Boxer Spotlight: A new role, a new city with Caitlin Myers
Welcome to Boxer Spotlights. Today we're talking about internal mobility, and not just moving roles but moving cities. We sat down with Caitlin Myers, one of our Enterprise Account Executives based out of Los Angeles. But she didn't always live in Los Angeles. Let's hear her story.
JJ: Thanks for meeting with us Caitlin. Let's start from the beginning. What made you come to Box?
CM: I was already working in Sales and I had a close friend from a previous job who worked at Box. He really loved the culture here and recommended I check it out. I wasn't really looking, but I started in the interview process and as I continued, I just loved everyone I met. By the end, I was like oh my god, I really want this. Box has an infectious culture with great people from so many different backgrounds. It's so energizing to be around. The people and the culture are what drew me here. And it's what still keeps me here today. I've been at Box now for 3 and a 1/2 years. It's funny to look back, it's so long ago now, but it was a very exciting time.
JJ: We're about here to talk about your career journey. Walk us through that. What role did you start off as, and what is your current role?
CM: I started off as a Mid-Market Account Executive in San Francisco, selling to the Financial Services vertical. It was a great starting point for me because I got to focus on Box for Financial Services and build expertise. After my first year, I expanded to different industries and was able to keep growing. I got to learn more customer stories and learn more about what we were doing in multiple segments. As a seller, Box is a great product because the opportunities are endless. You can sell to different use cases, different lines of business, it lends room for creativity and you never get bored. Now that I've been at Box for three years, I've been able to grow as a sales rep because I know my supporting team has my back. That has made me more successful working with clients and continuing to solve our customers' business problems. I grew each year even within Mid Market, because the challenge was different each time. My goal was always to get into the field and now I'm an Enterprise Account Executive based out of Los Angeles.
JJ: Wow! Los Angeles! Why did you want to move to LA and what was that process like?
CM: I had been in SF for 5 plus years, but I'm originally from Southern California. I wanted to move back to be closer to my family. So my goal all of last year was to move to SoCal and to become an AE. I talked to my manager who was always really supportive of my goals, what I wanted to do next. I worked closely with him to put together a plan. We have an internal mobility process called Elevate and through that I was promoted to an Account Executive. And I also networked with other SoCal Enterprise Managers and teams. It was all about building relationships and creating a buzz.So when the time came and a role opened up in LA, I was the person that came to mind.
JJ: That's fantastic! But not a small change! Was it easy to make this move, what was the support like?
CM: I received a ton of support from everyone at Box - from my direct management and directors, to supporting organizations like the SE and CSM teams and beyond. My manager was always focused on my goals and what was important to me personally, not just on numbers. My manager knew that the move was a big event in my life, from moving out to finding a new apartment. I never felt pressure to start right away. I was told to go at my pace and Box also offer support for moving costs which were very generous. This made it so easy and also exciting! I felt ready to step into my new role. And I knew I had I support of everyone I was going to be working with. I could send a slack or email to get time someone's calendar; that's what is so great about Box, everyone is willing to help and jump on the phone.
JJ: That's so true. I remember when I first started, I was so surprised, I could do 1:1s with anyone.
CM: That's something that's really special about Box. After you've been here a while you forget how unique it is, especially because you don't get that everywhere.
JJ: All right Caitlin, take us home. What advice would you give to someone who is looking to grow in their current role? Or even someone looking to relocate?
CM: There's so much I can say but one of the main things I'd like to note is that we're pretty luck at Box to have supportive and open-minded managers. Use your 1:1s to put together a career path and personal goals and be open and honest with your manager - he or she is here to help! It's also a surround strategy. You want to make sure you know what the day in the life is for the role you're interested in, grab coffee. This helps build relationships but also reaffirms that this is something that you want to do!
As for the relocation question, I actually have a very good friend at Box who told her manager that she wanted to move to New York and she was able to work with not only her direct manager but also her director. I would say don't be afraid to bring up relocation if that's what you want. Management is going to care about it. They want you to stay at Box and they will be supportive and open that line of communication. Ask what you need in order to achieve that goal and then go for it!