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Informational Interview Insights on SaaS Sales

The document is an informational interview template completed by student Rosario Rosone, detailing an interview with Alex Lehman, a Manager of Talent Acquisition at Kaseya. It provides insights into Kaseya's operations, the role of a Business Development Representative (BDR), and key takeaways related to sales concepts learned in class. The student reflects on their preparation, the interview experience, and personal learnings about pursuing a career in tech sales.

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rrosone01
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
13 views4 pages

Informational Interview Insights on SaaS Sales

The document is an informational interview template completed by student Rosario Rosone, detailing an interview with Alex Lehman, a Manager of Talent Acquisition at Kaseya. It provides insights into Kaseya's operations, the role of a Business Development Representative (BDR), and key takeaways related to sales concepts learned in class. The student reflects on their preparation, the interview experience, and personal learnings about pursuing a career in tech sales.

Uploaded by

rrosone01
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

MAR 4415 Advanced Professional Selling

Informational Interview Template

Student Name: Rosario Rosone Panther ID: 6353388

Interview #1

Name, Email, Phone Number


of Sales Professional You Alex Lehman | [Link]@[Link] | (505) 259-1153
Interviewed
Date, Time & Meeting
September 2nd, 2025 | 2pm | Zoom
Location
Job Title of Sales Professional
Manager, Talent Acquisition
(B2B or B2C)

Name of Company Kaseya


Kaseya is a global software company founded in 2000 that provides IT
management, cybersecurity, automation, and compliance solutions for
managed service providers (MSPs) and mid-sized businesses. The company is
Brief Overview of Company headquartered in Miami, Florida, and operates internationally with over
(Years in Business, Founder, 40,000 customers. Kaseya has grown rapidly through acquisitions of well-
Public/Private, Location, etc.) known brands such as Datto, IT Glue, and ConnectBooster. As a private
Minimum of 50 words company backed by major investors, Kaseya focuses heavily on aggressive
sales growth, scalable SaaS expansion, and world-class onboarding programs.
Their products help businesses protect data, manage devices, and automate
IT operations.
Industry Software / SaaS / Cybersecurity / IT Management

Provide details and discuss the answers to the questions below.

Step 1. Approach
Why did you select this individual?

I selected Alex because he plays a crucial role in hiring and developing talent for Kaseya’s inside sales and BDR
teams. I was interested in his perspective because Kaseya is known for its fast-paced sales culture, and Alex
directly evaluates the qualities that determine whether someone succeeds or fails in tech sales.

How did you connect with the individual? Please explain the process you went through.

I connected with Alex through LinkedIn. After following Kaseya’s recruiting updates, I noticed he regularly posted
open roles and hiring insights. I sent a short, personalized connection request explaining that I was an FIU student
exploring sales career paths. Once he accepted, I briefly introduced myself and asked if he would be willing to
meet for an informational interview for my class assignment.

How long did it take you to connect with this person? What challenges did you face and how did you overcome
them?

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MAR 4415 Advanced Professional Selling
Informational Interview Template
The entire process took about one week. The main challenge was grabbing his attention because recruiters receive
dozens of messages daily. To overcome this, I wrote a concise but meaningful message that explained who I was,
why I was reaching out, and what I hoped to learn. I followed up once respectfully, which helped secure the
meeting.

Step 2. Preparation
What process did you follow to prepare for the meeting?

I researched Kaseya’s history, recent acquisitions, and sales structure. I reviewed the company website and
watched a recruitment video on their BDR program. I also prepared a short introduction and drafted strategic
questions that showed I was serious about understanding tech sales.

How long did it take you to prepare for this meeting?

Approximately two hours

What was the objective of your meeting?

My goal was to understand what Kaseya looks for in entry-level SaaS sales talent, what the BDR role entails, and
what career growth looks like within the company.

What questions did you prepare?

1. What separates top performers from average performers in SaaS sales?

2. What does the day-to-day look like for a new BDR?

3. What KPIs matter most?

4. What mistakes do new hires commonly make?

5. How does Kaseya structure onboarding and development?

Step 3. The Meeting


What was the overall format?

The meeting was a conversational Zoom call lasting around 30 minutes.

Where did you meet? For how long?

Zoom

Other people involved? Dress code used?

I wore a collared shirt to maintain professionalism.

How did you introduce yourself?

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MAR 4415 Advanced Professional Selling
Informational Interview Template
I introduced myself as an FIU business student with an interest in tech sales and explained briefly why I admired
Kaseya’s growth and Miami headquarters. I also thanked him for taking the time to meet with me.

Step 4. Summary of Findings


Outline the core responsibilities of the position. Highlight the day-to-day activities of the position. Specify how
the position affects the Company.

Alex explained that the typical entry-level sales role at Kaseya, BDR or Inside Sales, is focused on prospecting, cold
calling, lead qualification, researching accounts, and booking meetings for account executives. Daily tasks include
hitting call and email targets, updating Salesforce, attending team meetings, and learning product knowledge.
These roles directly fuel the sales pipeline and are essential to the company’s aggressive growth model.

Summarize the discussions relating to career progression and advancement at this company.

Kaseya has a structured career ladder. High-performing reps can move from BDR to Account Manager or Inside
Sales Rep within 9–12 months. From there, they can advance to Sr. Inside Sales, Field Sales, or Enterprise-level
roles. The company promotes quickly, but only for individuals who consistently hit KPIs, demonstrate discipline,
and show strong communication skills.

Discuss five (5) things you learned during your interview that relate to any of the concepts you have learned in
this class so far. Be sure to reference the sales concept (include module and page).

1. Module 4 – Lead Generation & Prospecting

Alex explained that BDRs spend most of their time prospecting, which directly aligns with Module 4’s emphasis on
building and sustaining a pipeline. He stressed the importance of consistency and volume.

2. Module 3 – Professional & Effective Communication

He emphasized tone, clarity, and confidence during cold calls. This ties into Module 3, which highlights
communication as the foundation of trust and credibility.

3. Module 6 – Discovery & SPIN Questioning

Alex said that even BDRs must ask thoughtful discovery questions before passing a lead to an AE. This connects to
Module 6, where we learned that effective questioning uncovers true business problems.

4. Module 5 – Planning the Sales Call

He mentioned that new reps often fail because they "wing it" instead of planning. Module 5 teaches the
importance of pre-call preparation, researching accounts, and setting objectives.

5. Module 8 – Handling Resistance & Objections

Alex explained that BDRs face constant rejection and must learn objection-handling techniques early on. This
reflects Module 8, which teaches how to respond to concerns, clarify value, and move toward a close.

What were the three most surprising things you learned about sales

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MAR 4415 Advanced Professional Selling
Informational Interview Template
1. Many new hires quit within 90 days because they underestimate the rejection.

2. Companies care more about coachability than experience.

3. The fastest promotions are given to those who ask for feedback constantly.

What were the three least surprising things you learned about sales

1. Cold calling is still essential in tech sales.

2. KPIs determine everything, compensation, coaching, and promotions.

3. High energy and communication skills matter more than technical product knowledge.

Step 5. Reflection
Discuss two (2) things you could have done differently to prepare or during the meeting?

1. I could have researched Kaseya’s products more deeply to ask more specific SaaS-related questions.

2. I could have slowed down during my introduction, so I sounded more confident at the beginning of the
meeting.

What did you learn about yourself?

I learned that I’m more prepared for tech sales than I realized. I communicate clearly, stay composed, and
naturally build rapport. I also learned that I enjoy the fast-paced energy of SaaS sales and feel confident pursuing it
as a career path.

Step 6. Follow-Up & Thank You

Page 4

Common questions

Powered by AI

Effective communication is foundational for a BDR at Kaseya due to the necessity of conveying tone, clarity, and confidence during cold calls, which fosters trust and credibility. This aligns with the company's emphasis on strong professional communication skills as a crucial element in sales interactions and effective lead generation .

Top performers in SaaS sales at Kaseya are differentiated by their consistency in hitting key performance indicators (KPIs), strong communication skills, ability to handle resistance and objections, and their willingness to continuously seek feedback for improvement. Moreover, coachability and the ability to quickly move through Kaseya's structured career ladder by demonstrating discipline are also critical factors .

KPIs directly influence career progression for BDRs at Kaseya as these metrics determine compensation, the scope for coaching, and promotion opportunities. Hitting KPIs is critical to advancing from a BDR to higher roles such as Account Manager or Sr. Inside Sales. Emphasizing performance metrics ensures that advancements align with proven successful sales outcomes .

The use of thoughtful discovery questions by BDRs at Kaseya aligns with their sales objectives by uncovering clients' true business needs and ensuring the leads passed to Account Executives are of high quality. This strategic questioning approach supports pipeline accuracy and aligns sales efforts with client-specific solutions, thus contributing to successful sales outcomes .

Kaseya structures its onboarding and development programs to include understanding company products, hitting specific call and email targets, attending team meetings, and learning product knowledge. This structured approach is pivotal for new hires' success because it prepares them for the challenges of sales roles, ensuring they are adequately equipped to meet KPIs and contribute effectively to the company's growth .

Integrating professional sales concepts in Kaseya’s context highlights the importance of systematic lead generation, effective communication, pre-call planning, and objection handling. These concepts are crucial in managing the sales pipeline effectively, building customer trust, and achieving sales targets. Emphasizing these areas equips sales professionals to better navigate the challenges and demands of their roles in a competitive SaaS environment .

The BDR role at Kaseya is integral to the company's growth strategy as it focuses on prospecting, cold calling, lead qualification, account research, and booking meetings for account executives. These activities are crucial for fueling the sales pipeline, which supports the company’s aggressive growth model by continually generating new business opportunities and facilitating expansion into new markets .

Resilience against rejection is a cultural necessity in Kaseya’s sales environment due to the high volume of cold calls and the competitive nature of tech sales. This resilience is integral to maintaining employee morale and long-term performance, as well as reducing turnover rates among new hires who may initially underestimate the level of rejection faced in sales roles .

Common mistakes among new sales hires at Kaseya include a lack of preparedness for calls — "winging it" instead of following structured call planning — and underestimating the frequency of rejection. To mitigate these, training on the importance of pre-call preparation and comprehensive objection-handling techniques can be emphasized early in the onboarding process .

Coachability is more valued at Kaseya because it indicates a willingness to learn and adapt within their fast-paced, dynamic sales environment. This focus on coachability over experience affects hiring by placing greater emphasis on candidates' potential growth and adaptability, thus ensuring they can scale with the company's aggressive growth strategies and quickly align with core sales processes .

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