“Without my team, I have nothing. Without my customers, I have nothing. And a product is nothing without its people, right? So my biggest secret to success is being empathetic.” Introducing Katia Guzman, Director of Publisher Accounts, SMB, US & Latin America based in New York, who met with the CEO Chantel George from Sistas in Sales to chat about the importance of collaboration, applying a culturally diverse mindset to her team and how her background in hospitality led her to discover excitement in a sales career focused on customer
Introduction and career path
The conversation begins by delving into Katia’s diverse career path, which spans from hospitality management to sports business and now to a prominent role as 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 might as well embrace it!” Katia’s career transition 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 gained from various industries. His background in hotel management taught him attention to detail, empathy and the ability to understand both the customer and service provider perspectives. “I learned to stand behind a desk for hours, sometimes doing night shifts and rolling up my sleeves to carry boxes. This taught me to look at both sides, including the customer and being behind the desk. I it taught me how my actions can make someone’s day, so I learned that it was my choice to make that impact.” In transitioning to the sports business, he learned about ambition and the importance of equal opportunity. He notes that adaptability is key to 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. Emphasizes the importance of understanding and serving internal and external customers, recognizing that success depends on relationships and how people feel. Despite encountering challenges, such as working with sometimes difficult clients, she advocates maintaining positivity and empathy, recognizing that everyone has their struggles.
Customer-centric approach
Transitioning into talking about her role at Taboola, Katia shares insights into her strategies for business transformation. It emphasizes the importance of treating every customer with the same care and respect, regardless of size.
“My motto is that no client is a small client. Everyone deserves the same attention and respect. We are dealing with people’s business. We are dealing with your work. We are dealing with your success and your income. So we should treat this as the most important thing.”
Structured segmentation and close tracking of customer interactions also enables your team to consistently meet and exceed quotas. The shift from a reactive to a proactive approach has been instrumental in changing the narrative within the industry.
Expand responsibilities and embrace growth
For Katia, leadership involves supporting the development of team members and ensuring their well-being, happiness and exposure. With her recent expansion into managing the Latin American business, Katia eagerly accepts additional responsibilities and shares, “I want my team to know that what they have to say matters. Their insights and contributions are valuable.”
Drawing on his Mexican roots, he relishes the opportunity to take on another book of business and work closely with this team to foster business growth. Katia shares the importance of creating visibility for her team locally and globally so that they learn how others work, demonstrate to leadership the talent they have and pay attention to them. With offices around the world, Katia notes, “Every team has something to share. Every customer is different, and if what they’re doing is great in one region, we could apply for it here.”
Fostering team growth
Throughout the conversation, Katia’s passion for team building and focus on developing her people is evident. He shares a heartwarming story about mentoring a junior team member who eventually became a senior account manager, describing the person as someone who “just made 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 dedicated time working with communication approaches for clients, the individual flourished, showing the power of leadership and mentorship effective
Embracing collaboration
In the constantly evolving landscape of sales and business, Katia emphasizes the importance of collaboration and innovation. Exposure to various teams and regions facilitates the exchange of knowledge and sparks innovation. Leveraging the insights of the account management team, it 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 industry insights from our customers, so when our sales team sells to a new customer, we often collaborate.”
Closing thoughts
As the conversation closes, Katia reflects on the importance of empathy, collaboration and continuous learning in sales. He encourages listeners to embrace change, prioritize relationships, and never underestimate the value of empathy in driving success. Listen to the full video interview here and stay connected with @Taboola and @Sistas a Sales on social media.
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