To interns and bosses – the most interesting people I have ever worked with.
To Papa, Mama, Preethi, Alexis and Ethan.
Seven years of creativity is dedicated to all of you.
DID I EVER REALIZE
WHAT I’VE BECOME?
Business lounge. Dubai International Airport.
Business flight to Hamburg takes off in about half an hour.
I down my last pint as a little voice inside my head whispers,
‘Building the Perfect Beast is part of my narrative, it very well may be my story.’
However, I think the basic themes of my comic will resonate with each one of you.
Whether you are an intern about to start your career at a big company or a retiree reminiscing
about your glory days spent with the big boys in a corporate boardroom.
The next two hours may raise interesting questions about your own career – gazing back
or looking forward. I hope that Building the Perfect Beast forces you to ask yourself:
‘Have I been polluted by the power, fame and the money?
Have I enjoyed the ride in the corporate chariot so far?
Do I still see the same person that joined the firm many years ago?
Have I become more kind, gentle and temperate?
Or have I become the Perfect Beast?’
Neil George
PREFACE
It all started with some friendly mentoring.
It is important to provide the historical background and context behind Building the Perfect Beast (BTPB). Back in 2010, after completing roughly fifteen years of marketing consumer goods, I decided to take a mini break and join a private equity-backed venture in Europe. Around the same time, a number of previous direct reports, friends and relatives (of friends) came to the wonderful conclusion that I may be the perfect sounding board (read mentor) for all issues related to career management within the consumer goods industry. After multiple conversations with these mentees over many months I realized that I was dishing out similar advice to all of them. And then I asked myself a question, ‘Why not download all this career advice and information into one easy to read book? The title perhaps could be The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Internship for Dummies’.
Thankfully, very soon I realized that I couldn’t write for nuts.
It all went well until (after
