It sounds obvious - but putting yourself in an environment where you can actually learn from the people around you is maybe the most critical part of adjusting your career trajectory.
I recently came across a random post on LinkedIn about how companies scale revenue teams effectively, and it got me thinking about the incredible learning opportunities I've had this year at Encamp.
"Most startups don't have an AE problem - they have an onboarding problem. A bad ramp won't just slow down a rep, it can fundamentally impact your ability to scale effectively."
I love when I find something like this that actually matches my mental model of the problems you face every day when scaling up a revenue organization in a startup. It matches the challenge on the engineering and product side as well. Encamp is in a niche space - and the average prospective employee is not going to know much about our ICP or target personas (the environmental program champion inside an enterprise). Its our job as leaders to build an efficient way to put our customer's shoes on.
Learning from Luke
Like almost all startups, we started with founder-led sales at Encamp. However, watching Luke work has been like getting a masterclass in authentic selling. He doesn't just pitch our product - he genuinely understands our customers' pain points and builds real relationships. There's something powerful about a founder who can articulate not just what we do, but why we exist. His approach to discovery calls and his ability to connect our mission to real business outcomes has taught me how much storytelling matters in B2B sales.
Learning from Jenny Vance
Our new CRO Jenny Vance has brought a level of professionalism to our revenue organization that I've never seen before. The frameworks she's implementing around forecasting accuracy, the discipline she's bringing to our sales process, and her systematic approach to pipeline management - it's been eye-opening. She's taking what Luke built and scaling it in ways that maintain the authenticity while adding the rigor we need to grow.
The guitar friend effect
This reminds me of a time in college when I made friends with someone down the hall who was studying guitar at university. That year became my fastest musical growth period in my entire life. Being around someone who was deeply committed to their craft, watching their practice routine, hearing their thought process - it was like drinking from the firehose.
That's exactly what working with Luke and Jenny feels like. I'm surrounded by people who approach revenue with intentionality, creativity, and expertise that I can absorb just by being present and asking good questions.
Still learning
What keeps me grounded is knowing I still have so much to learn. Every customer conversation reveals gaps in my understanding. Every forecast review shows me new ways to think about our business. Every strategic discussion opens up possibilities I hadn't considered.
I'm grateful to be in a position where I can learn from people who excel at their craft. And I'm humbled by how much there is still to discover about building and scaling a revenue organization.