Account Manager

My name is Johnny, and I’ve recently finished my internship at Pearl Lemon. Let me tell you, it was everything I was promised and so much more.

The reason why I joined Pearl Lemon in the first place, was because of a good friend of mine who worked here a few years ago. He kept coming to me with his amazing experiences and the valuable lessons he learned, which obviously piqued my curiosity. Before joining, I had a chat with Deepak, who assured me that I would learn more here than anywhere else. Even though I don’t want to say I was a bit skeptical – after all, isn’t that what everyone says when recruiting someone? – I was a bit skeptical. However, I would soon discover Dee wasn’t exaggerating at all.

Ahead of my journey at Pearl Lemon, I was set on learning as much as possible, but I had the intent of focusing on sales. Yet, I remained open to embracing whatever came my way and ready to accept all kinds of challenges. 

My journey began with the Web Development team, where I was publishing blogs and service pages. However, it quickly became evident that it wasn’t exactly what I was interested in. Despite being surrounded by incredible colleagues, I felt that my personality and skills were made for a different kind of work. Even Charles, our team manager, recognized this and pointed out I should consider a role with more client interaction.

After saying my goodbyes to the web development team, I went on to assist Lydia with her endless list of daily tasks. For those who don’t know Lydia, I like to think of her as our guardian angel. Lydia single-handedly manages all things operations related and she powers through more tasks in a day than it should be humanly possible. Working with her was a good highlight of my time here at Pearl Lemon, helping me understand a bit better the diverse nature of our operations.

An unexpected turn of events led to my next role transition. One of the Account Managers suddenly left, leaving the seat empty – which I made sure to occupy promptly. As an Account Manager, I worked side by side with James, our account management superhero, which was also very enriching as I got to know our clients. He showed me the ins and outs of account management, teaching me everything I know about it. I was happy to see that this work aligned a lot more with my interests, especially the fact that it was more client-facing. 

Despite enjoying my role in account management, the thought of sales never left my mind. This growing interest led to a discussion with Deepak, during which I expressed my long-term aspirations in sales and the fact that my mind kept drifting toward it. Deepak, understanding my passion and interest, facilitated my move to the role that I occupy to this day – Business Development Manager. 

Ahead of embracing this transition, Dee emphasized the internal need for someone who can sell any and everything. I assured him that I would try my best to become that person, as quickly as possible. I began this journey by selling our legal and accounting services, which I found challenging as I wasn’t too comfortable with the topics. I then gradually started shifting my focus to marketing and catering deals, which proved to be a lot easier, as I have a business background and the process itself is more standardized. So far, sales have been everything I expected and more, confirming my suspicions that it is the right role for me. With each call being a unique challenge and the rush of not knowing what to expect, sales is definitely the most exciting role for me.

Looking back, jumping from team to team and department to department has been a blessing in disguise. Initially, I considered my constant transitions as a setback, as I had to start fresh each time and it made me question my place within Pearl Lemon. However, now that I have found my place, I consider these experiences invaluable, as they have provided me with a deep understanding of how multiple parts of the company work and introduced me to a lot of different people within the teams, that I can now easily reach out to if I have any doubts.

I don’t think this easy flow between positions and departments would have been possible anywhere else. This is exactly why Pearl Lemon is a company like no other. It truly stands out as a company that invests in your individual interests and then tries to align them with its internal goals. The option to jump around between so many departments in such a short amount of time is very uncommon and really speaks volumes about the company’s unique culture. I suspect this is how Dee knew I would learn so much!

Pearl Lemon welcomes those who are eager to learn and ready to put in the work. If you are that person, we could be your new family! Even though the team is scattered all over the world, there is such a big sense of support and connection that it makes us almost forget about the distance. Everyone here truly supports one another. 

This leads me to my last point, our founder, Dee. Deepak deserves to be praised for his inspirational presence, his leadership, and his deep and comprehensive knowledge across all sectors of the company. His profound dedication and intelligence are clear in his management of the diverse branches that constitute Pearl Lemon. While some may find his leadership style intimidating at times, I find it incredibly motivating. His ability to manage a team of over 60 people while ensuring that each and every member feels valued is no small feat.

All in all, and as you might have understood by now, my journey at Pearl Lemon has been nothing short of amazing. Everything I have learned and gained is far beyond what I could have ever imagined or hoped for. These past two months (which have felt like gaining eight years of experience), leave me excited and open to whatever the future holds here at Pearl Lemon!