Career Path of a Director of Sales Strategic Accounts at Ouster Lidar
Max's career path began with various jobs during college, followed by a role in product at Zao Group, where discovery of a knack for customer interaction led to a sales role. This unexpected transition, aided by "a background in product and product management," proved highly successful, providing a strong foundation for Max's current position as Director of Sales - Strategic Accounts at Ouster Lidar Inc.
Sales, Product Management, Strategic Deals, Customer Interaction, Career Transition
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Max Coates
Director of Sales - Strategic Accounts
Ouster Lidar Inc.
University of Colorado, Boulder
N/A
Economics
Electronics & Semiconductors, Technology
Sales and Client Management
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Max's career path started with various labor jobs during college, followed by a role in product at Zao Group.
2. His experience in product management provided a strong foundation for understanding the sales process and customer needs.
3. He transitioned from product to sales, discovering that interacting with customers was his strength, highlighting the value of exploring different roles to find the right fit.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path? Please start with your experiences in college and any internships or jobs you had before your current role.
In college, I had various labor jobs to make a little money on the side. After college, I worked for a telecommunications company called Zao Group. I started in product, so I saw all the different parts of the business: service, delivery, sales, deal flow, finance.
I got involved in everything. I found that customer interaction was probably what I was best at. I was actually moved from there into a sales role.
I didn't really think I would be a sales professional, but some other folks had different ideas. So, it actually worked out well. Having a background in product and product management really helped me understand how to get things done internally and with customers, and all the things that go into doing strategic deals.
Advizer Personal Links