Alumni Spotlight: Sol Yi

“Growing up in Del City, Oklahoma, with two older brothers, I naturally followed their lead. I looked up to them and did what they told me. Both attended OU, and our family was deeply rooted in Sooner football, so choosing the University of Oklahoma felt like the obvious path. I applied to other large football schools, but in my heart, I always knew I was going to OU.”

“When I started as a freshman at OU, I wasn’t sure what major to choose. I knew I enjoyed working with people and wanted to pursue a career in business. Marketing caught my attention, especially after taking a Sales and Sales Management class with my favorite professor, Fred Ford Smith. Every Friday, he brought in former students to share their career journeys in sales, from an insurance salesman to a Hershey chocolate representative, and even a former Miss Oklahoma who became a pharmaceutical sales representative. That’s when I realized I wanted to do something similar.

I’ll never forget stopping the former Miss Oklahoma pharma rep after class and saying, ‘I need a playbook. I need you to tell me how to get your job.’ She took the time to talk to me and encouraged me to get a sales job. So that's what I did. I sold office supplies for nine months and then moved into checking software, all while applying for pharmaceutical jobs every single day. It was because of that class, and that one impactful conversation, that I found my way into medical device sales.”

“I would not be where I am today without those early sales roles and my marketing degree from Price College. In my first interviews, before I had much experience, I leaned heavily on my degree and my passion for sales to open doors.

One moment early in my career as a pharmaceutical rep at 26, I remember being out in the summer heat in Muskogee, Oklahoma, dropping off samples, when I noticed this guy in the parking lot wearing scrubs and carrying a bag. I could tell he wasn’t a doctor. I went up to him and asked, ‘Hey man, what do you do?’ He told me he sold pacemakers, worked in the operating room, and helped patients directly. I was fascinated. I knew I wanted to be in the OR, making an impact at that point of care. I made it my mission to pivot into medical device sales.

My first job in the OR was with a company called U.S. Surgical. From there, I moved to another medical device company and, in 2012, joined Medtronic. I first learned about Medtronic’s deep brain stimulation technology, which helps people with Parkinson’s disease, from my brother’s next-door neighbor. He told me about it when I was home for Christmas, and I was amazed. I knew that’s what I wanted to do, and I’ve been passionate about it ever since.” 

“I’m 44 years old and I know if I had played Survivor 20 years ago, I wouldn’t have handled it nearly as well. My life’s journey and the timing of my being a castaway on the show were perfect. I was able to draw upon the real hardships I have overcome to face the challenges on the island. I wasn’t selected the first time I applied, but I didn’t give up. I applied a second time and made it. Life is finite, and I feel incredibly blessed to be here. That mindset fuels and motivates me. So, when challenges come, I say, ‘Bring it on! Let’s not waste time. Let go, Sol!” 

“The number one piece of advice I would give is to pay attention to how you talk to yourself. Don’t be negative, even jokingly. Instead, say, ‘This may be hard, but I am the kind of person who can do hard things.’ I have talked to so many people about Survivor and my experience. People constantly tell me, ‘I could never sleep outside like that or go without food.’ I told myself from the beginning that it was going to be hard, but I could do it. People just need to flip the script on how they talk to themselves. 

Second, understand that if you’re chasing something amazing, the journey is probably going to be tough. That’s just part of it. If you’re not willing to face hard things, you’re probably not going to reach your dream.

And third, don't quit. Keep going, no matter how hard it gets. Some of my castmates applied to Survivor for five or six years before getting on the show. They just kept trying. If you do these three things, you can achieve what you want to do. It may be difficult, but that’s okay. Life is hard, but achieving what you want to do in life is one of the best feelings in the world.”