For this interview Francesca sat down with Adam Taylor, our Wimi intern between July-December 2021.
Welcome back Adam. To begin with, could you please give us a brief synopsis about when you were here and what you’re currently doing?
My name is Adam, and I spent six months at AdVentures working as a Business Developer for Wimi as part of my Year Abroad programme for the University of Exeter. This involved the management of the UK, NAM and APAC sales pipelines, qualifying inbound prospects, and delivering demonstrations of the Wimi platform through both personalised calls and weekly general webinars. I also translated material for the Wimi Linkedin page and blog page alongside my fellow intern Francesca.
I am currently completing the second section of my placement year with a SAAS firm based out of Barcelona in the Fitness & Wellness industry. For the first 4 months, I took on a Sales Development Representative role and will spend my final 2 months in the marketing department. This involves some content creation as well as SEO, analytics, and translation into and from both French and Spanish.
In September, I will return to Exeter to complete my degree in Modern Languages.
Tell us about your first memory with AdVentures?
My first memory is being introduced to the team in the office and being welcomed by Dung and Pierre. My first day was a lot to take in with a new setting and a lot of new information. However, the team worked hard to make me feel at home and I settled in fairly quickly despite my initially rocky French!
Adam’s motto: Trust your instincts.
< < < Eloquoon: Mascot at one of our portfolio companies: Eloquens.com > > >
What were your initial objectives going in? Were you able to achieve them?
Given that Wimi was my first long-term experience in a professional, skilled environment, I did not fully know what to expect and had few specific goals. However, I knew that the SAAS industry was growing rapidly in the wake of the pandemic and was interested in finding out more about the different sales and marketing strategies that facilitated this growth. Under the pupilage of Tim, I was able to not only learn about this, but actively apply these strategies over the phone, email, and through demos to gain truly valuable, hands-on experience.
Another key target that I discussed with Tim in my interview was my goal to improve my French in a professional environment. Thanks to the initial patience of my co-workers, I was more than able to do this going from a B2 to a C1/2 level by the time I finished. Whilst my work was in English, I was able to interact fully in French with other members of the team both in and outside of the office to increase my proficiency.
Tell us about your favourite memory at Wimi?
My favourite professional memory at Wimi was being in a meeting with Tim and a big prospect. It was around 4 months into my internship and I realised that I was able to confidently demonstrate the platform and answer the questions posed to me. It was a super gratifying moment because I realised that my work was paying off and that my confidence had skyrocketed compared to my first webinar.
Furthemore, I loved the social side of Wimi, making friends for life through post work events such as the Wimi 5-a-side football team!
What are your plans for the future?
After completing my degree, I am looking to move into the field of international affairs. This would either consist of a Master’s degree in International Relations or a graduate scheme in government or in an NGO. I am currently browsing jobs in the UN and the FCDO. Essentially, I want to channel my experience in international companies onto a global scale in terms of policy, relations and logistics. Wimi helped me to uncover my passion for intercultural communication and I would like to take that into my future career.
Finally, if you could describe Wimi in 3 words, what would they be?
Nurturing, exciting, family!
We wish you all the best Adam! Thank you for your time with us!
Interviewer: Francesca Longhurst
