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...
Social enterprises are businesses that have a social mission at their core. They often serve low-income communities, and as a result, they face unique challenges in sales. These challenges include limited financial resources, trust and credibility, accessibility and distribution, cultural sensitivity, and education and awareness. Despite these challenges, there are a number of practical strategies and tactics that social enterprises can use to overcome them and achieve sales success in low-income markets. These strategies include Understanding the customer I personally work with several social enterprises that serve low-income communities. One of the organizations that I was in has a deep understanding of the needs, aspirations, and pain points of the target audience. They invest a lot in market research, surveys, and focus groups with key customers. While the rest of the seasonal organization have difficulties in overcoming Covid Lockdown and Political instability challenges, they jus...