Chief Prospecting Officer of Blissful Prospecting, Jason Bay, joins Ashleigh and co-host Ollie to discuss his success in door-to-door sales, feeling pride in his ethnicity, and how leaders can better support people of color on their teams.

SHOW NOTES

His Sales Journey

-Jason was studying to be a Forensic Scientist when his friend came into one of his classes to talk about a company, College Works Painting, that hires college students and teaches them how to run a house painting business.

-Much of this teaching was marketing and sales. Particularly door-to-door sales. And, he did well despite being introverted and coming from a culture that emphasizes blending in and isn’t well-represented in sales.

-This decision to pursue sales as a career was instant because doing well gave him the approval and validation he craved throughout his life. Once he received this approval, it didn’t matter to him that no one else looked like him.

Embracing Being Asian

-He’s accustomed to justifying racism and microaggressions in the people around him, so it’s only recently, thanks to the help of his wife, that he fully embraced his Asian heritage.

-And, though his mom was doing her best in a conservative Oregon town, her advice to ignore it only reinforced that this behavior was normal.

The Absence of Asian Role Models in Sales

-The first time he felt he could truly identify with someone was when he met his wife and watched how she fully embraced her Korean roots.

-This absence of role models in his career path made him doubtful of what he could achieve. Not to mention the pressure to be a “model Asian.”

Is Being Asian a Help or Hindrance?

-Jason sees being Asian in sales as a hindrance to his mental health but great for his career because people aren’t intimidated by him.

Supporting Your Asian Employees

-Empathize, validate, and offer. Let them know you recognize their experience is different, and you support them.

-If you can’t hire for diversity, take a look at who you can bring in to speak and provide a different perspective.

Resources

-Anti-racism resources to support Asian American, Pacific Islander community

-Rise of Anti-Asian Hate Crimes

-Compound Effect by Darren Hardy

-The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck by Mark Manson

Connect With Jason

-Blissful Prospecting

-LinkedIn

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