AN INTERVIEW WITH
Rebecca Brotons
Inside Sales Specialist, joined NCR in 2021
AN INTERVIEW WITH
Rebecca Brotons
Business Development Representative, joined NCR in 2021
Could you begin with a brief overview of your background, career journey and what brought you to NCR?
I grew up in a very small town in New Jersey, USA. I could’ve never predicted I would end up at the University of Georgia (UGA), but after visiting Athens, GA, I fell in love with every aspect of it. I graduated in 2021 with a degree in Management, emphasis in Human Resources/Analytics and a minor in Biology, but my journey with NCR started before that.
After meeting NCR at the UGA career fair, I was overjoyed to receive an invite to their global headquarters (GHQ) for the next round of interviews. This trip allowed me to see what my day-to-day life had the potential to be — it was invigorating!
I started my role as a Banking Sales Intern in June of 2020. That year was full of uncertainty about the future, but the people I got to work with made me look forward to each day. At widely known, successful companies, I think there’s a preconceived notion for new employees that you’ll never interact with those above you. I could not have been more wrong about NCR. I got to work one on one with my manager on a regular basis, and he connected me with people he worked with and those above him.
I truly enjoyed working with everyone, but there is one person that diminished every stereotypical opinion I had about corporate businesses. I was assigned to Scott Vukcevic for my intern project, and I assumed I’d get the assignment, ask questions as they came up and that would be the extent of this mentor/mentee relationship. Scott made time for me every week to not only answer my questions, but to also teach me something new every call. He made me realize that although there is a lot of emphasis on hierarchy in the corporate world, we’re all just people. Instead of being afraid to talk to those above me, I was excited and wanted to absorb everything they were willing to teach me.
The sales interns do a competition called Sales Tank, based on the popular Shark Tank television series. In the competition, you get 10 minutes to pitch your project to sales executives. Not only did we get visibility to these judges that had achieved success in the industry, but our direct managers, mentors and even directors were so invested in helping prepare us to put our best foot forward. I was lucky enough to win this competition and receive a part-time offer to continue working at NCR.
I worked part time in Global Sales Operations because I wanted to understand everything that went into sales on the back end. I felt that this would be the best way to prepare me for a customer facing role. I worked part time for the entirety of my senior year at UGA. It was a virtual school year, so I did not miss out on any major part of my college experience. I started full time in July 2021 on the Global Sales Operations team. At that time, I had already been working with the team for about a year, so I felt I was ready to start looking into a customer facing role.
Scott has remained a mentor to me throughout my entire journey at NCR. I reached out to him for advice, and after connecting with a few people, I found an opportunity to join the Business Development Team working under Allison Constantino. I started in January of this year, and I could not be happier. It is exactly the role I envisioned for the next step in my career and is the perfect position between inside sales and account executives.
What do you love most about your role?
What I love most about my role right now are the relationships I get to build with prospective customers. I enjoy the other people on my team and the executives I work under.
There's just so much visibility, different personalities and ways of selling.
"I, as a BDR, act as a brand ambassador for NCR, so I'm essentially growing a presence in the Fintech space, whether that be from cultivating existing relationships with our customers or forging new relationships with prospects."
Since we are very much the frontline of NCR, we're talking to those prospects daily. I think the most challenging part is most people aren’t going to answer a phone call from a number they don’t recognize. However, some people are more than willing to answer an email or hop on phone call. So there are good days and bad days, but both sides teach you a lot. Overall, I get to work under a manager that I see as a role model and incredibly inspiring person, and I love the people I get to work with and the exposure I get in my role.
How do you describe the culture of NCR?
I’ve been fortunate enough to work with a wide variety of people in my different roles. I would say that NCR has a unique culture because they encourage exposure to those above you. There’s a willingness to teach and encourage growth unlike any other organization. When you ask a question, people will even go as far as offering time on their calendar to further explain or just to get to know you.
People here believe in each other. The endless opportunities internally in conjunction with an extremely supportive environment allow employees to figure out where their interests are and help them get there. Often, in corporate America, and with the global pandemic, people tend to gravitate towards stable, stagnant roles, but that is not the case here.
At NCR, my teams have been completely supportive of me switching roles, and that's something you don’t come across often. I plan to stay here, because I know I can grow and develop both in my career and personal life. Managers enjoy seeing how much you’ve grown and specifically how you've found your footing after trying your hand in different areas.
What is one of the most memorable experiences you’ve had while working at NCR?
A vital part of my career and an experience that boosted my confidence was the NCR intern competition. At first, I wasn't sure which career path I wanted to follow. I had always been told my outgoing personality would translate well into sales, but I didn’t know enough about the industry to be able to make that decision for my future career. However, presenting my work to executives gave me an adrenaline rush unlike anything I had experienced before. I think the fact that it was validated by someone above me when I received a part time offer helped bring a lot of clarity. It made me extremely confident in my decision to go into sales.
In my operations role, I gained an understanding of the full scope of sales and how much work goes into the little things. I was able to create a Banking catalog of the entire portfolio and a document sales processes, which were pivotal in building out my ideal career path. Ultimately, my intern competition experience made me a better salesperson and is my most memorable experience thus far.
Outside of work, what are you most often doing/where are you most likely to be found?
I love to be around people. Whether it's just walking on the Atlanta Beltline or exploring the different areas of Atlanta, I enjoy keeping busy. When I say “I love to try new things,” I’m more than likely referring to restaurants and food. I think food brings people together, so trying new restaurants or cooking new foods is something I’m passionate about.
What advice do you have for prospective candidates considering applying to NCR?
My advice is to make your presence known. It's very easy to hide behind the facade of, “I don't know that or I don't want to do that.” But I think that stems from having an avoidant mindset, not wanting to make mistakes. I figured out very quickly that the mistakes that you make, big or small, are all learning moments. While that’s easier said than done, it truly comes back to attitude and mindset.
Mistakes help you to grow as a person. So you have to dive in headfirst, and if you make errors, grow and learn from them.
Take small victories day by day. When you get an offer, celebrate it. When you complete a big project you’ve been working on, be excited about It. Don't think about the future too much. We can't stop time, but we can enjoy the current moment.