Earlier in your career, how did you work with the C-Suite?

Question

Amara Okoli · Accepted Answer

I started my career in sales. As an Account Executive, my job was to gain an in-depth understanding of my customer’s business objectives and advise them as to solutions that could address their challenges. As deals progressed, the C-Suite would participate in the evaluation and often be the final decision maker.

At one point I was in an inside sales role calling on prospects in a highly regulated industry in Texas. I nurtured relationships with my champions, listened to their pain points, and subsequently kicked off an evaluation with a company that had been using a competitive solution that specifically catered to their industry for over a decade.

What initially started with a phone call with a technical analyst developed into several meetings with stakeholders and finally a green light from various C-level members of the organization. I helped them choose an implementation partner and stayed close to them after the sale to ensure a successful go-live.   A few months later, the CHRO visited SF to take her daughter to a college orientation weekend and asked me to give them both a tour of my company’s campus. As we took a selfie together, I realized that moment that the relationship mattered more to me than just the win.

Related Ask Me Anything Sessions

Clari Vice President, Customer Success, Nicole Alrubaiy on Influencing the C-Suite

GitLab Senior Director Customer Success Operations, Jeff Beaumont on Influencing the C-Suite

MURAL Director of Customer Success, Amara Okoli on Influencing the C-Suite

Related Questions