What do the career path and the day-in-the-life look like for a Team Lead and Enterprise Account Executive at Zoominfo?
We connected with Carolyn Murray to find out!
Interested in learning more about Zoominfo and their job openings? Make sure to check out their company page on VentureFizz!
Where did you grow up? What did your parents do for work?
I grew up in Vancouver, WA, a suburb outside of Portland which is now home to ZoomInfo. My mom retired this year after a successful career in Customer Service at our local utility company (30+ years with the same company, go Mom!). My dad is still hard at work as a VP of Wealth Management at an investment firm in Portland. Persuading him to retire is a full-time job.
Where did you go to college? What did you study and what were some of your initial jobs out of school?
I graduated from Gonzaga University with a degree in Business Administration and Spanish (Go Zags!). One year of that was spent abroad at Universitat Ramon Llull in Barcelona – not a lot of school was happening there – but I’d like to think that’s where I gained more of my “real life” experience and of course, my student loans.
After graduation, I spent 3 months riding a bike across the United States with my [now] husband before jumping into the job market.
Aside from a college degree, I had hardly any experience at the time: a job at a bakery, a sub shop, and a closed captioning gig. I spent over 6 months applying for roles I wasn’t qualified for and hitting dead end roads before discovering ZoomInfo (previously DiscoverOrg) who gave me a shot.
What has attributed to your success thus far and has helped propel you to the position you have now?
Surrounding myself with smart, supportive, and ambitious people. Having something to prove, always. Maintaining a healthy balance of hard work and play. I try my hardest to be the person that other people want to work with and can rely on – I want my peers to know that I’ll do a good job and have their backs; respect and loyalty are important to me in my work.
Can you share the high-level responsibilities of your current position as a Team Lead & Account Executive at Zoominfo?
I’m currently managing a small team of experienced sales reps while also carrying a quota. Main responsibilities are driving new business sales in the Enterprise category, call coaching and deal guidance, forecasting, and reporting for management.
Any comments for someone considering a career in your field?
You’ll be better for it – I promise!
Sales has a reputation for being unforgiving but believe me when I say – it’s truly not as scary as it looks; the reward far outweighs the effort.
Rejection is a natural part of the job but less frequent than you think. Good companies invest in great technology to support their sales team and it allows for more of “the fun part” (actually talking to interested customers) and less of the “not fun part” (getting shut down).
New Business Sales is an especially great place to start your sales career because – to quote How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days – “You can’t lose something you never had.”
Day in the Life
Coffee, tea, or nothing?
Drip in the morning, double espresso in the afternoon. Every once in a while, a Guava Matcha from Tea Bar in Portland - the best!
What time do you start working?
The second I roll out of bed... I’m working on it.
What are three things that motivate you in your role?
- The leaderboard
- My team’s happiness - I want them to genuinely enjoy their work and it pushes me to be a better mentor
- Financial freedom and R&R: let’s be real, I’d be traveling and drinking wine with my friends 24/7 if I had it my way. Exceeding expectations at work means more flexibility in my personal life and a level head (i.e. not panicking at end of quarter).
Every day is different, but can you outline what a typical day looks like for you?
3-4 New customer meetings for my own pipeline, 1-2 customer meetings that I join as a manager for my team, and the rest spent across pipeline management, admin work, internal meetings, coaching,etc..
What time do you typically wrap up the work day?
I try to take a hard stop around 5:30 - 6 and if need be, I’ll jump back online to wrap up final to-do’s around 10 pm.
Do you log back in at night or do you shut it down completely?
Speaking for most of my colleagues, we’re never truly checked out – that is one downside to sales – but I’m getting better at prioritizing what genuinely warrants a response after working hours vs. what can wait. That said, I’m a big believer that talking to customers in the off-hours or in a non-traditional setting (like a call while on the road) makes for a much more natural and fun conversation.
Any productivity hacks?
- Write it down. ON PAPER. Everyone likes crossing things off a list.
- Change scenery. Move your body. Listen to a podcast in the morning. Get your mind right!
- Pick up the phone instead of writing an email. The more you do it at work, the more you’ll find yourself doing it in your personal life. I’m horrible with texting but live on the phone!
What are the 3 apps that you can’t live without?
- Apple Podcasts: I literally live there. If I could, I’d be listening to psychology or health and wellness podcasts all day every day.
- ZoomInfo: I don’t think I’d have a job if I didn’t say that.
- Instagram: cooking reels, design inspo, dogs, my next vacation.
What professional accomplishments are you proudest of?
- Witnessing the success of my team as a manager
- Being a part of an unprecedented IPO
- Starting from zero experience to where I am today – all with one company
Who do you admire or call upon for professional advice?
My family. My sister, my parents, my husband – they remind me of the big picture and what I’m working toward.
