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Episode 68: Interview with Marcus Chan
Marcus Chan, Founder of Venli Consulting Group, joins Ashleigh and Sue to discuss being an Asian man in sales, why there aren’t many Asian people in leadership roles, and how to advocate for yourself.
SHOW NOTES
His Experience in Sales
-Many Asian parents expect their children to work in a prestigious field. So, when he decided to work in sales, they weren’t happy.
-When he began, he was the only person of color on his team and within the region. Being different, he felt pressure to overdeliver, but he struggled at the beginning of his career.
-He decided that because there were so few people that looked like him, he would try to be the best to be a good representation for his demographic.
Asians in Leadership Roles
-It’s still common to see Asian people break into leadership roles in sales. One of the primary reasons is that many Asian people don’t view sales as a viable career path.
-In many Asian cultures, children are taught to listen and follow directions, and these aren’t traits that typically lead to promotions. So, while there are great Asian sales professionals, few are seen because of the necessity of self-promotion to move upwards.
Hiring Introverts or Extroverts
-Top-performing sales professionals have excellent listening skills. They can focus on the customer, ask deep questions, and gain trust. Both introverts and extroverts can do this, but it’s most often introverts who have this trait.
-Possessing excellent listening skills is also rooted in culture. Both Marcus and Sue come from cultures that emphasize listening over speaking.
Advocating for Yourself
-To avoid coming across as if you are bragging, think of the skills you developed throughout the process to get a great result and how you can share those to help other people. Because when you help other people, it highlights that you know what you’re talking about and builds your brand.
Being Different and Making Friends
-Marcus naturally wants to make other people happy, so developing relationships with co-workers has never been a scary task. Plus, having a community in sales is important because it can be very lonely.
Resources
-Anti-racism resources to support Asian American, Pacific Islander community
-Rise of Anti-Asian Hate Crimes
-Career Warfare by David D’Alessandro
-The Psychology of Selling by Brian Tracy
Connect With Marcus
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/othersideofsales/message
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/othersideofsales/support
View all episodes
By Ashleigh EarlyMarcus Chan, Founder of Venli Consulting Group, joins Ashleigh and Sue to discuss being an Asian man in sales, why there aren’t many Asian people in leadership roles, and how to advocate for yourself.
SHOW NOTES
His Experience in Sales
-Many Asian parents expect their children to work in a prestigious field. So, when he decided to work in sales, they weren’t happy.
-When he began, he was the only person of color on his team and within the region. Being different, he felt pressure to overdeliver, but he struggled at the beginning of his career.
-He decided that because there were so few people that looked like him, he would try to be the best to be a good representation for his demographic.
Asians in Leadership Roles
-It’s still common to see Asian people break into leadership roles in sales. One of the primary reasons is that many Asian people don’t view sales as a viable career path.
-In many Asian cultures, children are taught to listen and follow directions, and these aren’t traits that typically lead to promotions. So, while there are great Asian sales professionals, few are seen because of the necessity of self-promotion to move upwards.
Hiring Introverts or Extroverts
-Top-performing sales professionals have excellent listening skills. They can focus on the customer, ask deep questions, and gain trust. Both introverts and extroverts can do this, but it’s most often introverts who have this trait.
-Possessing excellent listening skills is also rooted in culture. Both Marcus and Sue come from cultures that emphasize listening over speaking.
Advocating for Yourself
-To avoid coming across as if you are bragging, think of the skills you developed throughout the process to get a great result and how you can share those to help other people. Because when you help other people, it highlights that you know what you’re talking about and builds your brand.
Being Different and Making Friends
-Marcus naturally wants to make other people happy, so developing relationships with co-workers has never been a scary task. Plus, having a community in sales is important because it can be very lonely.
Resources
-Anti-racism resources to support Asian American, Pacific Islander community
-Rise of Anti-Asian Hate Crimes
-Career Warfare by David D’Alessandro
-The Psychology of Selling by Brian Tracy
Connect With Marcus
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/othersideofsales/message
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/othersideofsales/support