When Tamii Brown was appointed as general manager of one of Jamaica’s leading manufacturers in 2022 she was well prepared. Brown, who was employed with Salada Foods Jamaica Limited for five years, was excited at the prospect of a new challenge.
Backed by a simple, but strategic plan for tackling each day, Brown’s first year in the role saw Salada Foods report record numbers. Notably, operating profit improved, and the stakeholder payout was the highest the listed company has seen.
The appointment is a great honour to Brown, who previously filled the capacity of commercial and corporate affairs manager.
Reflecting on the growth she experienced throughout her career, Brown recalled her first introduction to the working world. “My first job was at a sandwich shop called Mr Sub in Toronto. I was on the assembly line, where I started at the front of adding on the condiments and later graduated to the end of the assembly line where I was entrusted to cut, review and finally bag the sandwiches.”
After learning the skills at Mr Sub and completing her first degree in communication studies and Spanish, Brown walked away with a York University Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) degree to land herself a role as a business development manager at an information technology boutique firm in Jamaica.
After a few managerial roles and an MBA later, Brown landed at Salada Foods with over 12 years of experience in marketing, leadership, and export management.
Brown credits her career progress to her guiding principles, which are heavily influenced by her formative years with her parents. “As in all my roles, both personally and professionally, I hold on to the principle of working for God and not for others. Colossians 3: 23-24 suggests that we hold on to a high standard regardless of who we report to, and I strive to live by that,” Brown shared.
“Another principle I learned recently, from my sister no less, is that of cumulative efficiency, giving yourself some grace that on some days you may not hit the mark, but each new day brings new opportunities to make a mark,” she added.
The wife and mother of two is also a proud believer in teamwork and collaboration. Buoyed by what she considers to be “the best team”, she is also a firm believer in self-actualisation. Her key tip for productivity is setting and communicating clear goals. “I find that a lot of unmet expectations of myself and others stem from a lack of clarity. If I’m not clear on what I’m trying to achieve or others are not clear about a shared vision, the results are usually less than desirable. So, I always aim for clarity. I declutter the messaging and break the big pieces of a project into smaller, more palatable bites, and it tends to work because starting from a place of clarity allows us to see that an overwhelming project is, in fact, achievable.”
Brown is prepared for another year with an empowered mind, and her advice for those who want to follow suit is simple. “Our minds are powerful. Once you can visualise achieving an outcome, the odds are you will achieve this outcome.”
