The 2019 Cox Summer Social was sizzling this year as we got a crash course in esports and welcomed players, the head coach, costumed fans and the general manager from the Atlanta Reign.
Our President and CEO Alex Taylor kicked off the Cox Summer Social with the introduction of our special guests the Overwatch League’s Atlanta Reign team, our company’s most recent investment. He shared how the team came about and admitted that he wasn’t sold initially on the idea of people watching other people play video games. But the more he learned about it, the more convinced he became that esports was on its way to becoming a booming industry. In fact, esports are predicted to have more viewers than every professional sports league but the NFL by 2021 — surpassing the MLB, NBA, NHL and MLS.
An Esports Overview
Soe Gschwind-Penski, a commentator, host and international celebrity in the gaming community, provided a quick overview of esports before hosting a brief discussion with our Chief Financial Officer Dallas Clement and our special guest, the President and CEO of Atlanta Esports Ventures Paul Hamilton. The discussion was about the journey of owning and operating our first esports team and our partnership with Province Inc. to form Atlanta Esports Ventures.
Raving Fans
Our event was decked out with vintage arcade games, while employees enjoyed ice cream on the outdoor lawn and more games under the tent. While others scored some free swag items, souvenirs and peeked inside the Atlanta Reign’s official team van. Fans also got a chance to meet Atlanta Reign players Babybay, Kodak and Gator, head coach Brad Rajani, and take pictures with cosplayers (costumed characters) from the Overwatch game.
We couldn’t be more thrilled to kick off the summer in a big way for our employees and learn and celebrate our newest investments together.
If you want to read more articles like this one, view our open jobs or experience a day in the life at Cox? Venture over to our Careers page to learn more.
Ever wonder what it’s like to lead a team of sales reps? Or perhaps you’ve been curious to know what sales leaders look for when they are hiring a new rep. We sat down with three advertising sales leaders from Cox Media, Inc. who lead teams of all sizes from different states to learn some of the secrets to their success.
Cox Media, Inc. (CMI), is the advertising sales division of Cox Communications with locations across the U.S., and behind the success of this division is a force of sales representatives who find creative advertising solutions for their clients. Let’s meet Suzanne Banks-Russell, based in Mobile, Ala. who’s been with us four years; Baton Rouge-based and 13-year rep Dirk Hofman; and San Diego-based representative Maria McRoberts celebrating 20 years at Cox.
What do you love about your job?
Suzanne: Meeting a wide range of business people and helping them grow. We have a growing portfolio of solutions with something perfect for everyone, no matter the size, business type or budget. I also love how people-focused Cox is and our corporate values. I’m proud to work for Cox.
Dirk: I love that every day is an adventure. The morning starts with a cup of coffee and then you never know where it will take you. In sales, we have no dull moments.
How do you proactively delight your customers?
Dirk: I try to stay relevant. If I send customers the same stuff all the time, I become part of the noise. I try to think ahead and make everything relevant to the customer.
Maria: I remind my clients how much I appreciate their trust in me and how much I value our partnership. More importantly, I do this FACE TO FACE!
What advice do you have for new members of the sales team? New employees, in general?
Suzanne: Cox is an amazing company. Invest time in learning about our company’s history and corporate culture. Don’t rush past our training. You can’t be effective for your clients if you don’t understand our products and solutions.
Dirk: Keep moving forward. Don’t get stuck in something you feel like you could have done better. I always tell new people that when they fail (and they will), Fail Forward. Make mistakes and learn from them. This is the best way to grow and succeed.
Maria: Take advantage of our excellent company training programs and continue to be a life-long learner. Our company benefits are second-to-none. Sign up for everything and stay informed!
How can non-sales employees help us to reach our sales goals?
Suzanne: EVERYONE is a sales employee. Not everyone has face-to-face interaction with our customers, but they need to be ready. Non-sales-employees should take pride and ownership as much as anyone else. Everyone should be part of the goal. Whether it’s a new commercial, a new business popping up in your neighborhood or billboard, tell someone. Everyone can help.
Maria: Non-Sales employees in our organization are some of our best and finest. I find that their ongoing support and encouragement is what makes our sales organization stand out and succeed.
Want to read more articles like this one, view job opportunities that speak to your passions and experience a day in the life at Cox? Search for our Sales Jobs to learn more.
Find out why that matters to Cox Communications employees Todd Tang and Bailey Young Smith, and why they say life at Cox is awesome.
“When someone asks, ‘where do you work’ and I say Cox Media, their eyeballs seem to light up as I explain the portfolio of digital elements that we offer as a major company,” Advertising Account Executive Todd Tang said. “Yes, we are more than a TV and cable business; we offer digital advertising solutions too.”
Cox Media, the advertising sales arm of Cox Communications, helps business owners of all sizes advertise through advanced cable TV and online digital solutions. It’s rewarding work, and one that helps not only the local business owner, but the community they serve. And Advertising Account Executives, like Todd, are on the front lines of that important work.
“In our world, there’s a ton of collaborating,” said fellow Account Executive Bailey Young Smith. “We get to work with our marketing team, analysts and research teams, all based on our client needs.”
That collaboration and knowledge sharing is important, and has been especially for Todd, who leaned on teammates like Bailey during his first few months with the company.
So then, what brought Bailey to Cox initially?
“I’m a longtime resident of Arizona and worked for other digital companies, tech startups and even a magazine,” Bailey shared. “But I felt like I had plateaued and there wasn’t much room for me to grow. When I began interviewing for my role at Cox, I was in the process of getting married. It was a very hectic time and while I wasn’t considering doing both a life and career change at once, it sort of happened that way and I’ve been here ever since.”
With a great team atmosphere, lots of activities outside of work and a culture of giving back to the community, Cox Media provides tremendous opportunity for career growth and career satisfaction.
“We’re not a dress shirt and tie kind of company, either,” Todd said, “and a lot of millennials love that lifestyle of flexibility and less formal attire. Millennials are starting to become the new sales force with their trending experiences in social and digital, and a lot of other employers don’t offer that culture.”
“We have fun here,” Bailey chimed in. “We have an internal group called the People Focus Culture, and we celebrate fun holidays like Cookie Day or National Ice Cream day with in-office ice cream parties.”
On any given day you can find Todd golfing, hiking or visiting restaurants with friends. Bailey looks forward to weekend bike-riding and brunching with friends at local, organic restaurants.
And they both have their sights set on building successful, long-term careers at Cox.
Special thanks to Bailey and Todd for sharing their stories. To learn more about life at Cox and opportunities at Cox Media, visit our career site today.
By Megan Keller
Advertising Account Executive
There aren’t many companies where you can walk into your vice president’s office to ask questions, invite them to lunch or just simply say hello — that’s what it’s like working at Cox Media.
Cox Media is the advertising sales division of Cox Communications. It’s a huge open-door policy here where anybody, no matter what level in the organization, can talk to our leaders about anything, whether it’s getting advice, giving feedback or discussing opportunities for change.
I started at Cox Media Inc right after college. I’m originally from southern California where I attended the University of La Verne, and received my bachelor’s degree in broadcast radio with a minor in marketing. During my final year of school, I wasn’t quite sure which direction to head, so after graduation I flew to Arizona for 10 days to attend the Media Sales Institute hosted by the National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation.
Throughout my time at the institute I had the chance to meet and work with different media companies across the country. However, Cox Media stood out to me right away.
I was attracted to the company right from the start; everybody was so educated in their industry and spoke well in front of the group of students. I think what stood out the most was that no one from Cox Media had a bad word to say about other companies there. I could tell this was the kind of culture I wanted to be a part of. When I got a call letting me know that they had a Sales Associate role open and offered it to me, I was excited to come, jump in and get started with my career.
I had never left the state of California before, but Fran Mallace and the rest of the team at Cox made me feel comfortable enough to relocate to a state like Arizona because I had a good support system. I could tell I already had a wonderful support system from the leaders at Cox Media, who were not only vice presidents and directors, but truly mentors, friends and family that wanted to guide you and invest in you.
Now that I have grown from a Sales Associate to an Advertising Account Executive, I have witnessed so many factors that make working for Cox Media something truly unique. Everybody hears the buzz of why working for Cox Media is the best, and those that come from other companies stay at Cox for a long-time career.
As time goes on, I’m truly blessed that I get to learn from and work alongside the best of the best. I will soon reach my two-year anniversary and as someone taking their first steps in their career, I’m especially looking forward to more opportunities for growth at this wonderful company. I know that wherever I end up in this Cox umbrella, I will have a lasting career.
Special thanks to Megan for sharing her story! If you would like to build a career around amazing people and leaders too, visit our website to learn more about our career opportunities.
We’re changing out our tools to provide a better experience for you. Between June 16-22, we will not have any open jobs published on our careers website, but please join our talent community and come back after June 22 to search and apply. Thank you!