Zach Thigpen
Zach Thigpen (Revenue Operations at Cobalt.io)
** Please note that when this interview was released, The Takeoff was called ExecU Weekly. We have since rebranded to The Takeoff. **
Welcome
Today's interview is with Zach Thigpen - Revenue Operations at Cobalt.io.
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Name: Zach Thigpen
Current role: Revenue Operations at Cobalt.io
Prior Organizations and Roles:
COO and Co-founder at Numericcal
Summer Venture Associate at Bee Partners
Director of Marketing at Pole Position Raceway
Business Development and Strategy Consultant at Orange Maker
Education (undergrad): Olin Business School, Washington University in St. Louis (BSBA: Economics and Strategy & Entrepreneurship)
Education (MBA): UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business (MBA)
Please discuss your current company, what it does, and your role within the organization
Cobalt.io is a pen testing as a service company. Penetration testing is a form of cybersecurity. Companies hire us to find vulnerabilities in their software and provide them a report of weaknesses and threats. As Revenue Operations, my job encompasses four main buckets: analysis, planning, systems, and processes. I spend a lot of time building reports on important SaaS metrics such as CAC/LTV and Cohort Analysis. I also support the organization by reviewing budgeting and planning and making projections based on passed data and future assumptions. I also am the admin for Salesforce (for the sales team) and Jira (for the Customer Success team), but help choose and integrate new software and new features of existing software. Finally, I work with the whole revenue engine (marketing, sales, and customer success) on their process flow, particularly focused on the handoffs between the departments with a concentration on alignment.
What has your educational/career path looked like so far?
I've always worked in the startup world and always will. I chose to go after less secure and sturdy career paths because working for a large company has never really been a consideration for me. Going to business school helped me build my network and see the bigger picture for how to start a company, not just build a department. Additionally, I spent time in Venture Capital to hone my ability to evaluate great startups and expand my network even further. There's a chance I'll end up back in that field as well.
Do you have any favorite hobbies or passions? How do you spend your free time?
Always important to have hobbies. No matter how busy things get, I spend time at the gym most days. I also love to cook, play and watch sports, play guitar, play darts, every once in a while play golf, and hang out with friends and family. I spend some of my free time learning new skills (SQL for instance) or working on side projects, but I've learned how important it is to step away from work so I mostly relax and enjoy my time outside of work.
If you had to give one piece of advice for college students, what would it be?
Don't over stress and only focus on work. If you're reading this newsletter you're probably already thoughtful about your career. Do some projects and internships that give you hard skills because the work you'll do after school is very different than academic work. However, have fun. College is a blast and you need to find that balance there as well.
Do any industries stick out to you in today's economic landscape? Are there any majors/career paths that you recommend today's college students to pursue?
Anything can be a good industry. Even so called "dying industries" are ripe for the introduction of new talent and new ideas. By going somewhere that really needs help and fresh ideas, you can make a big impact. In terms of career paths, be sure to hone your creative and critical thinking muscles. Those skills (along with flexibility) will be increasingly important as AI and software continue to automate repetitive and programable tasks. Build some hard skills as well, because those are how you get the first jobs, but you make it big and get promoted with critical thinking and execution.
Are there any valuable skills or lessons you know now that you wish you had known as an undergrad?
Hindsight is always 20/20, but I wish I did some more data analysis classes, though that skillset wasn't as in vogue in 2008-2012.
What made you interested in being one of ExecU Weekly's early interviewees?
I respect Michael's hustle! Always happy to help someone trying to make things happen.
Do you have any additional advice or insights you'd like to give?
We all suffer from imposter syndrome. However, you're more capable and qualified than you know. If you see a job that is asking for more work experience but you are interested in the company and role, apply anyways! You never know and once you get the job, if you work hard and focus on learning and absorbing info, you'll be fine in no time.
** PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR INTERVIEWS ARE EDITED FOR LENGTH, CONTENT, AND CLARITY**
Looking Ahead
Next week's interview: Judy Sindecuse - CEO/Managing Partner at Capital Innovators (one of the top startup accelerators in the country! Check out this Forbes piece: here)
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