Danielle Sorresso

I see every setback as a redirection and an opportunity. It took me a while to get into leadership, and every single time I didn't get a role, I went back for feedback and dug in deeper to figure out where I missed the mark and how I could improve. Rather than being deterred, I felt like it was an opportunity to get better as a leader and get better as a teammate. I had two managers at Glassdoor who were instrumental to my success, Kirsten Strom and Kyle Dovenbarger. Kyle saw my potential and helped me develop the critical skills for transitioning into Customer Success. It was Kirsten who really supported my growth and was instrumental in stepping into leadership. Similar to Kyle, she gave me feedback early and often, challenged me very directly and cared very, very deeply. I learned so much from her. A lot of leadership comes from being confident in the skill set that you have, and I found my pathway in leadership really working closely with her. I'm a really strong values-based leader because of what she opened my eyes to. There's so much more to leadership than leading a team - it's a balancing act. You do a lot of the good, but you also do the challenging things and the hard things. If you can sit in the hard, and there's somebody that really cares deeply about you and wants to see you succeed, they will do all those things for you to succeed.

All you need is the one yes. I transitioned into SaaS from a completely different industry and they took a chance on me because they believed in me. I learned that as long as you stay focused, work hard and you're determined to succeed, you can make it happen. When I joined Glassdoor, it was a bit later in my career. It's never too late to make a pivot if you really want to make something work. You absolutely can, so don't let all the no's stop you - all you need is just the one yes.

Ask for feedback early and often, because that feedback could be instrumental to giving you the direction you need. See failure as the opportunity to get better as a leader and get better as a teammate. For every setback, it's almost like a redirection. Rather than being deterred by not getting roles or opportunities, use it as a chance to dig in deeper, figure out where you missed the mark, and how you could improve to come back stronger the next time around. That's the advice I would give - don't be afraid of the feedback, embrace it, because it will help guide your path forward.

The competition is getting very steep, and I've seen the landscape change a lot, specifically within the ticketing industry. AI is not a challenge, but it's an unknown, and I think it's trying to figure out how that fits into everyday life without it feeling like a threat. The economic climate is making things a bit difficult right now as well. At Eventbrite, we've taken a different approach - we're taking more of a relationship-based approach. One thing that AI can't supplement is building relationships directly with people. We're leaning more back into how we can work closer with our partnerships and really make it truly feel that we're bringing back the human touch rather than the technological touch all the time. Technology is really great, but the human touch is also valuable.

Both professional and personally, the values that matter most to me are empathy, integrity, authenticity, and collaboration. They’re my foundation and guide to how I show up every day. Leading with these values allows me to build trust, communicate transparently, and create meaningful relationships with both clients and colleagues.

I consider myself a deeply values-driven leader. I care about people first and believe that strong relationships are at the core of any success. Whether I’m partnering with clients or supporting my team, I prioritize understanding their needs, challenges, and goals. That often means leaning into difficult conversations with honesty and compassion because I genuinely want to see others succeed.

Collaboration and problem-solving are also central to how I work. I’m naturally curious and enjoy working alongside others to identify what’s holding them back and co-creating strategies that drive real results. My approach combines accountability with empathy. I don’t shy away from challenges, but I approach them in a way that keeps people engaged and supported.

Ultimately, I’m motivated by making a positive impact. I take pride in helping individuals and organizations grow, improve, and perform at their best, while staying grounded in strong relationships and a people-first mindset.