“LIVE a legacy, don’t just LEAVE one!” – Johan Minnie, Group Executive: Customer and Adviser Experience, at Liberty Group SA

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Johan Minnie is currently the Group Executive: Customer and Adviser Experience, at Liberty Group SA. He began his journey with the company in 1997, and has extensive knowledge of business strategy, execution, marketing and sales management. Prior to joining Liberty SA, he worked within Law, taking on mergers and acquisitions. However, he soon learnt that he felt more passionate about the ‘people’ rather than the hefty amounts of ‘paperwork’. For Johan, it’s all about building trust and meaningful relationships with people to ensure the best outcome, and overall customer experience.

In the latest Business Unusual podcast, Ralf Fletcher, CEO of Topco Media, engages in conversation with Johan Minnie to discuss ‘Life 2.0’ and Succession Planning. From the importance of understanding the human condition to Trustworthy Selling – Johan shares major insight on Sales, driving an Engagement Platform, and essential personal finance principles.

Key takeaways to listen out for in this podcast:

• Sales is often seen as “A Dark Art”. However, this mindset is incorrect; it is a critical skill to have in any business – no business can survive without selling something. Thus, more people need to learn to love Sales.
• A thriving ‘Engagement Platform’ will make financial freedom a possibility for the average Joe out there. It’s all about helping the customer work towards ensuring a better future for themselves.
• We are in ‘Life 2.0’, where humans are going to live for much longer than usual. Most people will retire halfway through their life. This is why they need succession planning to safeguard a good quality of life after retirement. 
• In terms of Audience Reach, you need to focus on helping as many people as possible, rather than merely increasing the numbers. Creating an impactful customer experience will change your customers’ lives. 
• The concept of ‘Saving’ teaches people discipline. Long Term investment and compounding are key principles to get across, even from a young age – make learning about financial planning fun.
• It’s all about talking about the future in today’s context, and understanding people and the situations they find themselves in. Help your clients/customers become the authors of their own lives – it shouldn’t just be about the finances or monetary value!
• Technological advancement in business, especially in Sales, has been amazing. This cannot be denied. However, the human touch is irreplaceable. Your customers need to be able to connect with you on a real level.
• Covid has changed the rules in Sales. We have had to adapt quickly, and in most instances have lost the emotional connection with customers due to Zoom and online automation. We need to show more empathy as this period in our lives has made us all aware of our fragility. 
• Tip: Know your clients long before you meet them. Do in depth research so you get a ‘feeling’ of who you will be dealing with. This is key to Trustworthy Selling – you cannot even begin to sell unless you have established trust. 
• We need to shift our views in business based on where we are in society today. Your clients/customers need guidance right now – empower them to be ready and self-sufficient.

After attending law school, graduating with a Corporate Finance honours degree, Johan Minnie started out as an entrepreneur running his own consultancy and real estate business. This is also where he gained valuable sales experience. This led to a short career at Fedsure. He joined the Liberty Group in 1997 as a Legal Adviser. In 2001, he joined the Sales and Distribution team and throughout the years has led regional teams, headed up the Broker Division, Sales and Distribution, Emerging Consumer Market Sales and Direct Financial Services. 

During the years heading up these businesses he developed marketing, sales and distribution strategies while continuously ensuring the effective implementation thereof. Johan currently serves on the Liberty Holdings Exco as the Group Executive responsible for Group Sales and Distribution, the Bancassurance relationship with Standard Bank and the delivery of profit targets within the group. A good meal with a good bottle of red wine at a Michelin star restaurant or a good braai with the right company is always a good idea for Johan during his spare time. He is a keen golfer who tries to swim as often as possible to stay fit.