#WeLeadComms: Kyle Campbell

Amsterdam-based communication leader and trainer Kyle Campbell is today’s #WeLeadComms honoree.

He shares his story:

“A sales manager once told me in an interview that I wasn’t confident enough. Big surprise, I didn’t get the job! 

“I walked away thinking maybe I just wasn’t cut out for sales. That it was for a certain type of person. Someone loud and pushy. Which wasn’t me. 

“In my first job out of university, I was tasked with selling IBM data centers, armed with just a list of old clients and a desk phone. I was terrified of cold calls. I had no idea how to get a stranger to trust me, let alone listen to me. If I wanted to make it in sales, I had to learn fast. 

“In that moment of desperation, I remembered the public speaking club my mom used to go to. Toastmasters. I figured if I got better at communicating, I’d get better at selling. 

“I started out just learning to stand in front of a group without feeling like I’d pass out (the bar was low). From there I moved onto storytelling, using narrative to engage an audience emotionally. One of the most useful exercises was Table Topics where you stand in front of the audience, get asked a random question, and speak on it for two minutes without preparation. Before I knew it I was seeking out every chance to speak and sharpen my craft. I entered contests, mentored new members, and eventually led my club as an officer. 

“It turned out to be the rocket fuel for my sales career. I was working at Zoom as an Account Manager, engaging CIOs and executives at some of the world’s fastest-growing startups and multinational enterprises on building forward with confidence in the new era of hybrid work during and after the pandemic. Cold calling and presenting, the things that once terrified me most, had become my biggest strengths. My ability to communicate with prospects, customers, and colleagues helped me consistently rank as a top performer, and more importantly, find more enjoyment in my work. 

“Then, at what seemed like the high point of my career, I quit. I decided to backpack for a year across all of South America, learning Spanish fluently and challenging myself in completely new ways. I hitchhiked over 3,000km across Patagonia, taught English to university students in Ecuador, volunteered at a children’s school in Peru fully in Spanish, and couchsurfed with complete strangers. Again and again, connection made the difference. Strangers became close friends, opened their homes to me, and showed me their culture and their lives. 

“That year led me into my next adventure: entrepreneurship. 

“I now run my own training business, inspired by the challenges I faced early in my sales career. I use everything I’ve learned through Toastmasters to train sellers and startup founders in public speaking, storytelling, and sales. 

“I’m still active in Toastmasters today, and this year placed top 3 in the European public speaking championship. I also volunteer with TEDxAmsterdam, where I help lead the partnerships team.

“What I’ve learned is that we always have an opportunity to improve. What was once your biggest weakness can become your biggest strength, and maybe even your next business.”

+++