Why Do I Circle Back to Advertising
I was a copywriter working in a leading 4As agency based at Hong Kong. Probation just passed. The same week, I bought and read Anything You Want.
Few years in, I failed forward on the corporate ladder, and I got promoted to senior copywriter and later an assistant project manager. I was moving up the value chain at the slowest pace, but I was ok with that. I was honing the “multiplying skills” in the talent hotbed.
Speaking, writing, psychology, design, conversation, 2nd language, and persuasion are all examples of multiplying skills.
Not pursued on their own, they’re skills that multiply the success of your main pursuit.
(A pilot who’s also a great writer and public speaker.)
(A chef with a mastery of psychology, persuasion, and design.)
These skills multiply the results of your efforts and give you an edge over others in your field.
I have to learn new subject matters on a daily basis because of the client’s nature. I was honing the “multiplying skills” to work with all types of people to promote their businesses. I had worked with over 100 brands from SMEs all the way up to Fortune 500 in 40 months. People can work in only one industry as a professional, but I can work with multiple industries in the one and only advertising industry.
When I left the company, I was nervous about my decision to go all in to learn programming. I seek career counseling from the CEO. He happened to learn the same subject as me and encouraged me the continuous learning. I’ve never regretted my decision to quit the 4As agency right before it went listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.
In my case, I strive to become the best version of myself in a unique way.
(A programmer who’s also a great writer and public speaker.)
(A product manager with a mastery of psychology, persuasion, and design.)
After a decade of honing craftsmanship in terms of both “multiplying skills” and “operational skills”, I have to ask myself.
What is my main pursuit?
(An entrepreneur who masters conversation for customer development, people management for business operation, and product management for product-led growth)
Programmers and product managers are very expensive to hire; the technical know-how is deep and their professional efficiency is high.
Even though prototyping can minimize the money needed for high-tech product businesses, it still costs a substantial amount of initial capital deployment (at least for most average people without access to venture capital).
Promoting the existing products out there I find useful, on the other hand, does not need any large amount of capital deployment. The fancy equipment I have are: a laptop, a mobile phone, a microphone, and headphones. I can stay in the know of what the customers want, adding value to their business at the same time.
Any time you think you know what your new business will be doing, remember: No plan survives first contact with the customer.
Start now. No funding needed.
Read the next chapter: Why Do I Need My Own Company
Or table of contents: Anything You Want (My Version)