Next up in “Meet the Trulian,” we’re featuring one of Trulia’s product directors, Cheng-Cheng Lok. Cheng-Cheng manages content and communications for both Web and mobile products. Read on to learn more about what inspires her and about her decision to join the Trulia team almost two years ago.
What’s your role at Trulia?
I’m a product director, with a focus on content and communications. I’m responsible for sourcing and displaying relevant content for homebuyers on the home detail page, so they’re always seeing listings that are appropriate for them. I’m also responsible for driving user registration, and I manage a team that runs Trulia’s email and push notifications strategy.
What inspired you to get into your role?
My mom was a real estate agent, so I was exposed to the industry at a very young age. Owning a home is such a unique experience (not to mention a huge life event), and it makes me happy to be helping consumers find their next home.
What was your dream job growing up and why?
My dream “situation” as a kid – and even still now – was to become a savvy real estate investor and own a portfolio of properties, preferably around the globe. There are various types of architecture around the world, and it’s interesting to learn about the different relationships each culture has with the concept of real estate.
If you could have drinks with one tech luminary – dead or alive – whom would it be and why? And, what would your first question be?
I would choose to have drinks with Elon Musk. He’s thinking beyond the concept of Earth with SpaceX and that certainly sets him apart from others. My first question to Elon would be, “Would you rather live one 1,000-year life or ten 100-year lives?” My guess is that he’d choose the 1,000-year life.
What’s the one gadget or personal tech item you cannot live without and why?
Right now I can’t live without the Dropcam in my house. I have two Samoyed dogs and sometimes they do very mischievous things (like chew my furniture). Before I installed the Dropcam, I would never know which pup was guilty, but with the Dropcam, I now know exactly what happened, when it happened, and who the culprit was. You can see some of their shenanigans on their Instagram page: @ghostplusboo. (Yes, I’m one of those dog moms).
What was the last movie you saw or book you read and what – if anything – would you change about the ending?
The last book I read was Dan Brown’s “Inferno.” The book’s concept of overpopulation with limited natural resources interests me a lot… and I’d love for the author to fast forward a few decades and paint the outcome of his original method of population control.
What’s your proudest accomplishment and why?
It’s not work related, but my most recent accomplishment that I’m proud of is training my dogs to walk properly on a leash. It sounds silly, but getting two big dogs to stop pulling on the leash and to walk calmly next to you is an EXCELLENT feeling. Achieving positive influence over another living creature’s behavior is not an easy feat. It took a lot of patience and hours of training, but it was well worth it.
If you could have one superpower what would it be and why?
Teleport across space and distance instantly! It’d be a nice way to save money on airfare. My family and friends are spread across the globe and teleporting would allow me to have brunch in New York during the day, and have dinner with my grandparents in Asia at night.
Stay tuned here for future “Meet the Trulian” posts. Up next is Ali McCourt, a senior product marketing manager at Trulia.
