This series of career stories is built on conversations, ideas and the Lindström community. With a mission to celebrate our colleagues and draw inspiration, this series is dedicated to shedding light on the stories of Lindströmers around the world, in various positions, teams and countries, celebrating the diversity of our people. At Lindström, everyone is valued and supported in their aspiration to become the best they can be.
Today, we bring you our conversation with Emin Ide, Sales Manager, Turkey.
To kick things off, could you tell us a little about yourself?
My philosophy in life can essentially be summed up in Paulo Coelho’s words, ‘Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute for experience.’ To keep making headway in sales or otherwise, you must keep an optimistic view, pick yourself up after every fall and continue being fearless. I am passionate about sales, and much of it, I believe, has shaped my personality and drive.
I was born in the city of Yalova, which is an hour away from Istanbul. After I graduated from university, I moved to Istanbul. I have been married for 10 years and have a 4-year-old daughter named Yaz. My daughter’s name, Yaz, means ‘summer’ in Turkish. We named her so as we, my wife and I, are both fans of the summer season and summer activities, such as going on a vacation, swimming, wave surfing, boat tripping in the Aegean Sea, camping and diving. When we call our daughter by her name, it brings back all the good memories. It is always the summer season for the Ide family! I also like to read books, travel, meet new people and explore new cultures. In addition, I am proud of my cooking skills, I like to cook Turkish cuisine and serve my friends and family over weekends.
How would you describe your path to Lindström and the journey so far?
I started as a sales representative at Lindström in 2015 for Workwear services. I got very excited about the opportunity, as it was the first time, I would sell something new. The concept of renting out textiles was unheard of in the Turkish markets, which made for an exciting learning opportunity to rebuild my approach to sales. A couple of good years led me to the position of Sales Manager for Mats and Workwear Services. But the challenges and learning opportunities have not faded away, and that is what is so exciting about being at Lindström.
What is your favourite part of the job?
A common thread in my day is interacting with a lot of different people, getting to know them, and guiding them to see value in our offerings in their context. I have discovered that I am truly a people person. I feel very accomplished in my work when accompanying others in moments of change, experiencing their sudden moments of realisation, the A-ha! Moments – when they can see value in what we represent as a company.
Tell us about a recent challenging experience or a learning challenge?
Navigating Turkey’s recent turbulent economic scenario and its implications on our business is an ongoing challenge. Coping and reacting as fast as possible to changing situations is an everyday task at hand. Furthermore, Covid-19 pushed the shift to digital at astonishing speed. We are still learning to pitch with the same conviction online, a setting where demonstrating value becomes more difficult. I lead a team of seven and keeping my team motivated and supported in these times is my top priority.
What would be the one thing you would like to share about Lindström with people who may not know the company so well?
Lindström is a unique organisation, and I have understood that it has a lot to offer, even beyond learning and development opportunities in the professional realm. I have personally learned to acknowledge cross-cultural sensitivity and enjoy cross-cultural interactions. Every day, what keeps me here is the people – their kindness and commitment to grow and shine as an organisation.