A little over a year ago, I hurt my back working as a firefighter/paramedic. This was my second back injury in a year. Ever since I was a little kid I wanted to be a firefighter, and I had no idea what I would do if I couldn’t get back to work. I had recently gotten married and the thought of not being a firefighter or being limited in my role was scary and unacceptable for me. One weekend I was spending time with my younger brother, and we began talking about his job.
Jeff had been at Seismic for over a year and he loved his job. I knew nothing about software sales, and definitely had never heard of sales enablement. Jeff gave me a quick demo of the product (simply because he was proud of it, not because he was trying to sell it to me), and we talked about me coming in for an interview. Over the next two weeks I interviewed with just about everyone in the Boston office. Each interview made me more and more excited about the prospect of working for Seismic. The energy, passion, and excitement of the people that worked there was palpable. I knew nothing about the software sales world, but I knew I wanted to be a part of this group.
I have been at Seismic now since last November, and I know I made the right decision. When I speak with people about my career change, the usual response is, “that must be a tough transition.” It’s funny; three months ago I thought the same thing. It has been an adjustment because I have had a lot to learn, but when you are working with such dedicated people it makes it a lot easier. The entire company welcomed me with open arms. Yes, we are different people with different personalities. But a team-first mentality is just the Seismic way, and I knew I’d do anything to be a part of growing that team.
The culture at Seismic starts from the top. All of our founders are hardworking people that are willing to think outside the box. Our culture wouldn’t exist if we did not have the leadership we have. I feel that I am given the resources I need to continue to grow in my role, but I also know I’m trusted to do things the way they work best for me. This leadership approach empowers people to be themselves and have confidence in their role. I had a captain in the fire department who had a similar leadership style. I always marveled at the way he could walk the line between boss and friend, and I am beyond fortunate to have landed in a similar situation.
My biggest fear was losing the brother/sisterhood of the fire service. I loved the people I worked with and would literally die for them if need be; it’s part of the job description. While nobody at Seismic is necessarily risking their lives when they come into work every day, that brother/sisterhood still exists here. The sales world is extremely competitive, and we are always competing against one another. That competition only makes us stronger, sharper, and hungrier. We have individual goals we have to meet, but our collective goal is the same.
I never thought I would care about a job the same way I did about the fire service. I most definitely did not think that I would find it in a little office on Canal Street selling software with people ten years younger than me. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I am confident in the opportunity I have at Seismic. I am even more confident we have incredible people working here. That is why I am confident we are going to get to where we want to be.
