New York Times

I was born in South Korea. When I was 2, my family, including my grandparents, emigrated to Brazil for a better life. My father saw more opportunity there.

My father was an elder at our Korean church, and he rallied members to start a Korean preschool, which I attended for three years. Some of my best childhood memories come from attending that preschool.

I have a younger sister. As the oldest child and grandchild, I had a deep sense of responsibility. I felt I had to ensure that my parents’ hard work paid off, and I wanted to pave the way for the family.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I bridged the two cultures for my parents because they didn’t speak Portuguese. From the age of 12, I was the designated representative for my entire family in Brazilian society.

I read Russian literature, went to a Korean church and attended a Brazilian school. That experience helped me be flexible and adaptable and allowed me to see the world from multiple perspectives, which is useful for what I do now. My parents made me believe that I had no ceiling, that I could do anything as long as I worked hard. I still believe that.

I finished high school and the first year of law school in Brazil. (Students in Brazil don’t study pre-law; they go directly to law school.) When I was 19, I emigrated to the United States. While earning a business administration degree at Grove City College in Pennsylvania, I worked in the library and the health center. It was important to me that I have jobs where I could study.

I also met my best friend and future husband there. Some of the best business advice I’ve gotten has come from my father-in-law, who was a corporate lawyer.

My first real job after college was at Dun & Bradstreet. I joined in 1995 and worked in sales at the company’s call center, fulfilling orders and selling additional products to customers. Soon after starting there, I remember seeing a big book called “Presidential Citation,” which recognized the top sales teams. I thought to myself, “There’s no reason why I can’t be in that book.”

I found sales an attractive career path. It gives you control over your own destiny. It’s metric-focused; you reap what you put into it. You also have direct relationships with customers. Having direct visibility and, if possible, direct contact with customers, should be a must for any business leader.

After a few years I moved to a staff position at headquarters and then led a sales organization. D.& B. acquired Hoover’s in 2003.

In late 2008, I knew I was ready for a broader role, and I knew that the organization recognized it, too. In 2009, when the opportunity to become president of Hoover’s was presented, I felt a mix of emotions. I was humbled, and I had a moment when I thought, “Can I really do this?” But I saw a tremendous opportunity for us to make a difference on the Internet, and I wanted to lead that effort. I relocated my family and never looked back.

I’m always asked for advice about career management. I say that instead of trying to manage a career, focus on your achievements and try to be the best you can be. Find out how you can be successful at a task, which will open doors. Good relationship skills help even more. You’ll get instant credibility and people will seek you out. Having a five-year road map works for some people, but I didn’t have time to build one.

Talking regularly with my 85-year-old grandmother helps keep me in touch with my culture. I don’t have much down time, but I reserve time every day to read to my 3-year-old son. I make silly voices for the characters, and he just laughs and laughs. It’s the best sound in the world.