Scroll to Body Content
MANAGEMENT & MARKETING - MARK (AKA MIKE) SHEARN OM'86
What is your profession and current position?
I am currently Chief Operating Officer at Haslams - a leading firm of Estate Agents in the Thames Valley. I have only been in estate agency for c.5 years and would say that my profession is management and marketing having worked in such roles previously for companies including Natwest, Johnson & Johnson, and I was one of the very first people to work for Three.
How did Monkton get you ready for the world of work?
It’s fair to say that I was never an academic. It also took me years to really understand and appreciate what I wanted from a career. However, Monkton gave me the foundation in terms of the confidence I needed to be successful in whatever I’ve done. It also taught me to respect others and to be fair and objective in my approach. Business is about relationships and so I believe that these values are important.
What is your biggest professional achievement?
I’ve worked on some very exciting projects (including arguably the world’s first crypto-currency back on the mid 1990’s) but on a personal level my biggest achievement was founding and building a £15m residential property development company over the course of 7 years.
What has been your most challenging professional moment?
There have been many challenges but that’s the nature of business. In difficult times one needs a cool head and a focus on solutions rather than the problems. The most challenging time was probably during the financial crash in 2007 and being able to navigate my business through it and out the otherside.
What inspires and motivates you at work?
I love a challenge and whatever I have done I have always strived to offer customers something different to competitors. Being creative and positively challenging the status quo is a good thing and means that every day is different. By instilling such a culture into a business hopefully customers and staff should also enjoy working with us. Work is a large part of your life and you have to enjoy it: it shouldn’t all be about money!
What is one piece of advice you would like to share with pupils or OMs about getting into your profession?
It’s a marathon not a sprint. Each day and every month is important and you’ll gain valuable learnings from all of your experiences: good and bad. Remember that careers are built over years and decades and so don’t jump from one job to another: it doesn’t look great from an employer’s perspective and you need to give things time. Finally, remember that you have one reputation. Look after it and nurture it. Don’t work for people or businesses that may damage your reputation.