Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Episode 45: Interview with Galem Girmay
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Episode 45: Interview with Galem Girmay
SHOW NOTES
Background
-Galem was born and raised in Sweden, growing up in a town of about 7,000 people in which she became accustomed to being the only Black person in a room.
-After 20 years of living in Sweden she moved to an area just outside of Boston and was shocked by the fact that she could be in a room with only Black people.
-She spent 9 years in the Boston area before moving to London this past year to continue her role as an Account Executive at Flywire.
Being the Only
-Galem has frequently experienced the challenge of being not just the only Black person, but the only woman in a room as well.
-The immediate challenge when it comes to being the only person of a particular ethnicity is the judgement and the perception of being a threat. When it comes to being the only woman it’s often being dismissed.
-Though you may not be able to draw a fully equivalent experience, Galem challenges you to put yourself in a situation in which you’re the only and then reflect. This hopefully will give you a little bit more empathy.
-You can also use your position as the only to create change in smaller communities by getting over the fear of uncomfortable conversations and allowing them to unfold.
Community
-Having only been raised with her biological family until the age of eight and then passed to two different foster families, Galem never felt she had a solid community or support system.
-This is why she makes it a priority to create a community both at work and in her personal life so that she and others can share experiences and feel both belonging and acknowledgement.
-Success often comes from this connection as well. Oftentimes it’s not the most talented individual that’s given the promotion, but the person that has created the best connections and white people have the advantage of having a base-level of connection right off the bat.
Selling in the US vs the UK
-Internally the corporate sales culture of Flywire varies vastly between the United States and United Kingdom. Galem has found that US sales teams are much more competitive and not as collaborative as sales teams in the UK.
-While Flywire’s London office is more diverse, she is still the only Black woman and one of only a handful of Black people in the company as a whole.
Advocating for Yourself
-To move up into leadership positions you need to take on more than just the tasks tied to salary or commission, but you also need to document everything. Find a method that works for you and keep track of the initiatives you implement and the impact they have.
Motivation
-One thing Galem wishes leadership better understood is that they should never make assumptions about motivation. Take the time to get to know your team members and what individually drives them.
Resources
-Gap Selling by Keenan
Connect with Galem
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/othersideofsales/message
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/othersideofsales/support
View all episodes
By Ashleigh EarlySHOW NOTES
Background
-Galem was born and raised in Sweden, growing up in a town of about 7,000 people in which she became accustomed to being the only Black person in a room.
-After 20 years of living in Sweden she moved to an area just outside of Boston and was shocked by the fact that she could be in a room with only Black people.
-She spent 9 years in the Boston area before moving to London this past year to continue her role as an Account Executive at Flywire.
Being the Only
-Galem has frequently experienced the challenge of being not just the only Black person, but the only woman in a room as well.
-The immediate challenge when it comes to being the only person of a particular ethnicity is the judgement and the perception of being a threat. When it comes to being the only woman it’s often being dismissed.
-Though you may not be able to draw a fully equivalent experience, Galem challenges you to put yourself in a situation in which you’re the only and then reflect. This hopefully will give you a little bit more empathy.
-You can also use your position as the only to create change in smaller communities by getting over the fear of uncomfortable conversations and allowing them to unfold.
Community
-Having only been raised with her biological family until the age of eight and then passed to two different foster families, Galem never felt she had a solid community or support system.
-This is why she makes it a priority to create a community both at work and in her personal life so that she and others can share experiences and feel both belonging and acknowledgement.
-Success often comes from this connection as well. Oftentimes it’s not the most talented individual that’s given the promotion, but the person that has created the best connections and white people have the advantage of having a base-level of connection right off the bat.
Selling in the US vs the UK
-Internally the corporate sales culture of Flywire varies vastly between the United States and United Kingdom. Galem has found that US sales teams are much more competitive and not as collaborative as sales teams in the UK.
-While Flywire’s London office is more diverse, she is still the only Black woman and one of only a handful of Black people in the company as a whole.
Advocating for Yourself
-To move up into leadership positions you need to take on more than just the tasks tied to salary or commission, but you also need to document everything. Find a method that works for you and keep track of the initiatives you implement and the impact they have.
Motivation
-One thing Galem wishes leadership better understood is that they should never make assumptions about motivation. Take the time to get to know your team members and what individually drives them.
Resources
-Gap Selling by Keenan
Connect with Galem
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/othersideofsales/message
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/othersideofsales/support