My Biggest Lesson: David Gallo-Martinez
David Gallo-Martinez has worked for Seven West Media as their digital account manager, and Bonfire as their senior account executive. David is highly experienced in the industry and has executed search strategies for Australia’s biggest brands, such as; St John WA, RAC, Cedar Woods, No Birds Bayswater Car Rental, WA Super, CV Check, Brightwater Group, United Equipment and more.
David has very recently been appointed senior silent director at denstu Western Australia, he spoke to LBB about the biggest lessons that he’s learnt along the way.
LBB> Is there one event/piece of wisdom from your career that's always stayed with you? What is it?
David> The biggest lesson I have learned in my career is that belief trumps skill!
LBB> Set the scene! How old were you when you learned this insight, where were you working, how long had you been there, what year was it, what was your role and how were you feeling generally about your career at this point?
David> I was in my mid-twenties, working in sales/account manager roles in the digital marketing industry. This was around 12 years ago and I had just made the jump from working in a traditional media company to a digital solutions-based business. I had only just joined the company after being brought over by the sales director, who had also recently joined. This was a big change in my career trajectory and I made sure I was learning from everyone around me. Particularly my boss, as his results spoke for themselves - meaning, he had plenty of skill! I knew I had a lot to learn from him in that department.
LBB> Tell us about the chain of events that led to you learning this insight?
David> The chain of events that led me to learn this insight began when I was pitching a new campaign to a client. I had spent a lot of time preparing for the presentation and had a lot of data and research to back up my forecasts. When I was practising my delivery a lot of my focus was on the data and facts. My boss saw this, pulled me aside and told me that I needed to work on conveying my passion in the delivery. He said that people will buy into your belief and enthusiasm for an idea, campaign or product over anything else. This piece of advice stuck with me ever since.
LBB> And if you got some words of wisdom from a particular person or there’s a key, influential person in this story – tell us about them! What was your relationship with them, what were they like, and how did you feel about them?
David> My boss at the time was a seasoned professional in the industry, and I had respect for him. He was a great mentor and coach, and I always appreciated his direct and honest feedback. I admired his expertise and knowledge of the industry, and I was always eager to learn from him.
LBB> Why do you think it struck such a chord?
David> The reason this advice struck such a chord with me is that it made me realize that my passion and belief in a product/campaign or idea is more important than the data and statistics I presented. Clients and your peers buy into your belief.
LBB> How did it change you as a person and in your career?
David> It made me more confident in my abilities to sell and pitch ideas. This insight allowed me to better connect with clients and colleagues and helped me become a more effective communicator.
LBB> And as you’ve progressed in your career, how have you re-evaluated this piece of advice?
David> As I've progressed in my career, I've continued to evaluate this piece of advice and have found that it still holds true today. In everything we do in life, belief and a smile can create a large impact in people's lives.
LBB> Is this insight or piece of advice something you now share with others – if so, how do they respond to it?
David> Yes, I often share this advice with others, and I find that people respond positively to it. It’s something anyone can understand and apply. Many people in the industry can get bogged down in the research and forget about the human aspect of what we do. As the saying goes: people forget what you said - but they will never forget how you made them feel.
