mitigated risks based on research and surveys.

Skills and knowledge acquired in this position:

• Management & Administration – Acquired knowledge of management and business principles including but not limited to resource allocation, strategic planning, coordination of people and resources and human resource modelling.
• Negotiation – All supplier negotiation; negotiate and develop new business models.
• Supplier Management – Interacting and coordination of all suppliers key accounts.
• Business Development – Creating alternative ways of revenue for the business; research, identify, analyze and create new target markets.
• Economic – Knowledge of economic practices, financial markets and recording of financial data
• Financial and Accounting – Incorporating and analyzing accounting principles together with financial data from product suite to implement new pricing structures.
• Training & Education – Knowledge of methods, and principles for the design of training material; training and teaching of sales and marketing team members.
• Decision Making & Judgement – Recognize and consider cost versus benefits of probable actions to assist with choosing the most appropriate solution.
• Writing – Drafting of terms and conditions and contract clauses specific to the company business model; effectively communicating in writing pertinent to the requirement of the audience.
• Sales & Marketing – Direct sales to customers; promoting and selling products; product demonstrations; sales techniques; developing sales process and control systems.
• Communication – Interacting with different customers, communication techniques; communication with different cultures, race, and genders; developing alternatives methods of communication depending on different scenarios.
• Customer Service – Identifying customer needs and provide solutions; ensure quality standards are met; knowledge of the process and principles of providing customer service.
• Time Management – Managing own and team members' time.
• Project Management – Implementing project management skills and knowledge in the day-to-day work activities and planning.
• Coordination – Coordinating the actions of the sales and marketing teams; adjusting activities of the Sales & Marketing Team in relation to other business departments.
• Instructing – Guiding and teaching sales and marketing team members on different sales techniques and activities.
• Problem solving – Identifying problems, reviewing relative information to provide solutions.
• Human Resource Management – Motivating and directing sales and marketing teams to fulfill their duties and responsibilities.
• Critical Thinking – Use logic, data and reasoning to identify the best viable solution or approach to problems.
• Computer Literacy – Utilizing several technological systems, applications, and media to conduct day to day activities.

Achievements in this position:

• Turnover – Increased turnover by 90% in Namibia, 74% in Botswana, and 71% in South Africa by implementing new training, sales structures, and support systems across regions from 2016 to 2019.
• Covid-19 Performance – Developed an online ordering platform and social media sales strategy, maintaining 94% of the sales team and 81% of pre-COVID turnover during the pandemic, while expanding social media presence to 50,000 followers.
• Training Program – Created a comprehensive training program covering sales strategies, product knowledge, and practical skills, leading to an 87% success rate, with new consultants tripling their monthly income.
• Pricing Strategies – Redesigned pricing strategies, shifting to a customer-centric model and improving gross profit margins by 6% - 8%. Introduced flexible packages and improved stock forecasting for better inventory management.
• Sales Drivers – Refined sales drivers, processes and reporting, enabling better tracking and strategic adjustments, which improved sales efficiency.
• Remuneration and Targets – Revamped remuneration and target structures to incentivize higher performance, leading to a more productive sales force.
• Consultant-to-revenue ratio – Improved the consultant-to-revenue ratio, halving the number of sales consultants while increasing turnover, allowing a focus on strategic growth.
• Culture – Strengthened team culture, shifting to a collaborative, supportive environment that drove teamwork, mutual success, and business growth.

What I have learnt from working in this position:

When I became the sales and marketing manager of all 3 countries, I was only 26 years old. During this time, the company's turnover had dropped consecutively with more than 15% in the previous two years. As expected, my appointment didn't come without its fair challenges. I received a lot of resistance from a matured management team and consultants who were set in their ways, not open to change, new ideas and strategies and frankly speaking, didn't want to follow, trust or respect a young and inexperienced manager. During this period a lot of strengths and weaknesses that I haven't faced yet were challenged and I learned the following about myself:

• Success Driven - I exhibit a deep-seated desire to succeed, to challenge the status quo and to raise the bar.
• Goal Driven - I get energy from people who say I can't achieve my goals.
• Focused - I have a reputation for applying myself to your work for many hours at a time. My teammates know I am capable of working all day or through the night when I must complete job-related tasks, household chores, or academic assignments.
• Problem focused - I am fascinated by problems that puzzle, confound, or frustrate most people.
• Performance Driven - I want to be the topmost performer or the best in the class or certain fields or activities as excellence is the result of not only hard work, but also of top-quality materials and people.
• Strive To Level Up - I intentionally and unapologetically strive for promotions, significance, or financial gain by showcasing my natural or acquired abilities.
• Strategic - By nature, I reduce a process, idea, plan, or event to its key components which allows me to easily identify risks, find solutions and create a clear path of how to get to the end goal.
• Helping Others Achieve Their Goals - Customarily, I am energized by what I can accomplish in life, how I can help others accomplish their goals and dreams and the journey of getting there.
• Mastering Things - I love to learn and master things as quickly as possible which explains my consistent need to learn from others' success and failures.
• Empowering People - I trained hundreds of people, and I learned how much energy I get when I can share my knowledge and skills, help others succeed in life, help them grow, challenge their own status quo, and help them to break through barriers.
• Gemba Walk - I am not afraid to do the hard work, get my hands dirty and to walk in the shoes of others.
• Lead By Example - My leadership style is to lead by example and not by what I know or what I can tell you to do. This partially explained how I changed the minds of everyone that was against my appointment as sales and marketing manager. I soon realized that the quicker I add value and showed them results, the quicker I would overcome the resistance.
• Committed To My Promise - I am committed to my promise and believe that actions speak louder than words.
• Diversity - I learned the importance, benefits, and challenges of diversity in business and social economic environments and how I should think, act, and react towards diversity.
• Risk Taker - I am definitely a risk taker. However, luckily, I have failed numerous times and I learned the importance of taking calculated and planned risks.
• Compassionate - I learned when I am empathetic and compassionate and when not. Through this I learned how to improve as manager, and leader when other people need empathy or compassion.
• Adult learning – While completing my training programme I learned about “adult learning” and how to create content for “adult learning”.

During Covid I learned the following:

• Change - I learned how I face and respond to dramatic change and how it makes me feel. You either fight, freeze of fly and naturally I choose to fight. Ny nature I step up as a leader and take the greater responsibilities and challenges onto my own shoulders.
• Black Swan Events - I learned how I lead a company and people through “black swan events” and the importance of supporting and motivating different types of people when facing the unknown.
• Proactive Planner - I learned how important it is to plan. The old saying “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail” proved its importance and I learned how to act, react and lead when strategies and plans fail as well as how to mitigate and manage risks.
• Handling Pressure - My ability to handle severe pressure was challenged over and over again and I learned what I am capable off during pressured times.

Summary of Duties:

• Identified, developed, and evaluated sales and marketing strategy based on company objectives, market characteristics and cost and mark-up factors.
• Formulated, directed, and coordinated sales and marketing activities or policies to promote products and services.
• Directed the recruitment, training or performance evaluations of sales and marketing staff and oversee their day-to-day operational activities.
• Coordinated and provided inputs in the decision making relating to product growth and expansion.
• Coordinated and participated in promotional activities such as tradeshows, working with suppliers and distribution managers to market products or services.
• Initiated market research studies, analyzed findings, and interpret results to build the sales and marketing plan.
• Developed and managed direct sales and marketing strategies to grow and support the revenue and corporate brand identity.
• Forecasted, managed, and reported on sales and stock.
• Planned, designed, developed and executing of a theoretical and practical training program.
• Created, developed, and implemented innovative concepts to improve the sales and marketing material.
• Responsible for setting targets and objectives and ensuring the set targets and objective are achieved.
• Reported on sales and marketing of the operational functions of the department and performance versus set targets and objectives.
• Identified and mitigated risks based on research and surveys.

Skills and knowledge acquired in this position:

• Sales & Marketing – Direct sales to customers; promoting and selling products; product demonstrations; sales techniques; identifying target markets; developing sales process and control systems.
• Communication – Interacting with different customers, communication techniques; communication with different cultures, race, and genders; developing alternatives methods of communication depending on different scenarios.
• Customer Service – Identifying customer needs and provide solutions; ensure quality standards are met; knowledge of the process and principles of providing customer service.
• Business Processes – Interacting with suppliers; understanding the supply chain process; engaging in the full business value chain (from supplier to customer).
• Time Management – Managing own and team members' time.
• Project Management – Implementing project management skills and knowledge in the day-to-day work activities and planning.
• Writing – To effectively communicate in writing pertinent to the requirement of the audience.
• Coordination – Coordinating the actions of the sales and marketing teams; adjusting activities of the Sales & Marketing Team in relation to other business departments.
• Instructing – Guiding and teaching sales and marketing team members on different sales techniques and activities.
• Problem Solving – Identifying problems, reviewing relative information to provide solutions.
• Human Resource Management – Motivating and directing sales and marketing teams to fulfill their duties and responsibilities.
• Critical Thinking – Use logic, data, and reasoning to identify the best viable solution or approach to problems.
• Computer Literacy – Utilizing several technological systems, applications, and media to conduct day to day activities.