Could you please tell us about your background and your current role?
My current role at Tread is the Director of Sales. At present, I am focusing on growing our team of hungry, humble and smart people while growing partnerships with new and existing clients. I have worked on all aspects of Tread’s growth and sales team through the last two-plus years… from “start-up” to “scale-up” mode. Prior to Tread, I spent four years in construction technology and a year working at a general contracting company. My professional background falls into spheres of technology, construction, sales and entrepreneurship.
It has been a joy to build a business and team alongside amazing people inside the business, the construction ecosystem we serve and investors who align with our vision and mission.
What do you like most about your job?
The people and the problems. The people at Tread are team players (humble, hungry and smart). Our clients and partners are hardworking and care about the people they serve. Working with and for these types of individuals energizes and motivates me. It is a great feeling to address problems that when solved, will have a positive impact on a business’s ability to grow. As an organization Tread has been structured so that when our client’s business grows, so does ours.
How do you like to spend time outside of work?
I spend as much time as possible with family and friends. Entertaining company for a day of activities and a meal (laughing the whole time) is a great way to spend a Saturday or Sunday. When possible, I try to participate or organize philanthropic and community initiatives within our Tread team and industry. These experiences have enriched my relationships and allowed me to give back to the communities that have supported opportunities in my life.
As a Director of Sales, what’s an average workday like for you?
I strive for consistency. That said, invariably the day of the week and time of the quarter/year does direct my focus differently. The focus at the beginning or end of a quarter is supporting team needs that allow us to better serve our clients. These needs fit into a prospective or existing client’s “Tread journey.” Executing the next steps and communicating value is key to our team’s days. Ex. Completing thorough and thoughtful client discoveries during phone calls and in-person (more recently remote!) meetings.
A rewarding day involves our team collaborating with our customer success and product teams, and hearing a client has hit the success criteria and business objectives they set out to achieve when they went with Tread. Oh yes – and every day we have fun, develop and encourage one another!
How do you approach new markets or clients? designing new features or products?
Every time our team identifies new geographies, verticals or partners we would like to grow with, we do our research. A driving force behind our research is answering “What does success look like for the partner?!” and supporting people and teams who navigate how to move forward within their own organization. Often we achieve this by sharing knowledge of a market or into a problem set, and advise on the best approaches.
What’s your favourite Tread feature and why?
I love technology that is designed around increasing trust and creating better win-win situations. This approach is used throughout our product. The way that our team designed dispatch and order acceptance (from contractor to material supplier to a subcontractor to the operator) facilitates trust-building conversations between people and companies.
From your perspective, how does Tread solve our customers’ challenges?
Our customers have complex problems that can be further complicated by the trepidation that technology will not be adopted within their organization or external ecosystem. Technology (code/design) solves problems on a daily basis, specifically when designed with the user as the focus. That said, there have been countless times where our team has heard customer challenges that extend beyond the technology. Our team’s ability to empathize and provide paths forward to help address issues tied to people and relationships is a huge strength. As an organization Tread has made empathizing with and proposing “win-win” solutions for challenges beyond the technology a priority.
Can you name a few changes you’d expect to happen in the construction industry in the future?
There are two fundamental shifts that are set to take place this decade.
- There will be a gap/shortage in skilled trades
- There will be rapid advancements in prefabrication and the material supply chain that supports construction today
These two environmental shifts at the same time will itself create unique challenges (and opportunities) managing the transition to a more streamlined construction process. Models for project management and execution have been relatively predictable for 50+ years. We will need to navigate creating new standards and systems in ⅕ the time – all while needing to continue executing through the transition.
Is there a problem & solution that you’d love to work on in the future in the construction industry?
Something I appreciate and love about construction is that so many of North America’s most successful construction companies started as small and medium-sized businesses. These businesses have put a premium on community and local partnerships.
A risk (and potential problem) I see is that the contractors, material suppliers and subcontractors of today, who got their start as a small and medium-sized business may become the exception (not the norm).
l am optimistic that construction innovation will support accessible entry into the ecosystems for hard-working and quality operators who put a premium on community and local partnerships. I look forward to supporting people, solutions and movements within the industry that prioritize this.
If you’d like to learn more about how Tread can make your business more profitable, reach out to us to book your free demo!
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