This blog is part of our ongoing ‘Why I joined ThoughtSpot’ series, where we profile Spotters from around the world to learn who they are and why they chose a career at ThoughtSpot.
Austin Banta is a Sales Engineer based out of Portland, Oregon He loves being active, supporting the local sports teams and enjoying all of the great food Portland has to offer. At ThoughtSpot, Austin supports the Sales organization for West as a Technical Sales Engineer.
Here’s what he has to say about #LifeAtThoughtSpot.
How did you hear about ThoughtSpot and what excited you about the team?
Prior to joining ThoughtSpot, I worked at another business intelligence company. I was well aware of other players in the space but it wasn’t until 2019, when ThoughtSpot was recognized as a Gartner Magic Quadrant leader, that I began to take a keen interest in the company. As I began researching more, I realized ThoughtSpot’s approach to data and analytics was very unique from other competitors. The product-market fit was really exciting for me, along with the fact that I’d have the opportunity to work with a terrific group of people.
How is working at ThoughtSpot different from your past roles or teams?
Being a younger company, every employee at ThoughtSpot has a huge opportunity to shape the trajectory of the organization. In my role, I love having a direct relationship with folks in every department and level. It’s amazing to be able to share an idea you have and receive feedback from product managers, leaders, and members of the marketing team. And seeing that feedback go into the actual product is incredibly rewarding. At ThoughtSpot, I feel valued and can clearly see how each employee plays a critical role in the overall success of the company.
Can you shed light on some of the exciting work the team does to help build a more fact-driven world?
Most of my time is spent directly with customers, where it’s all about solving real business problems. I work with a diverse set of customers, so I tackle everything from helping leaders get better access to supply chain data and improving their response to COVID-related shortages, to helping B2C companies make sense of billions of customer interactions.
How do you use ThoughtSpot in your day-to-day work?
In my role, I help organizations understand how ThoughtSpot will improve their lives. So on a day-to-day basis, I’m consistently hands-on with customers and their data. I also use ThoughtSpot internally to better understand my business, where I’m spending my time, tracking product usage, product management feature pipeline, and more.
What are some of the biggest learnings you’ve had at ThoughtSpot?
I learn something new every day! On a more macro level, the company has gone through a lot of change in the last two years, as has the rest of the world. Being a part of the many transitions and transformations has taught me a lot about navigating a dynamic business and being ready for change.
What advice do you have for new Spotters joining the team?
As we all have learned in the past 18 months, we can’t forecast everything that’s around the corner. Focus on getting the next step right and the ideal outcome will follow. James Clear summed it up really well: "You don't need to predict how everything will play out. Just master the next step and continue moving in the right direction."
Join our team and work with Austin! Check out the open opportunities on our careers page today.
