Mehedi Hasan Shamim
Head of Brand, Marketing and Strategy
Apex Property Ltd.
Mr. Mehedi Hasan Shamim is the Head of Brand, Marketing, and Strategy at Apex Property Ltd. With a background rooted in journalism and a passion for the arts, he transitioned into the corporate world through roles in various media outlets. Shamim’s career is marked by a dedication to continuous learning and innovation in marketing. He follows the Rockefeller Habits and prioritizes analyzing customer feedback with the same rigor as financial data. His approach to marketing integrates personal leadership and a vision-driven strategy, allowing him to balance his professional and personal goals effectively. Shamim’s journey is characterized by overcoming challenges through self-education and leveraging emerging trends, positioning him as a dynamic leader in the marketing industry.
The InCAP: Can you describe a typical day in your life, both at work and at home?
Mr. Mehedi Hasan Shamim: As a marketing professional, my days at home and the office are quite similar. I follow the Rockefeller Habits, paying special attention to analyzing customer feedback just data as frequently and accurately as financial data. This means I spend time collecting and studying data from our customers. Even though I have a regular life outside of work, I find it easy to align my personal and professional goals as I work for a purpose-driven company. Every workday, I have a quick team meeting like we used to have in school assemblies. We set three or four key tasks to accomplish. I also ensure to dedicate time to reading from my ongoing list of books, and on some days, I indulge in watching movies or series. I always make an effort to learn something new every day because, in marketing, learning is a continuous process that never should stop. That sums up my usual routine.
What inspired you to pursue your current career path, and how did you get started in the corporate world?
I began my journey at a young age. While still in school, I delved into writing for magazines and newspapers. Concurrently, my passion for the arts led me to participate in theatre. Starting as a child journalist with UNICEF presented invaluable opportunities for learning and personal growth from an early age. Subsequently, I volunteered with TIB for over seven years, focusing on raising social awareness against corruption.
Transitioning to Dhaka for my undergraduate studies, I assumed the role of news editor at a local newspaper and engaged in work with The Daily Kaler Kontha and Dhaka FM. Eventually, I joined Spice FM, each experience contributing significantly to laying a solid groundwork for my corporate career. Throughout these diverse roles, communication remained at the core.
The exposure and skills garnered from these experiences inspired my journey into the field of marketing. This background facilitated a quick progression to the role of Head of Marketing.
How do you maintain a work-life balance, and what strategies do you use to manage your time effectively?
I believe in the concept of ‘Personal Leadership’. As Mr. Dee Hock, the founder of Visa, once stated, “if you want to lead, invest at least 40% of your time in leading yourself.” I prioritize leading myself first, and then I encourage my family and colleagues to align with me if they find value in the results of my efforts. To help guide my personal and professional growth, I maintain a vision board. I find that having a clear target for my life helps steer me in the right direction.
I employ various strategies to effectively manage my time and tasks. One key approach I follow is practicing a sense of urgency, focusing on tasks based on their priority level. By aligning my actions with the goals on my vision board, I ensure that my decisions are well understood by both my family and colleagues. I am careful not to overcommit myself, as this can negatively impact both my personal and professional life.
What challenges have you faced in your professional journey, and how did you overcome them?
I’ve encountered several challenges in my professional life due to not having studied marketing or any business-related subject. Although I completed my undergraduate and graduation in public administration, initially, working in a company without a marketing degree was tough. In response to these challenges, I pursued learning and certifications in marketing courses. The emergence of digital marketing presented a new opportunity, which I seized by self-learning. This played a significant role in my journey to becoming a marketing professional.
Additionally, since this was a new marketing channel, we initially had to educate our stakeholders before proceeding with our work. Over time, this process became easier for everyone involved.
Mr. Shamim, Are there any role models or influencers who have had a significant impact on your lifestyle or career choices?
Several role models and influencers have entered my life, leaving a significant impact on both my lifestyle and career. I refer to them as my mentors. Sometimes, these mentors have been in the form of books such as “Find Your Why” by Simon Sinek, and “Ikigai” by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles. The core principles of my lifestyle were instilled in me by my father, who has taught me to maintain composure during major crises. Additionally, I have been fortunate to have incredible colleagues throughout my career, each of whom has played a pivotal role in shaping my journey.
How do you define success, and what are your long-term goals, both in your career and personal life?
Success, for me, is synonymous with ensuring the happiness of those I hold dear. When it comes to tangible success, as I mentioned earlier, I maintain a vision board for both my personal and professional life, supported by journaling and regular self-assessment. This approach allows me to review my plans and accomplishments quarterly, making it easier for me to gauge my success. Looking ahead, my long-term aspirations include obtaining a global business degree and working until the age of 40, during which time I plan to invest in three to four ideas. After reaching 40, I aim to transition into coaching entrepreneurs and providing guidance to those whom I’ve invested in. Ultimately, I aspire to delve into both fiction and non-fiction writing, thereby realizing my long-term goals.
How do you stay updated with the latest marketing trends and industry developments? Can you provide an example of how you’ve implemented an emerging trend to drive results?
Staying up to date with the marketing trends and industry developments is essential to our marketing and branding strategies. We employ various approaches to ensure that we are always aware of the latest marketing trends and industry developments.
To start, our marketing team is always researching and conducting market analysis to better understand the trends and preferences of our target audience and industry competitors. We make sure to regularly attend marketing conferences and engage in training courses focused on the latest digital marketing tools and trends. Our team maintains regular connections with industry thought leaders and peers to stay updated on the latest news, developments, and strategies.
Another way we stay up-to-date with marketing trends is through collaboration with other marketing businesses and marketing service providers. Co-hosting a webinar or cross-promoting among businesses helps to spread awareness, drive leads and engagement whilst also sharing knowledge and sharing industry insights.
An example of how we have implemented an emerging trend to drive results is influencer marketing. We noticed a rise in the use of influencers in the industry and decided to test the approach with one of our latest campaigns. We collaborated with a social media influencer inspired our targeted audience around our sustainability initiative. We leveraged their massive follower sizes effectively promoted our brand values and gained massive audience engagement and leads to our website.
Marketing is an ever-evolving industry with the need to be always up to date. At Apex Property, we regularly review and analyze our marketing procedures, trying new approaches, while leveraging data and consumer insights to support our decisions. This approach has helped us stay ahead of the timely and commercial trends, thereby positioning Apex Property as an industry leader that provides authentic and reliable marketing solutions to customers.
What would be that one suggestion you will give the 20years old you?
I have two suggestions, one for mindset and another for learning. Firstly, I recommend adopting a “host” mindset. This means acting as a gracious host in any situation, taking care of necessary tasks and responsibilities, such as switching off lights when leaving an office. Secondly, I advise investing time in reading books or consuming other content that contributes to personal and professional growth. Embracing these practices at a young age can pave the way for undeniable success.
How do you stay updated with the latest trends in marketing and branding, and how have you applied any recent trends to your strategies at Apex Property?
Staying updated is all about reading – it’s the tried and true way to stay ahead in the game. But it’s not just about reading; it’s also important to keep an eye on technology, understand customer behaviors, and pay attention to changes in our society. By knowing what our customers are thinking, we can come up with winning strategies for our products.
Mr. Mehedi Hasan Shamim, A Quote that inspires you.
I find daily inspiration in the quote, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few” by Shunryu Suzuki. This quote holds immense value for me because it signifies the advantages of approaching situations with a beginner’s mindset. When embracing a beginner’s mind, I am able to learn thoroughly and accurately. The initial experience of doing or encountering something allows for an exploration of every detail and the development of keen attention to nuances. As familiarity grows with repeated experiences, there is a tendency to overlook important details, which can hinder success in one’s career. By maintaining a beginner’s mind, one opens themselves up to numerous opportunities each day. Even the simplest activities, such as crossing a road, can provide valuable opportunities for learning and growth.
The InCAP: Thank you, Mr. Mehedi Hasan Shamim! It’s a glittering conversation with you!
Mr. Mehedi Hasan Shamim: My pleasure! Wish you all the best! Thank you.
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