Meet Carolyn, Business Development Manager at Class

January 24, 2024
Carolyn O'Brien

Carolyn embraces and thrives on collaboration and teamwork, oozes passion for her role, and holds herself to the highest integrity. She was one of our HUBhero Award winners and gives some great career advice on how to achieve success and recognition in your role and in life.

Tell me about your role at the HUB24 Group? What do you do?

I am a Business Development Manager for the Growth team here at Class. I am responsible for achieving sales targets for new business on a quarterly and annual basis for both Class and NowInfinity products. My focus is to generate new opportunities and new clients to ensure the business is in a healthy position to achieve short-term and long-term growth goals. This is a national role achieved by actively conducting sales activity and being a representative of the business within the financial services industry.

I create visibility and a point of contact in the market for Class. This is gained from attending conferences, networking events, hosting live webinars, product demonstrations both online and face to face, qualifying inbound leads and running new business sales cycles from end-to-end with prospects and clients. Teamwork is also key in my role within the Growth team, particularly with our Client Relationship Managers, to build trust and encourage a strategic approach to achieving new and organic growth within the existing client base.

Our team also works closely with Marketing to increase our pipeline by growing quality inbound leads, communicating business development ideas and initiatives intended to generate cross-sell opportunities and referrals. I compete head-on with competitors, deliver customer feedback back into the business, and build and maintain strong relationships with clients and prospects.

What has surprised you the most about the working culture at HUB24?

I think the most surprising thing is that the values of the business are truly valued by the people. I know for myself, I am a firm believer of #WEAREBETTERTOGETHER. Teamwork is key to a successful business and not one of us could do it alone. I have said it before and I’ll say it again, teamwork makes the dream work.

#WEGETITDONEWITHHEART also goes a long way. This reminds me of the passion I have for my job, daily tasks, colleagues and for our clients. #WEAREBUILTONTRUST tributes integrity, something I hold very high in my own personal values. #WEAREALWAYSREIMAGINING, innovation is crucial to the continuing success of any organisation.

What is your ‘superpower’ and how to you use this in everyday life?

I believe my superpower is connecting with people. When I speak to firms, friends, colleagues, or someone in the community I genuinely enjoy getting to know them as a person. I listen, ask questions, and allow them to speak freely about their family, funny stories, pain points, or whatever the subject of focus is on in that point of time or conversation. Being connected and building strong ties I feel provides a sense of happiness and purpose within myself and others around me.

If there was one piece of career advice you could give someone, what would that be?

Someone once told me “to be a WOLF, don’t be a “sheep and blend in with the others.”

This has always stuck with me. At times, success or recognition can be uncomfortable, sometimes you can feel judged, however, compete with nobody but yourself, block out the noise, focus, be consistent, driven, always keep putting one foot in front of the other. Results will speak for itself.