Today we’d like to introduce you to Lily Pabian.
Hi Lily, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story began in a war-torn era of WWII in mainland China, where my parents as young children escaped to find refuge in Taiwan, a home where they grew up and would eventually meet, marry, and migrate to America (Queens, New York). I came into the world two years after they had settled when my mother made the hard decision to go back home to Taipei, where she could have her own mother by her side to provide the traditional care called “yuezi”. And so I was born in Taiwan on the auspicious “double 10” holiday and remember stories of how difficult it was to find the family doctor because the entire city was celebrating at parades and festivals. I arrived with my mother and big sister in the United States at just four months, where my father first laid eyes on his second child at LaGuardia Airport. Our family made the move to Atlanta in the winter of 1979 in search of job opportunities and dreams for a better life. We settled into our first home off Buford Highway in Doraville.
I remember my father’s many entrepreneurial trials and errors at a time when conveniences were rare gems, typewriters and fax machines were a business person’s best friends, and wasting anything was the ultimate sin.
I began working at the age of 14 and have paved a professional path in technology, logistics, marketing, and management. My favorite job as a high schooler was at Lenox Mall’s Chinese Combo King. I got to practice my Mandarin-speaking skills with co-workers in a bustling setting at the coolest mall of that time.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Our struggles were centered around survival. Things like language, culture, trust, trauma, and scarce finances, were areas that impacted every facet of growing up from childhood to college. My life was a resource roller coaster for much of my youth, it wasn’t until I earned my degree that things began to stabilize.
The challenges I faced throughout my career-building years have been the lack of confidence and mentors. I didn’t have a village to foster or nurture the inner gut or youth-empowerment programs to attend. I had to hit the ground running and though this felt like an obstacle, in hindsight, it shaped my work ethic into what it is today.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m the executive director for a local nonprofit organization with a professional specialty in mission-driven initiatives, positioning, and communications. Aside from being most proud of my marriage and three children, I am most proud of building teams, stakeholders, and lasting friendships. What sets me apart is my willingness to express my opinions while being open to change when I learn more about the subject or matter at hand. I see every point of professional engagement as an opportunity for consultative (personalized) listening, networking, actions, and outcomes.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Unsloppy work, meaning I set my mind to dot the “i’s” and cross the “t’s” in everything I do. And if I say I’m going to do something, I do it. I’m a big believer in good mistakes versus bad ones (values I learned early on in my career in a corporate work culture that has yet to be replicated) and that respect and trust are a two-way essential. I know that procrastination is the achilles heel of momentum and that the second (or third) pair of trusted eyes and/or ears are essential for rollouts.
Contact Info:
- Email: lily@welovebuhi.org
- Website: www.welovebuhi.org
- Instagram: /welovebuhi
- Facebook: /welovebuhi
- Twitter: /welovebuhi
Image Credits
Eric Sun Photography
