When Julie Shen first walked into Dicker Data in 1991 for a job interview, the business was still a small team in Caringbah. Fiona Brown was conducting the interview while managing the demands of a busy day. Thirty-five years later, Julie still remembers being struck by Fiona’s energy, pace and hands-on approach, a first impression that would go on to shape much of her own career.
Julie’s story with Dicker Data began not long after she moved to Australia from Singapore with her husband and two young children.
“When we first came to Australia, the kids were very young. I was taking them to school, helping at the canteen, playing tennis with the other mums and thinking, ‘What am I going to do next?’ Then I saw this part-time telemarketing job advertised near home in Caringbah, and I thought, why not?”
The interview introduced Julie not only to Fiona, but also to the pace and entrepreneurial spirit of Dicker Data in those early days.
“I walked in and Fiona was doing everything. I remember thinking, ‘Wow, this lady is like a superwoman.’ I thought, I’d like to work with her and learn some skills.”
At the end of the interview, Fiona handed Julie a Toshiba T2000SXE specification sheet and asked her to call back when she was ready to sell it. Julie went home and studied.
“I called Fiona the next day, and everything was going well, but then she threw in a curveball and asked me about the warranty. I said, ‘It is one year, but the quality is so good you do not need to worry. I can bring the notebook over so you can see it, touch it and test it for yourself.’ She said, ‘That’s a good idea. When can you start?’ I said, ‘I’m available anytime.’ And that was it – I got the job.”
“There were only four of us at the time. The job was meant to be four hours a day, which was perfect because I could drop the kids at school, go to work and pick them up afterwards.”
That four-hour-a-day role soon grew into something much bigger.
“I would call customers, tell them about the promotions, pick the stock, process the faxed orders and organise the couriers. At one point, Fiona and I were working from 7:30 in the morning to 7:30 at night because it was just the two of us.”
For Julie, leaving was never really something she considered. The work, the people and the culture kept giving her reasons to stay.
“I enjoy my work too much here. I’ve always felt supported by the management team and my colleagues. I appreciate how caring Fiona is about her employees. She recognises the effort you put in, and that’s the main thing.”
That belief in people has shaped Julie’s approach to work throughout her career.
“I met Bill Hewlett and David Packard while working at Hewlett Packard Malaysia as a production supervisor. One thing I remember is that both Bill and David stressed that people are a company’s most important asset. That has always stayed with me. At Dicker Data, the people here are so good. We are almost like a family.”
It’s a philosophy that continues to guide her in business development today.
“I know I am a people person. I like to help customers, find out what they want and grow together. Business development is about understanding what customers need and helping them find the right solution. If I need to bring in the vendor or organise a demo, I will. You look after the customer, and they will always come back to you.”
After 35 years, Julie’s advice still comes back to attitude, purpose and a willingness to keep learning.
“Steve Jobs said, ‘Stay hungry, stay foolish.’ To me, that means do not become complacent. If there is a mountain to climb, be there to challenge yourself, motivate yourself and live with a purpose. If you have that, you can overcome anything.”
Outside of work, Julie’s curiosity and care show up in quieter ways too.
“Gardening gives me a break from being in front of screens. I have grown chilli, capsicum, ginger, turmeric and strawberries, and sometimes I bring them in to share.”
Julie is also a member of Toastmasters International. She has received the Distinguished Toastmaster award (DTM) and served as an Area Director for two years. She enjoys watching Chinese and Korean dramas on Netflix, which she says has helped improve her Mandarin and Korean.
In the end, Julie’s 35-year story is not simply about how long she has been at Dicker Data. It is about why she stayed: the company culture, the work, the customers, the lessons and, above all, the people who made the journey worthwhile.
“For me, Dicker Data has always been about the people. After all these years, that is still what matters most.”
It is a fitting reflection on a career shaped by relationships, trust and a genuine connection with the people around her.
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Learn more about careers at Dicker Data and our current opportunities here.
