Dave joined Gungho in late 2022 as a Business Discovery Agent in our Poundbury office. His can-do attitude has helped him climb the Gungho ladder and in under two years, Dave landed himself promotion after promotion, and is now a Campaign Manager. We interviewed him to see how he achieved this.
You transitioned from a completely different industry. What motivated you to apply to Gungho?
I was looking for a career change having worked in the plumbing and heating industry for the last 10 years. I wanted to find a role that gave me the opportunity to learn something completely new and work for a company that would allow me to improve and expand my knowledge base. A lot of the skills that I learnt from previous roles, like communication and customer service, were skills that are desirable at Gungho, as you are working on the phones talking to prospects and clients, so that made me feel confident when applying. Gungho just seemed like an ideal fit and exactly what I was looking for.
How did you find the recruitment process and your first few days at Gungho?
The interview process was exactly as expected. I was open and honest about my previous experience and that I didn’t know much about this industry, but I was told it wouldn’t be an issue as there is a full training programme for all new starters which covered not only the basics but really in-depth knowledge about the risk and compliance space. Emma, the Recruitment Manager kept me well informed throughout the recruitment process and was clear in letting me know what the next steps would be so I felt reassured throughout the process.
On my first day, I was made to feel at home straight away and was introduced to people I’d be working closely with. The training programme starts the week you join and over the course of 6 weeks taught me so much about not just the day-to-day role but the RegTech industry and how Compliance professionals think. Straight away I felt at ease and wasn’t afraid to query anything. It is worth remembering that the majority of staff at Gungho all started their careers as Business Discovery Agents, so everyone has been in the same boat.
You have progressed quickly in your career at Gungho? What steps did you take to achieve this?
From the beginning, I knew I was keen to progress as soon as I could, and everyone supported that instantly by ensuring I knew what was expected of me in order to move into a management role. Going from Business Discovery Agent to a Campaign Manager is quite a jump but the operations team made it clear what was needed and I always felt guided by them. There is a real sense of community here and even though we are a large team, it still feels like we are all close knit. The board members and senior management make time for everyone, allowing you to build meaningful relationships with them—an opportunity that many companies do not offer.
What does your typical day look like as a Campaign Manager?
There’s quite a lot of tasks that you juggle as a Campaign Manager, so I’ve learnt to get things done efficiently. One of the most important things for me is making sure my team is happy. I check in and catch up with them regularly because someone’s performance often relates to how they are feeling, so know I need to create and maintain a positive atmosphere at work.
I have always been in a target driven environment, so I am no stranger to it. I try to break each day down into manageable sizes – I look at what I can achieve in the day rather than thinking about the whole week. I always keep a positive mentality with each phone call because you never know, the next person you call could lead to an appointment and you never want to miss that opportunity. We like to include incentives and games for the team because being on the phones can be challenging, and these rewards make the hard work feel even more gratifying. There aren’t many workplaces that offer extra rewards within roles, it keeps the job fun and allows everyone to get out what they put in.
Gungho operates a 4-day week, how does this work with your lifestyle?
I previously worked six days a week, so stepping into this role was a massive change for me. But I love it. I have a big family and having a 3-day weekend allows me to spend more quality time with them which is so important to me. I’d also say that my mental health has improved since joining Gungho. There is a good buffer between my work life and my family life, allowing me to truly relax and do the things I love. I have more free time to dedicate to the people I care about, allowing me to create more memories with them.
