E04 How I Became Managing Director of OMG UNITE | Serhat Ekinci
Episode description
“I grew up in a place you would call very rough… where drugs and fights were part of day-to-day life.”
When he came to the UK, Serhat Ekinci was working in a coffee shop, unable to pay rent. Now he’s the Managing Director of Unite at OMG, which last year spent £15M on minority-owned businesses.
“We went from a low six-digit to seven-digit numbers… when I first joined I never thought this was going to make a million; we made it. The team grew… we built the most efficient team. We went from having two clients to fifty clients.”
This is.... How I Became Managing Director of OMG UNITE | Serhat Ekinci
With your hosts... Ashley Samuels-McKenzie and Charles Parkinson
Topics discussed:
- Growing up in Istanbul
- Working as a mechanic at nine years old
- Mental health, both your own and supporting family members
- Being an immigrant in the UK and the challenges which come with that
- Learning from frustrating work experiences
- Changing careers to find fulfilment
- How to deal with feelings of failure
- Becoming a managing director by following your passions
- The mental strain felt addressing racism after the murder of George Floyd
- The positive impacts of a strong work-life balance
- The challenges that come with WFH as a parent
- The importance of family and friends as a support network
Chapters:
(00:00:00) Leaving the Village in Search of a New Life
(00:10:58) Financial Struggles and Mental Health Challenges
(00:22:03) Overcoming Challenges and Finding Hope
(00:32:51) Finding Happiness and Overcoming Challenges
(00:43:42) Feeling Homesick and Job Frustrations
(00:54:17) Dealing with Worry and Anxiety
(01:05:03) Challenges and Growth in the Industry
(01:15:47) Overcoming Doubts and Limitations
(01:26:29) Being Authentic and Finding Balance in Life
(01:37:19) The Journey of Becoming Sir Hat
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Links:
Episode Sponsor:
Gray Matters - A straight-talking business development consultancy that empowers agencies to position, market and sell themselves for new business success
Unity & Motion - A London based production company specialising in commercials and branded content
Email: [email protected]
This is a UNIFY Podcast. Produced by Unity & Motion
Credits:
Director: Charles Parkinson
Poet & VO Artist: Ashley Samuels-McKenzie
Sound Recordist: Paolo Neri
Editor: Paolo Neri