Lessons That Stuck in 2018: Top 5 Takeaways

Learning lasts a lifetime – well, at least I hope it does.

For me, formal education sparked the beginning. Each day there are skills and bits of knowledge that I continue to gain.

One year ago, I started a new journey – joining Taylor Studios as an Account Executive. I’d already worked in sales for well over a decade (probably more than that, but who’s counting?) gaining valuable experience in various industries. But even though there are many similarities in the sales world, there are also many nuances to learn in each industry and sector. And there is always a learning curve – the task of familiarizing one’s self with new customers and the products and services being offered. As such, I had to grow my network and get to know an entirely new group of colleagues. Sales has a common shared language, but there seems to be a different dialect in each industry – with something new to learn every day. Through this new journey I documented at least one new thing that I learned every week.

My top 5 takeaways from this past year:

1.     Everything is in the “gray area” – every situation is unique.

This may not be a surprise to any sales person but it really hit me early on in my new position. At Taylor Studios we serve a niche market – which lends itself to being unique by definition. However, each project that has crossed my desk has been very distinct on its own. On subject matter alone, there have been a large variety of fun and interesting topics. I learned very quickly that there was not a one-size-fits-all situation with my job. This is one reason I find it so fun!

2.     Process makes a difference.

I have always been a big fan of process. Through my experiences this year, I came to understand why process was so important – both to me and to any project. Process helps people understand expectations, and helps manage those expectations when questions arise. I am a big fan of understanding expectations from the beginning so that everyone is on the same page.

3.     Detail. It is all about the detail.

Details – from too few to too many – drive the decision making process for any project, and effective communication of those details creates success for the project. This can be linked to what I learned about process. Details help with expectations and create a better understanding of the project. Too much (or too little) detail though can hinder the process. Getting buried in too many details, the bigger picture can be completely lost. I have had to learn the process and link the details for success.

4.     Talent surrounds me.

When I joined Taylor Studios it was never a question of would I get to work with incredibly talented people – I knew that they already had a great team in place. However, I did not know the extent of that talent. I never expected such amazing problem-solvers. Not only are they creative with the exhibits that we produce but they also think outside of the box and explore artistic ways to solve issues. The resourcefulness of the staff as a whole allowed me to understand why the team was so successful. 

5.     There is always a story to be told.

History is created every day. We can read about the past in books. We can watch documentaries. We can see museum exhibits. None of those things would exist without a story to be told.

While reviewing my year, these 5 lessons stood out because they were consistently showing up in different ways. I also learned that small towns have the coolest stories, that behind the scenes tours at museums are by far the most interesting tours I’ve taken, and you need to shave an alpaca. But the most important thing I learned was that learning does not always have to be so serious!

Cheers to another year of living and learning.