Don’t be fooled by her soft-spoken nature! Michiko Sano, Extreme’s Field Marketing Manager in Japan, is a true warrior at work and in her personal life. This 20+ year marketing veteran loves that her current role gives her the flexibility to learn new skills and try new ideas to increase customer and partner engagement. Michiko came to Extreme two years ago and has helped rapidly grow our footprint in Japan. After hours, you’ll find Michiko seeking thrills and training for marathons. See how Michiko advances with us!
What do you like about field marketing?
I love that I get to work in so many different areas of marketing – I get to work on event planning, digital marketing, creative design, website management, email communications, social media, and more, all for the Japanese region. I learn new things every day and work with amazing colleagues around the globe. I was thrilled to join the Extreme team two years ago because Extreme is an established company in many parts of the world, but there is a lot of room for growth in Japan, and I get to make that happen.
What has been your favorite memory at Extreme?
Hosting a Rugby World Cup day event for our customers and partners last year. It was such a well-received event! There was a chance of a typhoon, so I was nervous all week that we would have to cancel or postpone, but then the weather held, and we were able to have a fantastic day. The feedback from attendees was superb, and I can’t wait to host an event like this again in the future.
[Michiko with attendees post event]
What do you like to do outside of work?
I like distance running! I typically run one or two marathons per year. Actually, last January, I went to Maui, Hawaii, to participate in a marathon. I trained for about a year. It wasn’t my first marathon, but it was one of my favorites because Maui was so beautiful!
What inspires you?
I had a former manager at a different company, and she inspired me a lot. She oversaw the entire APAC region and managed a team of country leads. No matter the obstacle, she was always very positive and energetic in everything she did. I admired her positive attitude so much that it left a mark on me and always drives me to always stay positive.
Tell us a fun fact about you!
I love bungee jumping! Two years ago, I actually went to the highest bungee jump in the world in Macau.
Do you have any advice for colleagues or college grads that might want to pursue a field marketing role?
Being in marketing is really exciting! It’s hard work, but it’s worth it. You’ll want to have good communication skills because you’ll be communicating with different types of people internally and externally. It’s important to make sure you’re getting your message across effectively to each of your different stakeholders, and good communication skills will be key. You’ll also want to have a curious mind because you’ll need to try new ideas frequently to reach new audiences and drive successful projects.
What do diversity and inclusion mean to you, and what value do you see to an organization?
Diversity is very important because large global companies need to have lots of offices throughout the world, and each region has a different way of thinking as well as cultural differences. Diversity and inclusion are key to success for businesses today. Companies that embrace diversity and inclusion will find greater global success because employees will feel more connected to the company mission and be eager to participate in conversations to brainstorm ideas.
Visit our careers page to explore opportunities in marketing as well as the many other roles in which you can advance and help Extreme drive effortless networking experiences for enterprises worldwide.
