Her Story
About Monica
I spent many years as a single mother waiting tables until I was in my 30s, when I made the leap into customer support in the data industry. They quickly recognized my potential and said I would be great in sales, so I immediately moved over. A new manager who came from Penn State saw major growth coming for our small data provider and told me he wanted to teach me and have me on his team. I found myself working alongside sales professionals who went to Harvard and other Ivy League schools, but my sales were just blowing them away. I recently got promoted to a new senior team at Enformion, and while I had some initial insecurities about competing with such smart colleagues, my sales continue to exceed theirs. My typical day involves meetings all day long - I meet with web developers and CEOs, guiding them on the best API endpoints they need to make a successful business. They test the data, see the quality of our work, and then I negotiate price until they're ready to sign. I'm an expert at closing deals. This year has been exceptional - I set goals for myself daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly, and so far this year I have exceeded all of my goals. I hit 1.2 million in sales by February, which is more than what most people do in a year, and received the Rising Star Award at our sales meeting in Texas. What makes my journey unique is that I balance being all family first, then work, which is unusual for really good sales professionals who are typically all work. I have a teenage son and a young baby girl, and I notice things now as an older mother that I didn't when I was very young. I never graduated college - I joke that I went to the University of the Pursuit of Happiness - so I've had to be a self-learner and a sponge, taking nuggets from people along the way. I've even googled words during meetings to learn as I go. What I've discovered in this profession is how much these professionals really want you to succeed, teach you, lift you up, and edify you. For anybody to succeed, you have to have a good team and good leadership, and this has been a life-changing experience that I've embraced every step of the way.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Monica
01What do you attribute your success to?
I set goals for myself daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly, and I'm committed to being a life learner and staying open to learning and growing every day. The growth and continuing to grow every day is an achievement in itself to me. I've had to be a sponge and take nuggets from people along the way because I didn't have a traditional education - I have some college but didn't graduate. I've learned that for anybody to succeed, you have to have a good team and good leadership. When I transitioned from waiting tables into this career with professionals, I never realized how much they really want you to succeed, and teach you, and lift you up, and edify you. That support has been life-changing. I also bring important values to my work - I'm always honest because I never wanted to be a cheesy salesperson. Being a good listener helps you succeed, and being upfront and not beating around the bush helps people trust you. I'm not one of those sales sharks that's gonna try and get somebody else's deal - there's more than enough to go around. Being honest, compassionate, loving people, and being a good listener are the main things that help you succeed in sales.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
It's very interesting, and you learn a lot. You get to travel, which is amazing, and meet new people from all over the country, which is awesome. In sales, you have to love people, and I do love people. When I stepped away from my waiting tables career into this career with professionals, I never realized how much they really want you to succeed, and teach you, and lift you up, and edify you. I think that's amazing. For anybody to succeed, you have to have a good team and good leadership. It's been a life-changing experience that I've embraced every step of the way. I would also say don't let insecurities hold you back - there's always a feeling, because we're women, of not doing a good enough job. I found myself working with sales guys that went to Harvard and all these Ivy League schools, and my sales were just blowing them away. Even when I got promoted to a new team and felt insecure about how I was going to make it with these smart guys, my sales are still blowing them away.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I don't see any challenges right now other than the daily challenges that always come with negotiation. We're continuing to grow every year, so the growth is really the main story.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I bring a lot of values from my personal life into my work. I never wanted to be a cheesy salesperson, so I'm always honest. Being a good listener helps you succeed. I believe in being upfront and not beating around the bush - I think it helps people trust you when you're not trying to be cheesy. I'm not one of those sales sharks that's gonna try and get somebody else's deal, which happens a lot in sales, because there's more than enough to go around. The main things are being honest, compassionate, and loving people. Being a good listener is essential. I think those are the main things that help you succeed in sales. I'm also all family first and then work, which is kind of unique because usually really good sales professionals are all work. But for me, family comes first.
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