This post was written by Sabrina Montanez and TJ Terrell, Account Development Representatives at MuleSoft.
A year ago, TJ and Sabrina joined MuleSoft, they sat down with us to answer some of the most common questions new hires have before joining MuleSoft’s Account Development (AD) organization and where they see their careers evolving after this role.
Tell me about yourself
TJ: I’m originally from Atlanta, GA, and attended Georgia Tech where I studied mechanical engineering. After college, I knew I wanted to enter technical sales but wasn’t sure about which industry I should jump into. I started my career with a global engineering firm where I learned core business skills. After working for a few years across various roles, I decided it was time for a change. I joined MuleSoft and haven’t looked back since.
Sabrina: I’m originally from Puerto Rico, and attended Florida State where I studied Marketing. After college, I went head-first into a sales career without really knowing what to expect. I started my sales career at a global research and advisory firm where I partnered with the C-suite of Startups and mid-sized businesses. After some time, I was looking for another challenge. I wanted to join a small and nimble team where my contributions would greatly impact the growth of the company. I was also looking for a company where I could eventually grow into a leadership role. MuleSoft checked all my boxes and I couldn’t be happier with my decision.
What has the AD organization taught me?
TJ: I would say the biggest two things that Account Development has taught me have been patience and perseverance. I mention patience because within the role many things are out of your control and your success is directly dependent on your account executive colleagues. Often times things may not go the way you would like, be as objective as you think they should be, or even be fair. The reality is that this is indicative of life and the key to succeeding is to have patience and to “control what you can control.” I mentioned perseverance simply due to the nature of the beast that is AD. Let’s be honest: Account development is a difficult job, and anyone at the company will attest to this. In order to succeed, you need perseverance and true grit. The benefit here is that the skills, traits, and knowledge you gain from AD are extremely valuable, in fact, ADs often become more successful once promoted than new hires across multiple roles.
Sabrina: I’d say Account Development has taught me that good things take time, and great things take attitude. The road to becoming a successful AD is not an easy one, but it’s a rewarding one. In fact, anything worth doing in life challenges you every day so you can continue to grow. At Mulesoft, you have to trust the process and learn from your peers as much as possible. It’ll take time to learn how to run your business, manage your time properly, and be truly good at your job. However, what will make you a great AD at MuleSoft is your attitude. It is ultimately up to you to absorb all of what you learn and apply it to your role. Account Development has also taught me that networking, building your brand, and being a team player are all just as important as hitting quota!
How have you handled the transition to virtual?
TJ: While the circumstances are not ideal, I feel for the most part that the MuleSoft organization and I personally have handled it quite well. In fact, I would say that I learned to succeed by working remotely. When you’re first starting out there can be quite a few distractions within the office and then there’s continuous enablement which is not bad in and of itself, but if left unchecked can prevent you from actually doing your job of reaching out to people. Working virtually allowed me the time to understand exactly what was needed and to focus on priorities. In addition, MuleSoft has done a fantastic job of maintaining the Mule culture virtually. We do happy hours we have team syncs and I’m connecting with people across the country and the globe on a daily basis so I never feel isolated or alone
Sabrina: I actually started my role at MuleSoft right when the transition to virtual was in full effect. From day one, MuleSoft made sure I felt prepared for my role and communicated very well with me. We got more training, extra support from our peers, and some “Muley swag” to kick things off. Initially, it felt strange not meeting my team in person, but I quickly learned you can build a strong bond with your team from anywhere, and I mean anywhere. I work with people in California, New York, and even London. In fact, I think this situation has allowed me to meet even more peers than I would otherwise. In terms of the daily routine, I found that having a clean and organized workplace setup really helps keep you focused and motivated.
What opportunities does it yield after AD? What gets you excited after your AD role?
TJ: I think a better question is what opportunities does it not yield. Account development facilitates so many career paths at the world’s greatest company, which is MuleSoft. Whether your goals are to advance into leadership go into sales or even be a bit more technical this is all available to you within the AD role.
Sabrina: The mentality here is: If you can dream it, you can have it — you only have to ask for it! I’ve seen ADs transition into Customer Success, Digital Marketing, Solutions Engineering, and Account Management. Mulesoft is also a global company so if you’ve ever dreamed of moving to another country, that can also be done! Anything here is possible if you show interest and put in the work.
Closing thoughts
No sales job is easy, but at MuleSoft the rewards far outweigh the risk. As is evident from TJ and Sabrina’s experiences AD is an excellent place to develop not only sales skills but essential career skills that will benefit you as you grow! Come #runwiththemules.
