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As a country head, how does she balance herself of her responsibilities while also maintaining her other roles? What motivates her to work so hard?
In the pursuit of success, the journey often takes unforeseen paths, especially for women who are pushing boundaries and breaking stereotypes. 2 years, 5 years? Even more. This lady took a solid 8 years to reach where she is right now.
Today, we delve into the inspiring story of Andrea, a remarkable individual who not only holds the prestigious position of country head at Partipost Malaysia but also seamlessly embodies the role of a micro-influencer, wife, yogi and it’s not complete without being a fur-mama.
Introducing Andrea, the lady boss.
Post-endemic, Andrea has held the position of country head at Partipost Malaysia, coinciding with her transition to married life. With her current life of staying with her husband and her three beloved cats (all rescued cats) in the city, she’s also a part-time yoga instructor, showcasing her prioritization of rejuvenation and mental well-being.
Armed with a Bachelor’s Degree of Business Management from Australia, Andrea was intrigued by a social media specialist vacancy from an agency as a fresh graduate. At that time, influencer marketing was still at its nascent stage in Malaysia but with great foresight, she saw a future in the industry. Fast forward to today, Andrea has been in the digital marketing field for 8 years, taking on roles in social listening, sales development, performance marketing, data research, and now, the Country Head of Partipost Malaysia.
The cross path of Andrea with Partipost was marked by a fortuitous meeting at the Future Asia event in 2019. With a few days of hustling together as exhibitors, the influencer marketing platform made a significant impression on her and a few years later, they came full circle.
The Country Head as an Influencer
With a growing following of over 6.5k on Instagram, Andrea, the micro-influencer, started her influencer journey after she stumbled upon Partipost.
“By that time, I was thinking - a platform for me to earn extra while also trying out new products - why not give it a shot?”
Drawing upon her bakground in modeling, Andrea possesses a natural inclination to present herself confidently. Nonetheless, the true test lies in her ability to create catchy content from scratch. Despite being new to the game, she actively engages in campaigns and has worked with various brands like EVOLCARE, EB Frozen, Salad Atelier, Rimmel, Taylor’s University, Pop, and more over the years. All in all, Andrea did her side hustle through her phone - just a device and her creativity.
Throughout the journey, she holds the principle of just sharing the true colors of a brand with her audience. “I feel a sense of responsibility to my followers, from whatever I’ve advocated, that’s my honest feedback.”
Having been a micro-influencer for a couple of years, Andrea was glad that she managed to come across lots of new brands, some she even used daily, like EVOLCARE.
“They’re not only sponsored products, they’ve been adapted into my daily routines.”
Shine your own way through the influencer journey
“While I enjoy doing different content, I love creating travel content the most. The moments where I immerse myself in the present, sharing my happiest experiences with my followers.”
Additionally, Andrea would often engage with her audience to cultivate a close-knit relationship with them. Devoting a small portion of her time each day and interacting with her audience made them feel like she cared about them, and this ultimately helped her to grow her loyal community.
Cross the roadblock: Take a Breath and Move On Further
From being a specialist to the head of sales, till becoming a country head, the hard work and resilience she has is paramount. Andrea’s journey has not been devoid of challenges, yet her ability to navigate setbacks with resilience and self-reflection has been important to her growth. She embraced herself of vulnerability just like a few years back where she found herself inundated with work and chose to take a career gap. That’s how she approached yoga, which she never knew would become a part of her now.
“Of course I have bad days, that’s where I take time to slow down, reflect, and bounce back again. I am always grateful and lucky to have a good support system behind me. They’re my backbone all this while, through thick and thin, yesterday, today till forever. ”
Life will always have something to hit you, find your way to create the purpose and your own happiness. Fun fact: Andrea usually plans her annual trips to make sure she has enough to rest and rewind, which she finds as a motivation for her to work harder as well.
Ever wonder how a boss could have a close relationship with her team?
“There were days where I needed to make tough decisions. I realized that sometimes we are not given the choice to say ‘no’, but just treat the 'no' as a full sentence. For me, I feel that I have the responsibility to take care of my team’s progress and emotions. I understand that there are times when we truly cannot move on and that's why we need the support to guide us through. That’s how I appreciate my boss, Jon’s support and I think consistent check-in to the team is necessary.
"At the end of the day, we are all here to work, and build our careers. I always remind myself and the team that our success is dependent on each other. So it is important for us to have an open conversation, share feedback, and to learn to trust each other; creating a safe environment for us to grow and push forward together.”
While adhering to work standards, Andrea believed that flexibility could sometimes make a team more efficient.
“Don’t be too pushy, we communicate. At Partipost, the team is very dedicated and collaborative where we always sort out what works best for everyone. I love the team’s passion and our client’s satisfaction with our services and that drives me to strive for better each day.”
The motivations
Essentially, the key force as a lady boss for Andrea is the profound gratification in nurturing a person. She firmly believes that a team will thrive under strong leadership, thus she keeps on pushing herself to continuously self-improve - both in technical skills and in mental fortitude.
Like others, she still values the necessity of work for financial independence, but the inner rewarding moment after the ‘we did it’ moment is irreplaceable. Her multifaceted role demands adaptability, yet she remains grounded in her commitment to professionalism and authenticity. This year, her professional aim is to empower the team to grow towards their individual paths, while personally, she aims to immerse in new experiences, such as confronting her fear of heights, like skydiving.
Andrea’s journey truly serves as a testament to the boundless capabilities of a woman in various roles, inspiring others to find their extraordinary selves.
As she stated, “Being a woman, I embrace myself as being emotionally attached and I trust a woman's intuition. Till this age, I accept the fact that we don’t have to be strong all the time, but when we do, expose our full strength and live a life we never regret. If you’re keen on earning extra income, just do it. If you’re interested in creating social media content, just post it. If you’re uncertain of how to start, just try it. I appreciate the opportunity of meeting Partipost and I appreciate myself for choosing Partipost. I stand still because I see the growing trends and I know that I have a team to back up behind me.”
In the face of fear or doubt, Andrea’s story reminds us of the resilience often discovered through action. Taking the first step is often tough, however, despite the uncertainty, it’s the way to unlock one’s potential.
“Don’t wait for the right opportunity, create it” - George Bernard Shaw.