SightCall Spotlight: Jake Kanipe

Welcome to the SightCall Spotlight.

A company is only as good as the people it brings together. By that measure, SightCall has plenty of reasons to be proud. Instead of keeping it to ourselves, we thought it was about time to share.

Our goal here is to give you a closer look at our talented team members around the world who make SightCall such a great place to work.

First up is Jake Kanipe, SightCall’s West Coast Sales Director.

Jake started working for SightCall in June of 2018. He currently lives in Marin County with his wife Kayla and their golden retriever, Penny.

What was your very first job?

In high school I did landscaping. During college I was a sailing instructor. And my first job out of college was in sales and business development.

What kind of businesses did you do sales and development for?

First, I was in Los Angeles with a company that did design and construction for movie and commercial sets. Then I moved north to Monterey to work for a company in the AgTech space.

Why SightCall? What was it about the company that appealed to you?

SightCall’s solutions apply to so many different verticals and so many kinds of business needs. The new technology, solving problems and helping people… those things definitely got me excited.

The idea of merging the digital and physical worlds makes a lot of sense for the future of work. All companies need to transform the way they do business to stay relevant.

I also loved the idea of working with so many different people around the world. The experience of meeting, and working with, people from so many different countries and cultures has been amazing.

What does a typical workday look like for you?

Lots of prospecting, meetings, and pitches. Collaborating on negotiations. Reading redlines. I work with everyone from product marketing to sales development representatives (SDRs) to grow our prospects, nurture them, and ultimately sell.

What’s your favorite part of the process?

Well, you always love to be on the closing end of a deal because that means we’re helping meet our company’s goals. But I do love the middle of it.

There’s a complexity that comes from connecting all the dots and communicating with so many different people.

If you appreciate that process, it can really open your eyes to different learning opportunities. If you’re just focused on getting a deal over the finish line, you’re not listening and learning.

I think embracing the sales process, embracing the whole experience, makes you a better salesperson in the end.

Is there something you’ve done at SightCall that you’re particularly proud of?

Yeah, one manufacturing company comes to mind. It’s not the biggest deal that I’ve done here, but I think it really highlights the way people should be thinking about sales.

I reached out and the company told me they were already evaluating a list of other tools. They sent an email back that basically said, thank you but no thank you.

Now one of my favorite quotes is from Wayne Gretsky who said:

I responded to the email and said, I totally understand but would love to learn more about the solutions you’re evaluating.

We got on the phone and I really listened to them explain everything they were trying to do. I don’t think we even talked about SightCall for the first two or three calls.

We were the last company to come into the conversation, but we earned their business. And they told me they were excited about our solutions, but they were just as excited about partnering with a company that shared their vision.

What's something about you that might surprise people?

I'm a National Champion in ice hockey.

Was that college or high school?

It was my senior year of high school. I grew up playing ice hockey. I was in skates at three years old, so I was on the ice before I could even run very well.

I always played on two teams: my college preparatory team and my club sport team. I travelled all over the U.S. and Canada, even a little bit in Europe playing hockey. During my senior year, my club team made it all the way to the Nationals and won.

I was going to play in college but got injured that summer after winning the championship. I broke my tibia, my fibula and my left knee. That kept me from playing for at least a year.

Did you keep playing?

I figured that I’d won the National Championship and that was a big deal. Every kid wants to go to the NHL, but I thought about what was realistic and decided to move out to California for school and just move on. It was a great time in my life.

Would you have kept playing if you hadn’t been injured?

I get that question a lot. Part of me thinks I would have. There are guys I played with (and against) who are in the NHL now. But I’m also relieved that I moved to the West Coast, where I could just go to school, chill out and get ready for my next adventure.

What's your favorite way to spend your free time?

Going on trips - camping, traveling, etc. I really love to travel, explore new places and see new things. Next up is South America.

You get an all-expenses paid ticket to anywhere. Where do you go?

Exumas. I love the Bahamas.

What was the last book you read?

Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

What was the last TV show that hooked you?

Yellowstone

What's one movie that you will always rewatch?

Almost Famous

What was your first concert?

The Dave Matthews Band

What would your friends or family say that you're OBSESSED with?

Competitive sports, especially ice hockey, football and golf.

Who or what inspires you every day?

My wife and family!