Along for the Ride and Enjoying Every Minute
By Bill, sales director
I have been working at MathWorks for 25 years in the sales organization. Being in tech and staying at the same company for a quarter of a century is practically unheard of. What is even more unusual is the number of managers and sales reps in my organization who have been with MathWorks for a similar length of time.
The current sales manager I hired as a sales rep 24 years ago is now running the automotive sales team. In addition, several salespeople have been at MathWorks for over 15 years. My management team comprises people who worked their way up through sales or technical roles, all at MathWorks. Our work is challenging, and the people who achieve impressive results are rewarded with more responsibility, increased compensation, and job satisfaction.
Building a Career
I majored in marketing and English in college before starting my professional life as an inside sales rep for a Fortune 500 telecom company. After working my way up to field sales rep, I moved to another large telecom company and then made the jump to a startup, also as a field sales rep. This was over a five-year period—and is a more typical track record in tech sales.
Eventually, I decided to move into software and was fortunate to be offered a position at MathWorks in Natick, Massachusetts, as the automotive and aerospace sales manager. One of my first tasks after I was hired was opening a Michigan office.
Appreciating the Success
Throughout my tenure at MathWorks I have experienced four role changes, gaining more responsibility with each move. Currently, I’m senior director of the Americas sales organization.
Three main reasons anchor me to MathWorks: the innovative and market-leading products that provide tremendous value to our customers, the relentless pursuit of growth and expansion into new industries and geographies, and, most important, the people.
This period of tremendous professional growth—highlighted by earning my MBA with support from MathWorks—has been balanced with a fulfilling personal life. I’ve enjoyed being present for family dinners when not on business trips, actively participated in coaching my children’s sports teams, attended their games, and dedicated time to volunteer activities in my community.
Despite several opportunities to venture elsewhere, three main reasons anchor me to MathWorks: the innovative and market-leading products that provide tremendous value to our customers, the relentless pursuit of growth and expansion into new industries and geographies, and, most important, the people. I have been consistently surrounded by talented individuals across all functions, from sales and marketing to development and HR.
As a team we have enhanced our sales approach, worked successfully through COVID-19, and expanded to offices worldwide, all while achieving double-digit growth year after year. Along the way, I’ve built invaluable relationships with colleagues, customers, and partners around the globe.
Looking back on these past 25 years, it’s been a swift and rewarding journey. I feel like I have had four different jobs while at MathWorks, but I’m grateful for the longevity with a company that values its employees while remaining dedicated to accelerating the pace of engineering and science.
