As the Global Channel Sales Manager at TechSmith, I get to work with an outstanding team to recruit, train and invigorate channel partners across the globe to sell TechSmith products. We get to travel and participate in channel partner events and trade shows to promote our screen capture and recording software that our partners can then sell to their customers. It is very fun and satisfying to discuss and demonstrate great products that have practical application in training, sales and marketing, demos and lecture capture, etc. and fit someplace at all customers. As we describe Snagit, Camtasia Studio, Camtasia Relay, Jing, Morae, you can see the light bulbs go off as our partners think of their customers and where these products solve everyday problems and increase productivity. It's especially satisfying to hear of cool examples of how academic customers in K12 schools, colleges and universities are utilizing TechSmith products.
Working in sales, whether you are selling to end user customers or partners, is exciting and never boring. It's especially nice to be able to sell products from TechSmith that are easy to explain, understand and use, and fit so many functional areas. Selling and recruiting channel partners can be challenging because they have the ability to sell most software and computer products available in the marketplace. So we have to creatively find ways to get their attention with TechSmith products, when vendors such as Microsoft, HP, IBM, Adobe, etc. usually have many, many more people trying to get them to sell their products. As we do our jobs on the Channel Sales team, we are creating an extended army of sales professionals across the globe selling the TechSmith products, contributing to the company growth.
I have been very lucky to have grown up in the state of Michigan, then lived in other areas of the country as my career advanced with IBM. As my wife and I enjoyed our time away from Michigan, we were always on the lookout for an opportunity to move back, and did so with IBM several years ago. We were drawn back to Michigan and the Lansing area in particular, because of the outstanding cost of living, excellent natural resources locally and within easy driving distance, and lots to do in a college town atmosphere. We also enjoy this area because it's centrally located in the state, with easy access to the Detroit, Grand Rapids, Chicago and 'Up North'. It has been a fantastic place to raise our 2 daughters who are currently students at GVSU and MSU.
In my previous jobs, I have mostly run sales teams from my home office in Haslett when not traveling. These jobs included selling PC products directly and through partners to corporate and academic customers, and for the last couple of years working directly for channel partner. I have always been a fan of the TechSmith products and people, so when this opportunity came up late in 2010, I competed for and was lucky enough to be chosen for this position. My commute has increased from 'just down the hall' to about 15 minutes, but it's really nice to be able to come to an office again and to interact with outstanding, energetic people. TechSmith really goes out of its way to make sure that the office experience is productive, collaborative, accommodating and fun!
| Job Title: |
Manager, Global Channel Sales |
| Company: |
TechSmith Corporation |
| College: |
University of Michigan, Bachelor of Science, Computer Engineering, Ann Arbor, MI
|
| High School: |
Swartz Creek High School, Swartz Creek, MI
|
| Lives In: |
Haslett |