Leonor Chi’s sales career has taken her across continents, from Asia to Europe. Most recently, Chi moved back to South Korea—only this time, she’s working as a fully remote employee, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I feel remote work guarantees that my life is more flexible and it basically allows me to maintain a better balance between my career and private life,” says Chi, a sales executive at Globalization Partners, a remote-first company whose technology makes it easy for other organizations to hire and manage remote teams.
In her short time since joining the company, Chi has also been encouraged to carve out her own path with the support of her manager and colleagues. For example, she tried out a hybrid role temporarily, which helped her find her fit as a sales executive; at the same time, she’s training under the UX design team. “We are a remote-first company, but I’ve never felt like I’m working alone,” she says. “Working for Globalization Partners has been the best experience of my career by far.”
Here, Chi describes the remote work culture at Globalization Partners, her work in the Asia-Pacific market, and what it takes to succeed in sales internationally.
Tell us about your career journey, and what inspired you to pursue a career in sales.
Throughout my career, I have lived in three different countries—Spain, Japan, and South Korea—and worked in a variety of businesses, from small-sized companies to large-scale enterprises. I have been exposed to different environments and, most importantly, I have worked with a diverse group of colleagues and customers around the world. I built my career on the revenue side of organizations because I absolutely enjoy meeting and talking to new people and helping them achieve their goals. Working in sales gives me that positive energy. I am very grateful that I like what I do and that I can do it well.
What attracted you to work at Globalization Partners?
The company is a market leader, allowing organizations to hire international talent quickly, easily, and compliantly. We are seeing the worldwide shift toward global remote workforces and the rise of remote work as the new normal.
I was genuinely inspired when I heard of Globalization Partners, and was drawn to work here because it is a high-growth tech company that provides a sensational solution, and is part of the evolution of HR that is underway. We also have a strong presence in South Korea—where I recently relocated after living in Europe for many years—which was a game changer for me.
What are you responsible for in your role as a sales executive?
I am responsible for all aspects of the sales cycle, from outreach with both incoming and self-generated leads nationwide to deal close, while maintaining a strong pipeline to meet assigned sales quotas and metrics. My job involves demonstrating the capabilities of Globalization Partners’ Global Employment Platform™.
I also work closely with partner managers, demand generation specialists, marketing managers, account executives, content creators, business development representatives, and more. I’m also constantly learning more about the business, following industry-related developments, and maintaining an entrepreneurial drive in my job.
How has Globalization Partners helped you grow and develop since you first joined the company?
After about a month of internal training when I was first hired, I not only worked as a sales engineer but also took a hybrid role collaborating across different teams in the revenue department for about two months. During this time, I figured out that I was a better fit as a sales executive and my manager in San Diego took my words seriously. I appreciate that the company gave me time to try out a hybrid role to understand the market and adapt myself to the business.
At Globalization Partners, I also have been able to have regular conversations about my career path and the organization is so open minded. When I officially changed my role to sales executive, I got an offer from the UX design team to join their regular meetings and learn from them. And again, my manager in San Diego listened to me and showed his eagerness to support me if I want to develop beyond sales for my future career path. So I have been learning a lot in the UX space as a trainee and it has been helpful in many ways.
What are the benefits of working for a remote-first company like Globalization Partners?
We have a video-first policy so I’ve never felt like I’m working alone. It’s an exciting environment to be a part of, and my teams are proactive, responsible, and flexible to changes. The work process is productive, and Globalization Partners acknowledges that happy employees make a healthy culture, which leads the growth of the organization. Working for Globalization Partners has been the best experience in my career path by far. I feel remote work guarantees that my life is more flexible and it basically allows me to maintain a better balance between my career and private life.
Tell us about Globalization Partners’ growth in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, and your involvement in that growth.
We are seeing unprecedented demand for our solution and anticipate a huge wave of growth in the near future. I’m involved with helping customers in the region to build their global team anywhere in the world. Every day, I’m learning through our HR and legal experts, and more business professionals on the ground about how to best support each customer’s success.
What’s the biggest challenge about working in sales, and how have you overcome it?
One of the challenges I’ve had is learning how to sell a software product instead of a physical product, which tends to be more straightforward. I’m still educating myself on the market and prospects, as well as integrating UX design theories that I’ve learned to put the user first to understand them and provide customers with the best solution for their business. Each case is totally different, and I overcome day-to-day challenges by listening to each customer’s feedback and communicating clearly with them.
What does it take to succeed in sales?
To be a good sales executive, I believe it's important to be an extrovert. It allows you to talk with people without any hesitation. You also need to be a good listener. Being multilingual is definitely necessary to work in international business. Sales is a good fit for a goal-oriented person since the result compensates for the effort. All of the above describes me. What I like best about working in sales achieving goals and learning through meeting new people internationally, which in turn enriches my life.
How have you managed to develop and maintain relationships with teammates across different regions and time zones?
One of the best things about being an employee at Globalization Partners is that we are well connected through technology tools like Slack and Zoom. Since my onboarding, I have been able to communicate with anyone quickly, and I have joined different channels based on my shared interests with my colleagues. Despite the different regions and time zones, we keep in touch without any issues. Also, Globalization Partners encourages us to build friendships as well as understand different roles in our organization. My participation in various programs designed to build connections has helped me develop relationships with colleagues across the world. Once a month, we have an all-hands meeting that the entire organization can join, and sometimes we have virtual activities on special occasions that build teamwork.