Q&A: Building Netacea’s Customer Success Team

Getting to know our new starters

Can you tell us a bit about your background before you came to netacea?

Dean: My most recent role involved looking after a large quantity of customers for a PLC company that had a broad catalog of products specializing in digital identity verification and SaaS solutions.

Charlotte: Prior to working at Netacea I worked for a Fintech startup in the customer success team.

What attracted you to pursue a career in tech?

Dean: From a young age I became a gamer and then I developed an interest in all the inner workings of a desktop computer! I live most of my life online and working in the digital space has opened a plethora of windows and opportunities that endlessly interest me.

Charlotte: The fast-paced environment interested me, and that every day is different. I am grateful for the opportunity to upskill and learn!

What interested you about the job and business initially, and was it strange to apply and interview remotely?

Dean: The cybersecurity industry is ever-changing; I knew I could satisfy my need to keep learning for a LONG time! Interviewing remotely was less daunting than interviewing in an office – sat in an unfamiliar building and unfamiliar faces adds to the interviewing pressure, so interviewing from a comfortable location was a much more positive experience for me. I got a great vibe in my interview process.

Charlotte: I saw a lot of value in the product and agree with the vision and values of the company. Remote interviewing was strange initially, but the team has been incredibly welcoming, and my line manager Lizzy has really perfected the onboarding process from setting up training through to introductions to all the departments.

What have been the highlights and challenges in your first few weeks here?

Dean: The highlight has been getting to speak to some of the customers, including big-name brands with fascinating use cases, about how we help solve their problems. They’re truly invested in our solutions, which is refreshing. The biggest challenge is the technical learning curve, but on the other hand another highlight is starting to understand more of what’s being discussed on the calls!

Charlotte: My last two customer success roles were in consumer and Fintech, so there are lots of new concepts to learn within cybersecurity! That’s been both a highlight and a challenge so far.

What are you looking forward to in your future at netacea?

Charlotte: I’m definitely looking forward to seeing the business grow as we are moving toward the most pivotal months and years ahead. I also can’t wait to make the trip up from London to Manchester and meet the team in person.

Dean: Personally, I can’t wait to be knowledgeable enough to be able to improve our customers’ use of our solutions (which is what I’m here for!). I’m also looking forward to meeting the team in person as I’ve been fully remote until now. I’m excited to see where my learning experience goes between now and the 12/24-month mark.

Are there any women in the tech industry who have inspired you?

Charlotte: Sarah Armstrong-Smith, the chief security advisor at Microsoft, inspires me. Also Anne-Marie Imafidon, who created the Stemette organization which encourage girls aged between 5 and 22 years old to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math by showing them how to ‘approach scientific challenges with confidence.’ Both are examples of women who lead by example.

I think in recent years the achievements of so many women within the field have been incredibly impactful, there is still a lot of work to be done to change such a male-dominated industry. However, through education and equal opportunity the tech industry is moving further towards this each day.

Enough about work – what do you like to do in your spare time?

Dean: I mentioned earlier that I’m a gamer so we can cross that off the list! I also love forests and being surrounded by wildlife or interacting with animals. I spend a lot of time in the gym, and I love to travel – I’m always chasing summer!

Charlotte: I love cooking and running.