Today we’d like to introduce you to Lana Truong.
Hi Lana, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is Lana Truong, I was born and raised in Minnesota. I’ve had a lot of lucky breaks in my life thanks to friends and family. In high school, I had the opportunity to participate in PSEO, which meant I was able to take college courses while still in high school. By the time I graduated high school, I had my associate’s degree. I then went on to go to the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota where I graduated in two years with my BSB in Management Information Systems. I was able to get a job in software sales nearby my hometown in Eagan. and I worked there for 1 year. During that year, I got promoted from an SDR to a Sales Engineer within 6 months. I knew that I needed a network beyond my coworkers and friends, so I joined the Young Professionals of Minneapolis. Becoming a sales engineer opened a lot of doors for me as well as YPM, and ultimately lead me to a job in downtown as a sales engineer.
During my two years there, I was able to present in front of thousands of people, and really grow my career. I felt that I needed to make a change from being a sales engineer, and now I’m a Product Marketing Manager at a Software company in San Francisco and worked remotely. All of these opportunities came from hard work, but also being able to utilize my network. I’ve been so grateful to have been a part of the Young Professionals of Minneapolis. Starting off originally as a member, then joining the professional development committee, then becoming the Director of Social Networking, and then moving on to Vice President, and now President for 2022. I’ve been able to secure sponsorships and grow YPM to over 1,000 members since I started in Vice President, and our goal is to keep growing and helping the community. YPM was built to help young professionals grow in three pillars, professional development, social networking, and community involvement.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not always been a smooth road, I’ve had some hiccups in my career and where I wanted to go. Being so young because I graduated 2 years early has not always had its advantage. Being a young, Asian Woman as well has its challenges when working in software, a primary male dominated field.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In my day job, I’m a product marketing manager at a company called Simpplr out of the bay area. Having seen all aspects of the sale cycle, I give a unique perspective to marketing materials and how to make processes more efficient, as well as my presentation skills for when I was a sales Engineer. I would say I’m known for going above and beyond and my presentations. I love doing webinars and conferences, and meeting new people.
As a volunteer for the Young Professionals of Minneapolis, I’m able to take my skills of negotiation, and personality to meet new people, sponsors, and other volunteers. Being outgoing has helped me grow YPM organically with skills that I already have. I also love event planning, which is a big piece of YPM. I’m extremely organized and know how to get things done.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love Minneapolis because of all the food options and the people. I feel like I never run out of things to do! Now that I live in downtown, everything is so much more walkable as well. That does lead to what I like least about our city, I wish it was easier to get around. I used to live in uptown and I felt my only options were drive or uber to downtown, I wish there were more accessible options. I also wish that more people spent time in our city to help grow the community as well!
Pricing:
- It’s $5/month to become a member in YPM, and most of the time it’s reimbursed by companies because it’s a professional development group.
Contact Info:
- Email: president@YPMinneapolis.org
- Website:ypminneapolis.org
- Instagram: @YPMinneapolis
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ypminneapolis
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lana-truong/N
- LinkedIn Page: linkedin.com/
company/ypminneapolis
