Life Outside of STACK is our feature series that introduces you to some of the faces behind the brand. Today we are featuring Javier Salas Rios, Salesforce Administrator.
Tell us your position, how long you’ve been at STACK, and briefly describe a typical day at work for you.
I work in the Business Operations team as our Salesforce Administrator. I joined STACK’s sales team in November 2020 as a BDR and was promoted to an AE role the following year. During my time in sales, I became engrossed with our data and internal systems and studied for a Salesforce certification. Somewhere between showing the initiative and becoming the de facto report builder for the sales team, STACK offered me the opportunity to join the biz ops team. My role now is to support teams making sure everything is working cohesively and all the right systems and processes are in place, whether it's sales or marketing, as we grow this damn thing.
What is your team like at STACK?
The people I am surrounded by are nothing short of extraordinary. My team can proudly say we work cohesively, and our lean machine is pulling in the same direction every day. Our fearless leader, Kyle Ledford, instills confidence and curiosity in us by leading through example. The wisdom he brings, and the quality of his work leaves us unsure if he is even human.
What do you love about your job that would surprise most people?
My interest in data started on the sales side, seeing how data points are actionable and empower whoever is using them. It’s not the stuff sitting in a database that interests me, but seeing it materialized gets me going. How can I look at this from a different perspective? Target specific segments or trades? I like digesting the same information in different way
What work are you most proud of at STACK?
I’ve got a killer employee referral record – I think I’m at 7 or 8 people. And they’ve all done well for themselves and grown here.
What is the best piece of career advice you ever received?
I have a few:
1. APE 🦍! Attitude, preparation, effort. These are the only things you can control. As long as you do your part, the rest will fall in place.
2. Don’t be afraid of having vulnerable conversations and asking questions. This has been nothing but beneficial for me for upskilling and getting a really good pulse on the business and organization structure.
3. If you’re drinking with your boss, you must stay later and show up before them the next day.
What’s your process for turning a bad day into a good one?
Back to “APE” right? I can control my attitude. 🦍🦧🐵
We know you’re great – hey, that’s why you work at STACK! Tell us about the great things (in detail) you do outside of work. Hobbies, interests, secret lives…
I’m first generation American and I don’t have a lot of family in the States, they’re all over. So, I end up spending a lot of my time with friends. Every year we do a trip to the Upper Peninsula in Michigan to the same old lake getting up to no good. I also love to golf and have snowboarded from Ohio to Colorado to the Spanish Alps. But really, I live vicariously through my German Shepherd. If she’s happy, I’m happy.
What’s your favorite local spot and why (restaurant, bar, music venue, whatever you want to share about your hood!)?
I’m really big on hosting and cooking. I got the biggest Blackstone you can buy and have friends over for dinner all the time.
What song have you completely memorized? Will you sing it for us? What about playing it on an instrument? How about a little dance instead?
“Put Your Head on My Shoulder” by Paul Anka or “Tainted Love” by Soft Cell (after a few drinks...).
What makes you truly happy?
My wife. She truly is in every way of the meaning my better half. I married her because I wanted to be more like her.
If your life was a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?
“Big Bang” by Bad Religion
“Pounce Bounce” by Dance Gavin Dance
“Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare)” by Kid Cudi
“I’m Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?” by A Day To Remember
“For The Jeers” by Dance Gavin Dance
“Wordless Chorus” by My Morning Jacket
“Mais Que Nada” by Sergio Mendes & Brasil ‘66
“Ocean Man” by Ween
“3 Gymnopédies: Gymnopedie No. 1” by Erik Satie
“Sway” by Ben E. King
“Satellite” by Guster
What is the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?
Going to school in Spain. I didn’t know anyone, I didn’t have any friends or family there at the time. I was pretty out of my element and didn’t even speak the same dialect of Spanish. I grew up only speaking Spanish to my parents, so I’d be talking to an 18-year-old like I’m talking to my mom and they’d rip me a new one. I also did a backpacking trip through Europe from Spain all the way to Croatia. I had no money for airbnb or hostels, so I bought a tent and resorted to stealing salt, pepper, and olive oil. 5 Euros would get be enough for a loaf of bread and a bottle of wine.
What causes are you passionate about?
My wife and I recently experienced loss in our family when her brother Luke Allen tragically passed. It has flipped our lives upside down and we’re deeply mourning his absence. He was an incredibly dedicated family man, something I always inspire to be. It's been a wake-up call to live my life to the fullest potential knowing how indiscriminate death can be and continue to support my wife and her family as we grieve through this. The family is asking in lieu of flowers that anyone wanting to honor Luke contribute to his 8-month-old daughter’s education fund – info here.
Also, my parents played a huge role in getting me and my little sister to where we are today. It’s my responsibility to turn around and take care of the people who got me where I am, I am so thankful. My old man for example, he retired in Venezuela, but they don’t pay out retirement and it’s a very dangerous country. He moved back to Spain, and I support him now along with my grandmother.
