10/14/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/14/2021 09:58
Little did I know that when I made the move from Singapore to Boston I would discover what I'm really passionate about.
"For me, running reports and dashboards in Salesforce brings order to a chaotic world."
That move led me to become a director of sales operations - a dream role for me! Maybe it has to do with my personality - I've always been a math person - but for me, running reports and dashboards in Salesforce brings order to a chaotic world.
Just as a car's dashboard tells you if you need to speed up or slow down, or if your engine is overheating, the Salesforce Platform makes sense of what's happening inside a company.
The first time someone offered me a job in sales operations, I wasn't sure what the role entailed. It was 2010, and I had been working for a software company in Singapore, where I was initially a solutions engineer and then a client renewal sales manager.
Learn the responsibilities, tools, and best practices of modern sales operations.
"I became a Salesforce super user, not only helping to improve the company's sales processes but also building a whole new personal brand in sales ops."
I was looking for a way to transfer to its headquarters in Boston. The company's sales leaders noticed that I had been involved in a cross-team project using Salesforce to find opportunities for revenue growth in the Asia-Pacific, and they thought I could do the same in the U.S.
I immediately loved being able to bring my type of order to a sales leadership team in a way that manual work could never accomplish. I became a Salesforce super user, not only helping to improve the company's sales processes but also building a whole new personal brand in sales ops.
In 2014, I joined Bright Horizons, a leading global provider of high-quality early education and childcare, where I'm currently vice president of growth operations. Now, I get to work at the intersection of business and technology, two parts of a company that don't always speak the same language.
It can be difficult for some companies to translate business goals into technology solutions, but I get to bridge the two worlds.
It's funny to think back now at my initial reaction when a manager asked me to start using Salesforce back in 2008. I was just happy to be using spreadsheets, after seeing customer data in three-ring binders when I started. I wondered what Salesforce was and why it was worth using.
That just shows the importance of an open mind and a willingness to learn. I see those traits all around me today at Bright Horizons, where we upskill employees using Trailhead, Salesforce's free online learning platform.
The gamification element lets us compete against each other and celebrate our top performers. And it's not all about technology: I recently assigned the Empathetic Leadership trail to our entire leadership team.
Learn strategies to help you lead with empathy and effectiveness, during challenging times and beyond.
My journey has literally taken me across the world! Here are a few tips I've picked up along the way that I hope will help you with yours.
Prove your hands-on experience with Salesforce and gain a competitive edge that leads to new opportunities.
My growth track has been a process of taking myself out of my comfort zone - finding something uncomfortable and making it comfortable. Whichever path you pursue, I encourage you to do the same.
And finally, check out my favorite resources:
Follow Shuang in the Trailblazer Community at trailblazer.me/id/sstoppe
Discover expert insights to help you develop your career, connect with Trailblazers, learn Salesforce, and earn certifications. Explore practical how-to guidance, authentic peer perspectives, and inspiring Trailblazer stories.