How it Began
Flashback to 2020. I’m 34, wearing golf spikes instead of business shoes. I have had about 15 years in the golf industry, and my daily vocabulary was a mix of “par,” “birdie,” and the occasional frustrated “fore!” Golf was all that I knew, whether it be fitting clients, or coaching. But when Covid struck, my industry was hit pretty hard, and I decided it was time for a change. Little did I know, I was about to embark on a career shift that would make even my most challenging bunkers seem like a walk in the (golf) park.
So, there I was a few months later after applying for a job with a company called TEAM LEWIS. Trading my trusty nine-iron for a laptop, I was nervous. After all, what’s a golf coach doing in a place where people talk in acronyms like SEO and ROI? Venturing into the mysterious world of integrated marketing and communications with TEAM LEWIS was a huge change, and I had a very limited experience in public relations and digital marketing. In fact, I’d barely laid hands on a Macbook before.
Navigating Change
With a little bit of help from a great initiative called “RISE Academy” – a paid internship program that was set to launch my career in communications and marketing, my first day felt like I was stepping onto an unfamiliar fairway. Although it was a bit nerve-wracking, there was a certain kind of thrill too.
The Sydney team was ready too, guiding me through the course of public relations and digital marketing, and these became my new fairway. The art of crafting compelling narratives in the Sydney office replaced perfecting people’s swings. The team threw me into the deep end of press releases and media relations faster than I could say, “Is this a par 5 or a par 4?”
Digital marketing, on the other hand, felt like I was deciphering a secret code. CPC, PPC, CTR – it was like learning a new language. But I was intrigued by it and wanted to explore it further and TEAM LEWIS had my back. I was welcomed with open arms into Future’s Hub – a team full of innovative, creative and digital specialists based all the way in Singapore. It was here I was taught how to decode analytics and turn them into insights, while unravelling the mysteries of social media algorithms. The Futures Hub team, led by the guru of innovation himself, Danny Wong, made sure I didn’t feel like a fish out of water in a sea of hashtags and click-through rates.
Milestones and Reflections
The support and opportunities I’ve been given since joining TEAM LEWIS have been nothing short of brilliant, it’s like having a caddy for your career. Throughout the RISE Academy program, seasoned PR and Communication professionals took me under their wings, guiding me through the hazards of integrated marketing communications with wisdom and a good laugh. It’s been two years, and I’m now given the opportunity to pass on this knowledge to junior members of the team, along with a golf analogy or two!
A blend of creativity, camaraderie, and inside jokes, the team culture has been nothing short of amazing. The office banter is so lively that it makes a golf course’s locker room seem like a library. The Sydney office knows how to balance hard work with a healthy dose of humour, turning every project into a collaborative, engaging, well oiled machine.
I’ve now not only found my footing in the wild world of integrated marketing and communications, but I’ve also discovered that a career change can be just as amusing as a golfer’s attempt at a hole-in-one. Here’s to creative endeavours, and the occasional golf analogy in a meeting – because at TEAM LEWIS, you can swing in no matter what your experience in life.
If you’re looking for a new adventure, check out our existing vacancies here.
