What Type Of Person Thrives In The SaaS Sales Industry, According To An Account Executive At A SaaS Company
Account Executives in the B2B SaaS industry thrive by possessing "super organization," "outgoing" personalities, and a strong sense of "curiosity," actively seeking to understand customer needs and internal stakeholders. Success also hinges on "tenacity" and a competitive drive for continuous improvement and learning, as exemplified by the interviewee's personal journey.
Communication, Motivation, Resilience, Problem-Solving, Curiosity
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Sam Leahy
Account Executive
Leading B2B SaaS Company
University of Colorado at Boulder
N/A
Business Management & Admin
Technology
Sales and Client Management
None Applicable, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Highly organized and outgoing individuals tend to excel.
2. Curiosity about the customer's business and how they make money is a key factor for success.
3. Tenacity and a drive for self-improvement are crucial traits.
Transcript
How would you describe people who typically thrive in your industry?
I'm super organized and super outgoing. I'm pretty introverted, so that's kind of a challenge for me.
Normally, salespeople are a little bit extroverted, but it's just a different way of sales. I would say very curious. Curiosity is a big factor for AEs that do well.
They really want to learn and have an interest in a prospect or customer's product or service, and how they make money. You also want to understand your internal stakeholders and the decision-maker on the other side – what do they care about?
So I'd say curiosity. And then tenacity for sure, the drive to want to do well, make a name for yourself, and put your family or yourself in a better situation. I think you and I come from similar backgrounds where it's a competitive environment.
There's a drive to be better every day and learn something new every day, especially at Cal Poly and in Colorado. So yeah, I would say that.