Hello Diana, can you briefly tell us a little bit about yourself as a person and how you came to Evonik?  

Working in a chemical company was a coincidence, I was not aware of the magic of this industry but now I can say that chemistry is everywhere, and it is incredible how chemicals are essential in our daily activities without even knowing the relevance of this.  
I was born in Mexico, which I consider as a very diverse and beautiful country with delicious food and amazing places to visit. Openness and communication come together with the culture of my country. 
I consider myself as a friendly person with a strong sense of responsibility and commitment. I am always open to new experiences and to discover new people, cultures and places. 

Joining Evonik Mexico in 2017, I started with a six-month internship where I was able to get the fundamental knowledge like learning about the company and its procedures. At this point, I enjoyed working with customers and I knew I wanted to keep developing myself in the commercial areas inside Evonik.  

You are participating in the International Sales and Marketing program (ISAM) of Evonik. What are you most excited about? 

During almost three years working in Evonik Mexico, I was able to work into three different business lines – High Performance Polymers, Care Solutions and Coatings Additives - as Customer Service and Imports Coordinator, therefore I decided it was time for a new challenge. Since my very first job position at Evonik, I had in mind to do my career path here. 
Because of this, I challenged myself to apply to ISAM. I joined ISAM in 2020… Yes! - in the middle of the worldwide pandemic.  
Since that time, a rollercoaster begun with a lot of challenges and learnings, but still excited about my ISAM journey.  
For me, ISAM has marked a breaking point in my life. I've definitely grown personally and professionally; I am almost in the middle of the program. For me, one of the most exciting things of the program is the international experience opportunity and all the benefits around it, like: learning from different people, cultures, demonstrating everyday resilience and flexibility. 

What would you recommend to someone who wants to get into sales?  

Keep focused on the goal! 
I’m still on my way to discover the sales world but what makes me feel very interested on sales is how to identify business opportunities, understand customer needs, identify correct strategies in the market in order to build the proper relationship with our customers.    

You finished your first assignment in Germany, far away from your home country Mexico.  Any learnings you want to share? 

For sure, this has been the most challenging thing I have faced when becoming part of ISAM in the middle of the pandemic. Difficult and hard times to be far away from home and your family, limited to make plans when the worldwide situation is changing daily. During this time, uncertainty has been my biggest teacher.  

If you had to draw a conclusion about your first months as part of the ISAM program: What do you like? What did you learn? 

Working from home office most of the time was not exactly what I was expecting for this experience. It is interesting to see how networking is still possible despite the interaction limitations we have now. I enjoy working and living in Germany, my colleague's hospitality and all the people I have met during this program. 

My biggest learning right now is to always try to see the good side of the upcoming situations, no matter how difficult it could seem to be. There is always a learning lesson which also contributes on developing the person you will become tomorrow.   
 

Would you like to find out more about the ISAM program? Check out Felipe's People Story.