My 0 to 1 Journey at Chargebee

2000*

That’s how many days I’ve been working at Chargebee and what a journey it has been!?

?From being one of the first SDRs in the company and learning the basics of the business, being part of the team to build the customer success function to leading a global team, it has been very easily THE MOST enriching and fulfilling experience in my professional life so far. One only gets lucky to be at the right place, at the right place with the right people doing the right things. Chargebee turned out to be that for me for all the right reasons.?

Growth opportunities - Check ?

Leaders and Mentors to look up to and guide you - Check ?

People who genuinely care about you and your work - Check ?

Empathetic, approachable, and employee-friendly leadership - Check ?

Chargebee was my first foray into the SaaS world and boy was I surprised (pleasantly!) about the awesomeness and the impact of the industry. I’ve had the good fortune to learn from folks who are best at what they do and through them learn not just about the company but also about the industry as a whole. I wouldn’t be here at this stage in my career without others sharing their knowledge and wisdom.?

There has been so much learning through my career at Chargebee that I can write a small book! But here are some of the top learnings that have shaped my trajectory from an SDR to Global head of account management at Chargebee:

• Prepare and keep learning about the industry and not just for the role that you are hired for. You work in a job if you restrict yourself by your current role while you build a thriving career by going beyond just your role.
• Bias for action >> Analysis paralysis in the hope of getting it perfect. At the same time only commit to things you can deliver. Hone a discipline and a reputation for only agreeing to do things you can do, then do it on time. Be accountable. Responsibility is a grace that only you can give yourself. Nobody can ‘give’ you responsibility.
• Leverage technology to organize your work. Don’t try to be an unrealistic superhuman! Your memory can only hold so much information. Find a system for keeping notes, ideas, etc easy to access and find and add to. A basic notes app on your phone goes a long way. Make tools and technology your best friend to give you an unfair advantage.
• Be very responsive. Don’t be the person who replies after 4 days without even acknowledging that you’ve received the message. Learn to know to manage your time. That’s the most valuable resource you have. Respect your time and give the same courtesy to others.
• Get a mentor. Both within the company and outside the company. Pay for it if needed. Then actively seek feedback. From your manager, skip-level manager, peer, and Executives! Don't get defensive when you get feedback. Assume some part of the feedback, however rude it might sound, has some lessons to learn.
• Learn to manage your emotions. You don’t need to have a thick skin to manage emotions. Dispute resolution is an amazing general-purpose skill, very similar to negotiation but much broader. Learn to write down your thoughts before you speak or act on them.
• Learn to manage upward and not just downward and sideways. Help your manager(s) manage you by managing yourself. Also, take on a bigger problem to solve, preferably a problem that your reporting leadership cares about. As you solve that larger problem your own problem of targets, attainment, commission, etc gets taken care of.
• Read a lot. I mean A LOT! Learning from your mistakes is smart but learning from other’s mistakes and experiences is smarter!
• Your growth is not in another person’s downfall. Be that person who grows and helps others grow with you. Build bridges and relationships across the organization and not just with the ones that you have a day-to-day relationship with.
• Be a problem identifier. But be a better problem solver. Nobody likes working with someone who just complains and does nothing or little about solving it. Be nimble and agile in your thinking and in spirit. Don’t get fixated on a particular way of thinking or doing things especially if data and relevance say otherwise.

Towards the next 2000 days!!