Getting To Know You: Mike Barbeau, VP of Growth

Tallwave
Tallwave
Jul 10, 2017 · 3 min read

How long have you worked at Tallwave?
I’ve been here since July of 2015. My offer letter came in June, but I really wanted to play as much golf as possible before I started.

What is your favorite part of your current role?
I think it’s having a singular purview over all things revenue related to the company, which requires finding clients whose revenue we can grow as an agency. It comes with a fair amount of responsibility (see: hair loss), but if done right a whole lot of people can create success for the company by finding great partners to work with, and grow with, together.

What is one goal you’d like to achieve this year?
I’d like to add five new clients that would fit in our current “Top 5” (effectively creating a “Top 10”) and also partner with a half dozen up-and-coming clients where we can look back in a couple years and say, “We helped them do that.”

What is one thing you are most proud of since you’ve been at Tallwave?
Ironically it’s on a piece of business that we didn’t win. We took an approach to learn everything we could about their business while pitching for an extremely tactical RFP. The fact that we lost that piece of business didn’t matter because we realized how creative we can be as a team.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
There’s always going to be an easy way out. And there’s always going to be a hard way that’s right. Always do the latter.

What is the strangest job you’ve ever had?
Take your pick…I was on the back of a garbage truck collecting recycling barrels in my own hometown. I was a professional mover. I worked as a cashier (4011 — scale — item code). I worked as a cold caller for Native American Bookstores on reservations. And I was a referee/umpire.

What are three words you’d use to describe yourself?
Passionate. Willing. DadJoker.

What is your favorite part of the AZ tech scene?
That it’s growing and people are trying to nurture that growth.

Family? Pets?
A beautiful wife, son (5) and daughter (2) with two cats who used to be our kids, but are now wondering why they aren’t as popular as the 3- and 4-foot louder versions of their owner who used to shower them with treats and food.

What’s something most people wouldn’t know about you?
Most people don’t know that I can’t stand mayonnaise or that I could pretty much eat the same lunch every day and be happy. Actually, everyone probably knows how much I hate mayo because I really hate mayo. Like if I ran into it in a dark parking lot, I’d fight it. Ugh. Mayo.


This was originally posted at Tallwave.com on July 6, 2017.

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