Young Pros Spotlight
Sean Wong
What is your role / current company?
Senior Research Analyst/Ipsos
If you could offer one piece of advice to other young professionals, what would it be?
I received a great piece of advice recently which was that everyone experiences some form of impostor syndrome in their career. You can’t let that stop you from asking questions, but also sharing ideas. It is easy as a young professional to not raise your hand, justifying it as “well senior team members know more than me so it’s not worth speaking up.” However, from personal experience I can say that the best way to learn is to speak up, always be ready to ask questions or offer your own ideas. Everyone is in their role for a reason and can offer something unique. This is the best way to not just learn proactively, but also to begin carving your own identity as a professional.
How has mentorship played a role in your career journey?
I can confidently say I would not be in the position I am today without my mentors. I have been very fortunate in my position to work with several senior leadership members. From each experience I have learned so much about not just the industry, but also working styles (my own and others) and even what it takes to be a successful market researcher. I highly encourage all young professionals to be open minded and seek out a mentor. There is always something new to be learned. While I continue to learn from those around me, it has also inspired me to want to be a mentor of my own and passing along what I have learned to other young professionals.
Can you name a company or brand that you think is doing an excellent job and why?
Though it isn’t the most recent (2024) nor did I have any involvement in it, as a massive baseball fan. I thought Coors Light’s viral “Hits the Spot” was an excellent campaign that showed how a brand can adapt and take advantage of real world trends. For those unfamiliar, Shohei Ohtani (global icon and baseball superstar) hit a ball so hard it broke some of the LED lights on a Coors Light stadium ad. Coors Light saw this opportunity to capitalize and designed a limited edition can with the same blacked out square and it was a home run. I am a big fan of brands who know when to lean into culturally relevant moments and use them to connect with consumers.
What is something you recently saw on the internet that made you smile? It can be work-related or otherwise (PG-13).
As a somewhat new cat dad, anything pet related always brings a level of positivity to my day. Lately, my social media algorithms have been feeding me videos of cats doing the strangest things only for me to look up and my cats to be staring at me thinking “I hope you don’t expect me to do that”.
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