The first 5......

Whilst just a fraction when compared to some of my esteemed colleagues I am really pleased to have reached a 5 year milestone with the Redranger Company. I understand the experience is going to be somewhat different for each employee that passes through the business and largely depends on timing, relationships, opportunities and cultural fit, but till this point I'd suggest my continued employment with the Redranger Group can be attributed largely to part fortune, part patience and part action. 

The part fortune started back in August of 2014 where I sneaked my way into a last minute and final round interview with then Sales Manager Daniel Dunn. At the time I’d been without work for several months but was determined to find employment within the industry I was passionate about and this particular opportunity couldn’t have presented itself at a better time. Looking back at Daniel’s welcome e-mail I doubt he ever imagined or was that "sure" that I would become so much of a valued member of the team (tongue and cheek). I still remember walking into the office on my first day at Redranger HQ in Somersby Australia. The first person I met at the top of stairs was Andrew Nolan and as it turns out Andrew’s and my relationship quickly developed and over the years he became hugely influential in both my achievements within the business as well as my personal development and growth. More fortune came after an operational restructure within year one which lead to my first advancement within the organisation, but the real gold or next bit of fortune was within the second year where a potential relocation to the USA subsidiary came up on the radar. There’s a whole book to be written on that so I’ll leave that one there but multiple roles and three subsidiaries later I’m still here, albeit UK based, in good spirit and with high levels of optimism for the future. 

The part patience relates to several occasions when things just don't progress as you envisioned. These are often the most testing times and lead to reflection, wandering, confusion and unrest. “Follow the path and the path will lead the way” - I've always been a believer of however things work out was how they were meant to…… for me. Meaning - whilst you remain in control of your own destiny don’t let the choices you didn’t make take away from the decision you can still make today.  It’s easy to get caught up in “what if?” but the thing is you would just never really know the alternative, your mind can only create what you think might have been had you chosen a different path. In fact, adopting this mindset of acceptance and coupled with deliberate action has led to more dreams being reached, particularly in the last 3 years, than I could have ever imagined. So, I encourage others to play the hand you are dealt, find the good in where you are, and take the opportunity to make the most of each circumstance you find yourself in.   

There’ve been a few occasions I recall when I’ve remained patient (to a point) based on how the business outlook and my ideology were developing differently. There are a couple of lessons to be learnt in these “seasons” which you sometimes need to have qualities of grit or resilience to get through. The first one being that it can be advantageous to communicate openly to your superiors in order to find clarity amongst the confusion you’ve perhaps created internally. Whilst we may assume our superiors are aware of our emotions, we might consider that they too are human and navigating their way through their own life and business challenges. Communicating frankly to them then removes any ambiguity and facilitates the start of ironing out where things aren’t quite aligned. And if nothing else, externalising your views can be liberating and allow your focus then to shift onto the present rather than staying fixated on trivial thoughts. The second lesson is that patience can lead to progression. I think we sometimes associate patience with being stuck or stagnant, I’d argue though that these are just endurance tests for whether you’re ready for the next chapter you’re about to write. 

And finally – part action. Part action is perhaps my favourite as it is basically what you have complete control over. And I reference life in general and not just work here. Yes – I chose to pursue a career in the automotive industry – it’s where my passion lies. Yes – I’ve been open to relocation to both the USA and UK. And yes – I’ve put my best foot forward through the fruitful as well as challenging times. These are some of the deliberate actions I’ve taken. But I must take this moment to thank Redranger for the opportunities it has afforded me. Working for this organisation has taken me literally around the world, it has connected me to businesses operating at the highest level in the industry, it has facilitated relationships with extraordinary people, it has allowed me to live my passion for all things automotive and opened doors to events I’d only ever dreamed of attending, it has enabled my career progression as well as personal development, and finally allowed me to make my small contribution to a business that continues to innovate, expand and thrive within an ever-changing environment. I cannot stake any claims on the future, all I can do is continue my passionate dedication towards “work life” and personal growth.