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Zach, Head of Academic Sales Strategies at BoodleBox.ai: Advize Career Interview
From engineer to Head of Academic Sales Strategies at BoodleBox.ai, this career path showcases a passion for people and AI in education.
This role involves a mix of solutions engineering, outreach, and contributing to company strategy in a fast-paced startup environment. Each day involves crafting engaging content, conducting Zoom calls, and scaling an innovative company.
Interpersonal skills are paramount, as the ability to build relationships is viewed as critical in an AI-driven world.
BoodleBox.ai is exciting because growth and learning abound, with opportunities to collaborate with educators and learn about diverse subjects.
Time management presents a unique challenge in a remote startup setting, but the industry is also rewarding, offering a direct pulse on the future of education and a chance to shape how AI is used by the next generation.
For those interested in EdTech, the ideal candidate cares deeply about education, embraces collaboration, and values student voices, which are often overlooked by potential candidates. The biggest lesson learned?
Always say "yes" to opportunities and remember the power of networking – a skill honed in college through connecting with alumni and leveraging personal relationships.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Zach Kinzler
Head of Academic Sales Strategies
BoodleBox.ai
University of San Diego
Master of Science in Business Analytics
Engineering - Industrial
Education
Sales and Client Management
Greek Life Member
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Career Path Of A Head Of Academic Sales Strategies At BoodleBox.ai
Zach, Head of Academic Sales Strategies at BoodleBox.ai, started with an industrial and systems engineering degree and internships but realized they "didn't wanna be an engineer," pivoting to an MSBA and a stint as a machine learning engineer at a startup where they learned they liked "people, a lot more than...computers". Leveraging LinkedIn, Zach's passion for AI in education led to being "scooped up" by BoodleBox.ai, where they built the academic sales strategies from the ground up.
Main Responsibilities of an Academic Sales Strategist at BoodleBox.ai
As Head of Academic Sales Strategies at a rapidly scaling AI startup, responsibilities have evolved from initial student outreach to primarily "solutions engineering," focusing on helping faculty, administrators, and students implement AI in the classroom. A portion of the role remains dedicated to outreach and pilot program setup, while the remaining time is spent contributing to growth plans, go-to-market strategies, and marketing, reflecting the "everyone does a little bit of everything" environment of a small startup.
A Day In The Life Of A Head Of Academic Sales At BoodleBox.ai
As Head of Academic Sales Strategies at BoodleBox.ai, a typical day involves creating and sharing approachable content, often by clipping podcast episodes or creating videos, to explain complex AI concepts to teachers and students on LinkedIn, along with extensive Zoom calls showcasing BoodleBox. The career professional jokingly says that "the world found out about the company," and one must be prepared to "work really hard" and learn how to scale a company when working for a start-up.
Most Important Skills For A Head Of Academic Sales Strategies At BoodleBox.ai
Zach believes "interpersonal skills" like "relationship building" and "collaborative working" are most important because AI will eventually make hard skills obsolete, elaborating that a job will be replaced by someone who knows how to use AI, so being able to communicate and understand how to help others is crucial, even when implementing AI solutions.
Favorite Parts of Being a Head of Academic Sales Strategies at BoodleBox.ai
Zach enjoys the opportunity for growth and learning at BoodleBox.ai, especially how the role enables working with educators and learning about diverse subjects; Zach says "I get to teach teachers how to use AI...and I learned a bunch about European history that I like didn't know just because I was helping her, like make bots and stuff."
Biggest Challenges Faced by a Head of Academic Sales Strategies at BoodleBox.ai
As Head of Academic Sales Strategies at a startup, Zach finds the biggest challenge to be time management due to the lack of structure and oversight in a remote work environment, stating "the only thing that moves us forward is me moving forward." A key learning has been task prioritization and anticipating future needs, though acknowledges that the freedom and responsibility can be difficult to balance when "you wanna do everything at one time."
Favorite Parts Of Working In The Education Industry As A Head Of Academic Sales Strategies
Zach enjoys being in the AI in education industry because AI is poised to change the world, and education is where the future is being shaped by those who are adept at using it, which allows Zach to have "a direct pulse" on what is being taught through things such as a podcast where teachers are interviewed from all around the world. The role also allows Zach to learn about different things going on in the world, making education "a cool industry to be in".
What Type Of Person Thrives In EdTech, According To An EdTech Sales Head At BoodleBox.ai
Zach, the Head of Academic Sales Strategies, believes those who "care deeply for the right reasons" and aren't simply after a "money grab" tend to thrive in the EdTech industry, though honesty is admitted in learning about the importance of patience in the industry. Despite not having been in the role for very long, a key component for excelling, according to Zach, is being around other people.
What an Academic Sales Strategist at BoodleBox.ai wishes they had known before entering the EdTech industry
Zach from BoodleBox.ai felt prepared for the startup environment, stating "nothing that I'm doing really surprises me," and enjoys the work. However, Zach highlights that building relationships with coworkers can be difficult when working remotely, although that wasn't an issue for Zach due to the team's friendliness.
Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Product Managers
For entry-level positions, particularly in the burgeoning field of ed tech, Zach emphasizes the overlooked value of student experience, urging applicants to "talk about how you are a student and you would love to bring that voice to a company." In his experience, companies seek individuals who can leverage their fresh perspectives as recent students to contribute to product management and other roles, especially as the landscape shifts with AI integration.
Significant Career Lesson From a Head of Academic Sales at BoodleBox.ai
Zach from BoodleBox.ai emphasizes the importance of saying "yes" to opportunities, regardless of perceived skill gaps, because "hard skills you can do." Their diverse experience as an engineer and salesman after graduating demonstrates that the ability to communicate effectively is now a universally valuable asset that allows one to pursue various roles, so job descriptions should not be intimidating.
College Experiences Helping a Sales Strategist at BoodleBox.ai Succeed
Zach from BoodleBox.ai believes networking in college was the biggest contributor to career success, specifically suggesting USD students leverage their network by connecting with their friends' successful parents. "Go ask your friends to hang out with their parents," Zach advises, highlighting the value of USD's alumni and connections.
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