Anna Zeng joined Upside in 2022, less than a year after graduating college at Virginia Tech. Read about how her career has taken off since then, and what she loves about working at Upside.

What’s the most special thing about your team at Upside? 

What I love most about my team is the incredible support and encouragement we provide to one another. Sales can be challenging at times, and having a strong support system — especially from people who truly understand what you’re experiencing — makes all the difference. 

Our team excels at offering to listen to each other's calls, sharing constructive feedback, motivating each other to reach our full potential, and celebrating each other’s successes. It’s a unique dynamic that’s rare to find, and it makes our team special! 

What prompted you to get into sales for your career?

I knew I wanted to be in sales right after college! I studied Marketing Management at Virginia Tech, and as I entered my junior year, I started taking more sales-focused classes. When companies visited our classes to talk about post-graduation careers in sales, I realized that was the path for me. 

I landed my first internship as a sales intern for CDW, but unfortunately, it was cut short due to COVID. Despite that setback, I was able to secure an entry-level role as a Sales Development Representative after graduation, and that experience eventually led me to where I am today!

What is one of your proudest professional accomplishments?

When I first started at Upside, I was pretty fresh out of college with only 7 months of a professional career under my belt. I was previously a Sales Development Representative (SDR) for a cybersecurity client so transitioning to Upside came with a steep learning curve — not just in understanding the product but also in building my professional skills. At that point, I hadn’t even closed a single deal!

One of my proudest professional accomplishments is the growth I’ve achieved since those early days.

When I started at Upside in 2022 as an SMB Account Executive, I focused on closing deals with one- to two-site restaurants. I even took to the streets of DC, walking into stores and speaking directly with owners to make connections. Since then, both Upside’s pitch and product have evolved significantly, and I’ve grown alongside them. 

Over the years, I’ve honed my craft, perfected my pitch, and adapted my skills to excel in my current role. Today, I manage the entire sales cycle for restaurant partnerships across seven states, working with restaurant brands and franchises of up to 300+ locations. In 2024, I achieved around 116% of my annual quota.

What are the skills that are most important for a successful career in sales? 

The two most essential skills for a successful career in sales are adaptability and persistence. Adaptability is crucial because sales is a dynamic field — clients and industries are constantly evolving, requiring you to adjust and grow alongside them. It’s also equally important to stay adaptable internally, continuously refining and improving your sales techniques to remain competitive. 

Persistence is essential in sales because your day-to-day work is full of highs and lows. Staying resilient during the challenging moments is what leads to the successes that follow. It empowers you to overcome obstacles, cultivate lasting relationships, and ultimately achieve your goals!

What does a day-in-the-life look like for your sales role?

A great part of sales is that every day looks different and you are able to cultivate your own schedule that works for you. 

A typical day would include: 

• Prospecting: Finding key contacts to go after and creating a cadence to make sure you are getting a mix of touchpoints in daily
• Meetings: Both internal and external meetings. External meetings are important to keep the deals moving forward and building relationships, and internal meetings are important to work as a team to bounce ideas off of each other, share insights and learnings, trainings, etc.
• Self administrative work: This can include anything from listening to Gong calls, sending follow up emails, and updating Salesforce
• Outreach blocks: Dedicating a couple hours every other day to make sure you are getting calls, LinkedIn messages, emails, texts, etc.

Other days in sales could look drastically different, since meeting clients where they are is a big part of our job. When attending conferences or in-person meetings, a typical day might include being on the conference floor, managing a booth, having brief introductory meetings, and engaging with clients through activities like dinners, drinks, or even attending sporting events. 

Do you follow any sports teams? 

Go BIRDS! Eagles all the way! A college friend’s dad was the O-line coach when the Eagles won the Superbowl in 2017 so I’ve been a fan ever since – looking forward to hopefully seeing the Eagles back in the Super Bowl this year!!

What is your favorite food?

My favorite food is definitely sushi or any type of Japanese food. A good spicy tuna roll topped with a salty miso soup is ALWAYS the way to go. 

‍

Looking for a career that invests in your future? We're hiring! Learn more about our open roles and apply.