The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is the largest consumer electronics trade shows in the world…and what Gabby Rivera refers to as her team’s “Olympics.”
Gabby is a field operations manager for a large MarketSource program. During CES, she managed the preparation of multiple Las Vegas store locations for our client, preceding visits from key executives attending CES from across the globe. To accomplish this feat, around 25 MarketSource area sales managers (ASMs) converged in waves each week between Dec. 17 and Jan. 3, which created plenty of bonding time.
“I was here with about 10 ASMs over Christmas and New Year’s,” Gabby reflects. “One of my favorite days of the whole experience was on Christmas, when we spent all day cooking our favorite dishes together. There was so much food, the hotel staff even joined us! And even though we were away from home, it didn’t feel that way because we’re also a family.”
The daily store visits and long hours throughout the holiday season paid off in the strong relationships the team formed with the retailers. Gabby explains, “We had to constantly pivot to make the impossible possible. For instance, when we built displays, sometimes we had to borrow products, purchase new products, and ask stores for full autonomy of their showroom. That’s why building relationships is so important—it influences everything we do.”
“I am very lucky to have found a team I can call family. I get to see them develop career-wise and grow as people. I get to be a part of their family, see their kids grow up, and experience key moments in their lives.”
In fact, it’s these relationships that power the team’s important work all year long. For instance, four weeks after CES, Las Vegas also welcomed the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS), where her client showcases all its upcoming product releases, as well as the various in-progress innovations. “I live for the adrenaline,” says Gabby, “and every store ended up looking perfect.”
Gabby credits her admirable work ethic to her mother. “I am a first-generation immigrant,” she says. “My family moved to the U.S. when I was 14. I saw my mother sacrifice so much to give me and my brother a better future. However, I am lucky in that I love what I do, so it doesn’t really feel like work.”
She is also quick to point out that it’s the people who make her job so satisfying. “I am very lucky to have found a team I can call family. I get to see them develop career-wise and grow as people. I get to be a part of their family, see their kids grow up, and experience key moments in their lives. We don’t have good days all the time, but we cheer each other on and support each other through everything.”
#Leadership #MarketSourceStrong