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Dosbal, Customer Strategy & Operations Manager at CaptivateIQ: Advize Career Interview
Dosbal's career narrative is a compelling story of continuous growth and adaptation, beginning with a foundation in social sciences and policy advocacy before transitioning to Customer Strategy & Operations at CaptivateIQ. A key focus involves optimizing customer-facing team processes through data analysis and managing the company's tech stack.
This dynamic role thrives on collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and a willingness to learn new technologies.
The biggest reward is the constant opportunity for self-development, supported by a collaborative and forward-thinking team. The biggest challenge is balancing the mental burden of responsibility, requiring boldness and self-confidence.
Success in this industry hinges on intellectual curiosity and a shared desire for continuous learning.
Aspiring professionals can consider entry-level roles such as operations associates or sales/business development representatives to build essential skills.
A crucial lesson learned involves proactively planning and organizing tasks, while cultivating a curious mindset unlocks unexpected opportunities.
A significant factor in career success involves embracing diversity and open-mindedness, creating a holistic and adaptable professional.
This individual's experiences showcase a career path that values continuous learning, collaboration, and the ability to drive meaningful impact within a dynamic and evolving industry.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Dosbal Aibyek
Customer Strategy & Operations Manager
CaptivateIQ
UC Berkeley
n/a
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Economics, Political Science, American Studies
Technology
Operations and Project Management
Immigrant
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Career Path of a Strategy and Operations Manager at CaptivateIQ
Dosbal's career path is "the story of change" that began at UC Berkeley with a focus on social sciences, leading to internships with think tanks and the Policy Advocacy Clinic, where they explored economic and fiscal policies, as well as social justice initiatives. Transitioning from a technical implementation manager role after graduation, Dosbal now thrives as a Customer Strategy & Operations Manager at CaptivateIQ, where the focus is on "how do you optimize the way an organization runs" and the career is a journey of "personal growth and continual learning."
Responsibilities of a Customer Strategy and Operations Manager at CaptivateIQ
Dosbal's main responsibility as a Customer Strategy & Operations Manager at CaptivateIQ is to drive cross-collaborative efforts that enable customers to "adopt and use [the] product well" by focusing on optimizing the processes of customer-facing teams, such as implementation and customer success, through data analysis. Additionally, Dosbal manages and improves the company's tech stack, troubleshooting software issues for internal stakeholders, and gaining valuable practical knowledge about software architecture and operation.
A Day In The Life Of A Customer Strategy And Operations Manager At CaptivateIQ
The role is dynamic, as "no one day is like any other," and starts with addressing correspondence and action items, followed by project meetings to align stakeholders and define action items, and analytical work leveraging skills in SQL to perform "data discovery and data analysis." Dosbal also emphasizes proactive support for other teams, self-development through learning new technologies and industry research, and being prepared for unexpected urgent issues.
Most Important Skills for a Customer Strategy and Operations Manager at CaptivateIQ
For a Customer Strategy & Operations Manager role, while the basics like collaboration, leadership, and hard skills like SQL and software understanding are important, the "real skills that make the genuine difference" boil down to "just knowing how to learn," encompassing breaking down challenges into manageable steps, maintaining open-mindedness toward new knowledge, and cultivating a desire to figure things out. This fundamental skill is not only "truly the make or break one" for career success but also enriches life by fostering a dynamic approach to challenges and a sense of accomplishment.
Favorite Parts Of Being A Customer Strategy Operations Manager At CaptivateIQ
Dosbal most enjoys the continuous learning and self-development inherent in the Customer Strategy & Operations Manager role, noting that "being able to just learn so much on the job" and witnessing the resultant growth over the past two and a half years has been the most fulfilling aspect of the position. This is further enhanced by the supportive environment and the opportunity to build something valuable for other organizations.
Biggest Challenges a Customer Strategy and Operations Manager at CaptivateIQ
Dosbal finds the biggest challenge in the Customer Strategy & Operations Manager role at CaptivateIQ to be the "mental burden" of owning the responsibility for improving processes and advising other teams, requiring a shift in mindset to view this as an opportunity for both personal growth and service to partners. To overcome this, Dosbal emphasizes the importance of "fearlessness, boldness, and self-confidence" to become better, faster, especially when project management skills are still developing.
Favorite Parts Of Working In The Tech Industry As A Customer Strategy And Operations Manager
Dosbal most enjoys being surrounded by "really smart, really driven" and "industrious individuals who really believe in what they are doing," emphasizing that collaboration and shared victories with a great team are essential because "no, great product is built in a vacuum." Ultimately, Dosbal finds that the synergy of working with the right people makes the work itself much more enjoyable and meaningful, regardless of how much you like technology.
What Type Of Person Thrives In Software, According To A CaptivateIQ Customer Strategy And Operations Manager
Dosbal believes that "intellectually curious" individuals thrive in Customer Strategy & Operations, emphasizing the importance of collective understanding and a shared desire to learn from one another, as people who like to learn mesh well with other people who like to learn. This shared curiosity leads to open-mindedness, which ultimately makes the work process "cleaner" and better.
What a Customer Strategy & Operations Manager at CaptivateIQ Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Tech Industry
Dosbal wishes someone had emphasized the disparity between job descriptions and the reality of the role, noting that "jobs are almost never what they are in their job description," so be prepared for how much someone will actually "end up learning" on the job. This highlights the need for adaptability and a willingness to embrace unexpected responsibilities in Customer Strategy & Operations.
Entry-Level Positions for Aspiring Operations and Strategy Analysts
Dosbal recommends two entry-level paths: operations associate roles at tech companies, which are often advertised as "university hires," and sales development/business development representative (SDR/BDR) positions at companies with large sales teams; the latter is great to "learn how to interact with... potential customers" and develop skills like "objection management", which will give you a "full suite of experiences needed to thrive" if you later want to move into a planning role like Sales Operations. Dosbal seems to suggest the experience in sales will provide the practitioner with valuable on-the-ground experience that is useful in strategy and operations.
Significant career lesson from a Customer Strategy and Operations Manager at CaptivateIQ
Dosbal learned from a manager that "you have to set yourself up for success" by internally project planning tasks and timelines, leveraging productivity tools for documentation and note-taking, and retaining the information that you're consuming; ultimately, having the right mindset to "approach everything with a sense of curiosity" can unlock unexpected opportunities.
College Experiences That Helped a Customer Strategy & Operations Manager at CaptivateIQ Succeed
Dosbal attributes a significant part of career success to surrounding themself with a "broad array of people" in college, emphasizing the importance of appreciating differences in backgrounds, interests, and talents to cultivate open-mindedness and a continuous "opportunity to learn." This approach, Dosbal believes, not only makes one "a more holistic person just outside of work" but also a more adaptable and insightful professional.
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