Caroline Thompson is a business development manager at Ask Bongo, Australia’s largest SMS information service company. The service is available to users who are over 16 years. Her responsibilities include developing and analyzing business strategies aimed at enhancing the sales and marketing goals.
The University of New South Wales graduate has played a significant role in developing Bongo’s persona into an intelligent and curious monkey that offers answers to questions asked by the users of the platform. The super monkey not only provides solutions but can also recite the alphabet backward in 100 different languages. Its efficiency is derived from the fact that sophisticated software and a massive database of information, which is set up by skilled personnel support the application.
Caroline is a resident of Bondi Beach in Sydney, which is a popular tourist destination. She believes that her success is as a result of a sound marketing strategy, identifying specific goals, researching on the market and its potential clients, and taking calculated risks in business. Caroline continues to pursue new business development goals to keep the company growing.
- What was your best/favorite subject in school?
Although I excelled all through my academic life all through to university, I have always loved business studies the most. The problem-solving tasks and case studies made me think of endless possibilities offered by exploring various prospects, which excited me.
- What was your first job?
Like most young people, I took up various part-time jobs when growing up. My first formal posting was at an executive level position, which I took up after graduating from the University of New South Wales.
- Where and how did you first get into the industry you currently work in?
An opportunity to join Ask Bongo presented itself when innovative ideas were bombarding my mind. I saw the chance as a gateway to fulfilling my potential and was impressed by the company’s prospective growth both in Australia and abroad. All this led me to join the mobile information industry through the position offered at this highly responsive service.
- How have those jobs prepared you for what you do now?
My experiences helped me a lot. I not only draw lessons from my success but my failures too, quite often. In fact, it is from my mistakes that I have picked most lessons in my line of work. My first job helped me learn the importance of empowering employees and providing an opportunity for their professional growth and success.
- Describe the best day of work you’ve ever had.
Every day at Ask Bongo seems better than the previous one. I enjoy seeing the company grow each day. Drawing strategies that eventually yield and seeing the company achieve its set goals always make my days.
- How do you keep yourself motivated?
I am motivated by the new possibilities available every day in my role as business development manager. To keep going, I set both short-term and long-term goals. That way I not only maximize my potential but that of the company too. Seeing myself accomplish my goals keeps me wanting to achieve more while unfinished tasks urge me on as I have set timelines to finish them.
- What kind of business ideas excite you most?
Any business idea that seeks to fill an existing void is exciting. Businesses that succeed in the long end are those that try to meet a need and it is exciting to imagine the process of creating, developing and polishing something special for the people.
- Have you ever tried any unorthodox techniques to attract attention to your business?
I have not had to do that yet. With Ask Bongo as the best-developed SMS service within the tech industry, and given that we are living in a time when everyone owns a phone, the witty and humorous answers are sufficient enough to market the business.
- What personal achievement are you most proud of?
The fact that I am working in a field where not many women have ventured into is quite fulfilling. I am proud that women wanting to join app development and information technology can look up to me.
- What wisdom would you have liked to share with yourself when you first started out?
That would have to be that I should aim higher for my first job and that the only one that can hold me back in my tracks is me. Success is internal because you set the environment under which you pursue it.