Tom Baker on constant iteration in sales
As part of the Dropbox Sydney sales team, Tom draws inspiration from a culture of innovation.
Tom loves what he does, but wants to have an impact on more than just sales. At Dropbox Sydney, where he feels like the team is “a startup within a startup,” he’s able to help drive the future of the company in his own way.
What did you do before Dropbox?
I grew up in Perth on the West Coast of Australia, then moved east to Sydney about eight years ago. Before Dropbox I was working at Oracle, selling human capital and talent management software to the finance, telecommunications, and media verticals.
What team are you on and what do you do at Dropbox?
I’m an account executive on the outbound sales team. In this role I speak to organizations about the current challenges they have with storing, sharing, and accessing their information. It’s my job to educate them on how Dropbox for Business can help them overcome these challenges.
Why did you decide to join Dropbox?
I wanted to help build something meaningful from the ground up, and be passionate about what I was doing. With a small initial team in the Dropbox Sydney office, it really feels like a startup within a startup. I wanted to be involved in more than just sales, and have a big input in the future direction of the office. Dropbox gives me the opportunity to do all those things.
My last company had over one hundred thousand employees, so I wanted the experience of working in a more intimate, close-knit team. Throughout the interview process it was apparent that everyone at Dropbox genuinely cared about their peers and the organization’s success. That really appealed to me.
What’s it been like to be one of the first hires on the Sydney team?
I have always worked for larger organizations, with structured or rigid systems and processes in place. I felt that adapting to a smaller team would be a challenge — but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how willing everyone is to help out. My teammates are always taking time out of their busy schedules to help make me successful. Everyone’s opinion in the office matters, and is respected.
What’s it been like to be on such an international team?
I’d have to say I’m pleasantly surprised by the landing team’s embrace of everything Australian. From the coffee culture (piccolo lattes every afternoon at 2:45pm), the Australian rules football, to the surfing every weekend. Even the standard work attire is becoming more Australian every day!
What’s unique about being in sales at Dropbox?
The major difference between Dropbox and other places I’ve worked is that we have more fun. Our culture encourages innovation, and that extends to the way we engage with and sell to our customers. We’re always looking to improve on how we’re doing things, while making sure we’re enjoying it. Also, as a salesperson it’s so nice to walk into so many conversations where people are talking about how much they love our products and our brand.
What have been some of your favourite moments at Dropbox so far?
We had a customer / prospecting event in our Sydney office during my first week, and the vibe was amazing. The level of Dropbox knowledge among the attendees varied significantly. Some were in the early stages of large Dropbox for Business deployments, and others weren’t aware that we even had an enterprise product. Regardless, everyone was excited to be a part of our celebration and seemed genuinely excited about our plans for expansion in Australia. Everyone was having such a good time, that we found it really hard to get people to leave!
I also really enjoyed being in San Francisco for training. I made so many new friends while I was there, and was given such a warm welcome. The San Francisco Giants were also playing in the World Series at the time, so the atmosphere in and around the office was electric.
What are you looking forward to for yourself and for Dropbox?
I’m really looking forward to watching the team grow, and to building this incredible brand that’s creating so much buzz in the Australian market. I really want to help make our Australian sales team as successful as we can possibly be. On a more personal level, I’d love to close a deal with a large, iconic company.
What’s something that most people don’t know about you?
I’ve had one amateur boxing fight, and in March of next year I’m going to start training for my second one. Boxing is one of the biggest tests I’ve ever put myself through, both mentally and physically. After the first bout I said I’d never do it again, but now I’m really looking forward to pushing myself to my limits for a second time.
How would you describe Dropbox Sydney in three words?
Passionate. Everyone in the Sydney office lives and breathes Dropbox. We love evangelizing Dropbox, no matter the place or the time.
Innovative. We’re always looking to improve things — the product itself, our recruitment processes, the way we engage with customers, or our marketing message. Everyone has a voice.
Family. Everyone goes way beyond the call of duty in helping each other out, and we love seeing each other succeed. There is such a collaborative buzz in the office.
Dropbox is growing. We’d love for you to join us.
