How I Navigate as a Woman in Sales
In celebration of Women's History Month, we are releasing a series of posts from women throughout Procore who are talking about their experience in tech, lessons learned and offering up some valuable advice.
When I think back ten years ago, as I was just starting college, I envisioned my life looking a certain way. While I had a general idea of what I wanted, I was still mapping out my road in getting there. I trusted that I would find something I was passionate about, but I had no inkling it would be sales.
With a dad in sales, I had exposure growing up, but I had never considered that path for myself. We all have variations of sales stigmas, and my personal stigma led me to believe that I wouldn’t have what it takes to be successful in a sales role. Two years ago, while in a job transition, I took the chance to go into a sales role from the encouragement of a colleague already on the sales team, despite my fear of how I would fit in.
As a woman starting on the sales team I wondered how I would work within the culture and what my sales approach would be. I can’t help but think of the recent Pixar short “Purl” where a woman started on an all-men team. She felt the need to change who she was in order to be able to fit in. Through trial and error she slowly realized that differences within an organization are actually healthy and necessary for development. With the right approach, people start to realize that not having a certain “mold” of individuals on a team allows for creativity, strength, and cultural growth.
It was in this role that I started to learn that sales can look different for a variety of people, and that there is not one style that equals success. For me, creating relationships with my customers built on trust, empathy, and consultation, transformed the way I connected with them.
In every customer interaction I keep this question in mind -- how will Procore ultimately impact not only the efficiency of your company, but the lives of individual employees?
Procore is a tool that not only streamlines your current process as a business, but also gives back time in your life to be able to get home your to family earlier, make strategic business decisions and mitigate risk. The tangible impact on lives and the power of storytelling is what drives me with every interaction I have with my prospects. As a woman in the Account Executive role, these relationships and stories drive my sales process and inform my approach during evaluations.
Procore is a place that has allowed for me to grow within my career on the sales team. While our Sales team still has room for growth in the representation of women, the existing diversity presents a chance for different perspectives, stories, and styles within the sales teams. If I were to look back ten years ago when I started my career search, I would tell myself to not be afraid to step into a role that may be a little outside your comfort zone. Working at Procore on the sales team has transformed my career aspirations, strengthened my voice as a woman, and has empowered me to view adversity as an opportunity for growth.
Below is a video of Shay talking about the 5 ways the Project Management Tool can transform your business.
To explore open careers at Procore, visit our jobs page.
