Sam Neame

Since graduating from Kent in 2018 with a degree in International Business and French, Sam has set up his own Consulting and Advisory Business where he acts as the Global Sales Director. He also works as the Regional Sales Manager for Growbar – a sustainable seed company. 

Tell us about your career path since graduation.

In the first year after graduation I decided to develop my network in London and build up my LinkedIn profile. My first job was as an investment broker in a boutique hedge fund based in London and after that I went into off-market real estate for a family-run agency. I then moved to Cambridge to open up my own business which trained employees or individuals to sell. 

I have now moved back to Kent and worked for a human performance consultancy in London called Mindgym before setting up my own consulting and advisory business, SNBC.

What does a typical work day look like for you?

A typical work day usually starts with a walk or run, fresh air, and a stop at my favourite coffee shop. I then look at the plan I made the night before and start on the most important tasks to get them out of the way. After this, I take meetings online or in person depending on where I am at the time. 

I always try to set up more opportunities for the next day so the end of the afternoon involves networking or active prospecting. The end of the day is straight to the gym for training or preparing for marathons I have to look forward to.     

How did your time at Kent help you achieve your current career?

My time at Kent has helped me in many ways. My lecturers - particularly Zita Stone - gave me an enourmous amount of support to help me improve in the areas I was lacking.

The group sizes were helpful and presenting regularly as a team was also beneficial as I do lots of presentations for work now.

What advice would you give to our current/prospective students who are looking to get into the same line of work?

I would advise current and perspective students to slow down in order to make sure they don't jump into something they don't understand and don't feel passionately about. I think the IKIGAI model is a very helpful resourse to help you figure out what you love and what sort of work could be good for you.

The most important thing to remember is that everything is temporary so never feel you can't leave a company if it isn't for you. 

Do you have a favourite memory from your time at Kent?

I have many favourite memories from my time at Kent - many of which couldn't be printed here!

Rowing was a huge part of my university experience and during my time at university I also built a small fitness business and trained other students between exams. Kent allowed me to push those boundaries. 

Is there anything you would do differently if you could repeat your time at Kent?

I would have gone more regularly to my 9am lectures! I would have also taken as many wild modules as possible.

Are you still in touch with other Kent alumni or academics?

I am still in touch with friends from my course and across the university. I love that Kent gave me the opportunity to meet people from all over the world in such a quaint city. 

What are your future ambitions?

I have a large list of future ambitions, chiefly among them would be to create a foundation which supports those struggling with mental illness. I also have a few books in the making and I would like my blogs and work to touch more people.