Welcome to the "Dear Future CRO Podcast," powered by GrowthQ! In today's episode, we have the privilege of speaking with Garrett Claridge, the Regional Sales Leader of the West Coast for Cisco Webex, based in Seattle. Garrett shares his invaluable insights on understanding your business's impact on customers and bosses, the essence of curiosity, networking, and being open to change for ambitious leaders.

Garrett delves into his diverse career journey, from starting in sales with a small telecommunications provider to managing large accounts at Cisco during the financial crisis. He offers a behind-the-scenes look at transitioning from a specialist role to a leadership position, including the challenges and triumphs he encountered along the way.

We'll explore his experience as a global account manager at Amazon, the critical role of technical sales, and the collaboration between sales and product teams. Garrett also provides a candid perspective on the significance of building personal connections, establishing credibility, and driving change within teams.

Join us as we uncover how Garrett's leadership style turned his team around during the COVID-19 pandemic, leveraging remote work and cloud technologies to retain and acquire customers. 

This episode is packed with wisdom for aspiring leaders looking to make an impact in their careers. 

00:00 Curiosity led to graduate school and new opportunity.

03:47 Found amazing leaders, intentional about career path.

07:49 Navigating complex sales roles with multiple stakeholders.

10:53 Importance of technical sales at Amazon highlighted.

15:47 Garrett's diverse sales experience and leadership journey.

17:53 New leaders must establish credibility and captivate.

21:36 Overlays support and overlap across regions.

24:32 Build personal connections by understanding team members.

28:44 Building relationships, understanding goals, and adaptability.

30:28 Team effort during COVID led to success.

35:20 Teams cover west, deep tech expertise, cloud.

37:47 Effectively communicate business impact for future success.

41:12 Networking is essential for achieving goals.

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