291. Fears Behind Her, She’s Sold on Helping Women Make it Big
Melinda Chen
Melinda Chen loved the world of international sales, dealing with different cultures, wearing elegant business suits into corporate offices. Then she got an opportunity to leave the corporate world and venture out on her own. Decisions, decisions…
Melinda is a sales coach helping female entrepreneurs sell to big clients. Her company, Women Making Big Sales, allows female entrepreneurs to start connecting and sell to big clients. She spent years studying books on sales and selling, made over 5,000 cold calls, and worked with agents, representatives, and corporate clients around the world. Since then she has mastered the art of selling to big companies and made sales in the Americas, Europe and Asia, covering a wide range of industries.
How Did You Start Using Your Talents?
“The first event that really shaped where I am right now was when I was 12 or 13, when I was waitressing for my father’s restaurant. It was a small restaurant, and I was young, but I still distinctly remember I had a strong sense of fulfillment and satisfaction when I was helping the clients, asking them what they wanted and serving them the dishes they liked. I always thought about that, even when I was at university, trying to decide what I wanted to do. I remembered that sense of satisfaction I felt when I was 12 and 13.”
The Most Impactful Turning Point?
“In my first job, I was international sales manager at Berlitz Canada, one of the largest education institutions in the world. I was speaking with the president, complaining about how expensive our program was and what I thought we needed to add. He said, ‘Melinda, to be good in sales, you need to believe in your product and yourself.’ Honestly, at that point, I had no idea what he was talking about! I thought to myself, I’m just talking about the price of the program. That’s got nothing to do with believing!”
The Most Powerful Lessons Learned?
“I was always looking for ways to combine my need to serve and to satisfy my intellectual ability. So I got into investment, and was a broker for a while, which was a great combination for me. But then I was offered an opportunity to represent an Asian company and help them sell to their corporate clients in North America. I had to make a decision, whether to quit the corporate world—wearing suits and going to fancy offices, meeting with the clients—or to be an entrepreneur, where I would be on my own. I decided that I would make a switch. I loved it! And I love being an entrepreneur. I love the ability to have the freedom to work wherever I want, and whenever I want.”
Steps to Success from Melinda Chen
1. Don’t be afraid to think and dream big.
2. Remember life is a marathon, not a sprint.
3. Embrace your enthusiasm, but be patient with yourself. You will get there.
4. Pay 100 percent of attention to the person you are speaking with.
On Her Bookshelf
How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie
Connecting With Melinda Chen
Email: melinda@womenmakingbigsales.com
Website: womenmakingbigsales.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chen_melinda
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