What a misstep on a remote farm in Myanmar taught me about leadership, listening, and last-mile sales The Morning That Felt Different It was the kind of morning I’ve come to know well in rural Myanmar’s dry zone—quiet, golden, and already heavy with heat. The overnight bus from Yangon had dropped me in Magway at 4 a.m. The streets were still asleep, save for the occasional trishaw gliding past. I rented a small motorbike, found a local tea shop that was just beginning to stir, and waited for the first light with a cup of sweet, thick Burmese tea. I’d done this countless times—early field visits that began in silence and dust, long before any office opened. But this visit felt different. I wasn’t here to just observe or support. I was here to quietly assess one of our most promising team leads. Meet “Spiky Head” Everyone on the team called him Spiky Head —a nickname earned as much for his wild, uncombed hair as for his sharp, unfiltered energy. He had outsold everyone in the regi...
PinLaung Township, Shan North, Myanmar – 2017
A Window, A Coffee, A Market Waiting
It was the monsoon season in 2017. I was deep in Shan North, in a village in PinLaung Township. Locals used to say this was the place that rains once a year—because once it starts, it feels like the rain never ends for another four months. Mist hangs so thick in the air after it rains, you’re not sure if it’s still raining or just fog floating around you. The whole place looks like a dream. Beautiful mountains, cool air, and somewhere up there—like a Hollywood-style landmark—you’ll see the giant white letters spelling “I ❤️ Pinlaung”.
That morning, I opened my hotel bedroom window, coffee in hand. What I saw stopped me for a moment—a sea of clouds below the mountains, the sign sitting proudly above them, and the sun slowly rising from the east. A scene so peaceful, you’d never want to leave your chair.
But I was there for work.
I had just opened up this new frontier for my sales team. After two months, we only had one sale. Based on the numbers, I already knew that rep wasn’t going to hit his target. So, as a person leading the Sales and Marketing team, I decided I had to go down there myself to coach and support them.
Into the Cold, On Two Wheels
After breakfast, I met with my sales manager and reps. We got on field motorbikes, and right away, I felt the chill. The faster you ride, the colder it gets. We went to visit the only customer who had bought our product so far.
We sat down with him and asked why he bought it, and why nobody else did after him. He told us, honestly, that he loved the product. It reduced his farming time significantly. He barely needed to do any manual labor. That gave him time to focus on expanding his small business and volunteering in the village. That kind of lifestyle made him happy—simple, purpose-driven, and peaceful.
So I introduced our customer referral and agent program. Told him how much commission he could make. But he just smiled and said, “I don’t need money. I only have one stomach—how much food can I even eat?” That line stuck with me.
So I changed the conversation.
I asked him, “Is this product really helping you solve your problem?”
He said, “Yes.” I asked, “
Do you want your neighbors and friends to have that same experience?”
He said, “YESSSSS!”
From the Balcony: A Sales Moment You Can’t Script
Right after that our conversation and we went out to the balcony for a cigarette. His house sits right by a small path that connects multiple villages. At that moment, around a dozen villagers happened to be walking by. From above, he yelled down, “Do you see the product installed in my farm?”
They shouted back, “YES!”
He continued, “It gave me so many benefits! I have more time, I can grow my business. Do you want that too?”
They all yelled back, “YES!”
Then he pointed at us and shouted, “The company team is here. Come upstairs and sign the contract!”
And just like that—people came up, one after another. No negotiation. No demos. No back-and-forth. We hit our one-month sales target in a single day.
Momentum and the Lesson That Stuck
And it didn’t stop there. After that, we asked who else we should talk to. Everyone started giving us names. They even called ahead for us, telling the next person we were coming. By the time we reached the next house, everything was already explained. We just showed up, pulled out the contract, and signed.
By the end of that long, fulfilling day, I asked my sales rep, the one I came to coach: “So, what did you learn today?”
He looked at me and said, “That Customer is a better sales rep than me.”
I smiled. I still hear that line in my head to this day. It’s true. When a customer sells to another customer, there’s no room for doubt. No need for convincing. People trust people like them.
A Market Opened, A Legacy Built
That trip to Pin Laung changed everything for us. Since that day, selling in that region has become easier and easier. And even after many years, when I visited again, I saw our product still being used all over the village. That feeling—I opened this market—fills you with pride.
Even now, after becoming an entrepreneur, I carry that moment with me. Because before I was a founder, I was a salesperson. And no matter what title I hold, I’ll always take pride in one thing:
I built that market, customer by customer
If you're building a sales team in tough environments— Remember: your best sales rep might already be your happiest customer.
Thanks for reading. This is the first story in my series of real field notes from the frontlines of sales, entrepreneurship, and impact business. Stay tuned for more.
#sales #leadership #fieldnotes #referrals #emergingmarkets #salescoaching #Myanmar #socialimpact #entrepreneurship #trust
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