Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Doss.
Amber, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I moved to Houston in 2013 from Louisiana and was looking to meet new people in the area. My first manager in the pharmaceutical industry always talked to me about getting involved with the National Sales Network (NSN). NSN is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit membership organization whose mission is to meet the professional and developmental needs of diverse sales and sales management professionals or individuals who want to improve their professional sales skills through service, mentorship, networking and development. Louisiana did not have a local NSN chapter when I lived there, so I decided to get involved with NSN Houston once I moved here.
In 2013, I attended the annual conference in Chicago. There I met several members from the Houston chapter and expressed my interest to get more involved locally. They immediately put me to work! I started out as the Program Chair, assisting the events team with the planning and execution of our monthly meetings. This role led to my election to the VP of Events a year later. During my tenure as the VP of Events, the chapter President at the time talked to me a few times about being the next chapter President and I told him “absolutely not” more times than I can count. Yet, many of the members began to offer their support to help and encouraged me to run. After much thought and prayer, I decided to run.
I am currently serving my 4th and final year as Chapter President. Under my leadership, the Houston Chapter’s membership has doubled, making us the largest chapter in the country. The number of our corporate sponsorships has also doubled. At the 2018 annual conference, the Houston Chapter won Chapter of the Year for the second time and the Philanthropy Award for raising over $13,000 to support Hurricane Harvey victims and NSN Student Conference donations. I was also recognized with the David M. Richardson Individual Commitment Award for my efforts both locally and nationally.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. I wanted to throw in the towel many times. Like most organizations, especially a nonprofit organization, there is a lot of work but not enough help. You end up wearing many hats, turnover is high and you have to find creative ways to keep the team motivated without being paid. I knew when I committed to become the Chapter President I would have to give 1000% to make sure it was successful and I would not quit.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
In my day job, I am a Clinical Account Associate at the world-renowned Texas Medical Center for a Biopharmaceutical company. We manufacture Enzyme Replacement Therapy and Substrate Reduction Therapy for four Rare Genetic Disorders. Basically, our patients are deficient in an enzyme and we make the recombinant version of that enzyme that patients are infused with either every week or every two weeks for life. We also have an oral therapy for one of our diseases. I am most proud of our patient-centric focus. We keep the patient first in everything that we do. I have been in healthcare sales since graduating college and I love what I do!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I would not change anything about my journey. I have grown both personally and professionally. I honestly don’t think I would be the person I am today without the trials and tribulations in this role. I learned a lot about myself, my leadership style and my tolerance level. I learned to meet people where they are and not dwell on the things that I cannot change or the things that are out of my control.
Ultimately, I found my true passion of helping to create more opportunities for underrepresented minority sales professionals in healthcare while serving as the Chapter President for NSN Houston. Many opportunities have also opened up for me professionally. I was selected for a developmental opportunity, with a 50% time commitment, within our Inclusion and Diversity department. I have also served on the North America Diversity Council and currently lead the North America Multicultural Employee Resource Group for my company.
Pricing:
- National Sales Network Annual Membership is $150
Contact Info:
- Address: NSN Houston
5090 Richmond Ave #714
Houston, TX 77056 - Website: nsnhouston.org
- Phone: 225-278-6204
- Email: president@nsnhouston.org or adoss1908@gmail.com
- Instagram: @nsnhouston
- Facebook: National Sales Network, Houston Chapter
- Twitter: nsnhouston
- Other: LinkedIn: NSN Houston
Image Credit:
Photographers: Bruce Bell and Robert Mann
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