Daisy Chung, Account Executive at Orum, joins Ashleigh and Sue to talk about how she fell into sales, what it’s like being an Asian woman in the profession, and how she’s better at her job because of her background.

SHOW NOTES

Her Sales Journey

-Like most salespeople, Daisy fell into the profession. After graduating from college, she began looking for roles in HR.

-Daisy did well as an SDR in San Francisco, so they moved her to a team lead position in New York. In New York, she moved into management and then moved to LA for an Account Executive role.

-Her manager then joined Orum, and she followed. She’s now an Account Executive there.

Being an Asian Woman in Sales

-It can be lonely. Daisy’s been in the profession for years now and has only encountered three other Asian women in sales.

-However, this can be an advantage. Because there aren’t many people who look like her, she’s much more memorable when selling or pitching a product.

Open Doors

-Race, sex, age, or religious discrimination comes in when trying to enter the sales industry without any experience or competing for a management position.

-However, you can’t dispute results and numbers. And, this gives an advantage when interviewing at other companies.

Going Against Culture Norms

-Asian culture promotes listening and teaches to be humble and follow the rules. But, in SaaS or tech sales, it’s essential to talk about yourself to be noticed for a promotion. Great work often gets done behind the scenes, and it goes unnoticed unless it gets vocalized to management.

-Many Asian cultures also value prestige, pushing professions like engineering or medicine to the forefront.

How Her Background Makes Her Better

-A lot was expected of Daisy, being raised by a “tiger mom.” And, this instilled a drive in her to achieve.

-There was also an emphasis placed on education. Because many Asian immigrant parents had education taken away from them, they know the importance of it. And, though she now has the freedom to choose how she spends her time, she knows the importance of continuing to learn and grow.

Unlearning

-There were also many things she had to unlearn. One of them being the concept of comparison. A big part of Asian culture is comparing yourself to others. However, this adds a lot of unneeded stress and takes away from your self-worth.

-Instead, Daisy focuses on competing with herself, making sure she’s the best salesperson she can be.

Outreach to Underrepresented Communities

-When it comes to getting more underrepresented communities involved in sales, highlighting people from those groups that have found success is extremely important.

-University recruiters also play a role. Going into communities of underrepresented groups and educating on what sales is could open many doors.

Resources

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

-Rise of Anti-Asian Hate Crimes

-Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

Connect With Daisy

-LinkedIn

-YouTube

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/othersideofsales/m