Series: Boss vs Leader

 

Belajar strategi hidup dari bos yang nggak toxic ✨

Episode 1-1: Data, Distributor, dan Diam-diam Strategis

Jujurly, awal gue kerja di divisi itu agak kaget. Bayangin aja, di divisi sales operation yang biasanya rame, di branch gue isinya cuma gue sama si bapak mentor ini. Sisanya? Anak-anak intern. Jadi, secara struktur ya kita kayak tim kecil tapi punya tanggung jawab lumayan vital.

Minggu-minggu pertama kerja, gue masih penyesuaian. Beban kerja nggak berat-berat amat, karena jumlah user di daerah gue juga nggak segila di pusat. Strategi marketingnya jadi bisa lebih fokus, dan sales pun bisa lebih gampang didrive.

Nah, rutinitasnya si bapak ini hampir tiap hari ngajak gue ikut ke distributor—perusahaan pihak ketiga yang jadi tulang punggung penjualan produk. Di sana, agenda utamanya ngobrol sama manajer distributor, bahas strategi penjualan, target, dan segala macem yang high-level. Sementara gue? Tugasnya simpel: duduk manis, siapin data, dan kalau ditanya harus langsung buka dashboard.

Awalnya gue kira role gue kayak “sekedar notulen yang bisa buka Excel cepet.” Tapi makin lama gue sadar: dari balik meja itu, ada ilmu besar yang lagi ditransfer. Gue belajar kalau data konsumer itu bukan cuma angka random. Dari data transaksi dan history pemakaian, lo bisa tau habit user, produk mana yang mereka lebih suka, kapan mereka paling banyak belanja, bahkan strategi apa yang paling efektif.

Itu jadi turning point gue. Setelah si bapak dipindah ke branch lain (huft, sad banget), gue coba terapin ilmu yang tanpa sadar beliau kasih. Gue mulai bisa nentuin produk mana yang layak diprioritasin untuk dipush ke tim sales. Gue belajar main logika bisnis kayak “beli murah, jual mahal” buat naikin revenue. Gue ngerti cara nge-push tim sales biar bisa jual lebih banyak tanpa harus overkill.

Dari situlah mindset gue tentang marketing berubah total. Gue yang tadinya pure teknis, tiba-tiba punya sense strategi. Dan itu semua berawal dari mentor yang jarang ngomong banyak, tapi ngasih contoh langsung lewat cara dia kerja.

Kalau ada kesempatan buat ketemu lagi sama si bapak, gue pengen banget bilang: “Thank you, Pak.” Karena ilmu yang beliau kasih, bahkan tanpa sadar, masih kepake sampe sekarang—walaupun gue udah nggak di bidang itu lagi.

Lesson learned: kadang ilmu terbaik bukan datang dari orang yang banyak ngomong, tapi dari orang yang bikin lo mikir, “Ohh ternyata gini cara mainnya.”

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🌍 English Version Below 👇

Episode 1: Data, Distributors, and Silent Strategy

When I first joined the division, I was surprised. In a branch where sales operations were supposed to be big, it was basically just me and this senior mentor—plus a few interns. A small team, but with responsibilities that mattered.

In the first few weeks, I was still adjusting. The workload wasn’t too heavy because our user base wasn’t massive compared to headquarters. That meant the marketing strategies could be more focused, and driving sales was relatively straightforward.

Almost every day, my mentor would bring me along to meet with distributors—the third-party companies that carried the bulk of product sales. The meetings were high-level: discussions with distributor managers about sales strategies, targets, and growth. My role? Sit quietly, prepare the data, and be ready to pull up answers if asked.

At first, I thought I was just there as a human Excel shortcut. But over time, I realized the lesson: consumer data isn’t just numbers. From transaction history, you can understand user habits, product preferences, timing, and even craft sharper strategies.

That became my turning point. After he was relocated to another branch, I started applying what I had absorbed. I learned how to prioritize which products to push, apply simple but effective business logic like “buy low, sell high” to boost revenue, and drive the sales team to perform without overloading them.

My entire perspective on marketing shifted. From someone who was purely technical, I began to develop a sense of strategy. And all of this came from a mentor who didn’t lecture me, but taught through action.

If I ever meet him again, I’d simply say: “Thank you.” Because what he gave me—even unintentionally—is still useful, even in fields beyond sales.

Lesson learned: sometimes the best lessons don’t come from loud voices, but from someone who makes you think, “Oh, so this is how the game is played.”