Meet the ASC Team – Celeste Melton – Sales Manager

Sales are the essential lifeblood for all businesses, bringing in valued orders to support successful business growth and so securing people’s jobs & livelihoods. To deliver this, it’s essential to have good salespeople who can find new customers and make sure they get cost-effective packaging. But what does it take to succeed in this demanding role? To find out more, we put some questions to Sales Manager, Celeste Melton.

Starting out in Sales

Celeste started her career in sales straight after university. “I accepted the first job I was offered, which made me the ‘famous’ first ever female sales rep for what was the largest corrugated case manufacturer in the UK at the time!”

Developing knowledge

Celeste found that she loved the sales role, being able to visit different companies and meet lots of people. “I really enjoy finding out business problems and providing a solution. I also went to work for a merchant for variety, and that was great but I found I missed the manufacturing environment.”

Taking the next step

Knowing that packaging manufacturing was important for her, Celeste also gained experience working in solid-board cartons manufacturing. “It was really interesting working with more specialised packaging for premium products like perfumes and cosmetics. For these goods, much of the design is down to the marketing team. “I did help design new packaging for a major brand fragrance company which was a great success but being able to add value in that way was quite rare. I missed being able to really understand customer problems and solve them.”

Celeste also spent some time working in self-adhesive labelling production. “Again this was really interesting and another facet of packaging manufacturing, but more to do with understanding the marketing & information value the label provides rather than a problem it is solving.”

A love of corrugated packaging

This extensive experience across many types of packaging means Celeste has the knowledge to help and advise customers with many different and varied packaging requirements; “It means I can literally ‘think outside the box’ to come up with new ideas to help & add value. For example, I went to see one company who were using solid-board sheets to protect their building laminates. I knew thick solid-board sheets were strong but they are also expensive. I recommended they swap the board for corrugated, which worked just as well and reduced their costs substantially.”

Joining ASC Direct

Celeste felt very proud to join ASC Cartons. “Once I’d spoken to General Manager James & Chairman Robin, I felt truly welcomed from Day 1.”

Their continued support in her role has been vitally important. "I work tremendously hard for my customers and it's amazing to be genuinely supported by brilliant management: that’s been the ‘ASC magic’. James has a real depth of experience and provides help and support with every opportunity where I need it: he is even willing to visit my customers to literally ‘bring the company to them’. Robin & James thank me all the time for just doing my normal job!”

Outside work

When Celeste isn’t working, she loves gardening and running. “Being a Senior international sportsman, Robin has been a great influence on me, and now I’m running 2-3 miles nearly every day before work, and 7-10 miles on Saturdays! I put this training to good use when I recently took part in the half marathon at Leeds Roundhay Park to raise money for Alzheimer’s Society.” Celeste is also really proud of all of the work she does in her tropically-themed garden. “I enjoy being outside and I’m super-keen on conservation and protecting wildlife.” ASC Carton’s focus on sustainability and planting trees to support global reforestation is just super!

Celeste loves listening to music. “I have a truly eclectic music taste; I have a subscription to Planet Rock Radio and follow Radio 1 pop music charts. I also love classical music, play the piano really badly, and listen to a lot of Blues and Country music. I love live music concerts, including rock stars and opera with the recent Showwaddywaddy concert being the best!”

Celeste is always open to new experiences. “I go to exhibitions and shows, including gardening, food & drink, history and art. When travelling, I like the beach as well as joining organised tours to immerse myself in the history and culture of the country I am visiting.”

Celeste continues to learn

Celeste is dedicated to continuous life-long learning and believes nothing is unachievable if you’re committed. “I continue to read many books, videos & podcasts on self-improvement by ‘the Success gurus’, particularly Brian Tracy, Jack Cranfield & Tony Robbins.”

When you need custom packaging for your high value products, please call Celeste Melton on 07984 945 457.