Meet Frida, Manager Inside Sales with a range of leadership experience

How did you start your journey into leadership and sales?

“I’ve had a wide variety of roles and experiences prior to joining the Axis team. There’s no one set career path into sales and leadership”

Leadership has always been part of my personality, and this is reflected in the type of roles I’ve held during my career. I started out in hospitality and while I was working my way up across various hotels I started to gain more sales and leadership experience. Eventually I landed a role as a sales manager for a hotel company which covered Southern Sweden.

Many of the skills I’ve showcased at Axis as the Manager of the Nordic Inside Sales Team, I first developed during my time in the hospitality industry. These range from problem-solving and understanding the requirements for great customer service, to knowing how to interact with people from different backgrounds.  Axis is a global company, with offices all over the world and my existing familiarity with cultural nuances has allowed me to forge deep relationships with colleagues and customers alike.

What is your typical working day like as Manager of Inside Sales?

Working in sales has allowed me to experience a bit of everything that Axis has to offer while also getting to train and develop people. A typical working day consists of a mixture of meetings to discuss strategies for how Axis can grow, improve processes, and streamline daily tasks. I also get to collaborate with other departments, key account managers and end users to ensure we’re aligned and able to share learnings.

What stands out to you about the culture at Axis?

Many companies will claim this, but at Axis, people are truly the priority. The friendly and supportive culture is one of the first things you notice here. Even during my initial job interview with my first manager, it was his friendliness and pride in working at Axis that made me want to be a part of this team.

This first impression has been reinforced consistently since joining Axis and was made even more evident to me when applying for my current role. My manager went on paternity leave, which led to the creation of an Inside Sales team role.

However, by the time this role opened up I was on maternity leave and I was unable to arrange childcare for the day of the interview. But I felt so secure and comfortable at Axis and with the people who work here so I brought my six-month-old son to the interview so I could attend. This is just one example, but it really highlights Axis’ values and approach to people.

“Before Axis, I had a few negative experiences as a leader in the hotel industry which affected my confidence. But Axis eventually built me back up into that leading position because of the support I’ve had from everyone to grow and face challenges”

Frida Hjortronsteen

What opportunities for career development does Axis offer for sales professionals and managers?

Training and development are important pillars of the culture at Axis and each employee gets multiple opportunities to invest in their career. Both sales teams and sales managers receive tailored training to help everyone develop in their role. Axis is a company that values everyone and is invested in helping young leaders to succeed.

Training helps to educate sales managers on meeting the needs of different personalities across the business, but Axis takes this a step further than most companies. For example, strong customer relationships are central to the success of our sales teams and Axis has its own approach to building trust with customers and partners. The company will go as far as to invest resources in bringing sales teams and managers from across the globe together to learn as one, which is really effective and collaborative.

Another example is the Axis Leadership Program, where you are grouped with colleagues from different locations to establish processes such as how best to reach each other, achieve  a work-life balance, and how to continue to develop as business leaders. It has been the most amazing thing I’ve been through. I’ve built so much trust and made friends for life through it.

In line with the Axis culture, it’s apparent through the leadership program that whenever you have a challenge you have other leaders to turn to for support.

What are the common misconceptions about your role?

“Axis is quite unique.  The biggest misconception is that they’re like everyone else”

Unlike salespersons who are encouraged to go out and push for a sale, that’s not the approach at Axis. Rather, we build relationships and trust so that the customers pick us first.

Another false assumption is that young people in managerial roles will be overly firm and authoritative. At Axis, the focus is on how managers can remain open to change to make things better for the team.

It’s clear that a lot of effort and time goes into creating an environment where every individual can be a part of Axis’ ever-evolving culture.

What advice do you have for someone who wants to work in sales at Axis?

“Curiosity, humbleness, and emotional intelligence is key”

Frida Hjortronsteen

Be curious, open to change, and willing to work hard long-term.

Have the confidence to know when you don’t know something and be open to take input from your fellow colleagues.

Also, be someone who thrives in a collaborative environment. When you come in as a new manager, you’ll come armed with ideas but may not know how best to execute these or which ones should stick. It’s therefore important to be able to discuss and listen to your colleagues. This is the beauty of having a great support team, use it!

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