Growing market share in a competitive industry. Pivoting from startup to scale-up. Launching a new vertical.
For Zscaler, Benchling and Canva, these bold companywide goals are driving rapid growth in their go-to-market teams. They are among the top San Francisco-based companies hiring now for candidates to help them attain their lofty ambitions and deliver exciting products far and wide.
“Our vision is big, and we need people who can bring new ideas and ways of doing things to our organization,” said Natalie Schwartz, head of brand marketing and strategic partnerships at Canva. “A company at this scale needs people who love to learn new things, enjoy the change and can see challenges as opportunities.”
Like Canva, Zscaler and Benchling have significant plans for the future — plans that require a talented GTM team.
What kind of talents are they looking for? Aysel Heckel, leader of mid-market sales at Benchling, said her company values applicants who have a pioneering, entrepreneurial spirit, which echoes Schwartz’s sentiments. Zscaler’s Regional Sales Manager Caralee Robards points to a similar trait: curiosity.
As these leaders and their companies boldly go into unchartered territories, Built In San Francisco spoke to them to learn what traits and skills they’re looking for and what they’ll be prioritizing in 2023.
San Jose-based company Zscaler created the Zero Trust Exchange Platform, which customers use to protect data and reduce threats. Zscaler’s cloud-based platform modernizes workplace infrastructure and security.
What’s one character trait or skill set that a successful candidate should have to land a spot on your team?
Curiosity. One of the best leaders I have worked with always says, “You can’t teach curiosity.” Yet, in many ways, it’s a foundational piece of building a genuine relationship and impactful business case with our customers. Having a natural curiosity about people and technology helps build a deeper understanding of where Zscaler can make an impact on our customer’s business.
We are passionate about helping our customers reach their goals. So much so that ‘passion’ forms one of the core culture values of Zscaler, driving our employees to find their purpose and continue their journey to master their craft.
What’s the biggest priority for Zscaler’s go-to-market teams in 2023?
At our recent sales kickoff, Chief Operating Officer Dali Rajic challenged everyone in the room to find their extra 20 percent and apply that to customers, prospects, champions, colleagues and our own personal growth. He said, “The greatest athletes in the world push themselves to dig deep and find that little extra that will separate them from the rest.”
That extra 20 percent is what sets them apart. I find that ‘extra’ in my prospecting efforts: how I ensure a customer’s goals are met or how much time I spend preparing for a meeting. This can be applied to all aspects of our business and focuses our attention on going the extra mile to be a long-term partner for our customers.
The Zscaler team is a real treasure. There isn’t a single person I wouldn’t feel comfortable calling for advice on a deal or for personal development.”
How would you describe Zscaler’s team culture in a single word, and why would you choose that word?
Uplifting. The Zscaler team is a real treasure. There isn’t a single person I wouldn’t feel comfortable calling for advice on a deal or for personal development.
I started at Zscaler on the commercial team in Dallas almost 3 years ago and later had the chance to move up to the enterprise team by moving to California. Then, earlier this year, I moved to New York City to join our large enterprise and majors team. I’ve received nothing but support from our teams in each of those transitions. This support extends past my peers and into the highest levels of our leadership.
Everyone is accessible, and every conversation is a notable improvement to my day because we all bring something fundamental to the table that can be shared in the name of growth and positive momentum. We inspire each other. Even when there’s fun-spirited competition in play, each of us is rooting for the other to succeed at all times.
Healthtech company Benchling is on a mission to help biotech startups reach milestones and go to market faster. The company leverages R&D to deliver software that is specifically suited to scientist’s unmet demands.
What’s one character trait or skill set that a successful candidate should have to land a spot on your team?
Oh, am I limited to only one? A well-suited, successful candidate for the Benchling team should have an entrepreneurial, pioneering spirit. We are lucky to be paving the way for cutting-edge biotech startups to speed their time to market, improve efficiency and enable their scientific focus. Although many of our customers share pain points, each is unique in their scientific platforms and journey to market. By actively listening to our customers and partnering with them to address their unique challenges, we enable them to fulfill their charters of bettering our world.
Our biggest priority is achieving scale. Benchling is transitioning from a startup SaaS provider to one with a significant market share.”
What’s the biggest priority for Benchling’s go-to-market teams in 2023, and why is it important for the success of the business as a whole?
Our biggest priority is achieving scale. Benchling is transitioning from a startup SaaS provider to one with a significant market share. To continually provide our customers greater value and ease of use, we need to implement processes that scale while treating our customers as the unique, esteemed individuals they are.
How would you describe Benchling’s team culture in a single word, and why would you choose that word?
Brilliant (in the British sense of the word): fun, engaging, intelligent and excellent at what they do!
Canva’s design platform makes it easy for anyone to create a wide range of high-quality visuals, from presentations, brochures and banners to social media posts and logos.
What’s one character trait or skill set that a successful candidate should have to land a spot on your team?
Creativity! Our vision is big, and we need people who can bring new ideas and ways of doing things to our organization. A company at this scale needs people who love to learn new things, enjoy the change and can see challenges as opportunities.
A company at this scale needs people who love to learn new things, enjoy the change and can see challenges as opportunities.”
What’s the biggest priority for your go-to-market teams in 2023, and why is it important for the success of the business as a whole?
Our biggest priority is reaching new customers while shifting the narrative around Canva. Historically we’ve been more of a consumer business, and now with our Worksuite complete, we’ve become a tool that can be valuable to teams, big and small. So we’ll be introducing new people to Canva, but with a new message around Canva for teams.
How would you describe your team culture in a single word, and why would you choose that word?
Flexible! Working in a high-growth startup means your job today looks different from your job tomorrow. Furthermore, marketing as a field is always changing — with new ways to reach customers. My team has to take on new challenges and play new roles as our business scales.
