There is no better feeling for Gillco employees than providing ingredient solutions for our customers. Our sales team spearheads this mission by learning about our customers’ needs, answering technical product questions and recommending the right ingredients for food, beverage and nutraceutical applications. Our marketing team ensures we are communicating these capabilities and offerings to our customers and prospects.
Shelley Becht, our VP of Sales & Marketing, leads these teams, manages relationships with our suppliers and ensures all departments are connecting to achieve our company’s goals. Learn more about Shelley’s background and all she does for Gillco Ingredients.
Give us a little background on yourself! Where are you from? Hobbies? What did you do before Gillco?
I am born and raised southern California. My parents met living at the beach in Del Mar. It is safe to say I was born a water baby. I am the youngest of three and grew up playing just about every sport I could. Whether it be an individual or team sport, I loved the competition and the camaraderie. It wasn’t until high school that I started playing golf and a few of my friends and I started our school’s ladies golf team. My motivation was twofold: I knew I wanted to be in business some day and it gave me a way to bond with my grandparents. Family is everything! I attended college at the University of Denver where it is safe to say I spent more time on the slopes than on my golf game (had to take advantages of the Rockies, right?!), studied abroad in Beijing, and made some incredible life-long friends. Today, I live in southern California, not far from Gillco HQ, with my husband Andrew and three-year-old son Oliver. While I am no artist, I love anything DIY and being a mom has helped make that a priority in my life. I prefer bourbon to beer and on warm evenings or any given weekend, you can find us at the beach.
How long have you been at the company? What does your position at Gillco Ingredients entail?
I am in my sixth year with Gillco and started in direct sales before moving into management. My position is three-pronged: managing Gillco’s ten-person sales team, supplier relationships, and marketing.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Frequent communication is a critical part of my job, even more so now with COVID. Every day I am virtually connecting with my team, whether that be strategizing on a piece of new business or brainstorming our next marketing campaign. I also meet frequently with our suppliers, growing our relationships, getting market updates, etc. Last, but definitely not least, I am in constant communication with the other departments internally at Gillco to make sure we are all of the same page, improving processes, and working together. There is no such thing as over-communication!
What are some of the challenges for you in this role?
Everyday there is a new challenge and I love it because with experience comes growth. Plus, it keeps me on my toes!
We pride ourselves on being a customer centric, forward-thinking company. We are always thinking about what’s next, and finding ways to reinvent the wheel, but the pandemic, this was unprecedented. The biggest challenge I’ve faced recently is finding creative ways to connect with my team, and for my team to connect with our customers throughout the pandemic. My team went from doing what they do best, being in front of customers, to working remotely with no travel. We’ve all had to “re-train” ourselves and go back to the fundamentals, picking up the phone, making cold calls, etc., while simultaneously getting comfortable with the ever-changing technology. While Zoom and Microsoft Teams are a part of our everyday lives, we are eager to find new ways to connect with our customers. Whether it’s sending them puzzles to do with their families, sending office supplies to get them set up at home, or arranging a happy hour, our customers are our top priority. We look forward to seeing them off screen in the near future!
What is the best part of your role/why do you like working at Gillco?
There is no question that the best part of my job is getting to work with and learn from the best people in the industry. The suppliers we partner with are in a league of their own and as for Gillco, we are a family that supports one another. Our incredible leadership team always made our health and safety their top priority and 2020 reminded us that together, we can take on anything!
One more thing, I work with a group of highly talented and fiercely competitive individuals who produce results. Nothing gives me more joy than when we all come together to celebrate each other’s successes! A win for one is a win for all and each person at Gillco plays an important role in the company’s success!