Work History / Sales years and before
Asian American Heritage MonthAn open house for Nike's Central region
Jimmy led the team that staged an Asian American Heritage Month open house at Nike's Chicago showroom in May 2007, and hosted it from the stage.
Operating · 2007
| Project type | Internal culture program and event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Athletic footwear and apparel |
| Seat | Regional Sporting Goods Sales Representative |
| Ran through | Nike |
| Dates | May 23, 2007 |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois |
What it is
Jimmy was a sales rep based in Detroit. He described the problem as a lack of awareness of Asians and their history, their influence on the marketplace and their buying power as consumers. The obstacles he listed were a lack of time, a lack of funding for the program and a lack of interest.
The stated goal was a sustainable plan for the Central region to raise awareness of Asian American culture in the workplace. His plan had three phases. The first was the open house. The second was a collegiate open house to connect with the Asian workforce. The third was a retail event with a sneaker auction to connect with the marketplace.
The invitation set the open house for Wednesday, May 23, at the Central region showroom in Chicago, with lunch served.
What Jimmy did
- Led a team to develop the presentation for the Central territory and outside guests.
- Opened the program for 15 minutes, after two Thai welcoming dances and a welcome from the region's sales director.
- Presented the section on Asian American cultural influence: what it means to be Asian American, how Asian American buying power relates to Nike, and who the key global influencers are.
- Put the numbers in front of the room. His deck cites Asian American buying power of $397 billion in 2005 and a projected $579 billion in 2010.
- Introduced both guest speakers and moderated their questions. One was the chief operating officer of the importer Zarda King. The other was the co-chair of Nike's Asia Pacific Network.
- Closed the event, presented gifts to the speakers and dancers, and invited the room to a tasting of Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Japanese and Chinese food.
Results
- The entire Central office was in the room.
- The recap records the integration of Nike Retail into the Central region's event, and the reach of the Asia Pacific Network beyond headquarters and into the field.
- Attendees were offered membership in the Asia Pacific Network.
- The recap quotes the sales director: the open house led a Niketown teammate to reach out to the Latino and Friends Network.
- Jimmy recorded the result as increased awareness, and said the event helped to elevate the region's other awareness programs.
- Only the first phase is documented as delivered.