What do growth opportunities, authentic company culture and … baby goats have in common?
They’re a few of the things that attracted new sales talent to the teams at Modernize Home Services, WP Engine and Smarter Sorting.
For Nikki Chisnell, it wasn’t just the baby goats that caught her attention before applying to be an account executive at Smarter Sorting. It was also the company’s mission and the calling to join a startup where she could have an impact, inside and outside of the business, with intelligent and passionate coworkers who are “driven to become experts and make change.”
Similarly, relationships — and the value they bring to a workplace — are what brought Takuma Katagiri back to WP Engine for the second time. He couldn’t shake the appeal of a progressive company culture and a sales team that values collaboration over competition. Although Katagiri has found it difficult to stay connected while working from home as a brand account manager, WP Engine is making it a little easier by offering virtual meals, town halls and employee resource groups to keep the connection alive and well until the team can reunite in person.
Sometimes it comes down to a single idea: authenticity. For Inbound Sales Account Executive James Bassford, the genuine sales process at Modernize Home Services has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of his role. “I value a job that allows me to believe in what I am selling,” he said. And not only has he had the opportunity to flex his sales talents, but he has room to learn new skills and grow within the company.
Whether it’s opportunities for collaboration and growth, company culture or an enthusiastic team to call your own, there are so many sales gigs out there. We chatted with these three local account reps to learn what exactly landed them the jobs they set their hearts — and skilled sales minds — on. The conversations we had will give you insight on what attracted them to their new roles, what helped them stand out as applicants and what they’re enjoying most as they’ve each become an integral part of their teams.
What attracted you to apply for a role at your current employer in the first place?
What initially attracted me to WP Engine was its culture. Many companies will tell you they have a company culture, but what is it actually like? With WP Engine, I instantly realized the culture they were talking about was very authentic and genuine. I believe it started with our founder, Jason Cohen, and worked its way down. There’s a kindness and quirkiness to the employees here.
I also found the company to be very open-minded and progressive in its policies and ideals. As someone with an international background and progressive views about workplace culture, this is a must for me. More specifically, it’s things like dress code — or lack thereof — work-life balance, and involvement with social and charitable causes.
It’s hard to find a group of people this good to work with; it’s something special.”
What about your past experience helped distinguish you during your job search?
I used to work for WP Engine back in 2019. I left for a while, but toward the beginning of 2021, I set my sights on getting back into tech. I knew instantly that I wanted to return to WP Engine — the relationships I had built there were more valuable to me than seeking a new company to join — so I reapplied in July 2021. Having been with the company before, I knew what I was missing. It’s hard to find a group of people this good to work with; it’s something special.
The product knowledge and sales skills I developed while I was initially here definitely helped me get rehired. I love to learn, so during my first stint at WP Engine, I gathered product knowledge and led internal trainings. I also valued building and sustaining work relationships and had experience surpassing my monthly quota, which helped a lot.
What do you enjoy most about selling your company’s services, and what do you find most challenging?
I enjoy working with customers across all types of businesses. We host everything from e-commerce stores to public universities. They all have completely different needs and different stories to tell. I also love the culture of collaboration here. On a typical sales team, it can often feel like every person is in it for themselves. At WP Engine I’ve found my teammates are always willing to brainstorm deals with me or jump on calls and help.
Something I’ve found challenging since coming back is staying connected while working from home. Especially being a new employee, you can quickly feel very siloed. And you often go without meeting or interacting with many people outside of your direct team unless you take the initiative. My organization has done a great job of doing virtual lunches, dinners and town halls to keep people together. The company has also established new employee resource groups to keep everyone connected. Luckily I’ve been here before and folks still remember me, so I’ll reach out to catch up or discuss work.
What attracted you to apply for a role at your current employer in the first place?
I was drawn to apply for several reasons, but it was the mention of baby goats at company parties that made me laugh and immediately want to know more. I started Googling the company and found their Youtube videos, website and Target Accelerator articles. I have many years of experience working with the Target teams, so reading those interviews and seeing the excitement surrounding Smarter Sorting’s mission resonated with me.
After gaining further insight about the specifics of what Smarter Sorting does, I was excited for the opportunity to join a startup company where I would make a real, tangible impact both within the company and out in the world. Once I applied, I had the opportunity to chat with several employees and immediately noticed that this company had attracted a group of hard-working, passionate, intelligent people who are enthusiastic about the bigger problems they are solving. Together, we are driven to become experts and make change.
What about your experience helped distinguish you during your job search?
My previous experience as a senior account executive for Fortune 500 retailers gave me a unique perspective on the value of Smarter Sorting’s product intelligence and what it provides to both retailers and suppliers. I knew this would give buyers more insight into the full lifecycle of their products and help them make better purchasing decisions. I was also excited to talk to suppliers about the specific savings in handling and transportation that our product intelligence provides through reduced compliance issues and improved relationships with their retail partners. I could speak the supplier’s language right from the start.
The enthusiasm about all the potential I saw, paired with my work ethic and can-do attitude, really aligned with Smarter Sorting as a company. My experience with retailers has been directly applicable to the conversations I have every day with customers, and I’m glad I can easily quantify the value for them.
It’s motivating to be working side by side with C-level executives who will roll up their sleeves and help you do what it takes to get the job done.”
What do you enjoy most about selling your company’s service, and what do you find most challenging?
I love the positive, go-getter energy at Smarter Sorting. It’s motivating to be working side by side with C-level executives who will roll up their sleeves and help you do what it takes to get the job done. It’s also empowering to see there are people here who have been with the company from the start. I plan on being one of those long-term employees.
What I enjoy the most about selling Smarter Sorting’s service is building better supplier and retailer relationships and seeing companies get on board with the idea of shared success. Through our simple registration process, they only share a little information about their products, and in turn, we provide them with a very detailed product analysis. The improved business practices all around create closer partnerships through a greater level of product intelligence and mutually beneficial savings.
The challenging part about what we do is informing our customers about the power of product intelligence. While they may be unfamiliar with it, our product intelligence has a big impact on their bottom line. Once the value becomes clear, it’s great to see how customers use this information to make improvements and save money.
What attracted you to apply for a role at your current employer in the first place?
I was interested in applying for a position at Modernize after learning about the numerous opportunities for growth within the company. I was comfortable and confident in my professional abilities at my previous job, but after my initial interview with Modernize, I realized that this comfort was actually a feeling of stagnation that I wanted to escape. Modernize presented multiple opportunities to grow and reach my short-term and long-term professional career goals. I find that I benefit most from an environment where I can challenge myself and learn new ways to apply my talents as a sales executive and as a person.
Modernize presented multiple opportunities to grow and reach my short-term and long-term professional career goals.”
What helped distinguish you during your job search?
My eagerness to learn and my dedication to improvement set me apart. I am driven by my desire to be the best asset and resource I can be for my company. Along with my skill set and motivation, I have previous experience working in the sales field and find that I can connect and work well with other individuals.
What do you enjoy most about selling your company’s service, and what do you find most challenging?
I enjoy how genuine the sales process is with our clients. I value a job that allows me to believe in what I am selling, and Modernize does just that. In my opinion, selling to larger businesses is the most challenging. I find that when working with these bigger companies, there are more complexities that require me to be patient and better prepared for each call.
