“Without my team, I have nothing. Without my clients, I have nothing. And a product is nothing without its people, right? So, my biggest secret for success is being empathetic.” Introducing Katia Guzman, Publisher Account Director, SMB, US & LATAM based in NYC, who sat down with CEO Chantel George of Sistas in Sales to chat about the significance of collaboration, applying a culturally diverse mindset to her team, and how her background in hospitality led her to discover excitement in a client-focused career in sales.
Introduction and Career Trajectory
The conversation kicks off by diving into Katia’s diverse career journey, spanning from hospitality management to sports business and now to a prominent role as a publisher account director at Taboola. Katia attributes her success to transferable skills, adaptability, and a focus on people, even stating, “Taboola is my first official sales job, and it’s been a learning curve.” She adds, “The only constant is change, whether you like it or not, so you may as well embrace it with open arms!” Katia’s transitional career journey assures listeners that it is possible to take your past experiences and interests and apply them to something new.
Transferable Skills and Adaptability
Reflecting on her journey, Katia emphasizes the importance of transferable skills acquired from various industries. Her background in hospitality management taught her attention to detail, empathy, and the ability to understand both client and service provider perspectives. “I learned how to stand for hours behind a front desk, sometimes taking night shifts and rolling up my sleeves to carry boxes. This taught me to look at both sides, including the client and being the one behind the desk. It taught me how my actions can make someone’s day, so I learned it’s my choice on how to make that impact.” Transitioning to the sports business, she learned about ambition and the importance of equal opportunity. She notes adaptability is key in navigating different industries and roles and embracing change with humility.
The Power of Empathy and Service
Empathy and a service-oriented mindset are central to Katia’s approach. She emphasizes the significance of understanding and catering to internal and external clients, recognizing that success hinges on relationships and how people feel. Despite encountering challenges, such as sometimes working with difficult clients, she advocates for maintaining positivity and empathy, acknowledging that everyone has their struggles.
Client-Centric Approach
Transitioning to discussing her role at Taboola, Katia shares insights into her strategies for business transformation. She emphasizes the importance of treating every client with equal attention and respect, regardless of size.
“My motto is no client is a small client. Everyone deserves the same attention and the same respect. We’re dealing with people’s businesses. We’re dealing with their job. We’re dealing with their success and their income. So, we should treat that as the most important thing.”
Structured segmentation and meticulous tracking of client interactions also enable her team to meet and exceed quotas consistently. Shifting from a reactive to a proactive approach has been instrumental in changing the narrative within the industry.
Expanding Responsibilities and Embracing Growth
For Katia, leadership entails supporting team members’ development and ensuring their well-being, happiness, and exposure. With her recent expansion into managing the Latin American business, Katia enthusiastically embraces additional responsibilities and shares, “I want my team to know that what they have to say matters. Their knowledge and contributions are valuable.”
Drawing from her Mexican roots, she relishes the opportunity to take on another book of business and work closely with that team to foster business growth. Katia shares the importance of creating exposure for her team locally and globally so they learn how others work, demonstrate to leadership how talented they are, and pay attention to them. With offices across the globe, Katia notes, “All teams have something to share. All clients are different, and if what they are doing is great in one region, we could potentially apply here.”
Fostering Team Growth
Throughout the conversation, Katia’s passion for team building and focus on developing her people is evident. She shares a heartwarming story of mentoring a junior team member who eventually rose to become a senior account manager and describes the person as someone “who just got it.” Like Katia, they were originally from a different country and perhaps struggled a bit with a language barrier. However, through structured guidance, collaborative problem-solving, and spending dedicated time working through communication approaches for clients, the individual flourished, showcasing the power of effective leadership and mentorship.
Embracing Collaboration
In the ever-evolving landscape of sales and business, Katia underscores the importance of collaboration and innovation. Exposure to diverse teams and regions facilitates knowledge sharing and sparks innovation. By leveraging insights from the account management team, she highlights the symbiotic relationship between different departments and the transformative potential of collaborative efforts. ”We as account managers know the clients, what works best and what doesn’t. We have intel on the industry because of our clients, so when our sales team sells to a new client, we often collaborate.”
Closing Thoughts
As the conversation closes, Katia reflects on the importance of empathy, collaboration, and continuous learning in sales. She encourages listeners to embrace change, prioritize relationships, and never underestimate empathy’s value in driving success. Listen here for the full video interview, and stay connected with @Taboola and @Sistas in Sales on social media.
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