Andrew came to Solutions 8 thanks to COO Leandra’s dogged determination and insistence that this was the perfect place for him. He wasn’t playing coy since he’d already sent in an application form through LinkedIn. Quite simply, there was no way of knowing who had a serious job offer and who was scamming (and spamming) his inbox. After three attempts to contact him, and out of hundreds of emails, Leandra was finally successful. Andrew replied and became part of our winning team!
As Client Manager, Andrew ensures client goals are represented in the overall Google Ads strategy and other similar platforms. Solutions 8 has many best practices but as he points out, every business is different, so Andrew takes greater responsibility to understand and respond to each client’s unique needs.
He Knows How To Stand Up For His Clients (And Himself)
The best part of our Canadian colleague’s job is helping a small business entrepreneur bring an innovative new product or service to the market and be able to support themselves and their families. We need no further proof that Andrew puts his heart into the job.
While the challenges are minimal, they do exist.
“The most challenging part of my job is working with unrealistic expectations.” He goes on to add, “I’m not really a yes man.”
At first, he thought that might be a detriment, occasionally resulting in arguments or disagreements. After some time, he realized that this personality trait made him particularly good at his job.
Furthermore, if a client wants to make a decision that Andrew feels will negatively impact their business, he will push back. Most of his clients have come to appreciate that when they see their results improving over time.
Has He Always Been Client Manager Material?
Some kids have dreams that fall by the wayside. It seems Andrew is not one of them. With single-minded dedication, he has continued to follow an authentic path that blends two childhood interests: art and business.
From the very beginning, Andrew always wanted to be an artist or a writer. He spent a large part of his time drawing, reading, and writing stories. His second passion was the art of making money and above all, he wanted to be an entrepreneur. Andrew even tried out little business ideas on the neighborhood kids, in one case setting up a library where he charged a nickel a day for books.
It comes as no surprise to learn he has successfully developed both of these interests into his very own small business endeavor, an independent graphic novel publishing company. The fact that these two interests have come together in his adult life makes perfect sense.
“I like working with small businesses and other entrepreneurs in making their dreams come true.”
Yes. He has always been Client Manager material!
Getting Active
There are moments in Andrew’s life when he’s not drawing, writing, publishing, or client managing. His morning routine attests to that. He’s fairly diligent and commits to it about 70% of the time.
Breakfast is non-negotiable, along with exercise and meditation for about 10 to 15 minutes every morning. Another conscious effort toward a good morning routine is to avoid his telephone until he’s finished all of the above. He finds it benefits his sanity enormously.
Jiu-jitsu and kickboxing are two sports that Andrew would love to try out. He’s never gotten around to it, but being an introvert, he believes these activities could help him overcome any discomfort he might have with being in other people’s faces and being in confrontations.
Home
“Whenever I say home, I still mean Newfoundland, on the east coast of Canada, even though I have been living away for ten years. It’s a mix of Irish and a bunch of other cultures and a very peaceful place.”
Our Client Manager would recommend we try a characteristic dish of fries, dressing, and gravy while in the area. Yum!
And never forgetting his origins, Andrew tells us the important values his parents conveyed to him throughout his life. His mother taught him to work hard and be patient, while Andrew’s father taught him to take risks and not to take any crap.
Traveling, Music, Dinner Guests
Two more locations have made an impression on Andrew: Ilhabela in Brazil and Paris, France. He’s a big francophile. There’s nothing he loves more than to sit by the Arc de Triomphe at a café, reading a book while sipping hot wine. Warm wine is mostly enjoyed in winter, so we can suppose that is when he usually visits the French capital.
His playlist is a wonderful mix of genres and styles, from the melancholic folk song by the Irish Descendants called ‘Let Me Fish Off Cape St. Mary’s’ to the rocking ‘Unwell’ by Matchbox Twenty. Somewhere in the middle is an electronic pop song called ‘Now or Never Now’ by a group called Metric.
And lastly, if Andrew Benteau could invite anyone over for dinner, who would it be?
“That’s a good question. I’ve never really idolized any celebrities or anything. I suppose it would have to be Will Eisner, who some call the father of the American graphic novel.”
There’s our artist showing through again.
Jani Kahukiwa
