Family-run firms offer sharp learning curve, more duties

MY first job after graduation was working for a fast-moving consumer-goods company, belonging to one of the family holdings in Hong Kong. It had two departments: selling instant noodles and peddling sugar sachets to restaurants, night clubs and hotels. I started there as a marketing executive.

Marketing seemed fun. I liked strategic thinking, hoping to yield more customers. I didn't feel like I'd ever be a good sales person as it requires an outgoing personality and spending a lot of time being pleasant to strangers. I didn't feel that is what I was best suited for. If I'm unhappy, people would see that I'm unhappy - I cannot be superficial.

They put me in the instant-noodles department, with my first task being to hold meetings with chain-buyers at Park'N Shop (PNS) and Wellcome. They were very authoritative, very powerful. I would go in to see them and say 'Can you take my product on your shelves?' and they would say: 'How much can you sell? How much are you going to give me for promotions?' I learned very, very fast to be very careful of what I said, because once we committed, it then put us on record. It's not a conversation that is simple. I had a rough idea based on the capacity that we could probably afford to make about 10,000 packets a month - I had no idea how much PNS could sell. So I asked them 'What do you think your sales are like on this type of noodle?' They didn't commit. They said, 'What do you think you can sell? What are you going to give me?' Even if one doesn't meet their sales quota, the promotion money is committed.

Inside a huge reception area, there would be about 20 suppliers waiting for the buyer's attention.

About a year later they added the responsibility of selling the restaurants sugar sachets. Selling sugar sachets was easier.

Once you have experienced the intimidating chain-buyers, talking to the restaurant buyers is a lot easier - more human.