INTRODUCTION
Finlay Mackenzie
Hello, my name is Finlay Mackenzie, a driven third year Business & Entrepreneurship student at Falmouth University. I posses a proactive approach to leadership, placing a strong emphasis on personal growth and fostering team development. I strive to refine not only my own skills, but also those of my colleagues to consistently deliver outstanding results across any task or project I undertake.
My background encompasses a variety of industries and services, ranging from influencer marketing to lead generation. This digital portfolio serves as a comprehensive display of my skills, areas of expertise, previous leadership experience, and relevant work history. Its primary objective is to display my capabilities and aspirations to potential employers, investors, or professional partners.
ABOUT ME
Background
My journey at Falmouth University began with the pursuit of architecture, driven by a strong passion for art and design that persisted through my GCSE’S and A-Levels. However, after starting the course, I quickly realised it didn’t align with my aspirations. Raised in an environment shaped by the entrepreneurial success of my self-employed parents, the world of business and entrepreneurship had always captivated and motivated me. This realisation is what ultimately prompted me to shift my academic career towards studying business.
ABOUT ME
Business Interests
My motivation stems from the success of individuals and
projects. I am drawn to helping business discover innovative ways to grow and am fascinated by all creative aspects of business, spanning from marketing strategies to web design. Throughout my academic journey at Falmouth University, three subjects have notably captured my interest: Consumer phycology, social innovation, and employee wellbeing.
ABOUT ME
Independent Ventures
In 2020, I began my first entrepreneurial venture by launching Sterlings, an affordable online men’s jewellery retailer. More recently, I co-founded Vizione, an influencer marketing agency specialising in the menswear and fashion niche.
Behavioural Insights
How I Work & Lead
Working In Teams
Drawing from extensive personal research and hands-on experience with various behavioural systems and frameworks, I identify myself within the Team Worker (TW) and Completer Finisher (CF) categories, as outlined in Dr Meredith Belbin’s ‘Belbin Roles’.
Furthermore, upon using Thomas Erikson’s DISA model, my personality traits predominantly align with the blue and green personalities.
Completer Finishers, as described by MindTools (2023), are individuals who ensure the thorough completion of projects. They focus on the details, maintaining the highest standards, and ensure the project meets the deadline. Team Workers on the other hand, are effective collaborators, striving towards the same shared goals as their colleagues.
Described in Thomas Erikson’s book ‘Surrounded by Idiots’, blue and green personalities are often characterised as being organised, meticulous, and extremely reliable.
Leadership Matrix
Through understanding and applying the leadership matrix model, coupled with insights gained from past leadership roles, it is clear to me that my approach to leadership places significant emphasis on both fostering the growth of team members whilst simultaneously driving the success of the overall project.
To me, leadership embodies the art of inspiring & guiding individuals towards a collective vision, nurturing both team dynamics and personal growth. It encompasses innovation, drives change, and harnesses the strengths and weaknesses within a team.
Key Strengths
My strengths lie in a strong desire to learn, an ability to deeply focus on assigned tasks until their completion, and a strong attention to detail and quality. These trends are prominent across both my personal and professional life, allowing me to consistently achieve high standards of work in any field or industry.
Areas For Improvement
Recognising my strengths, I've also identified and actively worked on overcoming challenges that negatively affect my efficiency and social interactions. One significant hurdle is my tendency toward perfectionism, leading me to spend excessive time on tasks that could be completed in minutes, and often resulting in procrastination.
To counter this, I've implemented specific strategies. For instance, setting firm deadlines for smaller tasks prevents unnecessary time investment on smaller tasks. Additionally, I use a simple yet affective "3, 2, 1" method to refocus when I notice my attention drifting during tasks or absorbing information.
I've also addressed organisational challenges by adopting the Eisenhower Matrix. Prioritising tasks based on urgency and importance allows for effective time allocation to critical tasks, whilst appropriately managing those of lower importance.
Another challenge I'm actively addressing is my reserved nature. To overcome this, I consistently place myself in uncomfortable situations such as engaging in group discussions, delivering presentations, and reaching out to potential clients through cold calling. These deliberate actions have helped me become more comfortable in various social and professional settings.
Overall, by employing a mix of tailored techniques, I've made notable progress in managing perfectionism, procrastination, organisational skills, and overcoming social reservations.
Leadership Experience
Career Highlights
AMUTRI
AMUTRI
AMUTRI
AMUTRI
AMUTRI
Growth Strategy Report
AMUTRI
In my most recent leadership position, I directed the development of a comprehensive growth strategy report for the tech start-up AMUTRI. Drawing from my prior leadership experience, I trialled different management strategies such as agile and waterfall to determine which was optimal for our team, and as a result, which would ensure the success of the project.
Where I Excelled
Developed an industry-standard growth strategy
reportEncouraged creative thinking
Efficient role delegation
Enhanced group participation
Utilised diverse management strategies &
techniques
Key Takeaways
Leading friends in a professional setting poses
unique challengesEmphasis clear expectations consistently to guide team members effectively
Establish an efficient communication structure
for optimal efficiency & team moralAvoid authoritarian styles of leadership like
Red-Cape for better team development
Influencer Marketing Campaign
Vizione
Another exciting project I have had the pleasure of overseeing was an influencer marketing campaign for a UK-based menswear brand. From the initial pitch to the final campaign rollout, I co-ordinated a range of strategies to ensure we didn’t just meet, but rather exceeded our clients’ expectations.
Where I Excelled
Extensive expertise in influencer marketing and the menswear industry, ensuring a profound understanding that guided strategic
decisionsSuccessfully meeting client objectives by strictly adhering to client brief, ensuring content produced aligned with their vision and goals
Selecting content creators whose aesthetics, values, and target demographics aligned with the client’s brand, ensuring a perfect match for the campaign
Efficiently managing a small group of content creators, overseeing their activities and output to achieve campaign objectives
Key Takeaways
Enhance communication by initiating weekly calls with clients
Optimising campaign timeline by streamlining the campaign setup phase
Fostering stronger relationships between Vizione and both clients and contents creators
Establishing transparent budget expectations
AMUTRI
AMUTRI
AMUTRI
AMUTRI
AMUTRI
AMUTRI
AMUTRI
Lead Generation & International Markets
CourierForce
CourierForce, a leading commercial logistics company in the UK, dominates the aviation sector and extends its footprint across similar industries like maritime, rail, and medicinal fields. Whilst working with CourierForce, my primary responsibilities revolved around procuring new leads and clients, whilst also exploring opportunities for the company’s expansion into new sectors. Upon demonstrating my expertise in lead generation, I was assigned to assist in the development of an international export strategy targeting the Netherlands.
Where I Excelled
Conducted extensive market research to identify potential opportunities for expansion
Conducted market research to acquire new clients in both new and existing sectors
Created a concise but comprehensive Excel spreadsheet cataloguing new leads and industry prospects for optimal accessibility and reference
Conducted in-depth research across international markets, including Germany, the Netherlands, and Northern Ireland, to assess their viability for Courierforce’s expansion
Developed a comprehensive international export plan aimed at facilitating the company’s expansion to the Netherlands
Key Takeaways
Collaborate with a small team to streamline
client outreach processConduct primary research by attending trade
fairs and visiting the Netherlands to enhance the reports depth and quality
TESTIMONIALS
Emilie Fontaine
“As part of one of his modules in his second year at university, Fin and his teammates had to produce a growth report for a technology start-up. From day one, Fin demonstrated a great sense of responsibility and took it upon himself to lead the project. He examined and applied several approaches to project management and leadership for his team to succeed. However, he was unfortunate that most of his teammates did not share the same commitment to the project, so he wrote most of the report himself. Fin reflected honestly on the whole experience and showed great self-awareness.”
– Emilie Fontaine, ENT220 Module Leader (2023)
TESTIMONIALS
Joe Lemin
“Securing a sales call with an established menswear brand was a significant achievement for our agency, and collaborating with Fin on the campaign was a fantastic experience. His deep understanding of influencer marketing in the menswear industry and his effective management of the content creators ensured the client’s needs were successfully met. Fin’s careful selection of creators aligned perfectly with the client’s brand, demonstrating not only his keen eye for detail, but also his understanding of our clients’ preferences.”
– Joe Lemin, Vizione Co-founder (2023)
TESTIMONIALS
Ross Mackenzie
"In recent months, Fin has been supporting business efforts to identify new leads in markets that CourierForce excel in - timed logistics and direct transportation.
Fin's tenacity and drive to complete the task, involved doing a great deal of investigative work to not only identify businesses as potential leads, but to also secure key points of contacts within those organisations for us to follow up and convert into new business.
Developing new business in any sector involves a great deal of patience, research and having the confidence to make the first move to engage, often with decision makers who are short on time, and therefore, getting your message across quickly and effectively is vital.
Fin certainly has the capacity to develop his skills further to be a successful operator in any client facing role."
– Ross Mackenzie, CourierForce Director (2023)
Plans For The Future
Future Ambitions
CourierForce
After completing my degree at Falmouth University, I plan to work with my father in expanding CourierForce Logistics further. Currently operating exclusively in the UK, I aim to apply my skills in client outreach and lead generation to further expand the company’s reach across the UK. Additionally, I intend to deepen my understanding of the international export process, with the ambition to elevate CourierForce to one of the leading global commercial logistics firms.
Vizione
Whilst at CourierForce, I’m also dedicated to developing Vizione into a top-tier influencer marketing agency alongside my business partner, Joe. Our ambition involves expanding the agency into new sectors such as travel, and broadening our services to include talent management and digital portfolio creation for the influencers we work with. This strategic expansion aims to strengthen our agency’s reputation across various industries, including fashion.
Other
Business and entrepreneurship resonate deeply with me, not just as professions, but as genuine passions. I thrive on creating and nurturing new and innovative ideas. Moving forward, I aspire to build a diverse variety of businesses across various industries – from automotive ventures to addressing social issues such as the UK’s housing crisis.
As an entrepreneur, my mission extends beyond personal success. I aspire to attain financial stability to pioneer meaningful endeavours that will confront societal challenges head-on. Through strategic investments into projects geared towards enhancing the quality of life for communities, I seek to leave a lasting, positive impact on society, contributing to substantial and sustainable social growth.
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