Welcome to our ‘Meet the Team’ blog where we introduce you to some of the talented people across Adthena’s search intelligence business.
We’d like you to meet Niko Smith-Vicinaiz, our Junior Account Executive. Niko works within the Sales team in Austin and joined in July 2021. He has an extensive background working in tech sales for many different industries in cloud training, martech and education technology. We hope you get to learn a little bit more about Niko and his career journey here with us in this quick Q&A.
Serra: Congratulations on being promoted to Junior Account Executive. Tell us about your time working as a Business Development Representative (BDR) and the transition process to Account Executive (AE).
Niko: When I joined the company, I had a few years of experience under my belt so I adopted a leadership role by sharing ideas that had previously worked for me. I lent a hand in getting new colleagues up to speed and worked on projects with the wider organization team to streamline new initiatives.
As I transition into this new role of Junior Account Executive, there are definitely challenges, and I’m humbled by the reminder that I maybe don’t know as much as I thought.
“My goal is to not mold my career after someone else, but to understand how to be successful in my own right.”
Serra: How do you find the team culture in the Austin office?
Niko: In one word: inviting. It may seem cliche when people say that tech culture is “like a family” but I feel that I have a great personal relationship with everyone I work with. There is a level of accountability the team holds and by keeping lines of communication open, no one lets you fail.
When I first started at Adthena over a year ago, my infant daughter started experiencing some medical emergencies. I was brand new and I was worried that my absence at work would put my job in jeopardy. But the amount of support I received was incredible. I was told that I could take as much time off as I needed, we were offered food delivery credits, and my team helped make calls for me so I could still get traction across my accounts. Adthena understands that certain responsibilities take precedence over others.
Serra: What is the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Niko: “If you have something valuable to say, speak up.”
I’ve gotten variations of this advice from many leaders in my career. Often in social settings I would want to voice an opinion but would tend to keep it to myself. But because of this advice, I’m now confident in offering my opinion. You never know if your feedback could be what changes people’s thinking and encourages others to think outside of the box.
Serra: Do you have any advice for new Adthenians coming onboard?
Niko: Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Starting a new role can be a big task and it’s hard to try to understand everything at once. Everyone brings something unique to the table and the stress of trying to figure things out on your own can dim your light. Don’t struggle in silence. Ask questions, fail fast, and learn from your mistakes!
Serra: What are your passions/hobbies outside of work?
Niko: Genealogy and digging into my family tree.
It’s very important to not only know who you are, but who you come from. It’s humbling to know you come from a long line of people who made countless sacrifices to ensure their family and future generations lived a better life. It’s also great realizing that certain traits, hobbies, and interests are passed down from generations. It gives me a sense of pride and purpose knowing that I’ll do better because of my background.
Serra: As an Adthenian we live by four values. Which one resonates with you the most and why?
Niko: Smart and always improving. This core value exemplifies the hard work that the team puts in to make themselves and everyone around them better. There isn’t a magic bullet of success – sometimes a strategy works one month and not the next. Being able to learn from each other, understand what didn’t go to plan, and change your approach makes you a more rounded individual.
Adthenians do well at taking accountability for the good and the bad; we celebrate the wins and talk through the losses.
Want to join the team?
If you’re looking to take the next step in your career, we’d love to hear from you! Check out our current vacancies or reach out to josh.mizrahi@adthena.com.
