Since Olivia Sanderson joined Verkada five years ago, everything about her career has changed for the better.
When she first joined the company, there was a single product line and one office. Fast forward to today, and the organization now oversees six product lines and 15 offices across the globe.
As the company has grown, so has Sanderson. She held various positions at the organization before stepping into her current role as a Senior Regional Sales Manager, enabling her to acquire the skills needed to thrive in a fast-paced, ever-changing work environment.
“Although growth and change can be uncomfortable, it is ultimately something I have grown to love, as it continues to push me out of my comfort zone and create new opportunities for improvement and growth,” Sanderson said.
She described Verkada’s sales culture as collaborative and driven, sharing that it offers an environment that embraces hard work and celebrates wins. For Sanderson, it provides exactly what she wants in a sales career — and more.
“It’s a high-performance environment where expectations are clear: You’re here to drive results, adapt quickly, and take ownership,” she said.
Below, Sanderson shares more about the collaborative work she and her peers drive on the sales team, the sales-focused career growth opportunities presented across the org, and reasons why sales talent should be eager to join this industry-leading tech company.
About Verkada
Verkada’s cloud-based software platform is designed to help organizations maintain safer, smarter buildings. Designed with simplicity in mind, Verkada's six product lines — video security cameras, access control, environmental sensors, alarms, workplace, and intercoms — provide unparalleled building security for organizations such as schools, hospitals, retail stores, financial institutions, and more.
What led you to join Verkada’s sales team?
Coming from a large-scale organization, I was looking for a change that had a tighter-knit culture and the ability to make a direct impact. As it was early on in my sales career, finding a place where I could grow with upward mobility was important to me. I wanted a product I could believe in and leaders who could uplevel me in my career as a salesperson.
Can you walk us through a recent sales experience where strategy played a key role?
We recently closed one of the largest electrical distribution companies in Canada. We worked heavily with the product team throughout the sales cycle, from product managers to solution engineers, to ensure that the customer received a solution that completely met their needs and expectations from a technical standpoint.
At the end of the deal, we had our deal desk and pricing operations teams looped into negotiations to ensure we were meeting the customer’s budget expectations, while still closing an advantageous deal for our sales team. Closing this seven-figure deal would not have been possible without the key collaboration among all of our teams internally.
How do you typically collaborate with teams outside of sales?
Early in my career, I learned that the most successful people achieve greatness by bringing together a team of individuals who offer greater knowledge and expertise in diverse areas.
That is how I feel about the internal teams at Verkada I get to work with every day. From marketing and product to sales operations and finance, I touch almost every aspect of our organization, whether I’m looking to maximize pipeline generation for my reps or bring a deal to the finish line. Every person in our org is crucial to the success of our sales team.
“From marketing and product to sales operations and finance, I touch almost every aspect of our organization, whether I’m looking to maximize pipeline generation for my reps or bring a deal to the finish line.”
What’s your approach to building and maintaining relationships with customers?
I believe the foundation of a stable relationship, regardless of who it is with, is trust and communication. Building a strong customer relationship starts with listening. Once you understand their needs, challenges, and goals, you can then offer value and a solution that will make a difference for them and their business. By doing so, you create a foundation of trust that enables clear and honest communication. VerkadaOne is a great opportunity for our sales org to connect directly with customers in-person for a few days every year and continue to build upon these relationships.
The TLDR on VerkadaOne
VerkadaOne unites the company’s customers and partners, enabling them to gain hands-on experience with the company’s newest products and broaden their understanding of how to protect their people and property. Participants get to go behind the scenes to learn more about the latest Verkada products, attend sessions about the future of physical security, participate in specialized certification programs, and network with industry leaders.
Sanderson attended the company’s most recent annual VerkadaOne event, where she witnessed the organization’s influence firsthand. “It was such a great reminder of the enthusiasm our customers have for our product.”
Where have you seen company growth or change directly impact your day-to-day work?
Almost every component of my day-to-day work has changed in the last five years as a result of our company’s fast-paced growth. When I first joined, we had just one product line and a single office. Today, we've expanded to six product lines and 15 offices around the world. It's been both rewarding and exciting to be part of this incredible journey and witness the growth firsthand.
What would you want someone to know before joining the sales team at Verkada?
It’s a high-performance environment where expectations are clear: You’re here to drive results, adapt quickly, and take ownership. If you thrive in a competitive, energetic culture and are motivated by growth, both personally and professionally, it’s incredibly rewarding and the right place for you.
“If you thrive in a competitive, energetic culture and are motivated by growth, both personally and professionally, it’s incredibly rewarding and the right place for you.”
What are you focused on or looking forward to in the months ahead?
I recently began covering our international Canadian market alongside my counterpart, Alex Gibbs. Over the past year, we’ve doubled both our customer base and our team. I’m incredibly excited about the talented team we've put together and can’t wait to continue our momentum in the months ahead.
