Get to know the people behind Sonar with our new employee spotlight series. To kick things off, meet Danny Garcia, Director of Sales.
Danny recently sat down with us to share all about what motivates him, how his career path led him to Sonar, three things people don’t know about him, and so much more.
Danny, let’s start with your path to Sonar. What brought you here?
It’s a pretty funny, serendipitous story, actually. I met Jack McGlinchey and Brad Smith, Sonar’s co-founders, at totally different times in my career. I first met Jack a long time ago when we were SDRs at Insightpool, and then years later, I met Brad at a customer dinner.
Because of those relationships, Sonar was on my radar, and I kept a pulse on what Brad and Jack were doing. When the Director of Sales opportunity became available, it was a no-brainer.
Tell me about a day in your life – what does a typical day at work look like for you?
It’s typically very busy. I usually spend the first 30-45 minutes catching up on emails. Then at 9 AM, I lead a standup meeting with the sales team. From that point on, my day can be anything from jumping on prospecting calls, running demos, connecting with customers or advisors, having one-on-ones, or leading call coaching sessions.
Your career path has taken you from SDR all the way to your current role as Director of Sales. What advice would you give an SDR looking to move up the ranks to a director-level position?
I think being an SDR is one of the biggest stepping stones you can have at a company. The opportunities are endless for your trajectory and where you can go from there.
What gives you your motivation and work ethic?
For me, it’s my parents and wife. My family immigrated from Venezuela to the U.S. when I was two years old, and my parents had to fight tooth and nail for everything that we have. From a very young age, they instilled a deep work ethic in myself and my brothers.
Why do you believe SDRs are so important to a company?
SDRs have a unique opportunity to bring in revenue, which is the lifeline of the business. It’s how the business continues to grow and innovate.
What are three lessons you’ve learned in your career?
I’ve learned a lot, but the ones that stick out the most are:
- Hard work always pays off. Even if it takes longer than you anticipate.
- You can create your own luck by putting in the work while no one else is watching. Other people call this luck because they don’t see you go the extra mile to make it happen.
- Go out of your way to get to know people outside of your department and build relationships within all aspects of the business. This isn’t so you can cash in a favor. It’s about hearing different perspectives and stories, so you can be a well-rounded person.
What are you most passionate about in life?
It may sound cheesy, but I am really passionate about leaving a legacy. Whether that means in my personal life or my work life, I want to make a lasting impact by helping and motivating others.
How do you spend your time outside of work?
My wife and I love enjoying a patio with some food and drinks. We bought a house recently, so we’re also working on a lot of DIY projects, which is always a lot of fun.
What are 3 things people don’t know about you?
- I started playing guitar at 11 years old.
- I became an uncle at 13 years old.
- I never had an intention to go into sales during college. At the time, I wanted to work at an advertising agency.
Who is someone you admire at Sonar, and why?
I very much admire Brad and Jack. I love their relationship and the way they show it to the rest of the company. They really respect one another and collaborate well together.
They also challenge each other and welcome others to be part of that, which isn’t something you see at a lot of companies. We’re so fortunate that we get to have that dynamic here.
Want to join Danny’s team? Good news, we’re hiring! Check out our open positions.