The enterprise world of technology: a breath of opportunities, innovation and creativity

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For Keneth, Information Technology alone was not foreign to his wheelhouse of knowledge, but the magnitude of its reach was even more inconceivable than he could have imagined. Steping into HPE has opened a world of opportunities, culture, and people. Learn more about his story!

"Nearly 6 years ago, I embarked on a journey with this company, that was a bit fearful and exhilarating in the same breath.  You see, what made this ride somewhat fearsome was the fact that it was unchartered territory for me. I entered the world of technology from the portal of early childhood education and higher education. Information Technology alone was not foreign to my wheelhouse of knowledge, but the magnitude of its reach was even more inconceivable than I could have imagined. Simply put, I knew what a computer was and how to use one, but had not the slightest clue as to what a server was or what all it could do. While my ignorance to the enterprise world of technology is what made me a tad fearful, the breath of opportunities, the culture, and people within Hewlett Packard truly excited me. 

I began my career as an Inside Sales Representative for the Enterprise Group.  As dar as I could recall, it was an extremely exciting time to work in the call center. The culture was so electrifying and infectious in all the right ways. Imagine a workplace filled with awesome people that are always eager to assist you when needed. A place where you felt that so many others were truly invested in your progress, because they honestly believed that your success is what measured their success. This was part and parcel of the culture and was demonstrated from the executive leadership team down to the operational level. Experiencing this type of workplace was not new to me in itself, but the scale and greatness of it was.  I’d worked in small department offices with 30 to 50 employees max and I had similar experiences, but this was an office with nearly 1400 employees. How was this possible for a company of this size?  Everyone supported each other and genuinely rooted for their success. Feeling the support and investment from everyone really encouraged me to work harder and to always provide my best. After tremendous hard work and great support from leaders, I was promoted to training manager for the Enterprise Group.  This position was the perfect fit for me as I came from an education background and was able to give back what was given to me.

Kenneth's TeamA vital key to my success hinged on two important principles. Principles that transcend both the personal and professional realms. The first is to create a great personal brand. It’s fair to assume that people make decisions based on what they know as well as what they don’t. Which is why it’s extremely critical to position yourself in a way that adds value to your brand rather than detracting from it. We see this every day in both the private and public sector of the world with overwhelming success. If creating a brand can be impactful for corporations and institutions alike, then why not harness the same concept for oneself. When creating your personal brand, one should self-reflect and attempt to answer these questions honestly. 

• What type of worker am I?
• What type of worker do I want to be?
• How would my coworkers describe me?
• What is my mission, goal, or purpose for working?
• What legacy do I want to leave behind?

After assessing the answers to the above questions, one must begin to execute on the characteristics and traits that support their desired brand. It is important to understand that merely wanting a great personal brand is not enough. It is the implementation of your actions and reactions that began it shape your personal brand. So, always be mindful of what you say and do in the workplace.

The second principle is to build up your network. Networking is a key tenet to many successful people. Getting connected with different organizations, groups, and people not only add value to your personal brand but provides you with greater visibility and perspective. People rarely hire someone they don’t know or have never heard of. Of course, this does not mean to join every club, group, or organization possible. Remember, you were hired to perform a certain tasks and you must take care of those first. To ensure your job requirements are being met while getting involved will require some balancing.  A helpful tip is to plan ahead, be strategic in your approach by having a daily game plan. It may sound a bit silly, but is incredibly effective with consistent practice. Planning out your day helps you to visualize what needs to be completed in order to maintain successful execution of said tasks. It also exposes where you have room to get connected to build up a strong network. Building a great network allows you to gain access and visibility to others that may have influence that could positively impact your future success.

Building a great personal brand and a strong network are among the many essential factors in generating success. For many years, we’ve all heard the old adage “It’s not WHAT you know, but WHO you know.”  This statement may only be a half truth.  Reason being, someone may know WHO you are and also know WHAT you know or don’t know (based on your personal brand) and could use their influence in a way that may not be to your advantage. So, the proper adage should be “It’s what you know AND who you know.” Hence, the importance of working to build a great personal brand while building a strong network to boot."

Kenneth's FamilyWant to be part of our team? To apply for Inside Sales position or learn more about our Inside Sales International programs please click here. 

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About the author

Kenneth Holloway, Instructor, WW Sales and Partner Enablement has been with HPE for 6 years and based in Conway, AR.  He has held positions as an Inside Sales Rep for Enterprise Servers Storage & Networking (ESSN), Inside Sales Storage Specialist, and Training Manager, for Enterprise Group. Previously he held roles at Federal Express, Conway Public Schools, and University of Phoenix. 

He received his B.A in Sociology from University of Central Arkansas and a M.S in Psychology from University Of Phoenix. When he is not working, Kenneth enjoys time with his wife Whitney and three beautiful daughters. He is passionate about faith, family, sports, running, cycling, triathlons, volunteering, and technology. 

Stay connected with Kenneth on LinkedIn