We all know that there is no specific educational route into becoming a Sales Development Representative. That doesn’t mean that just anyone can do it though. It requires life skills, soft skills, some things self-learnt and some things taught. Above all else though, having a belief in yourself and a desire to get the job done, even when it seems like the world is against you, is essential. This is the character and inner confidence we look for. Of course, our SDRs all have these qualities in abundance but despite the common traits, they are all individuals, and they all found their own route here. That’s why we thought now was the time to gain a greater insight into some of our brightest stars.    

In this instance, we asked Dian to share her story with us.

Professional Philosophy

“Set achievable goals to reach your ultimate dream.”

I was born and raised in Surabaya in Indonesia. It’s on the island of Java and is considered to be Indonesia’s second big city. I moved to China and actually spent most of my teenage years there. I also went to university in China. So as you’d expect, I speak Mandarin fluently. I did my master’s in International Trade at the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in Chengdu and graduated in 2020. Chengdu is actually famous for its hotpot and I have to say I love everything in “mala flavour”. If you couldn’t find me in the library, you’d find me devouring hotpot somewhere but I’m getting off topic. While I was at university and by complete coincidence, I met Floris, who is now my Aexus colleague in Singapore. He graduated before me and moved away to work but we stayed in touch. 

As I graduated during the peak of Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, it was a challenging time for me to find the perfect job. I did have a couple of jobs in sales and marketing though and did quite well, even making it to assistant manager in one of the largest retail outlets in Indonesia. After some time, I found I was not enjoying it anymore and was struggling to find my enthusiasm. I concluded that this was a symptom to show that I hadn’t found my true passion yet. To make a long story short, it was like magic when Floris mailed my LinkedIn inbox to tell me about Aexus.

Floris told me that Aexus was expanding to the Asia Pacific region and was going to open an office in Singapore. After explaining what the company was all about and what they do, he asked if I’d be interested in becoming an SDR. While I was excited at the prospect, I was a little concerned as I’d never worked in a tech environment before. Don’t get me wrong though, I’m a huge fan of tech innovation. Only a few years ago, we might have needed to stand in a long bank queue but today, with just a few clicks on the mobile App, we can sort out everything. In the end, I had two further interviews and was offered the position. 

Even though I’m relatively new, I have the confidence to grow with Aexus, not just on a personal level but also on a professional level. And, with the huge potential in the APAC market and the support of my team, I’m sure I’ll be able to become a business development manager when my chance comes.