What I learned as a Junior Growth Advisor Intern

Gray Group International, the company that “helps build scalable systems that drive internal and external customers through a wow-worthy buyer and customer experience”, definitely left me saying “WOW”. As an intern within this growth agency, I continued through a process of personal growth which allowed me to help others grow.

GGI = Gray Group International & Givers Gain Immensely

You would think that GGI stands for Gray Group International, and it does.

But, what many of you don’t know is that GGI also stands for: Givers Gain Immensely. From what I have experienced, this motto drives the choices within the company; creating the culture. It is what keeps people returning for greater collaboration. When thinking about giving, physical materials and objects wrapped up with a bow come to mind. This is not the only form of giving: knowledge, service, and sometimes material objects can be gifted. Giving, to me, is passing on a creation that will benefit more than the creator.?Giving as a selfless opportunity to demonstrate compassion.

During my interview process, while I met with the CEO Tiago, synchronicity happened. As he shared the deeper meaning of what GGI stands for, I connected the dots with the book I was reading. At the time, the novel I had chosen to pass my "free time" was The Go-Giver. This book was given to me by my coworker Bibi and the book that was previously given to her by her supervisor Jason. Now this book is sitting on my shelf waiting for the next recipient…?

In this book, the author goes over the theory of giving using anecdotes that display the benefits of being selfless. It is a butterfly effect of positivity. This book expresses that the foundation of solid relationships that are unshakeable is based on the act of generosity, authenticity, and pure intent. By contributing without an alternative motive, you open yourself up to karma that will benefit you when you least expect it. I am a strong believer in this.

Tiago has been one of the most giving supervisors and friends but I have gotten a chance to work with them. My earliest memory of Tiago, before our professional life‘s parted, goes back to when we were childhood friends. Because we are both first-generation immigrants from a Brazilian background within similar age groups; our families commingled, this gave us the chance to interact frequently.

At one of the social gatherings, I was the only kid without a yo-yo (I was younger than ten at the time). While the other children at the party taunted and made fun of me for not being prepared, Tiago came over and patiently taught me how to use this toy, and generously shared while giving me a turn. His character is consistent, stretching long before his business; this memory instantly increased my trust in him when he offered me the position.

Through his active giving, Tiago offered me the position of interning as a junior growth advisor. In this position, he would teach me the tricks and tips of working in this industry. Additionally, he offered to bring me along the company trip to Boston and participate in the Inbound convention held by HubSpot! Thank you, Tiago!

You can do ANYTHING but you cannot do EVERYTHING

I cross my fingers with hopes that I am not the only college student who feels as if success comes with doing the most!

Through my years, I’ve discovered that it is quite the opposite. Being intentional with energy is a valuable lesson I’ve learned! During my position at GGI, this lesson was first revealed to me with clarity. Hubspot’s methodology divides business into segments such as marketing, sales, and services (all essential for success). Learning all three aspects at once will not provide tremendous results. On the contrary, obfuscation of the three ideas will more likely occur!

In one of Tiago‘s memorable lesson-moments, I remember his metaphor. He told me, and my coworker/ friend Morgan, “you can do anything but you cannot do everything". Specialization is what sets you apart from the people with whom you focus on horizontal learning. His wise words proved of value when I determined it was the best fit for me to focus on my education when the upcoming semester initiated, instead of “tap-dancing” through multiple missions. Tiago frequently shares that our actions should involve passion, purpose, and enthusiasm. The combination of these three elements will bring joy and better results.

Fully Focused, Present, Committed

Meetings are a massive part of the culture of GGI. During many times a week, when the global team meets, we initiate the meeting by confirming our full focus, presence, and commitment. Seeking verbal commitment from each member of the team is a nugget of leadership wisdom then I will bring to future workplaces!

I’ve noticed that the meetings, here, are immeasurably more productive and respectful of stakeholder’s time. The information does not need to be repeated often, people are more focused and are motivated to collaborate. Through hearing each member express their dedication, I felt a stronger connection between us. Sometimes, team members, are not able to be fully present, focused, or committed. In that case, it was explicitly stated. This leads to better understanding.

Business Flywheel

The Hubspot academy was a large part of my training at Gray Group International! There, I learned that there is a more strategic approach to the traditional sales funnel!

The difference between a flywheel and a funnel is the focus on advocacy. Instead of being finished with your customers at the end of the buying process, nurturing for re-purchasing, it’s beneficial for lowering the cost of customer acquisition.

Additionally, good customers are the best brand advocate. Once you have delighted a customer with special moments of surprise, they are more likely to recommend you to their friend. This is good news because your customers’ friends are probably in the same customer profile that your business is addressing.

Think about it: aren’t your friends on the same wavelength? Don’t they focus on the same interests, mostly? A business owner is more likely to know additional business owners, while a pet owner who is in love with their dog will most likely “live at” a dog park. Conversations between people are a perfect place for marketing; the condition is that you need to provide value that exceeds expectations and is comment worthy!

My Favorite Hubspot Courses:

• Inbound Marketing
• Content Marketing
• Inbound Sales
• Frictionless Sales
• Sales Enablement

Steps on the GGI FLYWHEEL:

• Awareness
• Consideration
• Decision
• Adoption
• Retention
• Expansion
• Advocacy

Inbound Conference

Without a doubt, the Inbound conference (2019) was my favorite few days of the internship experience. Team building, rapid learning, and memory creation flooded each second. In this Boston convention hosted by HubSpot, marketing professionals from around the world join together to share a similar passion. Professional speakers join to share their expertise while networking opportunities open the doors for exceptional conversations. Outside of the conference setting, sharing headquarters with the team provided a greater sense of who they are. It was the first time that I came together with the international team, in person. Our assumptions about how they were like, which were conveyed through zoom, weren’t all accurate after meeting each other in person.

One memorable point of the trip was when Tiago suggested we start a crowd wave in the audience of the conference. I did not let fear or discomfort prevent me from participating and we successfully got hundreds of people to act as well! This was another example of how I was transforming from a shy, nerdy, lower classmen into a confident leader.

Diversity Inclusion Belonging

Within most organizations, there is a focus on hiring diversely. GGI stands out.

Not only do they hire diversely, but then they cultivate an environment where employees feel included and feel as though they belong! Never have I worked within an organization that exemplifies all aspects of diversity like the one I experienced within this internship. An international team formed by people of different backgrounds, ages, religions, sexual orientation, gender, and life mission propels GGI. Flexibility, understanding, and compassion make working at this level of collaboration possible. Being mindful of time zone differences between the members in the El Salvador team, accommodating the needs of a recent mom, and astonishing: hiring an employee older than the CEO demonstrated the value of inclusion.

As a 19-year-old, I felt included and as if I belonged. Whenever introduced by another team member, it was with respect for who I was as a person. This left an impact. The hiring process is not based on bias, but instead, it is based on culture addition along with culture fit. This is something I admire.

ACTION

At GGI, I sensed the value of progress over perfection. Most times, initial action, led to both progress and perfection. Progressing into a new area of the profession, a new level of service, and working with new people can be both uncomfortable and sometimes unsafe. It is fair to be intimidated or daunted by the thought of taking the next steps.

I had this feeling. Luckily, I had Tiago by my side to push me long. He encouraged me to progress, learn, and take risks. His mindset definitely passed onto mine, I’m stronger because of it. One example of progress was with my first- mock- customer call. While meeting with Leti, our channel account manager from HubSpot, she guided me through customer profiling and lead me through the basis of communications. During this call, I was inundated by the jitters. My stomach, voice, and a little bit of my arm were spazzing due to the increase in adrenaline swirling through my veins! Through the compassionate leadership provided by Leti and the encouragement Tiago provided, I became more comfortable with practicing and building confidence in what we had to offer. Surely, this communicated through my speech patterns and body language. In hindsight, I noticed the importance of confidence – especially when what you are providing is of value to the end client!

Tiago has a very strong personality, which is a good thing. This means that whenever he has a point or message to convey, he will go all the way to communicate it. To inspire me to act more and break free from the constraints of deep thought, he brought up an analogy. He told me to imagine a brick wall. While many people may stand behind this wall, intimidated by the grandiosity, Tiago set the scene of forcefully breaking through the barrier to get to the other side. He proves the importance of willpower and determination to reach goals!

Pondering over the best route of avoiding the barrier or calculating how many steps a ladder must have before going over are methods of creating a movement toward a specific goal, but this movement is not action! One of his famous quotes is, “dig deeper"; to me, this quote is useful whenever I am reaching a point close to burnout. I use it to remind myself of my deeper “why” which can sometimes become buried under distractions and tasks that are not evidently contributing to my end goal.

LESSON LEARNED: GO GET IT (GGI Pun Intended)

The “secret sauce” to growth is to act on the intentions you have set out for yourself. Many times, you will fail. Failure is part of the learning journey. However, by failing forward, you now own new knowledge. This could be used to create something meaningful which will benefit others who may be facing a similar obstacle. By spreading our wisdom, we can collectively elevate a community. All of this requires focus and a commitment to the underlying intention. GGI has demonstrated the power of resilience, an invaluable skill.

Some additional articles I hope you'll enjoy:

• What I learned as a Growth Strategist
• What I have learned as a Peer Research Coach