Ante, Head of Sales Operations – Getsafe People
Ante is our new Head of Sales Operations, the first of his kind at Getsafe. His daily mantra: Get up, get moving, and have fun doing it
Hi Ante, nice speaking with you! You’ve probably been quite busy with many different topics since day 1 …
I much rather prefer a lot of stress over boredom at work. The latter happened to me quite a lot in the past, and it’s definitely not for me. It affects me physically as well – if I don’t have anything to do, I get restless.
As Head of Sales Operations, you lead a new team at Getsafe, you don’t even have a predecessor. How are you approaching your role?
The implementation of all the processes is a big priority. And we’re also focusing a lot on hiring and coaching the new starters. It’s definitely a new challenge for me with regards to the responsibility, because Sales Operations is split in two teams: Sales service and sales consulting. I originally come from the consulting side, so I’ve had to get my head into sales service from scratch. It’s been a lot of learning by doing and, of course, I get a lot of help. I’ve felt nothing but support since the first second – I know I can always ask questions without hesitation.
What do you like most about your job?
My role at Getsafe gives me a lot of space to be creative and shape the company. In the past, I would have told an idea to my bosses, and they would have implemented it or not. Now I get to do it myself – it’s all about the vision and the development of the team on a company level. What I generally like, though, is working with people – this has always been the case, with customers as well as with colleagues. Good vibes are the most important thing to me. I want to go to work happily, and I don’t have an issue with long days as long as we’re having fun. That’s my motto with hiring as well: Sympathy, and having the drive to step on the gas and grow. You can always get more knowhow, but intrinsic motivation is something you have to bring to the table from the start.
What motivated you to join the Getsafe team?
At Getsafe, the people are always front and centre. There’s a familial atmosphere. With the product, it’s all about the customers’ needs, and I advocate for our vision. In our day-to-day work, it’s all about the team. When I see the great work that’s being done, I’m content. Then it doesn’t matter how flexibly we handle our working hours or how differently we want to shape our work life balance. And on a side note: I’ve never experienced a learning curve as steep as this one.
How is Getsafe different from your earlier employers?
During my first visit to Getsafe headquarters in Heidelberg, I immediately noticed that everything is on the same floor. Meaning people see eye to eye – figuratively as well as literally. The teams work cross-functionally a lot, they communicate, and there is always mutual support. Since my first day, I’ve never felt like the “new guy” – which I think is crazy cool! You wouldn’t believe it. The corporate attitude of only looking at numbers, data, and facts is something I don’t identify with. I don’t see myself coming to work in a suit and working with these hierarchical structures in mind.
Which learnings have you taken from past superiors that you can apply now as Head of Sales Operations?
I want to be different from my bosses in the past. I want to lead my team with trust, fun, and my unconditional support. For example: I don’t like micromanaging, like when you look at every little detail and get hung up on it. Let’s assume someone is ten minutes late, and is then considered the latecomer for the next six months – I can’t have that. I want to give trust and thereby create opportunities for others to grow. Making mistakes, naturally, is part of that. Everyone makes mistakes, I do too. But that is the only way to mature. The same goes for discussions. I want to have conversations with my team about things that concern them, and look at things from different perspectives. I have to admit, this is something I expect from all teammates – thinking for yourself and communicating these thoughts. I can’t improve the negatives just as I can’t enforce the positives if I don’t know how things are perceived.
What’s something about sales that people are continuously surprised by?
The power that every single person in sales invests. A healthy amount of competition is always part of it. Envy has to stay away, though. It’s a cool intersection between the world of sales and the startup world, I think. There is a motivation to always do more and never lose your drive.
Why did you choose the insurance industry?
I’ve always wanted to work with people and do business. When I got started, it was a big plus that you could practically choose your own salary through one bonus system or another. Back then, I actually wanted to wear a suit to work (laughs). I’ve always been more practical than theoretical, and I’ve tried many different paths in the insurance sector, the classic side as well as the digital. I even worked at a car dealership for a while – a choice I made consciously, because I wanted to try working with another product. But in the end, I ended up in insurance again!
Last but not least: How would you explain the importance of insurance to a child?
Let’s do it with liability insurance. Imagine you accidentally break your friend’s Nintendo switch. Your friend wants you to give them 1000 lollipops, but you don’t have that many. You only get ten lollipops a month from your parents. But: You could voluntarily give two of those lollipops a month to an insurance company. Then, if you break your friend’s Nintendo switch, the insurance will give your friend the 1000 lollipops they want to have. However, I feel I must say children shouldn’t have to think about this stuff, yet (laughs).
Interested in joining Ante's team? Check out our career page:
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