This is Part 7 of a weekly series on my growth and development at a software startup in Austin Texas. Click here to view the full series or start at Level 1.

This week I started to really feel the speed picking up in my role.

More responsibility, more tasks, more in over my head.

Level Seven Stats

Weapons gained:

  • Experience + 8: I took my first calls by myself this week. Up until now, I’ve always had someone who knows our platform better on my calls that way if a customer asks something I don’t know I can turn to them for answers. This week was the start of taking these on by myself.
  • Connections + 4: Compared to last week, this week was definitely a less exciting front on the new connections side. However, I still met probably 10 people between a new Bible study and Ultimate Frisbee.
  • Ability + 4: I think one of the largest abilities I’m gaining is the ability to balance a lot of tasks. I’m currently working on three separate sales cadences, I’ve got a video project I’m working on (on top of the already weekly support videos I’m creating), I’ve got a new project to collect utilization numbers on our biggest customers, I’ve been dealing with some upset customers from their billing increasing, etc.
  • Knowledge + 2: Outside of work I feel like I did well in applying myself to learning interesting things, for instance, I had an hour-long call with a professional copywriter who coached me through how to dive into that world. Inside work though I didn’t seek to gain much knowledge. Something I’m going to need to do very soon as we are looking into some exciting new automation.
  • Discipline + 4: My routine is solid! I’ve got mornings down to a science and my days have stayed busy enough to the point that my evenings I have things to do after work every night. Discipline at work is still improving but is getting better as I have more tasks.
  • Organization + 2: Going to throw a 2 in here simply because of what I mentioned with all the tasks. I’m balancing a lot while still following up with customers. It’s seriously testing and improving my organizational skills
  • Strength – 4: Really starting to dive in here as well. Ran once this week, did an inside workout, played Ultimate. I’m ready to get in shape, so I’m planning to get this number raised soon!

Kills: First customer calls by myself!

Got my first cadence of over 150 contacts down to less than 10.

Deaths: Got buried right on Friday night with some tasks that are going to be a struggle while keeping up with my other tasks.

Outside the Game

I finally got back out to play Ultimate Frisbee this Friday and it. Felt. Amazing! So good to get out and play.

Today I got to go hike the Greenbelt with some friends and that was a blast.

I need to start buying some veggies.

Final Takeaways

I’ve been able to keep my schedule full with 3-6 customer meetings a day which has had its good parts and bad parts. It’s great for me to be talking with and understanding our customer but it also takes a lot of time and it’s been hard for me to focus in between meetings. As I get more comfortable with customer accounts though I have no doubt I will start being able to go into each meeting with less prep-time and focus more on the other tasks I have at hand.

One thing I’ve struggled with in my role currently is that I’m dealing with current customers, not potential customers. If I were an SDR, there’s really not a ton of risk if you don’t get a meeting or someone hangs the phone up on you.

If I’m dealing with a customer, I have to make absolutely sure that I do what I say and listen as hard as I can. These aren’t people who are potential revenue, these are current revenue, so if you make a bad enough mistake you could actually be losing the company revenue.