We The Sales Engineers: A Resource For Sales Engineers, By Sales Engineers

As Sales Engineers, our job is complex, but it’s very hard to do if we don’t stay on top of our learning. Therefore a great skill that we need to develop is continuous learning. Or even more importantly the skill to set time aside to do continuous learning or to learn on the fly!    Today’s podcast is an interview with Max Van Burke, Director of pre-sales at Pluralsight for EMEA. EMEA stands for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. We will cover the topic of continuous learning, how Max tackles it, and what he expects his team to do as well.   And If you're not familiar with Pluralsight, it is a learning website that owns Cloud Guru that I’ve been using on my AWS journey! show notes: https://wethesalesengineers.com/show284

  Sales Engineering looks different in different companies. It looks different in the same company selling to different customers. And being able to service all different customer sizes is a skill that not many people have. Some organizations look for specific SEs with experience working with specific customers mainly since Sales Engineers method of working is very dependent on who they have worked with in the past.    And that is part of the discussion I have with Mohamed Barkhad today, a Customer Engineer at Google Cloud who has been a Sales Engineer for close to 10 years. We discuss how he shifted between roles and customers, how he shifted industries as well and how he learned to have tough conversations. Shownotes: https://wethesalesengineers.com/show283

Startup Founders act as Salespeople, sales engineers, product managers, and many other roles. There lies the problem because some who have no sales experience make many mistakes in the sales process, and those without presales experience make more mistakes in the presales process.   Show notes: https://wethesalesengineers.com/show282

One of the most important tasks that sales engineers need to do is practice their trade, and yet this is one of the most overlooked. Today, we discuss what it means to practice to be fully prepared, what we need to practice, and how we can go about it.   Show notes: https://wethesalesengineers.com/show281

Today we talk to Cathryn Prudence, an SE Manager from Calgary Canada. We discuss what Calgary is trying to do to become a tech hub, but most of our focus will be on hiring Sales Engineers from unorthodox backgrounds due to some limitations. Show notes at https://wethesalesengineers.com/show280

We all reach a plateau in life and in our careers. Some we recognize, others we don’t. Some we want to break through, and others we’re ok staying within. And this is the main topic of today with Chris White.   Chris is a friend of the show. He’s been on several times so far, and you can find links to his previous episodes below, but today is all about being in a rut, recognizing it, and then doing something about it. Chris shares the ruts that he’s been through in his career, how he overcame them, and how he thinks others can overcome their personal struggles.   show notes: https://wethesalesengineers.com/show279

Trevor Spires, an experienced Sales Engineer, characterizes the profession as full of highs and lows. In this episode, he discusses managing proof of concepts, sustaining momentum in product evaluations, and dealing with challenges. Trevor shares his lowest moments, emphasizing learning from failures, camaraderie within teams, and managing interactions with product managers. He highlights the unpredictable nature of outcomes, offering insights into maintaining resilience and knowledge. Tune in! https://wethesalesengineers.com/show278

Last week, I had the privilege of being a guest on Chris Bussing's podcast, and it was a huge success. Now, I'm excited to have Chris join my show as we discuss his journey in account management, including his experience at Google. During our conversation, we touch on valuable insights for salespeople, such as separating self-worth from performance, dealing with layoffs, and how sales can foster personal growth. We also explore the advantages and disadvantages of being an extrovert or introvert in sales, the importance of caring for others, and the impact of my father's influence on my career. Moreover, we share tips on becoming an SDR, the foundational role of coachability, and handling objections effectively. Tune in to learn more and discover some great book recommendations related to sales.   https://wethesalesengineers.com/show277

In this episode of the We the Sales Engineer Podcast, we explore how sales engineering can lead to a fulfilling life. I will be sharing my journey, tips for success, and insights into building a career in sales engineering. We will cover handling rejections, leveraging strengths, and the importance of human skills. Tune in to learn about the interview process, networking, and strategies for overcoming challenges. This episode emphasizes continuous learning, resilience, and finding purpose in one's professional journey. wethesalesengineers.com/show276

In this episode we have Jonathan Davis, a Senior Solutions Engineer at Snyk. Jonathan emphasizes the importance of independent learning in technology. He shares his journey from an unrelated field to sales engineering, highlighting the significance of soft skills, understanding competitors, and building customer relationships. The key to success as an SE lies in mastering valuable skills, focusing on business outcomes, and continuous deliberate practice. Becoming an expert on customers' problems is the key differentiator in sales engineering. https://wethesalesengineers.com/show275

In this episode, we have Brian Geery where we discuss the exciting benefits of mentorship, the importance of clear expectations, and how to gamify the onboarding process. We also touch on making meetings more engaging, the role of sales enablement teams, defining ideal candidate qualifications, and the value of proof of concept. Throughout the episode, we share valuable insights and practical tips to improve the onboarding experience. https://wethesalesengineers.com/show274

In this episode with Gleb Sinani, a Ukrainian developer who relocated to Poland following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, we gained insights into his experiences as a freelance Sales Engineer and the challenges he faced while moving to a foreign country. Gleb shared valuable wisdom applicable to Sales Engineers, emphasizing the importance of technical and communication skills. Gleb also mentioned the diminishing demand for Sales Engineers and his personal journey of learning programming and developing soft skills. His superpower lies in perceiving life's challenges as part of the ordinary and having the ability to skip and revisit complex topics to gain a better understanding.   https://wethesalesengineers.com/show273

In this episode we discussed how Sales Engineers can differentiate themselves, the potential impact of AI on their work, and the comparison between sales and presales. Tune in as we talk about the importance of effective communication, asking the right questions, building strong customer relationships, and staying informed about technology advancements, as well as the misconceptions about presales and sales roles. https://wethesalesengineers.com/show272

In this episode we address the lack of training and enablement for Sales Engineers (SEs) in many companies and also discuss the importance of sales and presales enablement, the role of a good manager in the process, and the common neglect of presales training. We will explore the challenges faced by newly hired Sales Engineers, the need for mentorship and coaching, and the benefits of continuous learning. https://wethesalesengineers.com/show271

In this episode, we have John Hodgson, the Owner and Director of Bright Dynamics, a staffing and recruiting company specializing in matching leaders with professionals in the presales field. John shares his insights in the hiring process from the perspective of hiring managers and sheds light on how they assess competencies and make hiring decisions.   https://wethesalesengineers.com/show270

In this episode of We the Sales Engineers Podcast, Donald Kelly, Founder and Chief Sales Evangelist of The Sales Evangelist, explains the significance of side hustles and shares insights on how anyone can start one successfully.   https://wethesalesengineers.com/show269

In this episode, join the conversation with Shivagni Dharne and Bryan Rios as they discuss various aspects of sales engineering in Japan. From the work culture to language requirements, interview processes, and the importance of soft skills, they delve into the unique challenges and opportunities in this field. Gain insights into the booming recruitment industry in Japan, the relationship between Sales Engineers and salespeople, and valuable advice on breaking into sales engineering. If you're interested in the Japanese work environment or considering a career in sales engineering, this episode is a must-listen. https://wethesalesengineers.com/show267

Should you always finish what you started? For example, after landing a sales engineering role, are you going to stick to it no matter what even if it no longer works for you? If these questions are bothering you, then this episode is for you. Our guest for today is Meri Martinez, a Project Manager and Regulatory Specialist at Innolitics. Before her current role, she was a sales engineer who realized, after just a few months, that it wasn’t for her. What did she do after realizing this? Also, how was her sales engineering role in the biomedical field different from typical sales engineering roles in tech? We answer these questions and more in our conversation. https://wethesalesengineers.com/show267

In this episode, Sales Engineer professionals looking to transition into sales will find valuable insights and practical advice from Doug C. Brown. Doug is a sales and business advisor, author, and CEO of Sales Strategies, and he will share his experiences and tips on becoming a successful salesperson. Whether you're an aspiring salesperson or seeking to enhance your sales skills, this episode offers actionable strategies to thrive in the sales industry. wethesalesengineer/show266

Josh Price is the Manager for Solutions Engineering at Trella Health, an IT services and consulting company based in Atlanta. In this episode, Josh joins the podcast to talk about transitioning from music to sales, the health IT industry, and the challenges of being an SE leader. https://wethesalesengineers.com/show265