Get to Know our CRO: 10 Questions with Hope McIntosh
Hope McIntosh has amassed a 20+ year career in the technology sector with tech companies such as Honeywell, Compaq, Hewlett Packard, Mele Associates, vmware, Air Watch, ANM, and MCG, LLC.; having positions and consulting projects that have taken her across the globe and within the 50 states. With a proven track record in multiple domains within the tech space, Hope has relevant expertise and experience in Computer Engineering, IT Operations, Application and Platform Management, Project Management, Consulting, Sales, Sales leadership, Strategy and Business Development.
1. Where did you grow up and how did you end up at Rave Mobile safety?
I grew up in a small family owned blue-collar business in construction in the high desert land of enchantment of Albuquerque, NM. The business was a family affair (my first job was cleaning up job sites and hauling off construction waste at $2.00/hr + plus lunch). It was here I learned to find passion for and take pride in my work no matter the task. After graduating from college with a computer science and business degree, I started the first part of my career in IT operations and quickly moved into IT project management and platform development. At some point I realized I found real enjoyment in working with customers and prospects to take technology and implement it in their businesses to see improvements whether operational, financial, or competitive. So, I’ve spent the rest of my career in sales and consulting mostly in start-ups or companies who are pioneering new technologies. I came to Rave Mobile Safety in January, 2021 after a 4 month consulting engagement with the Rave Executive team. I enjoyed the work so much, I was pleased and excited when I was asked to come on board full time as CRO.
2. Where do you see opportunities for growth and advancement within Rave?
Rave is growing! At this point we have more than 10 open requisitions in sales as we start to hone in and specialize in specific selling engagements. When I first came to Rave, the team had organized around industries (Healthcare, k12, Commercial) Now, we’re adding teams to focus on account management which is a sales term to cross-sell or up-sell into existing accounts. We have a team that is focusing on the middle-tier market (companies <1250 employees, or populations <30,000 residents), building out our partner channel to have companies sell-with or resell Rave’s products, and we’re jumping into the Federal Market in the US.
3. What are three words you would use to describe yourself?
Positive, Resilient, Listener
4. What one word would best describe your leadership style?
Empowering
5. How do you keep yourself up-to-date with the latest trends in the industry?
Lots of pod casts, business and leadership audible books (when I’m running). I also try to take one or two specific development classes a year. Last year, I got my ITIL 4.0 certification which was BIG and kept my IT operations skills relevant and up to date. This year, I completed a 9 month masters class certification in mindfulness based leadership and am wrapping up the Accelerated Sales & Leadership Institute Sales Talent Acquisition Routine training. I’ll also book club with anyone. I’m a veracious reader. I really enjoyed the “Little Red Book of Sales” I book clubbed with Matt Hebert’s Mid-Market Sales team this year.
Favorite Pod Casts:
“The Brutal Truth about Sales and Selling”
“Sunny Side Up with Meetul Shah”
“A bit of Optimism with Simon Sinek”
“How I build this with Guy Raz”
Favorite Mindful App – Insight Timer
6. What is your favorite part about working at Rave?
The people here definitely. Everyone is so committed to our mission at every level. I admire and am inspired by everyone here every day.
7. If you could travel anywhere right now, where would it be?
I love the beach and the mountains. So it would be either Skiing in Taos, New Mexico -or- playing sand volleyball with my teenaged daughters in Costa Rica
8. What is your favorite book?
That’s tough. I read a TON of books. I finish about 1 or 2 “for entertainment” books per month. Outside of business books which I normally audible. I’ll give a non-career related book by genre:
Favorite Poetry book – “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran
Favorite Historical book – “Blood and Thunder” by Hampton Sides
Favorite Contemporary – “Where the Crawdad’s Sing” by Delia Owens
Favorite classic – “All Quiet on the Western Front” by Erich Maria Remarque
Most Impactful (and a classic) – “Address Unknown” by Dressmann Taylor
9. Outside of work, what are your favorite things to do?
I’m very physically active and love projects. Living in the southwest the majority of activity is done outside. While I have dinner parties and such, most of my social activity is to mountain bike, ski, golf, play tennis, hike, camp, and/or paddle board depending on the season with friends and my kids. Growing up around a family who took great pride working the trades, I have a workshop at my house and dawn a toolbelt (or sit at my sewing machine) and usually have some building project I’m working on over the weekend. I also love to garden. I have a vegetable garden and fruit orchard I tend to on my property that keeps me very busy in the spring and summer and fall harvests. Lots of home cooking with home sourced food. Next project is likely to build a chicken coop, but am debating if the dogs will allow it. My teenaged girls definitely keep me busy with their high school sports and I love be in the cheer-mom section and properly embarrass them at their volleyball and tennis matches.
10. Do you have anything else you’d like to share with our blog readers?
I love live music and if I can sit myself down for long enough, I enjoy pulling out my cello and play duets with my daughter who plays the flute or my older sister when in town will get out her viola and we can get lost for hours playing together.
