The Merriam-Webster dictionary has multiple definitions for the word ‘Explore’ but the one that rings the most true for me is:
‘To travel over new territory for adventure or discovery’
Throughout my career at John Mini, I have been able to grow and learn by tapping into the mentors and colleagues that surround me.
At the start of my career, the first few months of work comprised of assisting Benny on the indoor installations of our projects. My indoor installations knowledge was limited at the beginning of my career, but Benny was a patient teacher, and he always took the time to show me the ropes. This experience was invaluable in the growth of my career.
The second part of my journey involved time spent in the John Mini outdoor service department. We were a smaller department at this time, but always striving to improve and grow. Traveling between accounts, I would often spend that time with Andrew Sliwa enthusiastically discussing our ideas on how to grow the department. Andrew is a colleague that I was able to learn a lot of horticultural knowledge from, and those early days were certainly an adventure.
With an understanding of the indoor and outdoor parts of our business, I navigated in to my current role in the company in Business Development. Now I get to explore and identify new opportunities to grow the business. Here I collaborate with my boss, Jack, a seasoned industry professional and a valued mentor. I learn something new from him every day, and it’s provided me with the opportunity to manage the next generation of sales professionals at John Mini.
I will conclude this article with a message to my colleagues at John Mini, and future colleagues that are considering joining our company: Continue to explore, travel into unfamiliar territories, and gain knowledge.
Here in the summer of 2020, many of our travel plans have been temporarily put on hold. However, use this time wisely to explore and absorb from the local resources that you can access. You don’t always have to go far to experience something new.
Keith Behringer, Business Development Manager