“Every piece of art has a buyer. Only time decides when the right buyer will see it.”
If asked to assess the factual accuracy of this quotation at face value, any salesperson would tell you it is not grounded in reality.
To be fair, the quote is a metaphor for self-worth, not straightforward commentary on the nature of selling goods and services.
However, it does reflect a point on the similarities between art and sales. Just as art spans an infinite number of styles, genres, methods and mediums, salespeople exist across all industries, connecting consumers with both the intangible and physical.
In a role that is incredibly broad by definition, there are many career paths to take — and companies to work for — that mesh with interests, values and needs.
“Salespeople can work just about anywhere and make a living. But the most important part is to find a place where you enjoy selling,” explained Grant Donovan, a senior account executive at Hotel Engine. “Having a great product can lead to big sales, but the work is tough if you’re not in the right environment.”
For Leo Botello, a business development representative at RingCentral, an interest in breaking into the telecommunications industry meant taking a leap of faith. “I decided to step out of my comfort zone because I wanted to grow — personally, professionally and alongside a great company. I wanted to work at a company where I was included, heard and developed.”
Built In Colorado spoke to Botello, Donovan and sales professionals at five other companies to learn what drew them to their current roles and how their expectations matched up with reality.
Denver-based travel tech company Hotel Engine matches business with lodging partners to create a streamlined, cost-effective booking experience.
As a sales representative, what were you looking for in your next role when you started your most recent job search?
Salespeople can work just about anywhere and make a living. But the most important part is finding a place where you enjoy selling. I was primarily looking for two things: good people and culture and an exciting product with unlimited opportunity and support.
I’ve learned that it’s important to have both — having a great product can lead to big sales, but the work is tough if you’re not in the right environment. And, of course, working with great people isn’t enough if the quality of the product isn’t there.
You also need support to back it up. There’s nothing worse than having a cool product but no support behind it, because then the sales team becomes the primary contact for everything. Fielding support requests takes away from your ability to do your job.
Thankfully, Hotel Engine has been a great home for me. It really checks both of my boxes.
What initially stood out to you about Hotel Engine, and how has that perception changed since you started?
Throughout the interview process, I was blown away by the people I talked to. I’ve discovered how important it is to approach interviews as an opportunity to wow a prospective employer and use them to gauge if the fit is right for me and my skill set. I loved that everyone I spoke with from Hotel Engine was authentic with me. It was clear that they really wanted to make sure that the job was right for me, especially since I was leaving a big company to come here.
The interview experience checked off all the boxes, so I knew it was going to be an opportunity worth pursuing. And my feelings toward this company and the people I work with daily have only grown stronger. I’m based in Atlanta, but I went out to Denver last month to meet everyone in person. From the CEO to the VPs and directors to my direct manager and individual colleagues, I loved what everyone stands for. It’s all about hustling but having fun doing it. Not a week goes by that I don’t meet a new person I’m pumped to work alongside.
I like to let my personality show. I can do that here, and it gives me the opportunity to be my best every day.”
From a selling perspective, what sets Hotel Engine apart from other companies you’ve worked at in the past?
My favorite part about Hotel Engine is the room they give us to be our best. Part of the reason I left a larger company to come to a startup was that, ultimately, I want to have the latitude to operate my way. A lot of companies right now invest so much money into specific sales methodology training and courses. Some just expect you to recite the material they give you, and you almost feel like a robot. I like to let my personality show. I can do that here, and it gives me the opportunity to be my best every day.
Of course, at Hotel Engine, we have training and coaching. But it’s tailored to us as individual reps and how we can become the best version of ourselves. It gives me the freedom to use my selling style to bring more business in. That’s something I don’t take for granted.
Pax8’s transactional cloud marketplace simplifies the buying journey, allowing partners to discover, evaluate and adopt cloud services.
As a sales representative, what were you looking for in your next role when you started your most recent job search?
I wanted an opportunity in sales that provided clear pathways for success and advancement in my career. When I discovered Pax8 through a friend, I learned that it was tech sales and very remote — during Covid-19. My experience prior to joining Pax8 included a successful career as a high school social studies teacher. After I became a mom, I stayed home with my kids until they were fully in elementary school. Upon returning to the workforce, I aggressively sought roles in B2B sales with leverage for advancement while keeping a hybrid or remote work environment.
What initially stood out to you about Pax8, and how has that perception changed since you started?
At Pax8, if you are consistent and coachable, you will experience success and a promotional pathway. I was promoted faster than expected, and the pathways to the next promotion are clear: reach your quota goals and work with your manager and support system to achieve that. The leadership at Pax8 encourages movement and growth. Ultimately, you oversee your own success, and your managers are simply there to support you. Further, every department at Pax8 is growing, so there are options to change tracks and move into other departments or countries as they expand globally.
One big differentiator with Pax8 is that they aren’t necessarily looking for the best “tech sales” resume but rather a combination of emotional intelligence, professionalism, and positive, goal-oriented individuals. Pax8 has created an award-winning training team who will teach you everything you need to know to succeed. Pax8 provides a perfect mix of education and training with hands-on experience — and knowing that your team will support you as you gain your footing empowers you to work toward your goals.
I don’t have the “Sunday scaries” like I might have working elsewhere.”
From a selling perspective, what sets Pax8 apart from other companies you’ve worked at in the past?
Pax8 has intentionally internally created a supportive, “team-oriented” framework for employees. They may have done this because tech changes fast and furiously, so “going it alone” can be quite paralyzing. The impact of employees starting each day troubleshooting client needs together has been powerful. The sales reps feel supported, and subsequently, the clients have a great experience with us, as well.
When clients ask me, “why go with Pax8,” I respond with an explanation of how our dedicated account team will deliver a client experience that no other competitor can since our team framework is unlike most. This approach benefits every stakeholder. As a result, I don’t have the “Sunday scaries” I might have working elsewhere. I feel exceptionally supported by my leadership and my colleagues. It’s been a very positive work environment.
RingCentral is a cloud communications and contact center solution that helps businesses elevate their customer support experience and centralize communications in a single platform.
As a sales representative, what were you looking for in your next role when you started your most recent job search?
Before finding this role, I was looking around for a chance to step foot into a competitive telecommunications industry that I’d never been a part of before. I decided to step out of my comfort zone because I wanted to grow personally, professionally and alongside a great company. I wanted to work at a company where I was included, heard and developed. I knew I had a lot to learn about the industry and looking for a place to grow a career, not just find another job. All in all, I was looking for the perfect opportunity to showcase what my work ethic is capable of and a company that would support and empower me to reach my potential.
I take pride in my set of skills. When I began the search for my next role, it was important for me to find a company that would continue to invest in my learning, development and overall well-being. And I found that at RingCentral.
RingCentral encourages open dialogue and educational awareness in their 10-plus ERGs.”
What initially stood out to you about RingCentral, and how has that perception changed since you started?
What initially stood out to me about RingCentral was how they elevate and support employees on all levels. I admired the emphasis and initiatives dedicated to mental health. From the CaRing mental health days off, one-on-one wellness and coaching through TaskHuman, meditation guidance through Headspace, inclusive ERGs and more. Since I started, my perception of the company changed because I got to see and feel it in action.
RingCentral is a truly people-first company that values me as a person before an employee. I appreciate how RingCentral supports a healthy life-work balance, working to find solutions that meet a wide variety of my needs. My expectations were exceeded when I met the team, a group of talented, collaborative and inclusive people working toward the same goal. I value a culture that continues to invest in and retain its employees.
It was awesome to see the wide range of tenure at the company. RingCentral encourages open dialogue and educational awareness in its 10-plus ERGs, consistently moves the needle in innovation and listens to employee needs. Not only do they support the well-being of their people, but they offer the same care and attention to their customers.
From a selling perspective, what sets RingCentral apart from other companies you’ve worked at in the past?
At RingCentral, a key pillar in our training is “selling through curiosity.” They taught us all how to do our research, stay curious, and ask questions that dive deeper into the customers’ needs, purpose and pain points — so we can help our customers solve problems and succeed. The details and pockets of information that come from selling through curiosity can transform the trajectory of a deal. RingCentral keeps everyone involved to ensure good communication and collaboration throughout a deal, with the customers’ needs at the top of their mind.
At RingCentral, leadership encourages creativity and relationships to meet our customer needs, putting the focus on making human connections first. At RingCentral, we’re all about selling as a team. We are prepared and supported to handle adversity and solve problems that help our customers reach their goals. We take pride in selling and winning as one.
Matillion’s user-friendly, cloud-native data integration platform helps clients worldwide transform data into valuable insights.
As a sales representative, what were you looking for in your next role when you started your most recent job search?
As a sales rep, I was looking for a unique opportunity in the data ecosystem. Coming from a company in the data space, I wanted to continue building upon what I had already learned. I was looking for an opportunity to further develop my skills and take me to the next level. An opportunity that came with autonomy, the ability to get out into the field, build a sales patch that I felt proud of, and have the ability to control the sales cycle from beginning to end.
What initially stood out to you about Matillion, and how has that perception changed since you started?
There are a couple of things that really stood out to me, the first one being the amount of autonomy that was granted with getting the job. You come in, and it is all up to you. From day one, you are responsible for what happens in your patch. Now granted, people are willing to help and want to help, so whenever you need it, it is there for you, but you have complete control of your patch. I got a chance to create what I wanted my territory to look like, and that was an awesome feeling.
It doesn’t feel like every person for themselves. We are all one and striving toward a common goal.”
From a selling perspective, what sets Matillion apart from other companies you’ve worked at in the past?
The culture really sets my current company apart. We work hard, we build pipelines, and ultimately, we want to get deals to close, because at the end of the day that’s our job. But the sales culture really stands out to me. The core values are always on display. People take pride in helping others; it doesn’t feel like every person for themselves. We are all one and striving toward a common goal. I cannot say how much I appreciate being at a place that feels like home.
OTA Insight is a cloud-based data intelligence platform that provides hoteliers with user-friendly revenue and distribution management software.
As a sales representative, what were you looking for in your next role when you started your most recent job search?
The three most important factors in no particular order were a high-velocity development team, a high net-promoter score (NPS) score and a trusted executive leadership team.
The speed of development is crucial to compete in today’s technology landscape, and each new release provides a valid business reason to reach out to new and existing contacts. NPS scores represent the sentiment of a customer base and how sticky a solution can be, leading to repeat buyers and multi-product subscriptions.
An executive leadership team that has built trust with their employees, customers, and investors can only be done by consistently proving themselves previously, which to me, is the best predictor of an organization’s success.
What initially stood out to you about OTA Insight, and how has that perception changed since you started?
The NPS score, for sure. Our monthly NPS score is in the seventies, which is absolutely world-class and virtually unheard of in B2B SaaS companies. Since joining OTA Insight, I have seen how that number is not driven by any single department or action but by the cumulative impact of how we, as a team, serve each other and our customers through innovative products and exceptional customer experiences every day.
With OTA Insight, we are able to provide new tech that is incredibly useful.”
From a selling perspective, what sets OTA Insight apart from other companies you’ve worked at in the past?
The product! The hotel industry has been historically underserved with technology. But with OTA Insight, we are able to provide new tech that is incredibly useful. What we sell is highly visual, so once we get eyes on our unique and differentiating features, the conversations tend to steer themselves for a variety of personas and departments within hotel management. With our best-in-class products, hotel owners, revenue managers and sales managers can predict search-based demand before bookings even happen with our market heatmaps and dynamic smart compset, seeing who they’re competing with for any given stay date from the traveler’s perspective.
For example, hotel owners, revenue managers, and sales managers can predict search-based demand before bookings even happen with our market heatmaps and dynamic smart compset, seeing who they’re competing with for any given stay date.
Duda’s no-code platform is built for companies that offer web design services to small businesses, optimizing efficiency through pre-designed templates, responsive design and SEO capabilities.
As a sales representative, what were you looking for in your next role when you started your most recent job search?
I was looking for a role where the product would lead to really interesting and variable conversations and where I would get the opportunity to learn a lot about the business internally, not just sales.
Six months in Duda definitely checks both boxes.
What initially stood out to you about Duda, and how has that perception changed since you started?
The company I worked at before was remote first, so going into the office three days a week was a big change at the beginning. After getting used to it, I really like the hybrid work setup. Being in an office with all the different teams at Duda made me more familiar with who to reach out to when I need help with something outside of sales. Having a relationship with my co-workers beyond Slack emojis helps make work a lot more enjoyable.
Also, the catered lunches are awesome, and there are almost always leftovers you can take home for dinner.
The amount of creativity and thought that goes into every deal is much higher than at the previous companies I’ve worked at.”
From a selling perspective, what sets Duda apart from other companies you’ve worked at in the past?
The amount of creativity and thought that goes into every deal is much higher than at the previous companies I’ve worked at. Externally, no two clients are using Duda in the exact same way, so you have to be really curious with every new deal.
Internally, there are a ton of different resources that are available to help you get a deal across the finish line. Examples could be bringing in members of the product team to scope out if what a prospect is asking for could be made into a new feature, working with our account management team to have brainstorming sessions with our prospects, or bringing in a member of our sales engineering or technical support teams to help a prospect build a custom solution to their problems.
Resi Media is an all-in-one video delivery platform specializing in live streaming, providing high-quality, multisite transmission.
As a sales representative, what were you looking for in your next role when you started your most recent job search?
When I started my most recent job search, I was looking for a role aligned with my values and that allowed me to learn and grow as I had never before. Every role is a balance of stepping into the now and preparing yourself to contribute and help your team in unknown ways through everything you learn along the way!
I can definitely say that the people are the secret sauce of Resi.”
What initially stood out to you about Resi, and how has that perception changed since you started?
The amazing name we have built for ourselves in the live streaming world. I knew it was a place I wanted to work because everyone I spoke with held all of the tech and support crew in such high regard. It was exciting to be a part of a team at a place that had such a great product market fit.
Having been here for right around six months now, I can definitely say that the people are the secret sauce of Resi. Their curiosity and engagement in their work are as advertised, if not even better!
From a selling perspective, what sets Resi apart from other companies you’ve worked at in the past?
From the sales perspective, the unique thing about Resi is the different types of organizations we get a chance to serve. No two conversations are alike, and it’s fun to get some of our technical team on the calls with prospects as they can really shine a light on how they understand the complex technical challenges each organization faces. I love hearing about all the cool use cases people find to utilize Resi in new and exciting ways for their events and organizations.
