Meet Delphine D’Agostino, a Sales Manager at HubSpot Paris. Prior to joining HubSpot, Delphine worked in marketing at IBM before making the move into a career in sales there. Most recently Delphine led the Customer Success team at TripAdvisor before joining HubSpot in July 2020. In this Q&A, Delphine shares what she looks for in a candidate, what it’s like being a sales manager at HubSpot, and her experience starting a new job remotely. Here’s what she had to say...

Can you tell us a little bit about your background and journey to HubSpot?

I started my career in sales as an Account Executive in IBM in Ireland back in 2012, then moved into a team lead role, before getting promoted to Sales Manager in 2017. After a sabbatical where I explored South East Asia, I moved to Barcelona to join TripAdvisor, and there I managed a Customer Success team that supported six different European countries. In July 2020, I was thrilled to get the opportunity to join the HubSpot Paris team to manage the Growth Specialist team. I hope to bring both my experience in sales and customer success together to support my team and help them succeed. 

Can you talk us through what a typical day looks like for you?

Though I only recently joined HubSpot, I’d say I split my day into two parts. The first part of each day is dedicated to my team. I meet each of my reps individually or in our team meetings, where I get to know them better, offer support, and assist with their deals. As a manager, I’m very passionate about creating a psychologically safe environment for everyone and developing a sense of belonging within the team. The second part of my day is focused on my own learning and development, through collaboration with my colleagues, and extending my network within HubSpot.

What attracted you to a career at HubSpot?

First, I was attracted to HubSpot's culture and values, which resonated with me. Second, I believe that the sales process is incredible. We work hand in hand with our customers to identify and address their goals and challenges, creating a really strong partnership. 

As a Sales Manager, you interview sales talent often. What do you look for in a candidate?

At HubSpot, the recruitment process is very well structured. As a manager, I’m looking for candidates who are motivated, know the company well, and share our HEART values. (Humble, Empathetic, Adaptable, Remarkable, Transparent.) I believe a strong sales candidate demonstrates transparency and adaptability, while also providing examples of autonomy, accountability and coachability from their previous experiences. Lastly, to succeed in sales you need to be results-driven and productive, so I screen for those qualities too.

What advice would you give somebody looking to start a career in tech sales?

The tech environment changes so quickly, and with that our customers’ objectives and challenges are evolving too. If you’re looking to get into a career in tech sales, I believe you need to be naturally curious. My advice would be to read blogs, listen to podcasts, pay attention to market trends, and create a network that you can capitalize on.

How do you keep learning and growing as a manager?

As a manager, it’s important to find the right balance between collaboration and self-paced learning. I strongly believe in collaboration, and I learn from my team, my peers and management every day. But that alone is not enough, it’s important to take ownership of your learning process, and that process should be continuous.

What makes a career in sales at HubSpot unique?

I’m relatively new to HubSpot, but I feel what’s unique at HubSpot is the opportunity for everyone to control their destiny, discuss career progression openly and develop their careers. Growth opportunities here are fully transparent. We define KPIs for every sales rep which automatically leads to a promotion when those KPIs are reached. Everything is very well structured and transparent, and it’s based on achievements rather than how long you’ve stayed in a role.

You recently underwent HubSpot’s sales new hire training remotely. What was that experience like?

The remote onboarding process at HubSpot is well organized and very interesting. I was pretty amazed by the quality of the content, the balance between e-learning and live learning sessions, and the dynamism of the facilitators. It gives a very positive impression in your first days as a new hire. Starting a new role remotely, I believe it’s important to take ownership and dig deeper with colleagues and other new hires to avoid feeling lost or overwhelmed at times. And most importantly, take a deep breath, step back and ask questions when you’re new. Your colleagues are always happy to help if you ask. 

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?

Throughout my career I’ve often been told to “be yourself”! In your career you need to adapt and be able to compromise, but most managers are looking to see who you really are as a candidate, and you should let your personality shine through. I recently asked this question to some of the other EMEA Sales Managers and they shared some really good advice which is worth sharing. These included: ‘Have fun in your role’, ‘understand first, then share your knowledge’, and ‘Do your best. You cannot always reach perfection, but as long as you work hard and give your best, everything will be fine.’

If you weren’t in sales, what would you be doing? 

Traveling the world. I had the chance to travel in South East Asia and New Zealand during my sabbatical in my previous company, and I loved it. There is so much more to discover. Travel is an incredible experience that will transform you. 

Our Sales team in France is growing. Learn more about a career in sales at HubSpot, and the career  opportunities in HubSpot Paris on our website.