James McCahan - Associate Director of East Coast Sales - PitchBook

🍋 Note from Ellie: Earlier this summer, I tried to explore different areas of financial services. James shared his career journey at PitchBook since graduating from Denison and why he's stayed with the company since then. It's a good reminder that we all value different things in life, and sometimes, growth can happen without switching up our environment!

• Career Journey

  • Started at PitchBook - a provider of financial data, specializing in the VC/private credit market and fintech industry - in 2017 after Denison.

  • Began in Sales Development, cold-calling and outreach to investors, pitching PitchBook's services.

  • Advanced to focus on acquiring clients.

  • Transitioned into a leadership position, overseeing a team and setting strategic direction.

• Why Sales?

  • Focuses on outreach and engagement rather than research, involving direct contact with VC, PE, and IB firms.

  • Involves pitching products and building client relationships through persistent effort and communication.

• Advice

  • Staying at one company can boost career growth due to internal promotion opportunities.

  • Building credibility and reputation in a single environment can provide long-term advantages; consider the career trajectories of others to envision growth opportunities.

Linkedin

PitchBook