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A Sales Managers Journey Relocating to Ireland with Salesforce

David Bergfeld

December 03, 2021

Relocating to another country for a new role can be an exciting but daunting decision. Business Development Manager, David Bergfeld made the move to Dublin to continue growing his career and honing new skills. David shares his insights into why he made the move, how he continues to grow professionally, and advice for anyone considering making the move. 

 

Can you tell me about your role and what made you decide to join Salesforce Ireland?

Salesforce has always fascinated me with how its technologies and innovations are shaping the future. A couple of years ago, I visited the Salesforce office in Dublin for my interview and I immediately fell in love with the spirit and employee culture. Everybody was motivated by the pace of the environment and eagerness to innovate. From that first moment, I knew that Salesforce was the right place to grow not only professionally but also personally. As a manager for the German Business Development Team, I am now managing and building a high-performing team of very talented Business Development Reps. Together we provide the highest quality pipeline and new business projects in Germany. My number one priority is to empower the people who work with me by coaching, mentoring, training, and motivating Business Development Reps into sales-ready Account Executives.

 

What’s your favourite part about working in Dublin?

Coming from the heart of Bavaria, I never had a chance to live by the sea. So one of my favourite parts about Dublin is that I’m living right by the water, with dozens of fine sandy beaches, grassy dunes, rocky cliffs, and small islands to explore nearby. It is just a short drive to the Atlantic Ocean for surfing. Since many tech companies have their EU headquarters in Dublin, not only do you have the friendly Irish, but people from all around the world forming an international community. Additionally, Dublin is well-connected, so it’s very easy to get a flight home or to travel to other countries in Europe. Put in a nutshell: Dublin is the youngest city in Europe, very diverse with people from all over the world, and a modern tech city that helped me kick start my career while having fun in the process.

 

Cliffs near the water.

 

What makes your team so special?

Our team is so talented and eager to grow with each person bringing their different backgrounds and perspectives to the table. What fascinates me the most is that everyone wants each other to be successful in their role. We are not a team because we work together. We are a team because we respect, trust and care for each other. None of us is as smart as all of us, that’s our secret to success.

 

Despite the distance between us, we are still able to grow through each video call and team days. We spend the time we have in-person doing fun activities like escape rooms, mixing cocktails, or cooking classes. Just last week the entire team met in person in Mallorca, Spain to enjoy a week of “Working from Anywhere” together. You can only imagine - we had a blast! I’m already looking forward to our next team event, which might be skiing or snowboarding during the winter months.

People smile near the ocean.

 

How have you grown professionally?

I like to compare the career path at Salesforce to racing. You might wonder, “what do Salesforce and racing have in common?” Obviously, both are all about living in a fast pace environment, but let’s break it down a little further: 

 

  1. Salesforce provides the race tracks, which are your career paths and you can even choose the track you want to drive on. Is it the Account Executive track? Is it the Cloud Sales track? Is it the Management track? Or is it a different one? You can choose! 
  2. While racing the “safety car” helps you clear the path ahead. At Salesforce, when you encounter challenges or face unexpected roadblocks - like a global pandemic - the company provides the resources to keep you safe and on track to succeed. 
  3. In a race, you need resources such as fuel, gas, and tires. At Salesforce, you are provided with all the resources needed to succeed. I leveraged an Individual Development Plan, career coaching, education reimbursement, training and development courses, mentorship, and even a career playbook that helped me drive my career path. I took the management track and I’m happy that I was able to grow from an Individual Contributor role (Account Executive) to a Sales Leader (Manager, Business Development). Additionally, I had the pleasure to take part in a management development program, called Accelerate, which shapes the leaders of tomorrow. 
  4. Salesforce is building world-class teams that help drive my success. There is amazing talent across teams, whether it’s Cloud Sales, Solution Engineering, Marketing, Sales Development, Strategy, or Employee Success. The leaders are ready and willing to coach you and share their knowledge. Similar to the entire racing team with various engineers, mechanics, and coaches. They are all there to support you as a driver and make you as successful as possible. 
  5. And Salesforce provides you the car, and it’s a Ferrari. You are the driver of your career. But always keep in mind, you have all the resources required and an entire team behind you supporting you on your career track.

 

What advice would you give to someone who is looking to relocate to Ireland?

Moving to Ireland was a seamless process for me as an EU citizen. I was able to complete the application process online and received support from Salesforce and my team to help me relocate get settled in. Moving to a new country can be daunting but is an opportunity to get out of your comfort zone. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable and you are already set up for success. Like most European cities, Dublin has a competitive housing market. Most rental housing and apartments come furnished, which is a big help in feeling at home quickly. At the Grand Canal Docks, you will find the most modern buildings and apartments, while areas like Ballsbridge or Portobello have a lot of charm with their small canals and traditional Irish red brick houses. I decided to live in one of Dublin’s suburban villages at the coast, where I’m surrounded by a lot of nature, and can even go for a refreshing morning swim in the Irish Sea with my dog before I start to work. Dublin offers so many different opportunities, the choice is yours. My advice? Don’t be afraid of the unknown - Go for it! I can assure you it will be worth it.

 

A castle with bushes surrounding it.