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The age of mobile enterprise collaboration. Are we there yet?
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Welcome to another edition of IntelePeer’s Tech Tuesday series. This week Marissa Jesse, Mid-Market Account Manager, fills us in on her introduction to the Tech Industry, her excitement about AI, and provides some great words of wisdom.
1. How did you end up in the Tech Industry?
I originally got my first taste of the Tech Industry right out of college when I was working as a Strategic Account Leader for Staples, a Fortune 500 company. We received industry-leading training that really helped me exceed in my future roles in tech sales. I dabbled in the managed print services and telecom world for a short period of time, and then I was introduced to IntelePeer by a friend from college.
2. What technology do you use the most – whether in your personal or professional life?
Fun fact: By 2025, 53% of customer interactions are expected to use AI combined with self-service and workflow automation to guide them to resolution (Nemertes Research). So, in terms of AI and machine learning capabilities, I am most looking forward to helping my customers transform their business interactions in the near future with more AI solutions.
I’m also excited to educate customers on how AI-powered communications can not only increase revenue, but also drive down operational costs while minimizing human error.
3. What was the most challenging aspect of your career, and how did you overcome it?
Learning to overcome my anxiety disorder when speaking publicly was a challenge. I continue to work on it every day in my sales pitches and meetings. I have learned to see it as a positive thing, though. The feeling you get from overcoming your own thoughts and succeeding in something you told yourself you would fail at is just priceless and continues to build my confidence.
4. Any advice for women who want to join the Tech Industry?
My best advice for women entering the Tech Industry is to not be afraid to ask questions, even if you think they may be dumb. Learning your voice is key, so speak up as much as you can and be firm with your approach.
Also, my secret to success is to go above and beyond what others are doing. It is all about what you’re doing when no one is watching – that’s what will help you excel in this industry. Learn your products, set up one-on-one meetings with senior leadership to pick their brains, and be hungry to learn more every day.
5. What advice would you give your younger self who is just starting in the workforce?
If I could go back to my younger self right after graduation, I would say, “Don’t be so hard on yourself,” and “It’s ok to fail.”
A lot of people in my generation have this dream of getting rich quickly and retiring young. But in the real world, that’s not reality or at least not mine. And Steve Jobs said it best, “If you really look closely, most overnight success took a long time.” So not being so hard on myself and viewing failure as growth instead of a negative thing is something I wish I would have known back then.
