Pre-Sales Pathways

Molly Elfers & Hannah Hawken: Should I do a coding bootcamp?

SEs have always come from all sorts of backgrounds, with a wide range in how technical they are. But something has shifted lately. AI-native companies in particular want SEs who don't just explain the technology but are comfortable deploying and customising it as well. If you came into pre-sales from a non-technical background, that shift raises an obvious question. Do you need to upskill technically? And if so, how do you go about it? A coding bootcamp is one answer. But it's a serious commitment of time and money, and the terrain around it has shifted a lot, especially now that AI can write most of the code for you. For this episode of Pre-Sales Pathways I brought together two people who've actually walked this path. Molly Elfers and Hannah Hawken both came from non-technical backgrounds, studied languages, went through coding bootcamps back in 2018, and now work as SEs selling into highly technical buyers. Their journeys have a lot in common, and a few telling differences. We get into: * why the real value of a bootcamp is the foundations it gives you, not the code itself, and what that means for how you'd learn the same things today * how to work out whether you'd actually enjoy the technical work, rather than just whether you're capable of it * what AI changes about all of this, now that it can write much of the code and the real skill is understanding what it's doing If you're weighing up whether to get more technical, this is a grounded look at what it takes, and the alternatives worth considering before you commit.

Brian Mazzaferri, Global Head of Solutions Consulting at Rippling

For a lot of SEs, management looks like the obvious next step. After all, it's what progression is meant to look like. But it isn't a rung on the same ladder. It's a different job, with almost the opposite rewards. As an SE, you're the one delivering the demo and getting the credit. As a leader, your job is to put your team in the spotlight instead. You stop solving problems and start balancing tensions, most of which don't have a clean answer. Plenty of people rush into it, myself included, without really knowing what they're signing up for. My latest guest on Pre-Sales Pathways knows exactly what that shift involves. Brian Mazzaferri went from senior manager to VP of Solutions Consulting at Rippling in a little over two years, and he's honest about what changes at each step. We get into: * why you should interview for a leadership role before you feel ready * how a leader's real job is managing the things that don't have a clean answer * why this career is a jungle gym, not a ladder, and moving back to IC is a great path too If you're weighing up whether management is your next move, this is your chance to hear what it's really like before you commit.

Max Lüpertz, Business Owner at Presales Rockstars

If you're an SE who's dreamed of running your own business, AI's made it easier than ever, and your role's already given you a head start. SEs are generalists who sit right at the intersection of product and sales, the two things every business actually runs on. And the barriers keep falling. AI can help you build a first product, or get the kind of legal and finance advice that used to mean an expensive phone call. In theory, it has never been easier to take the plunge. Yet in practice, very few people do. My latest guest on Pre-Sales Pathways is one of those who did. Max left a successful sales career to build his own business coaching SEs on how to demo better. We get into: * how he made the transition from pre-sales to sales to founder * why he spent years building a network before he had anything to sell * how AI is levelling the playing field without replacing the human factor pre-sales is built on If you're excited by the idea of using your pre-sales skills to build a business, this is your chance to hear from someone who's done exactly that.

Alex King, Lead Value Consultant at Webflow

One of the earliest pieces of advice you'll get as a Solutions Engineer is to focus on value, not on features. The Value Consulting role takes that to another level. These individuals think day-in-day-out about how to communicate and quantify the value of solutions, particularly to executives. In this episode, Alex King joins Chris Clark to discuss his role as Lead Value Consultant at Webflow. We cover: * How Alex got into pre-sales: Alex was working in Digital Marketing for a pharmaceuticals company when a friend from college recommended he apply for a Solutions Consultant role at Oracle. * What Alex's role involves: Alex's role combines high-touch engagements like business cases and executive narratives with work to enable the broader sales team on value-based selling. * What’s driven Alex's career success so far: Alex attributes his success to leaning into his natural strengths, consistently investing in genuine relationships, and maintaining a bias toward forward progress over perfectionism If you’re interested in not just in technology but the outcomes it's there to deliver, this episode is for you.

Will Savage, Field CTO at Omni

Field CTO is generally considered the top role for pre-sales ICs. But what it involves and how to get to it remain something of a mystery.  In this episode, Will Savage joins Chris Clark to discuss his role as Field CTO at Omni. We cover: * How Will got into pre-sales: Will was working in management consulting at Deloitte before taking on a pre-sales role at Looker, which was a Series A start-up at the time. * What Will’s role involves: Will’s work is organised around three primary pillars: acting as the voice of the customer for the engineering team, maintaining a strong market point of view, and enabling the go-to-market team, all while remaining adaptable to company needs. * What’s driven Will’s career success so far: Building a catalog of lessons learnt, trying to get by without his own products and demonstrating leadership (even when not a manager) have all contributed to Will’s success. If you’re interested in discussing your technology at the strategic level with technical executives, you won't want to miss Will’s story.