Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Matthew Schlenker, and I’m from Phoenix, Arizona. I am a Sales Executive for Upscope.
Why sales?
Simply put, I just really love talking to people and getting to know and hearing about them. When you’re selling a product that you believe in, you feel good about yourself and your conversations because you’re giving them something they want and at the same time making their lives easier. My first few jobs in college were always in retail, so I was working with people directly and talking to them about products. I had a blast working in those stores and having that experience. I kind of just kept rolling with that to see where it would take me. I ended up getting my real estate license in Arizona and working with a residential real estate team for about a year.
I eventually decided to move out of Arizona since I lived there my whole life. I applied for Upscope and then 2 weeks later I was packing up my room and driving to Miami. I loved the idea of Upscope still having that smaller, startup, entrepreneurial feel to it coming out of real estate and I just had the feeling that they cared about the employees and that it would be a very fun place to work (I was right).
What has your experience working here been like so far?
Oh my gosh, it has been quite exciting. At the end of the day, we know where we want to get to and kinks we still want to iron out, but there has always been some level of experimentation. This makes the day to day fun because it is never the same things over and over again. We’re speaking to a lot of people, trying out different techniques, and always learning as we go.
What are the challenges and differences between reaching out to potential clients cold vs warm?
Cold is tricky sometimes because not a lot of people actually know what cobrowsing is, and how beneficial it can actually be for their teams; so a lot of it is trying our best to get that message across to them. Once that is done and they realize how useful cobrowsing is, it is smooth sailing. Warm is different of course because they looked into us, probably know a little bit about it, and wanna see what we’re about. So we get in touch, show them the product, make sure we are in fact a good fit for their team, and go from there.
What motivates you in your work?
Easy to stay motivated when you’re working with such a close knit team that all have the same goal in mind. The idea of commission always helps too ;)
How has Miami been treating you so far? Is it much different from back home in Arizona?
Absolutely love it in Miami. Very different, I definitely need to learn some Spanish, but the food is stellar, I love the weather, and can never complain about being close to the ocean and the beach. Wasn’t expecting such a big culture change, but that is honestly one of the cooler parts about this move. Also working in Brickell has got the city feel to it, so that has been different as well. The rain… first hurricane season in Florida, Phoenix doesn’t have it like this over there.
Talking about Phoenix… We’re heard some rumours about a family ranch?
Yes, the folks back home do have an alpaca ranch. They’ve got 4 alpacas, 2 donkeys, like 20 or so chickens, a couple desert tortoises, and of course a dog and a cat. It’s very fun over there. Sometimes javelinas, bobcats, owls and such will always come through the backyard. They have a great view of the mountains which goes perfect with those classic AZ sunsets. It is a very cool place to have lived at for a bit.
Lastly, are you excited to come visit our London HQ in August?
Can. Not. Wait! I have never been before, so it is going to be super fun to meet everyone else on the team, do some super corny touristy stuff, maybe try some beans and toast - I don’t know. I am super amped to experience it over there!
