By: Sam Couzens, VP of Global Demand Generation at Smart Communications
Sam Couzens VP of Global Demand Generation, Smart Communications
The last few weeks have been a flurry of activity as I start my new role with Smart Communications. Many people have asked how I made the decision to join this dynamic organization so I thought I would share a bit about my journey! Making the decision to leave an organization is sometimes easy. In my case, in this instance, it was not. I had been with my former company for almost six years and worked with some great people. When I learned about this opportunity, I was intrigued. Smart Communications’ reputation in the industry is strong. They have earned accolades as an established CCM leader by numerous analyst firms and have a unique approach in the industry as a next-gen CCM provider. The newest addition of Smart IQ, the forms transformation solution had also created a positive buzz for them in the industry. Demand Generation is my passion, so I knew the role was a good fit. It was when I met the leadership team that everything clicked and I was convinced that this was an opportunity worth exploring. It was obvious that they know their stuff, and that they are super passionate, driven, and SMART (pardon the pun).
As I thought through this life-changing decision, I came across an insightful article that helped me think through some of the important factors when joining a company. The author suggested there are 4Ps to evaluate before joining a company. Being a marketer, this caught my attention. The 4Ps of Marketing are Product, Place, Price, and Promotion. This author had a different take on the Ps and it really resonated with me.
The first P mentioned was Product – does the organization deliver real value to markets and customers? Check! That was an easy one. The history of Smart Communications is built from the cloud up, giving their customers the ability to take advantage of what true multitenant SaaS can offer. And, what an important time it is for the industries they serve. There is an absolute need to be more customer-centric and more digital-first.
Moving on to the second P mentioned – Potential. Can I achieve wins for the company and myself? With the knowledge I had about Smart Communications, and reading about their recent successes in the trade publications, coupled with my passion for Demand Generation and the fact that the industries Smart Communications serves have never needed to scale their conversations more than they do now I was convinced there is great potential for myself and the organization.
The third P for this author is Purpose. Does the company have purpose? Based on my conversations with the leadership team, this felt like a strength. The Smart Communications culture is healthy—with a team spirit, a focus on customer success, and a dedication to keeping employees engaged while working remotely. Having purpose in a time of crisis, such as a global pandemic, is essential for any organization, and this company is thriving.
And the last P, the one that may be the most important to me is People. Is the team passionate, intelligent, and committed? To this, I could also answer 100 percent yes. I could feel the passion, excitement, and organizational pride with each and every person I spoke to and so, I was hooked.
Making the decision to leave an organization is sometimes hard and shouldn’t be taken lightly. But when you know you are moving on to a fantastic team, with a leading solution and committed leadership, it makes it that much easier.
