- Fun Facts:
- My passion is traveling. I have been to over 35 countries, and some of my favorite destinations include Argentina, Croatia, and the French countryside. As for hobbies, I enjoy writing, art, playing sports, fitness, and photography. My favorite possession is my old baseball mitt. I grew up on Long Island in New York with my family, along with my identical twin brother.
What initially drew you to apply to work at Medallia?
After graduating from college, I spent about five years working in investment banking. Eventually, I decided that it wasn’t for me, and went to business school so that I could find a career path that was better suited to my interests. After exploring a wide range of industries, I began pursuing options in the tech space. I was specifically interested in smaller companies that were still growing and evolving. While Medallia was slightly larger than what I was initially looking for, it was clear that it offered many of the same benefits and feel of working at an earlier stage startup company. Also, Medallia was highly recommended to me by a college friend and former Medallia employee, who thought it would be a good fit. I figured that if someone with no vested interest was offering such glowing reviews, it was definitely a place worth looking into.
What other opportunities and fields were you considering?
Although I began my business school career looking at a wide range of opportunities, I eventually narrowed my search primarily to small, early-stage, and tech companies, as well as roles involving green business, renewable energy, and sustainability.
Why did you ultimately choose Medallia?
There are a number of reasons why I ultimately chose Medallia. I was really impressed with all of the people I met here—literally everyone seemed really intelligent, supportive, happy, and like they sincerely believed in the product. Also, my friend who used to work here had so many positive things to say about it, and I knew he could be completely candid with me about his experience. Medallia is in an exciting field, it’s growing and evolving, it’s relatively small, and it has a laid-back, startup feel—that is exactly what I was looking for.
How has your experience measured up to your expectations? What surprised you or has surprised you over time?
I had high expectations, and Medallia has definitely measured up. My objective in going to business school was to find a line of work that I genuinely enjoyed, so I had every intention of being picky about my final choice. The work at Medallia is very fulfilling and enjoyable. What has surprised me most is the amount of responsibility I have been given in such a short period of time.
How does your experience at Medallia compare to your friends’ experiences in other jobs?
Here, when I work long hours, it’s because I want to: I am passionate about what I am doing and I know my team’s relying on me. Before, when I worked long hours, it was because my boss told me to. Plus here, people believe you should have a life outside of work, not only because it’s fun and enriching, but also because it improves the quality of your work. That’s definitely true for me. I am happier with my work product here than I was when I was working nearly every waking hour.
How would you describe your responsibilities at Medallia?
My role here involves client-facing management—mainly maintaining relationships with the clients I manage, making sure they are happy with the product, and that any issues are resolved in a timely manner. I manage the internal team that supports me, I ensure correct prioritization of tasks and that we are meeting all milestones and deadlines. Eventually, I will be more involved with the technical components of the product and will work with clients to improve and optimize the software.
What was your job prior to Medallia?
I worked as an associate in investment banking.
What are some similarities/differences between your past and current roles?
In both roles, it is necessary to be an expert on our product, to be able to explain, manipulate, and use the product in a way that offers the greatest benefit to clients, to give expert advice, and to consult with clients regarding the product. It is also important to be able to optimize the product for our clients. In my last job, my role was more junior, but the objective of catering to clients, helping them optimize and benefit from our product, and making them happy was the same.
As far as differences, in my last job any work-life balance was nonexistent. The work atmosphere was less welcoming and the organization was rigidly hierarchical. Medallia is more fluid and communicative, and everyone is extremely supportive. The culture is more egalitarian here as well—at my last job, everyone acted like seniors and juniors, rather than as peers.
What is the best thing about working at Medallia?
It’s early, but so far I would say the best thing is the culture and work environment. It is exactly what I had hoped for, especially given how much I disliked the culture and environment at my old job. People are so supportive here, and as a new hire with lots of questions, I really appreciate that.
How would you describe Medallia to your friends? What would you want them to know about Medallia?
First I would describe the environment, the culture, and the experience of working for such a great company. I would describe how everyone is genuinely happy and enjoys working here. I would also mention the way in which Medallia has been developing and growing, and the depth of opportunity it offers.
