Charlotte Riddle is the Senior Growth Representative APAC at Unmind, a workplace mental health platform empowering employees to improve their mental wellbeing.
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1) To kick things off, could you tell us a little about your career background and current role?
Certainly! I have a passion for performing arts and completed a degree at Screenwise – however after seeing the rapid growth of the tech industry in Australia and seeing the firsthand successes of friends working in the industry I decided to get involved.
I started my career at a tech-focused marketing and PR agency, Taurus Marketing, and found my love for sales whilst doing a Business Diploma at The Academy of Entrepreneurs and then formally set up the sales arm of the business.
I spread my wings and got my first taste of SaaS Sales at Tealium, a data-focused martech brand.
The pandemic was a reflective time for me, thinking about my earlier days where I nearly did paramedicine and naturopathy, it gave me time to think how I could marry my love for health and wellbeing with my sales skills and came across Unmind, a mental health and wellbeing app.
I’m now a Senior Growth Rep for Unmind across APAC and have to say I’m living my best work-life!
My side hustle is to assist with leadership and communication courses at hospitals as it marries my love for leadership, communication, acting and people in a healthcare environment working with nurses, doctors, and executives from some of Sydney’s top companies. This gig even took me to New York!
2) What does a day in your life look like for you? Can you take us through a recent workday?
My ideal workday is an early start and heading to a gym class. Last year I fell in love with ClassPass – Altitude Training, Yoga, Reformer Pilates and Barry’s are my top recommendations!
I particularly love the days I go with friends, my neighbours or my colleagues. Some days I’ll have a change of heart and opt for the outdoors and walk down to Bondi Beach and jump in the ocean.
At my desk, I love physically writing a to-do list in the morning, then I slot the tasks into my calendar, so I’ve got a daily plan. I’m very much a person who needs to feel accomplished at the end of the day so seeing what I’ve crossed off gives me the permission to unwind.
Some days I have calls with our USA and UK Teams. My morning activity is to reach out to businesses across APAC.
Come lunchtime, I like an active break, which can consist of a walk listening to a podcast, or a tool from the Unmind app such as a meditation or a Team lunch, we’re a social bunch!
My afternoons are usually spent talking to prospects in meetings, reaching out on LinkedIn and in the last hour of the day I try to spend time on my learning and development.
I recently completed a mental health course to complement my entry into the industry. I’ve joined up to be a wellbeing champion this year so ideating some things for ‘healthy habits’ for the team was on the list today.
3) Does your current role allow for flexible or remote working? If so, how does that fit into your life and routine?
Unmind offers amazing options for flexible working as we’re in the wellbeing space. We polled our preferences and have decided for the time being, three day in the office and two working from home suited us best.
It’s optional to come in on those days but we find ourselves following it often as our team meetings and catch-ups fall on those days and it breaks up the week nicely.
Unmind offers Summer Fridays so for the 3 months over summer we finish at 3 pm and enjoy our Friday afternoons in the sunshine!
4) What does work-life balance mean to you and how do you work to achieve that goal?
On the days I work from home I’m working from my bedroom so prospects and colleagues have had a look into my home during the pandemic and this has opened up conversations about my life outside of work, as I’m sure it has for everyone, this has resulted in deeper connections.
Work-life balance, for me, is allowing vulnerable and open conversations to happen so that there is a level of understanding from your job on your “life” so you can be better understood, appreciated, and more supported throughout your life goals and stages.
5) In the past 12 months, have you started or stopped any routines or habits to change your life?
Yes! ClassPass is my gym app which Unminders are lucky to have as an employee benefit. We book classes at some of the best gyms around Sydney. I love the variety!
During the pandemic, I started walking more than I ever have so getting the 10k steps in each day.
My goals for the new year are starting the day with lemon water, reaching out to my siblings more, doing wholesome activities with friends such as walks or fitness, giving experiences rather than items when it comes to presents and reading more books!
6) Do you have any favourite books, podcasts or newsletters that you’d like to recommend?
For any sales reps out there, I love SDR Nation, a network of sales reps around the globe that hosts content. 30 Minutes to Presidents Club by Nick Cegelski and Armand Farrokh is a great sales podcast and Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss is my go-to book. I’ve purchased two books over Christmas by Jacco Van Der Kooij which are interactive sales reads.
For personal development, Dale Carnegie’s books and Tools of the Titans by Tim Ferris.
My favourite fiction books are by authors like Matthew Reilly, Kathy Reichs, Patricia Cornwell and Phillipa Gregory.
7) Are there any products, gadgets or apps that you can’t live without?
My Apple Watch for tracking fitness and steps – a lot less chunky than my iPhone. When WFH, my second computer monitor is a dream.
Personal Apps – The JS Health App for healthy recipes, ClassPass for fitness, Blinkist for book summaries, and of course Unmind’s mental health app!
Sales Tech – Outreach.io + LinkedIn!
8) If you could read an interview about work-life balance by anyone, who would that be?
Tony Robbins, or any interview from someone that loves their job.
9) Do you have any last thoughts on work, life or balance that you’d like to share with our readers?
Work and life have never been more blurred. I’ve felt hugely supported by Unmind during the pandemic and have loved seeing the research and science behind workplace wellbeing. The organisation you work for plays a huge part in pioneering wellbeing for employees.
Whether it’s preventing burnout, encouraging time off, lunchtime activities, social events, encouraging conversations, or even better implementing a mental health app like Unmind! I’ve seen how important these items can be and they’re so simple to implement!
The great resignation is going to change workplace wellbeing, if an employee doesn’t feel valued they will find a company where they do and I would hope that anyone reading this is with or finds a company with values and wellbeing standards that adhere to their own. Find happiness and joy at work – it’s possible!
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