What is your role at Showpad right now?
I lead the local sales operation in the DACH region out of our new office in Munich, Germany.
What did you do before you joined Showpad?
I’m a mechanical engineer by training. But for 20 years, I’ve been a global marketing leader. My number one priority has always been to support sales people. In 2013, at my previous company, my sales team approached me to say they needed an additional solution for the iPad. So that year we started with Showpad. That’s when I saw the impact of the product. Bringing in a tool like Showpad and orchestrating it correctly made the biggest impact I ever had in my professional career. It was so exciting, I decided immediately I wanted to start over with a new career in the scale-up world.
Why did you choose Showpad?
It was an opportunity to reinvent myself and to follow my heart and do what I love. Showpad saw my passion to become the sales authority in this region. I want Showpad to become the organization that companies go to when they want to learn how to better align sales and marketing.
Are there any challenges in your region?
Germany was not an early adopter of the Cloud. They’ve only been more open about it over the last few years. You have big companies that tend to be more risk averse than U.S. companies. So, it’s just basically a longer path. On the other hand, once they are convinced, there is excitement about the possibilities. Once the customer sees what Showpad can offer them, it rolls out fast. That is the fun part.
What is your typical day like?
There is no typical day. I’m putting a lot of time into finding the right people for our company to help drive us forward. Since February, we have conducted over 100 interviews. So far, we have five people on board. They are the “A” players we needed. By the end of year we will be a team of 20 “A” players.
What has been a big moment for you so far?
Probably many. When we chose to announce our presence in Munich, we hosted a gala event at the Allianz-Arena in Munich, home to FC Bayern München, one of the world’s most renowned and successful soccer clubs. There, we gave a presentation to more than 100 people. We didn’t just tell them that our door was open, but we showed them how we offer a solution they may never have known was possible. We had companies like Dow Chemical tell the audience why they picked Showpad and one of Munich’s best-known TV personalities did the moderating. Feeling the positive vibe in that room that was my big moment. It represented two-and-a-half years of building up something that finally took centerstage. That was big!
What do you love most about your job?
Building the team. Instilling the confidence in the team that they can achieve big things in the DACH market. Getting feedback from companies telling me that our product helped them solve a problem. Offering our customers new technology to align sales and marketing together — and hearing the positive results. These are the rewards of the job.
What do you like about working in Munich?
We’re in a co-working space, so there are a lot of insights, fresh minds, and bright people all around. I didn’t have that when I lived outside the city in a more rural area. This is much more fast-paced. Plus, Munich is beautiful. We love it. There’s a strong quality of life here.
What do you do when you’re not working?
I spend time with my kids— two boys, aged one and five. With all the travel I don’t get to see them as often as I wish. I stopped doing sports and I don’t have a hobby. I have my family.
