Name: Lemu Coker
Profession: Retail Business Development, Google
Age: 33
I have contributed to the tech world as a Google Genius by: Developing the retail business at google for consumers around the world.
The possibilities of the future is what inspires Google Retail Business Development extraordinaire Lemu Coker to attain his personal and professional goals. Coker’s parents came to America from Jamaica and Gambia to provide a better life for him and his sister. Witnessing the hardships his parents had to endure in order to provide their family with opportunities makes him extremely thankful and humble about what he currently has and excited about building a legacy to share with his family and future kids and grandkids. Part of his legacy is the one he is building at Google, working in Retail Business Development.
Within the world of Google you will undoubtedly find a eclectic mix of individuals working towards a common goal. “I’d like to think it is my adaptability that allows me to stand out from the crowd,” Coker tells BE Modern Man. “I have always been able to move well in different crowds, whether it be a block party in Bed-Stuy or a boardroom meeting on Park Avenue. “I’ve been able to blend in with a motley crew while never having to compromise my authentic self.”
Tenacity, reliability, willingness to fail and do all 3 with a smile on his face has allowed Coker to navigate the high stakes world of tech. He encourages those
entering into the tech space to actively pursue their career path. “Absorb as much information about each organization you are a part of and be deeply inquisitive,” Coker tells BE Modern Man. “Never be afraid to ask uncomfortable questions, as they will typically lead to undiscovered insights. When you stop asking questions, you stop learning, and when you stop learning you begin withering in relevance and importance.”Just another “manic” Monday at Google might consists of a massage, a steak and a silent disco. A workplace culture that encourages innovation and a healthy disregard for the impossible, Google is consistently named by major media outlets including Fortune as one of the “Best Companies to Work For”. “You get to play with a lot of cool products from other Google teams before they come out,” says Coker. This ability to tinker and learn across teams undoubtedly spawns ideas throughout the workplace.
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With complete understanding of his place in the tech industry, Coker realizes the responsibility he has to help lead the younger generation who are still trying to figure out their career path. “The end destinations are different for each man, but seeing others take various uncharted paths will hopefully inspire the young brothers to be creative about the pursuit of their dreams,” says Coker.
Updates, bug fixes, and new technology releases are all a part of the product life span at Google. In many ways the growth of a BE Modern Man is the
same. “A BE Modern man is a brother that is constantly questioning the status quo and looking to make improvements to himself, his community, and the world before he leaves it,” says Coker. “He’s an artist and an analyst, a thinker and a doer who can adapt to any situation with swag and a smile.”The BlackEnterprise.com team commends Coker for using his business development platform to no only build the Google business, but to also reach back to help develop the minds of our youth. We are excited to have the opportunity to shine the spotlight on Coker’s work in the tech retail landscape at Google.
It’s our normal to be extraordinary. Follow @blackenterprise and join the BE Modern Man conversation using #BEModernMan.