Her Story
About Kaitlyn
My career journey has been anything but traditional. I started out in healthcare, earning my undergraduate degree in kinesiology from Texas Tech University, fully committed to becoming a physical therapist. I got accepted into multiple physical therapy programs, but life had different plans for me. When things didn't line up the way I expected, I made the bold decision to pivot completely from healthcare to business. Throughout my college years, I worked as a valet at various steakhouses and restaurants to support myself financially. I then pursued my Master's of Business Administration and Management at the University of North Texas, choosing a broad path to explore what was out there and see the employability in the business field. During grad school, I worked closely with Fortune 500 companies on consulting projects, which gave me invaluable experience. After graduation, I joined Emburse in a sales role despite having zero sales experience. Within just one year, I've become one of the top performers at the company. I've never missed quota and have actually surpassed it most months. About 9 to 10 months in, I earned a promotion. Today, my main area of expertise is business development and client success in the SaaS and fintech industry. My role involves a lot of outreach and prospecting, meeting with clients, coordinating meetings and schedules, and handling the early qualification stage of the sales cycle. Looking back, switching to business was probably one of the best decisions of my life, and I'm loving every minute of it.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Kaitlyn
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my persistence and my determination. I mean, I owe my parents a lot financially and support-wise, but I am the sole driver in my success and where I got today. It's really been about believing in myself and continuing to push forward even when things don't go as planned.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is that pressure makes diamonds. This has really stuck with me throughout my journey, especially as I've navigated major career transitions and pushed myself in challenging new roles.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to believe in yourself, even when no one else believes in you. In a world that is constantly trying to knock you down, you have to just continue getting back up. Don't let setbacks or doubts stop you from pursuing what you want.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest opportunity in my field right now is career development. Being in this role, I've already seen tremendous growth potential and opportunity, whether that's moving vertically or horizontally within the business. As for challenges, I'd say it's trying to find a way to be different and be unique in such a dominated market. SaaS and fintech is a huge, huge field, a beast of a field. So it's really just trying to keep up with the new innovations, keep up with technology, and consistently, constantly add to the knowledge and education that you have. You have to stay ahead of the curve to stand out.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are self-awareness and empathy. I always say that empathy is the one thing that differentiates us from AI and robots. Empathy is honestly one of the most important values in personal life and in professional life, and I think a lot of people overlook it. It's what makes us human and allows us to truly connect with and care about people.
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