This is Growth!

When life throws us a punch, it hurts. There are no two ways about it. But it also presents us with an opportunity to get off the hamster wheel, pause, and reflect. It gives us space to explore interests, and relaunch with intentionality. Shane Stenson, Team Lead and Principal Customer Success Manager at HubSpot, shows us that a growth mindset is not just about climbing the career ladder, but a way to approach life. In this episode, we talk about the roadblocks and hiccups in our careers, and about landing on our feet. Shane shares stories about being part of a company that was acquired, feeling burned out and taking a career break, going for roles that didn’t feel right, failing interviews and the amazing feeling of knowing what your next step is. In his own words, “A lot of people think ‘I’ve worked so hard over the last 6 months to get into the particular role that I am in, I’ve grown so much’. But there is equally as much to be learned from scenarios where it didn’t work out in the way you would have hoped. It’s that old cliche, you learn more from the losses.” In midst of layoffs and uncertainty, this is a great episode to ground us. Music: Workday by Scott Dugdale

Forget the corporate ladder, let’s talk about entrepreneurship. Brian Mackey, Co-Founder of the technology agency Baskey, is living proof that you can pursue your ambition to work for yourself, even if you don’t have a safety net. In this episode, we explore how he went from busking in the streets of Dublin to support himself during college, to landing roles in Support and Customer Success and more recently, becoming his own boss. We get an insight into how business ideas come about and how to pursue an opportunity you are passionate about. In his own words, “Take risks that will help you grow, that will expose you to new things. You are going to make mistakes and learn from them. But make sure your risks are calculated, don’t rush into anything.” I feel like we only scratched the surface of this conversation with Brian. Grab your notebook and your pen, and let’s get inspired! Music: Workday by Scott Dugdale

It’s easier to excel when we do the things we are passionate about. For the final episode of the year, I interviewed Phil McHugh, Senior Director of Customer Success at Hubspot, a.k.a my boss. From the outside Phil’s career looks like a supersonic rocket, starting out as an Account Manager and going straight up to the moon. But through this chat, we are reminded that no success story is devoid of challenges. On the path from computer science drop-out to advertising and then technology, Phil reflects on the importance of knowing what you don’t want, how he discovered a passion for advertising, moving to the U.S., saying “yes” to a weird proposition and more. Phil is a storyteller, you won’t want this one to end. In his own words, “Never be afraid of saying yes to something. We need to make big and bold decisions to continue growing.” Tune in, buckle up and get ready for a journey! Music: Workday by Scott Dugdale

You are the CEO of your life. So why aren’t you managing your career as a business? Maggie Bomze, Senior Manager of Customer Success at Hubspot, started her professional journey by breaking the job-hunting mould and tweeting the CEO of an agency she admired and later convincing them to create a role for her. In this episode, we discuss how to best market and sell yourself, and talk through strategies to help you frame your career as a series of investments you make into your future self. In her own words, “At the end of the day, the competition with myself is all that matters. The game is always changing, the rules may or may not be fair, and situationally there might be other things going on. I march to the beat of my own drum, I care about what I am doing, what I can control. And I find that the results just follow.” Maggie is unlike any other guest. She is in a league of her own. Tune in and soak up her passion! Music: Workday by Scott Dugdale

You don’t have to choose between growing your career and your personal priorities. Seona Tully, Director of Sales at Hubspot talks about the importance of goal orientation, a growth mindset, and a coaching environment to build a successful career. In her own words “I was always a huge goal-setter. When I started I was very financially driven because I wanted to buy a house. So I lived by my spreadsheet with every dollar of commission I would make. That really helped motivate me.” She shares the story of how she fell in love with sales, talks candidly about her transition from an individual contributor into management, and sheds a light on what it looks like to be a highly effective leader and also a mum. Tune in, it’s a fantastic conversation! Music: Workday by Scott Dugdale

Breaking into management can seem like an impossible task. Finbar O’Grady climbed the Customer Success ladder all the way from Services Specialist to Principal Manager at Hubspot, and we got to learn how he did it! This episode is filled with sound advice and practical tips from one of the best in the business. If your goal is to grow into management or get inspired to bring your performance a notch up, this podcast is for you. In his own words,  “Watching someone in real time having an A-Ha moment is super satisfying and special. As my career developed, I knew I wanted to have more intimate relationships with the people I worked with, and that is what brought me to people management”. Excited to share this one with the world!

If you think a successful career is linear, think again.  This month’s guest, Kelsey Balimtas, has built an impressive career that spans PR, Customer Success, Employee Enablement and Customer Experience. But was it all strategically laid out? Absolutely not. It was a discovery journey. In her own words,  “Career journeys are not ladders they are lattices. You sorta have to move sideways, take small steps, and sometimes you need to take a step back. But ultimately, if everything you are doing is ins service of building more positive habits, more positive behaviours, you are growing”. Kelsey shares vulnerably about imposter syndrome, the difficulties of juggling an MBA and work at the same time, and the impact of remote work in her life.  Tune in, this one is an absolute must!

How does a Channel Consultant become a Product Manager? In this month’s episode of This is Growth, I had a conversation with Robbie McFarlane, an Associate Product Manager at Hubspot. Believe it or not, there was a time when Robbie didn’t even know what a Product Manager was. In this episode, we will chat through his journey from Channel Consultant, working with Hubspot's EMEA partners, to Program Manager, and now, Product Manager. Even if Product Management isn’t in the cards for you, I recommend you listen to this episode. Robbie is a modern-day philosopher and has some incredible tips on how to develop your skills and find your purpose. Music: Workday by Scott Dugdale

Ever looked at someone's career and wondered 'how did they get there?'. This podcast is here to shine a light on the unseen parts of career development. Guests will share their failures and lessons, the mindset that helped them succeed and how they think about work-life harmony when leading demanding careers. Music: Workday by Scott Dugdale