Clara Smyth: Why the Timing is Right to Join Klue

Clara Smyth Feb 2nd 2023

We are absolutely ecstatic to announce that Clara Smyth is joining Klue as our new Director of Competitive Enablement Services. Read on to learn why Clara decided now was the right time to join the Klue Crew!

The ‘right timing’ is a hard thing to nail. How do you choose when to seize the moment or when to walk away? 

The decision to leave one great company and join another always feels a little daunting. 

But when the stars align — for myself, for the compete industry and for Klue’s customers— the right choice is made easy. 

I’m thrilled to announce I’m joining Klue as the Director of Competitive Enablement Services!

Accelerating Customer Success through Insights Services

I’ve had the privilege of working for companies with sophisticated, programmatic compete teams and also being the scrappy one-woman-shop. And even with differing degrees of experience, compete can feel like a jigsaw puzzle. 

So when the opportunity was presented for me to take my learnings from Salesforce, Slack, Oracle Netsuite and others, and step into a leadership role to accelerate Klue’s customers’ successes, I had to jump at it. 

A game-changing department in a high-growth industry

The running joke in our industry is that there isn’t a playbook on how to run a compete program effectively.  

We’ve relied on trial and error, learning on the job, and then rolling up our sleeves to get things done. It’s what has made our community a gritty, resilient, and adaptable bunch.

But it’s difficult. I’ve been that one-woman team before, trying to figure out what ‘good’ looks like, the metrics to track, stakeholders to involve, and a clear idea on what to do next.

Klue’s Insights team exists to solve this exact problem. To provide trusted counsel and expert support based on the real-life experience of supporting hundreds of customers in a variety of industries. All with the goal of helping customers build best-in-class compete programs, drive revenue for the business, and elevate their career.

I wish I had Klue’s Insights Services when I started my career in compete. And now, I get to lead that team and be that support for those who need it. 

Now is the time to compete

I’ve seen companies in the B2B SaaS space come and go. I’ve seen a few who’ve had modest success; seen even fewer rocket ships. Klue to me is part of the latter category. 

It is also coming at a time when it’s needed most.

Deals are more competitive. Landscapes more crowded. Companies are making sudden changes and pivoting their strategy in times of uncertainty.

In 2008, companies that invested in the right strategy during the recession came out of it with a 10-year advantage.

Meanwhile, the other 80% buckled down and prepared to ride out the storm.

It’s more important than ever to proactively understand your market, your competitors, and where opportunities lie so that you can win more revenue today, and win the market tomorrow.

It’s time to get to work

In some sense, it’s never easy to make a big career move.

So many leaders and colleagues have helped me get to where I am today. I feel truly honored for the experiences I’ve had at the great companies I’ve worked at and the unforgettable people who have invested in me along the way. 

But when I consider where Klue is along its journey, the direct impact I can have on customers and the compete community, and what it means for me personally, the timing is just right. 

I can’t wait to work with you and create competitive magic in the future.

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