The power of community is in its conversation. We know that the best ideas begin amid laughter and grow into success stories through coffee-fueled days and nights among friends. With the “Tell Me a Story” series, we want to know how you got there, wherever that may be; after all, your journey could help another take their first step.
Today, we bring you a story from Joey Maller, VP of sales and alliances at UpCurve Cloud, on how to lead a winning team of Google Cloud experts in supporting cutting-edge companies.
Let’s start at the very beginning. How’d you get started with Google Cloud products?
The answer is there in Maller’s title, “alliances.” Years of sales experience and fostering friendships with forward-thinking tech leaders landed Maller a sales representative position in a tech startup in 2013.
A family friend of Maller’s started a technology consulting business in 2012. He left a high-paying position at Oracle to create a startup centered around Google’s business tools. At that time, it was Google Apps for Enterprise.
“I’ve been in sales most of my career, and he asked if I would be interested in joining. Since I was a big fan of Google, I said yes,” Maller recounted. “I started as a sales rep in 2013 selling Google Apps for business when Google Drive wasn’t even a part of the SKU yet.”
Maller has been operating as a regular Ash Williams, of Evil Dead fame, saving businesses from the Deadites of the tech industry ever since.
What makes you a success?
Google-specific certifications in sales, cloud deployment, Chrome, SMB security, and more have armed Maller with an impressive knowledge of why a transfer to Google Workspace is in the best interest of any business. However, a natural talent for identifying opportunities as they arise and a passion for technology and lifelong learning truly make him a standout leader in his field. The fact that he has perfected the art of “The Challenger Sale” and negotiating hasn’t hurt him either.
Of all the Google Cloud Platform projects you’ve been involved with, which was the coolest?
Maller’s perfection of “The Challenger Sale” and his expertise with Google Cloud Platform products proved to be the financial Boomstick one company needed to continue growing their business.
“We helped a medical company save more than $1 million per year by bringing them to Google Workspace, deploying Chromebooks, and developing a custom app to help their call center employees access data. This was an 18-month project that had many bumps, but the result was a thing of beauty.”
Talk Google Cloud products to me. Do you have a favorite?
While Maller’s favorite project touted the virtues of the overall Google Workspace, Chromebooks, and a custom app, his favorite product is one most of us use every single day.
“Gmail. I have my Gmail set up very specific to how I like to work.”
As a Google Cloud Platform expert, what drew you to C2C?
Networking and learning from other Google Cloud Platform experts are ultimately what brought Maller to C2C.
“I want to be a part of a community that shares the same passion as I do for what we are working toward,” Maller said, “I am a sponge for [learning] how others are working within this space.”
We expect that his talent for forging alliances will be what makes him stay.
Get Connected
C2C is all about bringing people together. How can the community best get in touch with you?
Joey is best reached through email and on GChat.
Wanna talk about it?
- Have a story to share and want to be featured? Email Sabina Bhasin, content manager.
- Did something spark an idea, and you need to speak to someone about it? Email Danny Pancratz, director of community and product, to join our C2C Connect chats.
- Want more C2C content or curious about who we are and why we’re here? Visit our website.
