Tina Thakkar
This interview is part of a series of conversations with the people working at Mimetas. The 'I' in Mimetas focuses on the personal side of the people that drive our world. Today we have a chat with Tina Thakkar, Associate Director of Sales at Mimetas.
As Associate Director of Sales, what does your average day working at MIMETAS look like?
Every day is different: My day is filled with meeting with either customers or colleagues. Helping customers gives me the most energy. Whether it is answering their questions or helping them with our services and products. In addition, I meet MIMETAS' Territory Managers on a weekly basis to stay up to date on the latest opportunities and interesting customer meetings in their territories. Besides this, sales forecasting and stock maintenance at different locations are also some of the tasks I prioritize at the beginning of each month.
What is a motto you live by?
Everything happens for a reason, live it, love it and learn from it.
MIMETAS has achieved significant milestones over the past decade. Which milestone do you resonate with the most, and why?
We have done a fantastic job in the past decade. In my opinion, the Roche partnership has been one of the important milestones, which has laid the foundation for more opportunities for collaborations with the pharma industry. Besides that, we won the Dutch innovation award last November! I am extremely proud to be a part of most innovative company in Netherlands.
What is the best thing about working at MIMETAS?
Work culture! The working atmosphere is positive, lively, and energetic. There are always fun sports activities, drinks, parties, or company outings organized for employees. Everyone is very approachable and helpful. I look forward to coming to work.
What was the biggest challenge you faced during your professional career?
Previously, when I worked as a Customer Support Manager, my team handled complaints and supported customers with their questions and queries. Being a startup, we lacked the right tools and software to work effectively. I took the initiative to make a proposal to management explaining the benefits and return on investment for a better software. It was very challenging and time consuming to incorporate all the needs while managing the budget. In this process, I learnt about prioritization, decision making, finance as well as open and effective communication.
If you could send a message to yourself 10 years ago, what would you tell the younger you?
I would tell myself not to grow up too fast, life is a marathon not a sprint. I would also tell my younger self to make more time for and treasure the moments with family and friends.
