The 2x Women in Tech Podcast with Chelsea Behrens

Greer Gorman, VP of Sales at Corcentric

It’s no surprise that Greer Gorman, featured guest on this episode of The 2x WIT Podcast, hits homeruns in sales. She’s a dynamo. This conversation highlights Greer’s role as Vice President of Sales at Corcentric, a company that enhances cash flow quickly through a combination of software, advisory services and payment processes. She shares her story – from an initial resistance to the idea of taking a job in sales (“which was very scary to me”) to the “aha” realization that, at its core, the work is about making meaningful connections with customers and together achieving impactful business goals.

The bedrock of self-confidence and her gift for communication that have fueled Greer’s highly successful career are immediately evident. But she digs deeper to explain the nature of a consultative sale and the satisfaction in bringing transformational tech solutions that optimize business functions. The first ingredient is curiosity. Greer enjoys eliciting information about customer challenges and going on a journey to find exactly the right tools and applications to support short- and long-term results.

In addition to on-the-job satisfaction and engagement, tech sales has sustained two of Greer’s central goals: Providing a great quality of life for her daughter and at the same time serving as a real-time example of how hard work pays off and that women can do anything!

For anyone who has shied away from tech sales, this episode takes you step-by-step through defining the types of technology you would like to sell to taking that sales job from concept to reality. Greer emphasizes the importance not only of tapping your network for information, but also putting the word out far and wide. Women make great tech salespeople, she says, but the first step is self-confidence: “Believe in yourself. Trust yourself. And be bold!” says Greer. You’ll come away from this chat with a great understanding of what it means to pursue tech sales – and why it could be the right fit for you!

Key Takeaways:

• Greer explains what it means to manage the manufacturing sales vertical in North America – and what defines the segmenting of industries/verticals generally.

• About Corcentric’s business focus: Financial processes, including accounts payable and receivable. Their solutions include:

  • Technology

  • Payments

  • Advisory services

• The lure of sales was at first pretty basic: The paycheck! But Greer also liked the fact that you can control your own hours and potentially make a lot of money. 

• At its heart sales is about the relationship – helping customers understand and resolve business problems. It’s a sort of journey!

• Can you ask questions, be curious and listen? If you can do that, you can excel at the profession of sales. And No. 1? Be confident. Trust your instincts!

• Greer traces the factors that have contributed to her self-confidence, including studying, gathering information and mindshare from her network. 

• Investing in yourself is about more than personal development. It’s in fact a competitive differentiator!

• Tech wasn’t necessarily a natural fit for Greer, until she understood the value proposition she could bring to customers looking to optimize business operations.

• Once she zeroed in on tech as a sector she wanted to work in, Greer came up with a list of the types of applications that felt relevant for her and the kind of culture in which she wanted to work. Then she put the word out to her network!

• Greer points out two areas in which tech differs from other sectors:

  • Culturally, she finds it moves fast and changes constantly.

  • It’s easy to start engaging conversations because efficiency is always front-and-center for businesses and tech offers tools to improve their outcomes.

  • The role is ongoing as processes evolve and different needs emerge.

• About the central role Greer’s daughter has played in her career, in two major ways:

  • Financial: Because she wanted to provide the best she could in terms of education and opportunities, sales appealed for its financial upsides. Her daughter’s well-being is a constant motivator to keep going and closing deals!

  • Role Modeling: Greer’s daughter is seeing first-hand an example in her mom that, with hard work, anything is possible. It’s delivering a powerful message.

• Turning the sacrifice of time into a teachable moment: Greer loves the flexibility of sales, but when travel is non-negotiable she uses it as an opportunity to communicate openly with her daughter about both why the absence is unavoidable and how to maximize the time they do spend together.

• When it comes to putting phones down, Greer says, “Just do it!” At 6pm, that’s it until after her daughter goes to bed. Stashing phones out of sight is half the battle!

• Greer is clear about what career advancement means to her – and it’s not climbing the executive ranks. She has instead focused on evolving the sophistication of the products she oversees and the size of accounts she manages.

• Top Tip: Know who you are! Design your career based on your own unique set of interests, aptitudes and ambitions.

• Ready to explore a career in tech sales? Here’s your first step: Reach out to your network – family, friends, LinkedIn connections, former colleagues, neighbors. Do your homework and put the word out! You’ll be amazed by how many people step up to help.

• Parting Thought: Be bold. Be brave. The first skill is trusting yourself. That willingness to step out of your comfort zone will take you far!

Episode Resources

• Greer Gorman on LinkedIn

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