Vanessa Pham was just 24 years old when she started the packaged Asian food start-up Omsom with her sister, Kim. The brand is now available in major retailers, including Whole Foods (AMZN, Target (TGT), and Sprouts (SFM).
The young CEO met with Yahoo Finance Senior Reporter Brooke DiPalma to discuss the lessons she’s learned from leading the brand, including how to say no.
“I think with great humility and self-respect is how you show up when you say no,” says Pham.
Lead This Way is an interview series that features frank conversations with today’s leaders. The series will give consumers and investors an inside look into the innovative thinking and diverse life experiences of some of the biggest players in business to find out how they lead through change, and how they define success for themselves and their organizations.
For more of our conversation with Pham, click here. For more of our Lead This Way series, click here, and tune in to Yahoo Finance Live for more expert insight and the latest market action, Monday through Friday.
Editor's note: This article was written by Luke Brooks.
Video Transcript
BROOKE DIPALMA: How do you say no as a leader?
VANESSA PHAM: I think with great humility and self-respect is how you show up when you say no. So I always make sure I share my thought process and my rationale. But at the end of the day, I think you have to show that you are confident in where you're coming from.
And also, you know, open the possibility that you might not have all the answers, and this is your best you know your best answer and this is how you're going to proceed. And I think those that really see you for your leadership will show up and support you even if they didn't initially agree.
