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Adena, Partnerships Team Lead at Okendo: Advize Career Interview
A career in e-commerce tech offers dynamic growth and exciting challenges, as evidenced by Adena's journey.
Adena's path began with a political internship, but disillusionment led to a pivot into the tech world, specifically a fast-growing startup.
Adena's role as Partnerships Team Lead involves building and maintaining crucial relationships, requiring strong networking and problem-solving skills.
The position is highly social, demanding constant interaction, but rewards Adena with connections to inspiring individuals and a fulfilling career.
While the workload is demanding, requiring prioritization and self-care, the "endless opportunity" for growth is highly rewarding. Success in this field requires a "hustle mentality," internal drive, and a genuine belief in the product.
Adena's advice for aspiring professionals includes pursuing entry-level sales roles to build foundational skills and embracing feedback for continuous improvement.
The interview highlights the importance of discipline, perseverance, and finding work that aligns with personal values, showcasing how Adena’s unique background as a first-generation American woman in technology fuels ambition and achievement.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Adena Merabi
Partnerships Team Lead
Okendo
UCSB
UCLA
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
International Relations & Affairs
Technology
Strategic Management and Executive
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient
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Career Path of a Partnerships Team Lead at Okendo
Adena's career journey began with a pursuit of politics and government, including a two-and-a-half-year internship for the mayor of Santa Barbara and subsequent campaign work, but disillusionment with the inherent limitations led Adena to a pivot into tech. This transition, facilitated by friends at Oracle, resulted in Adena's current role as Partnerships Team Lead at Okendo, a fast-growth startup where Adena finds the work "a lot of fun."
Main Responsibilities Of A Partnerships Team Lead At Okendo
Adena, Okendo's Partnerships Team Lead, manages strategic relationships with marketing and technology partners in the e-commerce industry, focusing on keeping "partners up to speed" with new developments to drive referrals. This role leverages the power of word-of-mouth marketing, vital in today's competitive landscape, by ensuring partners feel confident recommending Okendo's tool.
A Day In The Life Of A Partnerships Team Lead At Okendo
Adena's role as Partnerships Team Lead at Okendo is highly relationship-driven, involving "calls almost every day," networking events, and attending conferences for relationship building. A significant portion of the work also focuses on problem-solving, acting as a "facilitator" to resolve issues among strategic partners and clients.
Most Important Skills For A Partnerships Team Lead At Okendo
Adena, a Partnerships Team Lead, emphasizes the crucial role of strong relationship-building and networking skills, describing the position as "very extroverted" and requiring a comfort level with constant interaction and "chit-chatting." The high burnout rate among colleagues highlights the importance of enjoying this social aspect of the job, as the role involves numerous daily calls and weekly networking events.
Favorite Parts Of Being A Partnerships Team Lead At Okendo
Adena, an extroverted Partnerships Team Lead at Okendo, thrives on the social aspect of the role, stating that "I get to utilize a soft skill" and "meet so many cool people," including founders and CEOs, gaining inspiration and learning from their journeys. This networking allows Adena to "connect with people...all day" who have the careers Adena admires, providing valuable insights into career progression.
Biggest Challenges Faced by a Partnerships Team Lead at Okendo
Adena's biggest challenge as Partnerships Team Lead at Okendo is the "endless amount of work to be done," requiring constant prioritization and self-care to avoid burnout, a significant issue in their industry. This abundance of work, however, is also viewed as "endless opportunity" for professional growth and success.
Favorite Parts Of Working In The E-Commerce Industry As A Partnerships Team Lead
Adena, a Partnerships Team Lead at Okendo, thrives in the dynamic e-commerce industry because of its constant evolution and intersection with technology, stating that "it's constantly changing and it touches so many other industries." The ever-evolving technological landscape, coupled with the opportunity to connect with interesting entrepreneurs solving diverse problems and the excitement of seeing Okendo's impact on various online brands, makes the career both fulfilling and engaging.
What Type Of Person Thrives In The E-commerce Tech Industry, According To A Partnerships Team Lead At Okendo
Adena, a Partnerships Team Lead at Okendo, explains that success in the e-commerce tech industry demands "a hustle mentality," internal drive, and a belief in the product or mission—a stark contrast to their previous experience at Oracle, where a lack of belief led to low motivation. The interview highlights the importance of finding fulfilling work, a sentiment underscored by Adena's current enthusiasm for Okendo and their products.
What a Partnerships Team Lead at Okendo Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Partnerships Industry
Adena, a Partnerships Team Lead, advises that a strategic partnerships role is far more multifaceted than initially perceived; it's "not a cookie cutter role," requiring extensive internal networking and relationship building, beyond simply securing external partnerships, to achieve results and "win more deals and win more partners." The ability to remember details about partners and key stakeholders is a crucial soft skill for success.
Entry-level positions for aspiring Strategic Partnerships Professionals
Adena, a Partnerships Team Lead, recommends entry-level sales roles like business development representative (BDR) or sales development representative (SDR) as a crucial stepping stone to strategic partnerships; these roles build essential "sales background and experience," teaching valuable persuasion and influence skills before transitioning into a strategic partnerships position.
Significant Career Lesson From A Partnerships Team Lead At Okendo
Adena, a Partnerships Team Lead at Okendo, learned to embrace feedback as a crucial tool for professional growth, transforming from someone who took criticism personally ("I would really take that to heart and be like, oh my God, I'm not good at my job") to proactively seeking both positive and constructive feedback weekly from their manager. This shift demonstrates the value of actively soliciting feedback for continuous improvement and development in both professional and personal spheres.
College Experiences That Helped A Partnerships Team Lead At Okendo Succeed
Adena's undergraduate experience instilled valuable skills applicable to their career, emphasizing "discipline, perseverance, and working through difficult problems," rather than specific coursework or networking. The focus on developing good habits and the understanding that "the more you put into something, the more you'll get out of it" proved crucial for their success.
How Identity Has Influenced a Partnerships Team Lead at Okendo's Career
Adena's first-generation immigrant background and identity as a woman in technology instilled a subconscious drive to "prove" themself, navigating a path that balances traditional family values with a strong desire for personal achievement and freedom. This internal conflict fuels their ambition to "continue rising and growing," demonstrating that both traditional expectations and individual aspirations can coexist.
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