Career Path of an Account Executive at a National Beverage Company
Kathleen's career path began uniquely with "a lot of symbolism" in working at their family's restaurant from age 13, progressing from kitchen work to bartending; this experience instilled the importance of customer service and relationship building, skills directly applicable to their current role as an Account Executive. This early foundational experience provided a strong baseline for Kathleen's professional career.
Customer Service, Sales, Relationship Building, Career Progression, Restaurant Industry Experience
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Kathleen Walsh
Account Executive
National beverage company
Suffolk University, 2013
UCLA Anderson, MBA
Communications
Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Food, Beverages & Alcohol
Sales and Client Management
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Started working in family restaurant at age 13, progressing from kitchen work to waitressing and bartending, developing customer service and sales skills.
2. Restaurant experience provided a strong foundation for understanding customer service and relationship building, skills directly applicable to a professional career.
3. Emphasizes the importance of starting at the bottom and working your way up, highlighting the value of perseverance and growth within a career path.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Any internships or jobs you had before your current role?
Sure. I had a bit of a unique work experience growing up. My uncle and my grandparents owned a restaurant, and I started working there when I was 13. I worked there all through high school and college.
I started in the kitchen doing dishes and prep work. Then I worked my way up to the floor, bussing tables and eventually becoming a waitress. My last job there was as a bartender before I moved to Atlanta to start my professional career.
There was a lot of symbolism in working at that restaurant. You start at the bottom and work your way up. It was a strong baseline for me in establishing the importance of customer service and learning how to sell. It also taught me how to grow relationships with people who would support my family's business and me.
It was a great learning experience. I still reference it a lot, even in my professional career all these years later.