Johnny Grassi
Account Executive, Business Development
Time at the Commanders: 3 years
Ethnic background: Thai
Please share your career background and how you landed in your current role with the Washington Commanders.
First sales role in the sports industry was with the Wizards inside sales program! While there, I did my Master's program in Sports Management at Georgetown University. I was brought over by my great inside sales manager Sam Barlow to the Commanders with the excitement behind the name rebrand and haven't looked back. It's been a phenomenal three seasons with the team growing from an AE to a Premium Sales Manager.
What's a work-related accomplishment in the past year that you're really proud of?
I have sold $2.1 million in two seasons here with the team!
Are there any cultural traditions from your heritage that you incorporate into your work or daily life?
I love drinking Thai tea nearly every day!
Can you highlight a mentor or role model who has influenced your career journey?
My mother who passed from cancer over 5 years ago-- her tireless work ethic and attention to detail with customers are traits I carry with me today. She didn't have beyond a high school education in Thailand, but she always made it a point to outwork others and put on a smile for any customer that she worked with as a manager at Hard Rock Cafe in Thailand and in her cleaning business in the US when her and my dad brought me over at 2 years old.
Are there any AAPI leaders or public figures who have inspired you? If so, how have they influenced your approach to work and leadership?
Manny Pacquiao was my favorite athlete because of his grit and work ethic, despite tough upbringing and poverty. He never let that get in the way of his dreams of becoming a professional boxer. It's taught me to continue being the hardest worker in the room and never grow complacent with where I am.
What advice would you like to give to leaders who are newer in their career journeys?
Give 110% everyday no matter what challenges lie ahead and be a sponge in your role. Learning and struggling is all a part of personal and professional growth. Remember your "why" in what brought you into that role/industry and look at it from a long-term lens. It's about getting 1% better every day.
