Harry Meng
President of Sales, Pathwater
Professional Overview
Harry Meng currently serves as the President of Sales at Pathwater, a company dedicated to transforming the beverage industry by offering sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic bottles. Based in San Francisco Bay Area, he has over 500 connections on LinkedIn, demonstrating strong professional networking skills.
Educational Background
- MBA: University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Anderson School of Management
- Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration: George Washington University
Professional Experience and Achievements
- Pathwater: Harry Meng has played a crucial role in driving the company's mission to reduce plastic waste and has been instrumental in scaling the brand's presence both domestically and internationally.
- Past Roles: Prior to joining Pathwater, Harry held significant positions at companies like Gengo, where he developed a robust foundation in sales and marketing.
Personality and Motivations
Harry’s journey from China to the United States at the age of 13, coupled with his early challenges of language barriers, has fostered an internal drive to excel in areas generally regarded as difficult. His answer in a recent interview underscores his determination: "The internal drive to be great at something that I am not ‘supposed to be good at’ fuels me daily to make extraordinary happen."
Sales Philosophy and Leadership Style
- Motivation: For Harry, the greatest reward is advocating for his sales team and assisting them in achieving their goals. He emphasizes the importance of improving the livelihoods of his team members, whether through monetary, vocational, or life-related support.
- Success Factors: Harry attributes his success to determination and a shared philosophy of resilience among his business partners: "Failure is not an option."
- Data-Driven Decisions: His decision-making process relies heavily on quantifiable data to justify investments and strategic moves, ensuring a concrete basis for decisions.
Market Strategy
- Brand Recognition: Harry focuses on enhancing brand recognition via shelf space and strategic placement in major retailers like Safeway, Wegmans, Speedway, and Buc-ee’s.
- Advertising and Sales Techniques: He believes in leveraging digital ads and assertive sales techniques, provided they are backed by significant investment and strong content.
- Consistent Sales Process: The sales process under Harry’s leadership involves defined goals, regular reviews, and feedback integration to ensure continuous improvement.
Training and Development
- Training Programs: Harry emphasizes hiring individuals who are better than himself and focuses on developing their skills in more responsible roles, particularly as Pathwater scales internationally.
- Data Analysis Skills: The capability to analyze market data from sources like IRI/Nielson Data has been crucial for Pathwater’s growth and competitive positioning.
Additional Interests
Beyond his professional commitments, Harry Meng is an avid NBA fan and enjoys traveling, which further reflects his dynamic and well-rounded personality.
Notable Achievements and Contributions
- Innovative Leadership: Under Harry's leadership, Pathwater has emerged as one of the fastest-growing bottled water brands according to IRI/Nielson Data.
- Sustainability Advocacy: He passionately advocates for sustainability, emphasizing that aluminum, a key material used by Pathwater, "uses five times less energy to recycle than plastic and can be recycled over and over without losing quality."
Harry Meng exemplifies a blend of strategic insight, relentless determination, and a commitment to sustainable practices, making him an influential leader within the beverage industry and a formidable partner for any collaborative ventures.
