1. How did you come to do what you do?
My dad was a lifelong salesperson and sales leader, so a career in sales and leadership was always something that was in the back of my mind. After graduation, I needed to get started and his company was hiring, so I took the lowest level job possible 500 miles from home and the rest is history. I’ve worked for several companies at this point, each in a sales, sales & marketing and leadership capacity and I’ve found challenges and opportunities it each. It’s been a good ride so far.
2. Was this a lifelong goal?
Being a sales leader? Not specifically. I always liked coaching, developing and mentoring individuals and sales leadership offers those opportunities quite frequently. Getting to meet new customers, discovering their challenges, and helping them find the right solution is really rewarding. I also enjoy problem solving and sales, particularly sales in a new arena or industry, are always full of interesting problems to figure out.
3. What motivates you every day?
Having a positive impact and doing it with integrity. There are days where you make the big sale or make a great connection to a potential new customer and those always feel good, but most days are just moving the ball slowly down the field to put yourself in position to score that touchdown. Those days are not as exciting, but in many ways are more important because they set you up for success.
4. What makes you unique and different?
I have a diverse background of companies, both exceptionally large and small that I’ve worked for, and I think that I bring a unique perspective based on that experience. I am open to innovative ideas and new ways of working through problems with the ability to use the ‘tried & true’ as well. I like to think I am easy to work with and encourage others to offer their perspectives to a challenge or opportunity as they might have a different view that just might be the right answer.
5. What are your favorite types of projects to work on?
I like “whole business” projects – projects that involve multiple facets of the business to achieve a goal – Finance, leadership, development, marketing, sales all working together to get the job done. Solving a difficult challenge, or entering a new market are particularly enjoyable.
6. What are your future career goals?
I’m too old to play centerfield for the Yankees, so I’m working to progress to a senior leadership position in sales or sales and marketing.
7. What is the best career lesson you’ve learned so far?
You must be open to new opportunities to grow yourself and your career. I started in Washington DC, moved to Rochester, NY, then to Chicago, back to Buffalo and now I live in New York City. I have moved from construction products to orthopedic footwear, to plumbing products and now to Arora selling and marketing software. Each one of those moves was for an opportunity that I had not been considering six months before, but each has added such valuable experience in both my professional and personal life. Betting on yourself, being willing to work hard and trusting that things will work out generally do.
8. Tell us what your day-to-day looks like at EDI.
I wear several hats at EDI and such, no two days are alike. Some days are filled with developing and executing our Digital Marketing strategy, other days are lots of follow up, reach out and cold calling of prospective customers, working with the Development team on our next product or service or working the Arora/EDI booth at a tradeshow. We now have three distinct products and services that we sell, so they take up a lot of my time. We run a lean and mean team, so being available to help someone else out, or work on something new is always present.
9. What do you enjoy most about working at EDI?
Everyone that I’ve met has been great to work with. I know a lot of companies say that they are a “family” but that is absolutely true at Arora/EDI. The entire team is professional and do an excellent job, but from leadership on down, people really care about you as a person and as a professional and want to help you grow to be the person you’d like to be. It has been great working here from minute one. I do really enjoy being in the field meeting our customers and learning more about what they do, how they do it and what they think can be done to make it easier. Taking that information and feedback and applying it to what we do is very worthwhile.
10. What has been your favorite memory while working at EDI?
I’ve been lucky to be present for EDI’s MaximoWorld wins in 2021 and 2022. Speaking with those customers and understanding how we’ve made their jobs so much easier is very rewarding and winning is always fun.
11. Outside of work, what do you like to do for fun?
I like to golf, ski and travel. I have a 20-month-old puppy that my wife and I are training to be a hunting dog, so that takes up a lot of my time. I’m learning how to fish, shoot sporting clays and a little bit of woodworking at our home in the Hudson Valley. I’m an avid Buffalo Bills fan, so I’m looking forward to the upcoming season.
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