A Day in the Life of Mindshare's Lexi Smith

In this week’s 'A Day in the Life of...' interview, Mindshare's Lexi Smith gives an insight into her role as Business Director, Client Leadership.

Hi Lexi, can you tell us a bit about your role and how you got here?

I’ve done a bit of an around the world trip in media: starting as an intern in SEO at Mindshare in London, and now a Director in Client Leadership in the same city, with stops in Toronto & Dublin in between. Before Ferrero, I worked on a variety of clients including Unilever, Dyson, Weight Watchers, Johnson & Johnson, and IBM.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

On a beach somewhere.. that’s what CEO’s do, right?

What does a typical day look like for you?

With 26+ markets, and a client navigating an evolving FMCG (CPG) landscape, it is cliché to say, but not every day is the same. That said, it is likely to involve a teams call with someone in another country, a powerpoint, an excel, a step-change, and problem solving.

What part of your role do you enjoy the most?

That no client has everything figured out, so there is always potential to add value

Which top three skills are vital for this role and why?

Confidence, Curiosity, Collaboration

Despite the old adage, the customer isn’t always right, but it’s their business so you need the confidence to challenge them, the curiosity to ensure you have the knowledge about their business and your own to back you up, and the collaborative spirit that reminds you in the end, it’s not about being right, it’s about working together to provide growth in the right direction.

What’s the most challenging aspect of your role?

Building trust. Both with clients, and local teams. Like any relationship, it comes down to staying true to who you are, while understanding what they need from you too.

How do you help others feel like they belong in your team/promote inclusion?

I don’t think you can ever make someone feel like they belong, but the below are some institutional things that make it easier to discuss on a day to day basis (and it may help that I’m involved in some, and can share my experiences):

• Employee Resource Groups
• Agency Philosophy
• Training

I also think that ensuring not all conversations at work are about work - and that some are about getting to know someone as a person - can help people feel like there is a supportive community around them. Thus, help them feel comfortable speaking up on topics of interest or concern that affect their sense of belonging.

Which podcast/Youtube series would you recommend to someone interested in pursuing a career in this area to help develop their skills/prepare them for the role?

I think there’s a huge value in understanding business, because it can give you a better perspective on what might be driving your clients decisions, so to that:

• I love most podcasts by Bloomberg, inc. OddLots and Foundering (also if you scroll to the bottom episodes of this on Apple Podcasts, you find one called Decrypted which got cancelled but I’m a big fan)
• NPR does a fab one called Planet Money
• In case you speak French, Génération XX is one about female entrepreneurs and, even if I only catch 90% of what they say, highly recommend.