A New Chapter Starts Today

Today I officially begin a new chapter in my career as VP of Sales & Marketing for an early-stage SaaS company based out of Seattle.

It's been three years since I truly led a direct revenue org and was responsible day-to-day for salespeople, quotas, and more, and I couldn't be more excited.

I'm a builder, and this opportunity is all about building and making the revenue grow, among other things like building the careers of others and creating satisfied customers. I was grateful for my last role, but it diverted me from doing what I love, which is directly leading sales teams, and while reflecting on these last few weeks leading up to starting this new role, it's proven to me just how much I love running revenue.

Just over three months ago, my role got eliminated, and while I saw it coming, it still wasn't a fun process to go through. I'm grateful for the way the company handled it like professionals, giving me runway time to find my next role. They very easily could have said goodbye and handed me a two-week severance package, but instead, they were more than gracious. It also helps that I have diversified myself with options to support my career and to get through periods of time like this.

The job search was wild, and for anyone who is going through the process or considering it, I can tell you, it's not for the faint of heart. I applied to over sixty roles in the first few weeks of unemployment, and eventually I sort of gave up. I realized that applying blindly to jobs without a referral or a connection at the company wasn't going to help me. I would apply to jobs I forgot about and then six weeks later get an email saying they weren't going to move ahead with my application.

What's fascinating about the application process is it's just like winning the lottery. You apply, and you hope to get picked, and getting picked or not getting picked is really just about being lucky enough to have someone see your resume and then want to meet you. It's a terrible process, I must say, but also it's just part of life at this point.

I spent a lot of time talking to my network and getting doors opened to places I otherwise wouldn't have had opened. That was the fun part. If you were someone who introduced me to someone in your network, then thank you; I really appreciated it even if it didn't turn into something bigger. I am so glad I have prioritized networking; otherwise, this process would have been more difficult than it was.

I also had one company ceremoniously pull the plug on my application when I was in the final stages. What a shit show that was, but in the end, I'm glad it all happened that way. My favorite experience, though, with that company was when they asked me why my LinkedIn headline was written a specific way and then decided not to answer when I asked why I was being asked about it.

After these last few months, I have three takeaways:

The last three months reminded me how quickly things can change, how important it is to build options before you need them, and how much the people around you matter when things get uncertain.

1. Getting a job is harder than keeping a job. Interviewing is exhausting; it takes time, drains your emotions, and is mentally taxing to process all the conversations over and over. Don't quit your current job until you have something new lined up, even if you're miserable, because it takes time and it's not easy.

2. Getting a job is about how well you are networked, who you know, what story you can tell, and how good you are at selling yourself. I'm fortunate that I can sell myself well, and I can tell a story or share my narrative in a cohesive manner, but you have to be able to speak with confidence and speak with a tone that says you would be dumb not to hire me.

3. You can't count on anything until you have an offer letter in hand. I had two companies that I thought I was in the final rounds with, but one of them pulled the plug on me in the eleventh hour, and the other wasn't ready to hire for several more months despite both moving me through the process quickly. In short, don't trust any company even when they say they are ready to hire.

To anyone out there searching for their next role, I want you to know that I'm here to help. My network is your network; you can call me for advice, whatever you need, reach out. The process isn't fun, but it's where the market is at. Don't give up, don't slow down, and don't lose hope even if you've been rejected 2,458 times.

For me, today is less about finally having another job and more about getting back to doing the work I know I love. The last three months reminded me how quickly things can change, how important it is to build options before you need them, and how much the people around you matter when things get uncertain. I'm grateful for the experience, grateful for everyone who helped me along the way, and genuinely fucking excited to go build again.

New company, new team, new problems to solve, new people to develop, and a new chapter to write. Let's go.