What I like working in tech
I had forgotten what it’s like to deal with employees at traditional, rigid organizations in old, stodgy industries. I’ve been in tech for awhile, where people and businesses are on the forefront of innovation. If I reached out to a sales person at any tech company, I’d get an immediate call back followed by daily emails and phone calls for the next month. It wouldn’t matter who I was, how big my company is, or if the sales person had heard of me previously. Every deal closed counts toward their quota and translates to bigger bonuses. Every potential customer is not just a sale today, but also a potential upsell in the future.
There are many startups that could be on the verge or raising their next series round — tech sales guys don’t take the position of judging which startup is worth 10 minutes of their time. They talk with nearly everyone.
The old guards
But as I’m sourcing materials once again, I find myself back in the position I was in 15 years ago. It’s the same gray-haired, white dudes who (I’m speculating) work three hours a day doing the same job they’ve been doing for the last 20 years. If I showed you the LinkedIn page of this particular materials supplier, you’d think it’s the “all look same” of Guess Who.
The person I reached out to is a regional VP of Sales at the supplier I intend to use, where all four sales people are either “VP” or “SVP”. It took four emails before he was willing to get on the phone with me, and that was only because I dropped in the photo of me with Vice President Harris. When we did finally schedule a call at 10am on a Tuesday, he took the call from his cell phone while he was outside. That’s fine.
All I wanted from that phone call was a sample of their yarn and a list of footwear materials manufacturers that incorporate their yarn. But yet again, no response or action from him despite repeated emails from me. (I ended up contacting customer service, and a very nice woman replied immediately to fulfill my request.)
Maybe I’m getting my panties in a bunch over nothing. I’m surely not the only person to deal with blockers. It’s a common thing in sales to have to manage around blockers and gatekeepers, but it’s usually the sales person, not the prospective customer, that’s trying to navigate a way through. Furthermore, as a woman of color, it irks me to no end not to be taken seriously by complacent, middle-aged men — content with the (archaic) status quo, who have no desire to do better.
(Btw, I’m middle-aged too.)
The small guys
Lately, I find myself feeling very empathetic to small businesses. It pains me to see owners who are struggling.
Last weekend, I bought $25 of snacks we didn’t need at a Japanese convenience store, because I sensed business was down after another Asian mart opened in the neighborhood. I realize this is not a long-term solution for them.
My child’s pre-school, a two-year old startup, is going through some challenges as well with low enrollment for next year. Kim and I will be helping them with their marketing and ops. We want to see them thrive, and we believe we can have a positive impact on their business. I also think their offering is truly unique — a montessori-style, early childhood education in a mandarin immersive environment.
When I was growing up, my parents owned dry cleaning stores. It was a lucrative business for a long time. At one point, (I learned much later) the landlord had intended to raise the rent by an egregious amount, where it would have been financially untenable for my parents to renew. It was a stroke of luck that one of their customers, Jeanine Pirro (then judge in Westchester County), introduced my dad to her husband, Albert Pirro. My parents paid a small fortune to retain him as attorney to fight the rent increase, but it was worth it. The result was a renewal rate that was even lower than the previous rate, and the dry cleaning business went on for over a decade more. (Fun fact: in 2000, Albert Pirro was convicted of tax evasion, and then pardoned by Trump as one of his final acts as President.)
Anyway, my point is that my parents lucked out by asking the right person for advice, who in turn pointed them to the right resources. They also had the ability to pay, which I think most small businesses do not.
Final words
I think I just have a soft spot for the little guys, the underdogs. So when I have to deal with this dude who is being a total blocker to a small business for no reason apparent to me, I have a hard time comprehending his position. It’s not something I would do. My husband says it’s just because the guy doesn’t have time for (or want to spend time on) this small task. So then forward my request to another someone else — another sales person, customer service, or whoever — at least I’d have someone else
Sigh. Just another Tuesday rant. To all the small businesses and minority business owners, we root for you. To the old guards, I say this:
- Jenn and Kim