Coffee with Sales Engineers From Business Development to Sales Engineering: Transformative Journeys and Diverse Insights from Devina Baker
Jul 14, 2024
Devina Baker, an experienced solutions consultant and sales engineering leader, shares her transformative journey from business development to solutions consulting. She emphasizes the significance of mentorship and the need for diversity in the field. Devina highlights how intellectual curiosity fuels her career, and describes the unique role of sales engineers in building trust across functions. She also explains the importance of early SE involvement in deals, showcasing a memorable experience where trust outweighed traditional demos.
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Career Pivot Into Solutions Consulting
- Devina pivoted from integration consulting and business development to become a solutions consultant during a regional reorganization.
- She seized the IC pre-sales role and expanded it beyond expectations to drive customer acquisition and change.
SEs Provide Cross-Functional Leverage
- Sales engineering interacts with almost every function: sales, customer success, product and marketing.
- That cross-functional vantage point lets SEs shape campaigns and drive end-to-end impact across the business.
Push For Formal SE Education
- Advocate for formal sales engineering education like MBA certifications to grow the talent pool.
- Partner universities and academies to create focused programs so new hires arrive with foundational skills.
