What initially attracted you to Brightspot back in 2022?
It was interesting because I wasn’t actively looking to leave my company — I enjoyed the team we had built over seven years, and things were going well.
Then, I got a call from Will Chu (SVP, Customer Engagement and Product Delivery), a former colleague. He told me about a new team at Brightspot — Strategic Accounts — and that they were looking for a leader of that team.
I first met with David Gang (Brightspot's Co-founder), who truly painted the vision of the company that he and his fellow co-founder, Lisa Beaudoin, had built. After several meetings with David and other leaders, I was inspired by the opportunity to join a thriving company.
We have exceptional technology, talented people, as well as very impressive customers, so it was really interesting to build a team from scratch and help these customers leverage our platform to grow their business. Now, two and a half years in, I know joining Brightspot was one of the best decisions of my career. Looking back on 2022, I’m grateful I made the move.
Can you tell me more about your role at Brightspot and the different hats you wear?
In my role, I take on a variety of responsibilities that keep my work dynamic and engaging. I focus on building strong relationships with our customers while identifying new growth opportunities. What I enjoy most is collaborating with our incredible solutions engineering and delivery teams to ensure Brightspot’s solutions align with each customer’s unique needs. I also love working with our talented marketing team to develop and execute impactful go-to-market strategies.
What professional traits have made you successful as a seller throughout your career?
That’s a great question. I would say adaptability and being a good listener are two of my key strengths. Throughout my career, I’ve made it a priority to truly understand the unique needs of each customer. It’s important to be flexible and transparent in tailoring solutions that can genuinely drive their business forward.
In an account/sales role, resilience and persistence are also essential. Staying motivated despite setbacks — like when a prospect or customer chooses a competitor — can be challenging, but it’s part of the journey. What’s helped me is cultivating empathy and building trust with customers, ensuring they feel valued and understood.
What I genuinely love about my work is that many of my customer relationships have evolved into long-term partnerships — and, to be honest, quite a few have even turned into friendships over the years. That’s something I truly cherish.
What excites you most about Brightspot as we head into 2025?
Growth! For me, it’s about getting the company to where we envision it in the marketplace and where we know it has the potential to be. As the company grows, it naturally creates opportunities for our people to grow internally, take on new challenges and develop their careers.
It’s all about reigniting that mojo and driving forward as we head into 2025. We’re optimistic about hitting strong numbers in Q1, and the focus will be on maintaining that momentum throughout the rest of the year.
In your role, you travel around the country to visit and spend time with our customers. What do you hear from them most frequently? And, do you have a favorite city to visit?
In Q4 of last year, I was on the road for almost six out of the last eight weeks, visiting our customers — and I absolutely loved seeing them. These meetings are all about understanding how they’re using Brightspot: Are they truly getting the value they need? Are they leveraging the platform to its fullest potential to drive business results? There’s always room for improvement, so it’s critical to learn where we can enhance things — whether it’s the platform itself or our customer service.
It’s about balance — looking in the rearview mirror to assess what worked and what didn't, while also focusing on what’s ahead. Lately, much of the conversation has centered around what’s on the horizon for our customers, especially when it comes to personalization, richer user experiences and, of course, AI.
That's what’s been really interesting over the last couple weeks as we’ve really dug into discussing their 2025 initiatives and how we can actually support those plans. Ultimately, we want to be a true, valued partner — helping our customers not just from a business perspective but on a personal level, too.
As for my favorite city for customers visits? That’s a tough one as there are too many. If I have to choose, London for Europe and for the States — it has to be a tie between California and Austin, where it’s been great visiting our customers like Whole Foods Market, Google and Keller Williams. Not to mention, spending time with the amazing Brightspot team we have there!
What advice would you give to those looking to become leaders themselves?
I’d say it comes down to two key things: self-awareness and emotional intelligence.
The best leaders are also the best listeners — they listen more than they speak and lead by example. If you want to grow as a leader, it’s essential to actively seek feedback and continuously work on improving yourself. Leadership is a journey of self-improvement, and staying open to growth is critical.
I’d also emphasize the importance of stepping outside your comfort zone. Taking on new challenges, even when they feel uncomfortable, is where you’ll experience some of the most rewarding moments of your career. Growth happens when you’re willing to push your boundaries.
And finally, never underestimate the power of building strong relationships and empowering those around you. Leadership is not just about your success — it’s about helping others thrive and creating an environment where everyone can succeed.
What are your favorite activities or hobbies to do outside of the office?
For me, it’s all about spending quality time with friends and my immediate and extended family — they’re the most important parts of my life.
I enjoy spending time with friends, whether it’s catching up at a brewery, winery or grilling in the backyard. There’s something about great company, good conversation and great food or drinks that makes for the perfect way to unwind and connect.
Regardless where, being with family and loved ones is what matters most to me — it’s what truly brings me joy and keeps me grounded.
Besides the people, what is your favorite part about working at Brightspot?
For me, it’s getting to know our customers and prospects — not just from a business perspective, but on a personal level as well.
I love the process of understanding their goals, challenges and aspirations, and figuring out how we can make a meaningful impact in their lives. That’s truly the best part of my day — not the internal meetings, but the times spent connecting with our customers and discovering how we can support them on their journey.
What’s your favorite place to visit in your free time?
I love exploring different countries, experiencing new cultures and food and seeing countries that are thousands of years older than ours. It’s always inspiring to see the world from different perspectives. That said, sometimes the simplest moments are the best, like sitting on a beach, unwinding and spending quality time with friends and family.
What is one skill that you'd really like to learn?
The too easy answer is golf. But I am really passionate about grilling and smoking on my Big Green Egg — it’s something I truly enjoy.
Watching my son, who’s an aspiring chef, has been incredibly inspiring. Seeing his creativity, skill and effort in the kitchen as he crafts these amazing meals makes me wish I could cook at his level. In 2025 and beyond, I’d love to spend more time learning and refining my cooking skills. It would be so rewarding to create meals that bring people together the way he can.
