Get to know your BANJO BDM:
In Converstation
with Andy
Andy Walker
State Sales Manager ACT / NSW / QLD
Why Banjo?
When I started Banjo was a start up, now it’s a small established company in a dynamic space.
You wear many hats, and your decision and actions matter.
Favourite part of your job at Banjo?
I like the problem solving and creativity involved, I'm a massive business nerd in general.
Love the banter with brokers and staff too.
Historical/celebrity figure you’d like to meet?
Going on tour with Sid Vicious would be pretty wild.
Best advice you've ever received?
Talk to everyone, be bold.
The skill you’re currently working on improving?
Started getting into golf, gone from horrific to terrible but stoked 😊
How do you handle a tough negotiation?
Big question. We do a lot of negotiation in this role. I try to understand the other parties true motivations, know my lines and be firm on the final position. Leave some of the deal on the table. Give the other person a way out with dignity. Being nonchalant seems to work well.
What's your proudest professional achievement?
Pivoting and selling my previous business.
Favourite way to unwind after a big day?
I think of it the other way—getting outside in the morning. Getting into the ocean for a swim or surf is the best!
If you weren't in finance, what career would you choose?
I won’t always be in finance, but I think I’ll always be in sales.
Best networking tip?
Ask open questions, listen, smile.
What's one thing you can't live without during the workday?
Cofffffffffffffeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
What’s the last book you read?
Tokyo Vice by Jake Adelstein.
How do you stay updated with industry trends?
AFR, speaking to competitors, podcasts, publications.
Favourite travel destination?
Whistler on a pow day (or fresh powder snow day) is always a top pick.
What's your go-to karaoke song
Are You Gonna Go My Way by Lenny Kravitz.
What's one app you can't live without?
Do we really need phones? Calendar, that’s not to say I'm organised.
What’s your morning routine?
Things are very different these days. I used to grab a coffee, stretch, surf, and then head to work from the beach carpark. Now I wake up between 4:00 AM and 5:30 AM, change a nappy, quickly go to the gym, and then hang out with my son for an hour or two.
If you could have lunch with anyone in the industry, who would it be?
My good friends and Banjo colleagues Franky Rickard-Bell and DT, the General.
What's the best way to handle client feedback?
Genuinely listening and actioning, or relaying to right people.
Favourite hobby outside of work?
Surfing, Snowboarding, or Mountain Biking.
What's the most challenging part of your job?
Aligning the interests of all stakeholders involved on a deal.
Best advice for someone starting in the finance industry?
Travel the world first. Get in, be bold, be proactive. You're going to fail, but that's cool—get back up and go again.
What's your favourite productivity hack?
Setting clear agendas for meetings and time boxing tasks.
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