How Identity Has Influenced an Account Manager's Career at Wish
Aaron's experience at Walmart and Jet contrasted sharply with their time at Wish, shifting from a minority to a majority within the Asian community in the workplace; this highlights the importance of feeling "heard and belonged," and Aaron suggests proactively creating employee resource groups to foster inclusion, even advocating for participation in groups that don't directly reflect one's own identity to promote a more inclusive environment.
Workplace Diversity, Employee Resource Groups, Company Culture, Minority and Majority Experiences, Building Inclusive Workplaces
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Aaron Tsai
Account Manager
Wish
Pomona College, 2017
UCLA Anderson, MBA (2025)
Biology & Related Sciences
Apparel, Beauty, Retail & Fashion, Technology
Sales and Client Management
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Being a minority at Walmart and Jet and then becoming part of the majority at Wish gave Aaron a unique perspective on workplace dynamics.
2. Aaron highlights the importance of feeling heard and belonging in a workplace, suggesting that if such a feeling is absent, one should consider initiating an employee resource group (ERG).
3. Aaron's experience demonstrates how the composition of a company's workforce can significantly impact an employee's experience, underscoring the need for inclusive work environments and ERGs to support diverse identities.
Transcript
As someone who identifies as Asian, how has that impacted how you've navigated your career?
It's very interesting. Working at Walmart and Jet versus Wish in terms of identity couldn't have been more different.
Working at Walmart Jet, I was definitely a minority. Navigating those differences is definitely worth noting. Even at Walmart Jet, we did have an Asian American resource employee group, and I participated in some events and initiatives related to that.
At Wish, it was the opposite. I became kind of the majority, so it was very different, totally on the flip side. That was another dynamic, and even within my team, it was majority Asian. Wish also operates in China, so that has a certain dynamic. I identify as Asian American specifically, so that can also come into play.
The main point I want to get at is making sure you feel heard and belong in a group or a certain company. It can be hard if you don't feel like you belong, or if you find it hard to relate with coworkers or company culture.
If there isn't an employee resource group connected with an identity you resonate with or identify with, making an initiative to maybe start that group and rally others to share their experiences and propel that forward is a good idea.
If you're at Wish and want to be more inclusive, there are other ERGs you can join to support. That would be my sort of takeaway. It was very interesting, just thinking back; I experienced both sides of the spectrum, being both a minority and majority within the workforce or working environment.
Advizer Personal Links
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tsaiaaron/
I like chai (please send recs!): https://www.instagram.com/trysomechai/
I play violin (if you need someone to play at an event, let me know!): https://www.groupmuse.com/musicians/7139-aaron-tsai