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Charting Your Presales Career Path with Miriam Graf
Manage episode 515023224 series 2710023
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James welcome Miriam Graf, a presales veteran with 20 years as an individual contributor and 10 years in leadership roles. Miriam shares invaluable insights on navigating career growth in presales, from speaking up about your aspirations to recognizing when leadership is and isn’t the right path for you. She discusses the evolution from being "the hero" to becoming a leader who helps others shine, and explores the diverse career opportunities available beyond traditional management roles.
This episode is sponsored by Elvance. Find out more about them at https://elvance.io/
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Miriam Graf: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miriamgraf/ or email [email protected]
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Presales Podcast: https://www.presalescollective.com/podcast
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome
06:53 Lessons to learn earlier
10:38 IC vs leadership
16:42 Expensive experience lessons
22:46 Variety of expertise is good
28:27 Focus on your industry and keep learning
Key Topics Covered
Speaking Up About Your Career
Why waiting for someone to notice doesn't work
How expressing interest puts you on the radar for future opportunities
The importance of taking initiative on projects you're passionate about
The Transition from Hero to Leader
Why being the top SE doesn't automatically translate to leadership
The emotional shift from personal accolades to team success
Understanding if management is actually the right path for you
Alternative Career Paths Beyond Management
National expert or technical specialist roles
Product management and product marketing opportunities
Customer success, implementation, and demo engineering
How presales skills translate across multiple disciplines
Essential Skills for Career Advancement
Soft skills: passion, communication, empathy, and listening
Business acumen: understanding the "so what?" for your audience
Technical skills: continuous learning and adaptability
Learning Through Experience
The value of trying roles outside presales
How diverse experience makes you a better SE
Why failures and tough feedback lead to growth
Industry Expertise
How to quickly learn an industry's key challenges
The value of becoming a vertical expert
Building credibility without years of industry experience
173 episodes
Manage episode 515023224 series 2710023
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James welcome Miriam Graf, a presales veteran with 20 years as an individual contributor and 10 years in leadership roles. Miriam shares invaluable insights on navigating career growth in presales, from speaking up about your aspirations to recognizing when leadership is and isn’t the right path for you. She discusses the evolution from being "the hero" to becoming a leader who helps others shine, and explores the diverse career opportunities available beyond traditional management roles.
This episode is sponsored by Elvance. Find out more about them at https://elvance.io/
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Miriam Graf: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miriamgraf/ or email [email protected]
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Presales Podcast: https://www.presalescollective.com/podcast
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome
06:53 Lessons to learn earlier
10:38 IC vs leadership
16:42 Expensive experience lessons
22:46 Variety of expertise is good
28:27 Focus on your industry and keep learning
Key Topics Covered
Speaking Up About Your Career
Why waiting for someone to notice doesn't work
How expressing interest puts you on the radar for future opportunities
The importance of taking initiative on projects you're passionate about
The Transition from Hero to Leader
Why being the top SE doesn't automatically translate to leadership
The emotional shift from personal accolades to team success
Understanding if management is actually the right path for you
Alternative Career Paths Beyond Management
National expert or technical specialist roles
Product management and product marketing opportunities
Customer success, implementation, and demo engineering
How presales skills translate across multiple disciplines
Essential Skills for Career Advancement
Soft skills: passion, communication, empathy, and listening
Business acumen: understanding the "so what?" for your audience
Technical skills: continuous learning and adaptability
Learning Through Experience
The value of trying roles outside presales
How diverse experience makes you a better SE
Why failures and tough feedback lead to growth
Industry Expertise
How to quickly learn an industry's key challenges
The value of becoming a vertical expert
Building credibility without years of industry experience
173 episodes
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