How Alexri Amplifies Tech Innovation as a Customer Marketing Manager

As a customer marketing manager on the brand marketing team, Alexri Patel-Sigmon helps bring our customers’ stories to life. Partnering with teams across marketing, sales, product, and more, her team provides customers with a stage to share their data streaming stories, amplify their thought leadership, and educate the broader data community on new innovation and use cases. 

And after two years at Confluent, Alexri is still excited about the work she does, and the people she collaborates with. Let’s learn more about her love for customer storytelling, her personal and professional growth, and what she sees coming next for her career.

Tell us about your role at Confluent. What motivates you to excel as a Customer Marketing Manager, and how does Confluent support your ambitions?

There is no bigger reward than hearing about the incredible innovation and use cases that our customers are driving with Confluent. No day is the same, and you hear about the incredible impact our product is making on businesses and careers. I wake up every day to do what I do, because I get to help amplify and promote so many incredible brands and customers.

At Confluent, I truly get to do what I love, and I continue to push and challenge myself in this role. I’ve learned so many new skills, and have worked closely with champions at the executive level in Fortune 100 brands. The opportunity and exposure in my role has been incredible, and it motivates me to keep striving toward more growth and bigger ambitions.

What’s the best part about interacting with customers in your experience?

Hearing their innovative customer stories, and what they are most passionate about, is the highlight of my job! In addition to that, the best part about interacting with customers, in my experience, is the opportunity to deeply understand their needs, challenges, and aspirations. It's immensely rewarding to see how our solutions positively impact their businesses and daily operations.

Building strong relationships with customers fosters a sense of partnership and trust, leading to long-term collaboration and mutual success. Ultimately, our customer relationships serve as a continuous source of inspiration, driving innovation and driving the company forward.

How have you grown or changed since joining Confluent?

Joining Confluent has been a transformative experience for me, fostering both personal and professional growth in several key areas, including everything from my technical and interpersonal skills, to my aptitude for leadership and creativity.

Here are areas where I’ve grown the most thanks to my time at Confluent:

Technical Proficiency: My technical knowledge has significantly improved. Working with customers who are using cutting-edge streaming data technology and Apache Kafka® has deepened my understanding of data infrastructure, distributed systems, and real-time analytics.

Prior to this role, I was very nontechnical, so joining Confluent allowed me to challenge myself in so many different ways to learn and understand a product I knew nothing about, and then apply it to how we’re helping our customers solve some big problems. And it’s also motivated me to become more proficient and proactive when problem-solving and troubleshooting technical issues related to digital marketing, project management, and remote work.

Adaptability: The fast-paced and ever-evolving nature of the tech industry, particularly at a dynamic company like Confluent, has made me more adaptable. I've become more comfortable with change, learning to pivot quickly and efficiently in response to new information or shifting priorities.

Leadership and Mentorship: I’ve taken on opportunities to lead projects and mentor junior team members, which have strengthened my leadership skills. I've learned to manage projects more effectively, provide constructive feedback, and inspire others to perform at their best.

Innovation and Creativity: Confluent encourages innovation and creative problem-solving across every department and role. This environment has empowered me to think outside the box, experiment with new ideas, and contribute to the development of new solutions to drive and even accelerate the company's success.

Overall, my time at Confluent has been a period of substantial growth, equipping me with valuable skills and experiences that have enhanced both my professional capabilities and my personal development.

How do you see yourself growing at Confluent over the next few years?

Over the next few years at Confluent, I envision significant growth—both professionally and personally.

Professionally, I see myself advancing to a more senior role, taking on increased responsibilities, and contributing to strategic initiatives that drive the company's growth and success. I aim to deepen my understanding of Kafka and streaming data technology, learn more about our role in AI technologies, and become a trusted advisor for clients and colleagues alike.

Personally, I'm committed to continuous learning and development: honing my leadership skills, fostering collaboration, and making meaningful contributions to Confluent's culture of innovation and excellence. That means doing even more with our Asians of Confluent (ACON) employee resource group (ERG) this year, and bringing more diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts to our Marketing team.

What's unique about Confluent's company culture? What’s one question you would tell people to ask about the culture during their interview?

It’s going to sound very cliché, but the unique aspect of Confluent’s culture is truly the people. I’ve never collaborated with so many like-minded and extremely intelligent people.

Confluent's collaborative culture has enhanced my ability to work effectively within a team. I've learned to communicate more clearly, share knowledge proactively, and contribute to a diverse range of projects. This experience has taught me the importance of leveraging the collective expertise of a team to achieve common goals.

By bringing the right people and teams together, Confluent is able to put a strong emphasis on innovation and continuous learning, driven by a commitment to push the boundaries of real-time data streaming technology. 

At the same time, we also focus on customer love, which is critical to what I do. Being part of a company where the customer truly comes first is refreshing! I've developed a deeper appreciation for understanding customer needs, providing value, and ensuring customer success through our products and services.

Overall, this collaborative environment encourages cross-functional teamwork and open communication, fostering a supportive atmosphere where diverse perspectives are valued.

And as one of the ACON ERG leads, I can say that Confluent has made significant strides in developing a welcoming and inclusive remote culture. I’d recommend that people interviewing for a role here ask about what their day-to-day schedule and responsibilities might look like, and how they can get more involved through our ERGs, as well as our company-wide volunteer days, in-person events, and coworking days in different regions.

Rapid fire questions:

1. What job did you want to have when you were a child?

   1. Veterinarian— I loved animals growing up, and always wanted to save them!

2. What’s the best decision you’ve made in your career?

   1. Moving from Customer Success into Customer Marketing — I found my passion!

3. What’s your favorite TV show set in an office?

   1. It’s a tie between The Office and Silicon Valley 

4. What’s your work-from-home must have?

   1. My Stanley cup, duh! Without that thing, I wouldn’t be hitting my daily water intake goals. 

5. If you could have your team offsite anywhere in the world, where would it be?

   1. Banff, Canada 

6. What’s your favorite way to unwind after work/on the weekends?

   1. My favorite takeout (In-N-Out), a glass of red wine, and a good TV show on Netflix. But if I’m feeling more active that day, then a nice two-to-three mile walk outside!