Sally Maier-Yip, Founder and Managing Director, 11K Consulting Ltd
Sally is a trusted China PR and marketing advisor and thought leader with a mission to empower businesses to fulfil their China dreams. Her life mission is to be a positive influencer on others every day at work and in life.
Professionally, Sally has 17 years of solid experience and proven records in strategising and delivering award-winning campaigns for multinational and national companies in China, Hong Kong, across Asia, and globally.
Based in London, Sally is the Founder and Managing Director of the fast-growing UK's leading China-focused Luxury and Property PR boutique agency, 11K Consulting, which specialises in real estate, interior design, architecture, and luxury. 11k’s clients include The OWO Residences by Raffles, HBA Residential, ADAM Architecture, London Projects, Richstone Properties, Burlington Arcade, Remy Martin, and more.
What is your favourite social media platform, and why?
LinkedIn. It's my source of inspiration, my way of connecting with professionals and friends, and sharing my stories at work and in life. At the start of 2021, I even gave myself a LinkedIn challenge. For example, one post per day during working days to stay connected and visible during and in the aftermath of Covid time.
Tell us about you and your current role or area of interest.
I am a people person. I am a mum of two boys. I love business, especially helping companies to communicate their vision and values effectively. So, after having worked in different outstanding PR agencies in Hong Kong, Singapore and London for a decade, I embarked on my entrepreneurship journey. It is simply the best job in the World - hugely challenging and yet most rewarding and fulfilling.
In 2015, I founded the UK's leading China Luxury PR and Comms agency, 11K Consulting. We are working hard to realise our vision to transform the 11,000km distance between the UK and Asia/China into bridges through the power of communications. We are famous for being personal, professional, and really good at delivering solid ROIs, which help to make a positive impact on our clients' businesses.
Outside work, I am a passionate Co-founder of The Chinese Mums in Business Club, with a mission to empower and inspire Chinese (and culturally Chinese) mums in business to reach their full potential.
What do you like about your career or area of focus?
I love the fact that I can positively impact businesses and people around me through my daily work in bridging the distance between the UK/Europe and the Far East. I always feel that I am from both the West and the East, after having lived in Hong Kong, Singapore and currently London and being married to a Frenchman. I want to create One World through my work.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. It is really true.
What inspires you, motivates you, or helps you to move forward?
My passion for PR. This is really what I love to do. My passion helps me to move forward. There is no other choice or better job for me, despite tough times such as Covid and redundancy. Passion can really help us go through dark times.
What are you proud of in your life so far?
Being a mother of my two boys, my business (like my third baby), and being myself most of the time.
What is your preferred way to meet new people/network?
I still prefer face to face, if I have an option, though I have made so many new good friends through LinkedIn and virtual tools during Covid time.
What skills or qualities do you feel have helped you?
Public speaking. It has given me the confidence I need to express myself and articulate my views more clearly at work and in life.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
It is ok to be yourself. No need to pretend to be anyone else. You are the most unique and special. Be yourself, so you can attract the right bosses, clients and friends.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles and why?
Richard Branson. His risk-taking life attitude is second to none.
Outside of your professional/work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
Before having children, I used to join Toastmasters (public speaking) club meetings. Currently, it's all about spending good quality time with my children when I am not working and life is so packed and busy during weekdays. It is about making time to recharge myself and having my own solitude moments outside work, even just for five minutes.
Has the pandemic had a positive or a negative effect on you and/or your business, and how have you managed it?
Covid had had a very negative impact on our business when we lost half of our clients overnight at the beginning of 2020. But, I am glad to say that we managed to keep pushing, innovating and creating new initiatives that have helped our business to become more resilient and stronger.
We are now even performing better than our pre-Covid time in terms of turnover and brand positioning. So, in retrospect, Covid is a blessing in disguise. It has helped us to define who we are as a company and what we really want to be famous for in the decade ahead.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever mentored anyone?
Yes, both. I work with an amazing mentor. Every month, we have a two-hour call to go through the business performance, challenges, and plans ahead. He has been instrumental in transforming 11K and bringing it to the next level.
I have also mentored a few young talents in HK and the UK over the past years. It has been a fun and fruitful experience for all of us. We have all learnt so much from each other. I love seeing people grow and flourish. This gives me a sense of satisfaction.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work or interests?
Do everything. Every job teaches you something. So, say yes to everything when you just start your career journey. You need a solid foundation before moving to the next steps. This is absolutely key.
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
Limiting beliefs on themselves. If you think you can, you can. If you think you can't, you can't. Everything is possible if we believe it is possible.
Is there a phrase, quote or a saying that you really like?
"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." by Helen Keller. We only have one life. So, let's make our life count.
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
Unilever. They are a real pioneer on sustainability which I absolutely admire and encourage.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience/readership?
Success can mean different things to different people, and it can mean differently at different stages of life. To me, at this moment (being 39 years old), success is about having the courage and taking actions to take on a new challenge, which can help grow yourself to be the best possible version of yourself. It can be about taking up a new hobby, a new job, a new business or being a new parent.