Meet Ryan Lerone, Director of Enterprise Sales

This month, we chatted with Ryan Lerone, Director of Enterprise Sales in our SF HQ. Ryan joined us over 2 years ago after working in SaaS sales for 15+ years at companies like Salesforce and DoubleDutch. Read on to learn more about Ryan's journey at Narvar!

What team are you on and what do you work on?

I’m on the enterprise sales team and my job is to establish partnerships with retailers that have never done business with Narvar in the past. My team is a group of experienced salespeople based across the Western US.

Why did you decide to join Narvar?

A friend of mine pointed out that he was constantly seeing Narvar pop up when he was shopping online and he suggested I check it out. When I did, I realized I knew a few different people from past companies who were current Narvar employees and they all had great things to say. Through my research and the interview process, I was really impressed with the list of marquee customers, team, and value proposition for retailers.And it’s been a really great journey for me. I’ve been able to grow from an individual contributor with a set of enterprise accounts to a role focused on some of our most strategic customers, to player/coach, and finally to my current position as a sales leader. I’ve learned a ton about retail and added to my knowledge about startups and how to be successful in a fast-changing environment like ours.

How would you describe the sales culture?

For enterprise sales, we’re unique in that nearly all of our employees are based remotely at-home offices, so it’s especially important that we’re in constant communication and support one another as we work toward our individual and team goals. We’re always sharing what’s working, what’s not, our personal connections, etc., using technology like Slack and video calls and also making the most of the time we do get together in-person.  One of the key ways we learn is from each other, so we also often sit in on each other’s calls or ride along to meetings.  Sales can be a high-pressure role, so we try to have some fun and take time off when we need it. We all have friends, families, and other priorities and interests outside of work, and there’s a lot of flexibility to help us maintain the right balance while still meeting the high standards we set for ourselves.

What are some of the interesting challenges you’re facing as you scale the business?

When I had a really small team, it was easy to spend lots of 1:1 time with everyone to strategize on territory planning, pipeline generation, deal strategy, etc. But as the team grows and that gets harder to do, I’ve had to think about how to ramp people up quickly, train them as a group, and encourage knowledge sharing across the team.

What’s your favorite thing about working here?

Can I pick two? My first answer is the people who work here. But I also love that we’re creating real value for our customers.

What brand are you most loyal to and why?

James Perse. They’ve got a great laid-back, California beach vibe going and their t-shirts are kind of my go-to. But at their price point, I try to wait for sales or find them at the outlets!

What’s your favorite company tradition?

"I’m sure it’s been said before, but I have to go with our Halloween celebration. It really shows the amazing creativity of our employees.

Go-to karaoke song?

“Energy” by Drake. Want to work with Ryan? We're looking for humble, collaborative, and innovative people to join our team. Check out our open sales roles here!