Luxury Property Industry Leaders – In Conversation with Sally Maier-Yip of 11K Consulting
meet sally maier-yip of 11K Consulting
I founded and run 11K Consulting, since 2015. We are a leading China-focused luxury and PR boutique PR agency headquartered in London. Our specialities are in real estate, interior design, architecture, and luxury.
Since day 1, our vision is to help companies to transform the 11,000km distance between UK and Asia into bridges through the power of communications.
Our current and past clients include HBA Residential, The OWO Residences by Raffles, ADAM Architecture, Burbeck Interiors, London Projects, The RIBA, Burlington Arcade, Lustica Bay (Montenegro), Remy Martin, and others.
What inspired you to start 11K?
It sounds strange but in all honesty, I never dreamt nor planned to start a company.
But being a growth-oriented person, I can never stop learning and growing. That’s how the idea of setting my own company came when I felt I stopped learning after being in the PR agency world in Asia and the UK for a decade. That’s how 11K was born, with my own drive and aspiration to keep learning, keep improving and keep pushing for better.
And I am loving my entrepreneurship journey, both good and bad days, since day 1. No one single day is the same. I learn something new from my teams, clients, and partners, everyday. I always say I have the best job in the world, and it is true.
What sets you as an industry leader and 11K apart from others in the luxury property sector?
We are very niche and are most brutal on our offering. We don’t pretend to be good at everything; but we are really one of the best, if not the best, at what we promise our clients to deliver – i.e. we have solid, on-the-ground experience in doing the West-East communications, backed up by over 60 years’ experience combined from our team members in China, Hong Kong and the UK. Our PR work has proved to make a positive impact on our clients’ reputation-building and businesses in the Chinese markets, as we were told.
Lastly, I would say our personal and professional approach helps set us apart. We always make sure that our clients feel looked after and in the safest hands when it comes to communicating with and reaching the Chinese HNW audiences. That’s why our clients typically work with us between two and five years, out of our six years’ operation thus far.
Describe a typical working day in your life…
A typical working day is divided into four core functions: client servicing and management; new business development; team meetings and management; and doing PR for 11K (e.g. speaking at conferences/events, contributing thought leadership ideas, social media engagements, etc.)
What are some of the greatest challenges you have faced in your business so far?
One of the greatest challenges I had faced was Covid last year. Covid did kill many businesses, including some of our clients’ businesses, and thus ours.
2020 was a very tough time for us when our clients relating to luxury retail and tourism lost their clients overnight and couldn’t even open their stores for over six months. It was a tough time for us. But this also forced us to innovate and do better. During 2020, we came up with different creative ideas and re-examined our business focus, such as by launching China Masterclass Webinars and China thought leadership papers when we couldn’t meet people in person.
Fast forward, we are now in a much stronger position than that in pre-Covid time. My lesson learnt here is that in every crisis, there is a real opportunity. Use every challenge to strengthen your business muscle and your own resilience.
What are some of the highlights you have experienced since starting 11K?
11K was shortlisted for two industry awards in short six years of operation; and personally, I was recently shortlisted for the Entrepreneur Category of the Asian Women of Achievement Awards 2021, which recognise and celebrate “Britain’s remarkable Asian women”.
They are true empowerments at both business and personal levels.
I am on a mission to be a positive influence on people around me; and this mission came out from running my own business experience, when different people told me that how I have influenced them positively through our interactions at and outside work. This is definitely a highlight for me.
Who inspires you?
I cannot just say one person, because honestly I can learn something new from everyone who comes to my life. But if I must name one person, I will say my former Toastmasters (public speaking) mentor, Gilly Cutts. She is in her 70s but still full of energy and life. I wish I would be like her when I reached my 70 – staying positive, helping others and just enjoying every moment of life.
What advice do you have for people looking to become an industry leader?
First, build a strong foundation – to acquire solid, professional knowledge and skillsets. Get the training you need to be the best in the industry.
But if you want to go up, stay on the top, and be a trusted industry leader, you also need to work on yourself hard. Have your own values, nurture the next generation of leaders, and be a positive voice to drive positive changes in the industry. That’s a real inspiring industry leader, not just merely a title which does not mean anything.
In an ideal world, what does the future hold for you and 11K?
We are truly excited about the future, as China plays a bigger role in the luxury property industry overseas. We see that there is a real opportunity for ambitious luxury property firms to gain both share of voice and market share in the growing Chinese high-net-worth and investment markets. Now is the time to capitalise on this market opportunity!
As for myself, I am most excited about the next 5-10 years. I feel I can still do so much more to the business and grow myself to be a better business owner, leader and friend. It’s a constantly learning process. It never stops. That makes the future truly exciting.
What does “luxury” mean to you?
I want to highlight three things about luxury in today’s and tomorrow’s world.
Luxury is no longer defined by the price tag against a product or a service; but is about the quality and value that a product or a service can deliver to the end-users.
Luxury is about being able to improve one’s well-being, both physically and mentally, especially in the aftermath of COVID-19.
Luxury has to be sustainable and long-lasting, rather than just one-off.
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For more information visit:
https://11kconsulting.com
or contact:
sally@11kconsulting.com