Navan Career Growth & Development

Tell us about your sales journey thus far.

I joined Navan in early 2018 as an SDR. Flash forward six-plus years and I now lead our enterprise expense team, so there certainly is a lot to cover! 

When I first joined Navan, we were a travel management company with the idea of our expense product being a far-off dream. After making my way from SDR to account executive, or AE, to senior AE with the help of many amazing sales leaders, VPs and our CRO, we launched the Navan expense product. Because the Navan expense team was brand new — and was essentially a group of hand-picked AEs and leaders by our CRO — the amount of access and support available was overwhelming. It was during my time as an AE on the Navan expense team that I was exposed to the best leaders and sellers in my career.

As the team continued to grow, both in terms of reps and moving upmarket, I had the opportunity to continue honing my skills and mature along with it, which ultimately landed me in my role today. From a leadership perspective, our CRO is a teacher at heart. He wants to build, grow and scale a top-tier team, which is why we have such a dominant sales organization and team here at Navan today.

What is the sales culture like at Navan?

The culture here reminds me of a top-performing sports team: the best talent, hungry reps, healthy competition and people who live to put in the work. Our belief, as is the belief of many other sales leaders, is that pipeline generation should never stop — regardless of the role. With that, we’ve built an operating cadence that helps AEs continuously manage growing their pipeline while still executing on their mid- to late-stage deals. Going back to the comparison of a sports team, the culture is centered around collaboration, learning, mentoring, working together, bouncing ideas off one another, etc. Our leadership team is hyper-focused on consistent sales training and strategies that allow all sales reps to continuously grow.
 

What advice do you have for sales professionals that want to join your team?

Be fearless! You will learn so much here that will slingshot your career in directions you likely aren’t even thinking about. Be ready to work hard and have a lot of fun while doing it. If you’re looking to be stretched, challenged and celebrated, this is the team for you!

Describe your career journey so far. What skills and experiences have you acquired along the way that have helped you get to where you are now?

My career journey has been super dynamic. I began in the hospitality sector, where I spent four years managing a hotel and leading a team of 30 people. “Resilience” is the first word that comes to mind; the hospitality industry demands hard work, long hours and strong emotional intelligence. This experience taught me how to adapt swiftly to all kinds of situations and maintain perspective under pressure.

When transitioning into tech leadership, I brought those lessons with me. The main principle remains: always treat people how you would want to be treated. It is crucial to lead by example, set transparent expectations for your team and yourself and commit to continuous learning.

What support did you receive from individuals or resources that helped you step into a leadership role?

Stepping into leadership in tech was a significant — and initially uncomfortable — move. My first manager, Jeremy Schneeweiss, played a truly crucial role, providing the right guidance and honest feedback. He helped me recognize my own potential and fully supported me in taking the lead.

In addition, having colleagues who championed my growth and encouraged me to take smart risks gave me the foundational confidence needed to lead with authenticity and resilience.

How do you encourage other women on your team to become leaders themselves? Are there any stories you can share that showcase how you’ve done this?

I would give this advice to men and women: If leadership is a path you want to take, surround yourself with people who are already leaders in their roles. Project yourself in that role and take ownership of tasks as you would in that role.

Work hard, work harder than everybody else, set the bar high and take every opportunity you can — constantly challenge yourself. That’s how you learn. You may or not be the only woman in the room, but that’s okay. Focus on what you bring to the table.

“When we interview for SDRs, we’re interviewing for future public company leaders,” said Michael. “We always look internally first. It makes sense to promote people who already know our culture, our products, and our customers.”

While earning potential was a motivating factor in his decision, it really came down to the capacity for professional development for Kelley. “More than anything else, it was important for me to believe that I’d get lots of great coaching and mentorship to help limit my risk as a career changer,” he says about choosing Navan. “I got all of that and more here — everyone was eager to support.”

At Navan, we believe deeply in meritocracy. We’re as invested in our team members as they are in us — which means we all grow together. 

To illustrate our commitment, we want to share five examples of salespeople who joined Navan, worked hard, and made leaps forward in their careers. These individuals have achieved four or more promotions due to their admirable work ethic in selling a product that eclipses anything else available in its category, as well as a supportive company culture that positions experienced sales leaders as mentors and provides abundant resources for new employees.

Here are their stories.

“Navan’s culture rewards curiosity and hard work,” said Marton. “Even when I was the least-tenured person on the Navan Expense team, I closed the most revenue and was promoted quickly. It’s a good lesson in slowing down and taking time to be curious. I don’t think every company rewards that choice. Our leaders and more experienced salespeople are willing to help their teammates.”