5 minutes

with Yoni Inbar

Director of Account Management

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Yoni inbar

How long have you been at the company?

6 years

What did you study?

Economics and Management at Ruppin and I also obtained a pension consulting license.

What was your career path before coming to Bright Data?

I really thought that I was going to build a career in the pension consulting field (which is obviously why I took the course.) I started working as an intern at an insurance company and very quickly I understood that this path wasn’t for me.

I decided I wanted to try my luck in the tech industry. So I began working at an ad tech company (which was my ‘big break’ into the tech world), and after a year and a half there, I was recruited by Bright Data as a sales manager.

Tell us about your time at Bright Data

I started working at the company in its very early stages – there were probably only 30 employees at the time. I was a sales manager for 2 years, and then I moved to the account management team where I also spent 2 years.

After that, I was promoted to be Director of Account Management, and I have spent almost 2 years in this role as well.

Did your start in sales help you with the transition to account management?

Definitely – being in sales I, really improved my communication skills at the highest level. It also obviously gave me an opportunity to learn our products inside and out – which then gave me the confidence to move into account management and know I could give the best support and service to our customers.

What do you look for in an account manager?

Mainly I look for eagerness and someone with excellent communication skills and business sense. I also look for someone who is technical (they don’t need to be an engineer of course, but they do need to have a technical understanding).

Advice for someone wanting to get into account management?

The people in my team are a mix – they all studied different things. Most of them didn’t start off as account managers straight away – they worked in another position first. I do have a few on my team where it was their first position, but these are people that I identified an extremely high level of eagerness and potential in them – and the ‘chance’ I took on them paid off in the end.

But I’d say to start off in sales or support, really learn the company and the products deeply, the customers’ needs, etc., and then move into account management.

Tips to get ahead in your career?

I can speak from personal experience – I obviously worked very hard as an account manager and was extremely dedicated. But it’s as important to know your worth and advocate for yourself at the same time. The previous Director of Account Management left, and so the opportunity came up. I knew I would be great for the job – and so I pushed for it. Management put their trust in me, and it’s been an amazing journey ever since.

What’s your management style?

Initially, I wanted my employees to see and do things exactly the way I would – because I knew this approach worked. However, over time, I learned that everyone has their own unique approach – and what works for one person, won’t necessarily work for another.

So now I like to give my employees the freedom to work in a way that works for them. If one employee is more technical, one is more business-oriented, and one is better with support – I simply aim to enhance their strengths.

At the end of the day, they know that we all have the same goals – and what I’ve learned, is that there are many different ways that we can reach them.

Favorite part of your job

Favorite part of your job?

When a customer tells me “my account manager is amazing” or if I get good feedback about the company/products. There is so much satisfaction in that. It’s also amazing seeing how much my team has grown – I started with 6 people in my team, and now there are 18.

What has kept you at Bright Data for 6 years?

I love the shared goal – and the direction that the company is going in. At the end of the day, it’s about a lot more than money – if I didn’t really believe in the company’s goal, I don’t believe I’d stay here for so long and feel fulfilled. I’m learning so much – as a human being and as a manager and it’s given me so many skills for life.

Future plans?

There’s so much for me still to do in the company. I’m still developing myself and my team. The company is rapidly changing so it’s always interesting and there are always new things to learn.