Destined for career growth at Cox
In our For the Love of Sales series, we’re learning about the sales team members who drive Cox forward and achieve success for our customers. Read below to explore what our salespeople love about their life at Cox.
“It felt like destiny. It’s like all the experiences I had were leading me here.”
That’s what Whitney Lutley – a Media Consultant at Cox Media Inc. – had to say about her journey to a career at Cox.
Whitney is a driven professional who meets sales challenges with poise and resourcefulness. A resident of Mobile, AL, Whitney serves as a media consultant for the Florida, Georgia, and Alabama regions.
“I create marketing plans for owners of small to medium sized businesses to help them better reach their customers through cable advertising and digital marketing,” Whitney said. “My favorite part about my job is presenting a solution tailored to fit their business needs. I’m most excited during the educational process when I’m explaining different digital marketing strategies to them. It’s so rewarding when the client understands our products and how effective they can be to their business.”
Prior to arriving at Cox, Whitney attended the University of South Alabama – going to classes during the day, and working in retail sales at night. After graduation, a frustrating process of applying for jobs ensued. Whitney eventually decided to take a break from job-hunting…and then the right door opened. Whitney was recruited via LinkedIn to join Cox Media’s sales team.
“When I got here and went through the sales associate training program, it was so eye-opening,” she said. “A whole new world opened up. A passion was ignited. I had no idea of the depths of the media industry, and every aspect of digital marketing and digital advertising was so interesting.”
In that training program, Whitney met her leader, Steve Allen. Steve is Cox Media’s Digital Sales Manager for the FL/GA/AL region, as well as the Sales Manager for Cox Media’s sales associates. Whitney said Steve was the perfect leader for her.
“He really coached me and led me to get out of my comfort zone. I think this position has given me the confidence to start conversations and be more open. I’ve always been a good public speaker, but this position has helped me learn how to nurture relationships.”
She added: “Cox has surrounded me with a lot of people who are smart and very good at what they do, and they make you want to aspire to be the same way. Seeing successful people motivates me.”
But Whitney didn’t rely solely on mentors and training within Cox in order to accelerate her career growth. She also leveraged Cox’s tuition reimbursement program to earn her master’s degree in Digital Marketing from Full Sail University and celebrated her virtual graduation earlier this year.
“Everything I learned in that program, I can apply to my day-to-day job,” Whitney said. “I got real-world courses for strategy and media professionals in today’s world. I want to pour this knowledge back into the company and continue to use this degree even more.”
What else has Whitney learned as a young sales professional at Cox?
“If I knew someone who was interested in a sales career here, I would tell them that they need to be excited about meeting new people,” Whitney says. “Listen twice as much as you speak, and be aware of different personality types. Be bold and brave. Feed your weaknesses just as much as your strengths. Always be coachable. And be open-minded to learn, grow, and give yourself a chance. That’s what my mom told me when I was going through challenges. She always said: ‘Don’t give up on yourself; just give your very best.’ ”
Whitney has her eye on the future and is hungry for new challenges and growth at Cox.
“I couldn’t ask for a better company to work for,” she said. “And I don’t think I could ever find a company as inclusive and compassionate. I know there’s plenty of room to move up and around – there’s so much opportunity here. It’s just about discovering what area would be a good fit for you.”
Interested in learning more about the salespeople who drive Cox forward? Check out the rest of our For the Love of Sales series and follow along on social media using #ForTheLoveOfSales.