With a flair for sales and marketing,ace saleswoman Vandana Chopra has carved a niche for herself in the industry with her immense dedication, perseverance and people skills. Currently the Head of Business Development for India and South East Asia for the UK-based partition manufacturing company APTON, Chopra’s role involves travelling across various regions, networking with industry insiders and improving the brand presence and adoption in South East Asia and India.
In an interview with Business Frontier, the powerhouse of talent speaks candidly about being a changemaker, the evolving role of women in the industry, work-life balance and much more.
Q. Gives us a brief overview of the early stages of your professional journey. What made you opt for sales/marketing as a career?
I think it would be safe to say that sales chose me rather than the other way round. When I moved from Jodhpur to Bengaluru, I applied for a job at a furniture company and got selected for a sales role. I thought it would be something that I would enjoy as I am naturally a chatterbox and a people’s person.
I have never preferred sitting in a place and working on the laptop. I like meeting people and having conversations, more so being able to sell a product. I feel like it challenges me in a way that I truly enjoy. Hence, engaging with a client and convincing them was like a nice game for me where every sale I made, felt like I had won a game. That’s how my love for sales grew in the early days of my professional journey and till date, it’s something I take immense pride in doing.
Q. Could you take us through your key responsibilities and what excites you the most about them?
I am currently working as the Head of Business Development for India and South East Asia for a partition manufacturing company called APTON. It is a UK-based company with some presence in India at the moment and my role here is to build a dealership network and improve its brand presence and adoption in South East Asia and India.
A regular day for me involves meeting people from the industry, mainly designers and architects; helping them understand our product offerings and creating more awareness about our brand. My role also requires me to travel extensively and meet people around the region for upcoming projects.
Q. As a thought leader and changemaker, how do you perceive the evolving role of women in the industry?
Honestly, when I started almost two decades ago, sales was a completely male-dominated industry and very ruthless for women trying to carve a niche for themselves. Over the years, women have been able to prove their mettle and change that narrative.
Today, women are more easily accepted and definitely given a fair chance in the industry. In fact, there are so many instances where women have outdone their male counterparts, so much so that we even get flak for being better in many ways. But that’s the hard reality.
However, it’s also heartening to see talent being recognised over gender bias and women making their way into every sphere purely based on merit and hard work. We are walking shoulder to shoulder and strength to strength with our male peers and people have started recognizing that. I definitely hope and wish more women will take on more demanding roles in companies at senior managerial positions.
Q. What are the strategies you employ to deal with the everyday challenges at the workplace?
Every job comes with its own share of challenges and growth opportunities. Understanding that it’s all a part of the learning curve is what makes the journey worthwhile. The most important thing is one’s ability to constantly learn and grow.
Learning and upskilling is extremely important in any industry too. This is all the more applicable for sales, which is a highly competitive space. Having said that, I also recognize that it is an opportunity to grow so I take it in my stride. For instance, I am now taking up a course in Workplace Strategy just to stay relevant and upskill myself.
Q. What is your favourite leadership style?
Leadership for me starts with oneself. You should be able to do what is expected of others. Secondly, it is all about empathy. So I would like to believe that my style is transformational, where empowering individuals to achieve their full potential is the key. This approach resonates with me the most because it’s centred around the development of trust, encouragement of innovation, and the fostering of leadership qualities within the team.
However, I also adapt my leadership style according to the situation at hand. For instance, at times when quick decisions and swift actions are the need of the hour, I might adopt a more direct approach. Flexibility in leadership is crucial to effectively manage varying circumstances and support the team’s needs in my opinion. At the end of the day, it is about fostering healthy relationships.
Q. How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance?
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is essential for sustained productivity and well-being. I achieve this by setting clear boundaries between work and personal time, prioritising tasks, and delegating when necessary. I also make it a point to disconnect from work during personal time to fully recharge. I have to thank my family for being fully supportive and understanding the demands of my role accommodating my busy days and hectic travel schedules.
Some of my favourite things to do in my free time are going for long drives, watching movies and exploring new restaurants whenever possible. Being a pet mom, my biggest stress buster is my three-year-old fur ball of joy. Spending time and playing with him everyday helps me unwind and relax.
