Ever wondered what it takes to thrive in the fast-paced world of tech sales? Or how a career shift could lead to success helping companies deliver integrated, automated, and AI-powered experiences – all without a formal technical background? Look no further than the inspiring story of Hayal Koc, a dynamic sales leader at Salesforce, who proves that passion, curiosity and a growth mindset can open doors to a thriving career.
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Hayal’s professional journey began far from the tech world. “I started my career in banking and consulting,” she says, “and looking back, I’m so glad I did! The work ethic, attention to detail, and financial acumen I learned were invaluable.” Hayal enjoyed consulting, but felt a pull toward entrepreneurship. This led her to co-found a startup where she discovered her true passion: sales.
“Through all the highs and lows of entrepreneurship and startup life, I fell in love with sales,” Hayal shares. “My experience as a co-founder helped me to empathise with our customers and their challenges.”
While enjoying entrepreneurship, Hayal eventually felt ready for a new challenge. Coincidentally, a chance encounter with a Salesforce sales leader proved to be a pivotal moment: “Our conversation was brief but impactful,” Hayal recalls, “and she urged me to apply for a role.”
While initially hesitant about transitioning from a startup to a larger company, the opportunity to learn from the best while being at the forefront of technology was too compelling to resist. “I took a leap of faith,” she says, “and I’ve never looked back!”
Hayal began her Salesforce journey as a senior Account Executive (AE), partnering with high-growth tech companies in San Francisco and Silicon Valley. After a few years successfully honing her sales skills (and three trips to the prestigious Sales Club!) she was promoted to lead teams in the fast-paced Commercial segment. Going back into leadership gave her the opportunity to focus on another personal passion: developing talent.
“Sales is a tough field, and having someone who really listens, offers guidance, and provides encouragement can make all the difference. Beyond being a coach and mentor, I’ve also become a sponsor: I recommend employees for high-visibility projects and help my team gain promotions or leadership roles. I get genuine contentment from helping others grow in their careers and believe in paying it forward.”
“At Salesforce, your career is really what you make of it. I’ve had the chance to take on many unique experiences beyond my role, each one driven by my own passion and determination, and always with the support of my community.”
Hayal Koc, RVP, Sales
From San Francisco to London
A desire for a new challenge and to be closer to family led her to take advantage of Salesforce’s global presence; Hayal interviewed for, and accepted, a new role that relocated her from San Francisco to London. “I was intentional about what my next role would be,” Hayal shares of her career development.
Hayal with London’s MuleSoft leadership team
“First, I wanted to be at the forefront of Salesforce’s – and the entire industry’s – transition to the next phase of artificial intelligence, one where autonomous AI agents became a reality and ‘digital labor’ works alongside humans. To best guide customers into this new era, I knew I had to learn more about our integration and automation platform, as it’s the foundation of any AI strategy.
The key to success with AI is ensuring the data is available at the right time, in the right format, and with the right controls. Second, I wanted to expand my industry reach and partner with companies across a wide range of industries, beyond the technology sector.”
Today, Hayal leads a team specialising in selling Salesforce’s integration and automation platform, MuleSoft, to enterprises across the UK and Ireland. Hayal describes MuleSoft as a powerful platform that helps businesses connect different applications, systems and data sources, as well as automate standard processes, ensuring smooth transitions and efficient information flow. She explains:
“MuleSoft is a universal connector that allows businesses to both automate processes and get the right information to the right place, at the right time, and with the right controls.”
Hayal with Salesforce co-founders Parker Harris and Marc Benioff
Hayal continues, “The past few months have been especially exciting with the success of Agentforce, Salesforce’s platform for autonomous AI. MuleSoft not only powers Agentforce; it also enhances its capabilities, enabling agents to take action across any and all of the systems and channels where work happens.
It’s incredibly rewarding to contribute to our customers’ success and to be part of their innovation journeys. I look forward to seeing how we continue to evolve and shape what’s possible next.”
Based out of Salesforce Tower London, Hayal loves the energy of the Salesforce office.
“Sales is a team sport, and being able to work together face-to-face makes brainstorming and problem-solving much more dynamic and enjoyable, while also helping to build trust and rapport more naturally.” she says.
What Hayal looks for when hiring Account Executives:
Hayal’s success is a testament that the best sellers don’t need deep technical experience to be successful. When hiring for her growing team in London, she identifies the strongest candidates as those who demonstrate these traits:
Curiosity: Actively seek out ways to stay current on trends and developments
A Growth Mindset: Embrace learning and continuous development
Openness to Change: Try out new technology like Agentforce for yourself
Strong Interpersonal Skills: Prioritise building genuine relationships, internally & externally
Resilience: Navigate challenges, adapt to change, and perform under pressure
“You don’t need to be an expert to pivot into the tech industry if you’re willing to be an active student,” Hayal advises. “One of my favorite things about Salesforce is that there is no shortage of resources, and the education, training and enablement is not one size fits all: you can customise your learning to the topics you want to learn about, in the way in which you learn best. This allows us to keep up with the ever-evolving technology landscape.”
Not a MuleSoft expert? No problem. Start here to learn about building integrations & APIs with clicks, not code.
A day in the life of an Account Executive in London
Hayal (top center) at a Women of MuleSoft dinner
Hayal gives a sneak peek into what your days could look like on her team: “The beauty of sales is that no two days are the same, but there are consistent elements.
Our Account Executives work in a hybrid environment, balancing time spent with customers, at industry events, or in our Salesforce Towers.
“When we’re not with customers, we’re preparing for customer interactions, strategising, learning, and having weekly team check-ins on deals, pipeline building, and skill development. Each AE also has one-on-one time with their leader to problem-solve any roadblocks they’re facing and to discuss daily challenges and personal developments.”
Hayal makes sure her team takes time to build strong connections amongst team members and within the wider sales organization in order to keep a collaborative spirit alive. “We organise events every other month — most recently, karaoke and go-kart racing. We celebrate each win: big or small, personal or professional!“
When it comes to technology, Account Executives at Salesforce “are super-users of Slack and are Customer Zero for our products,” Hayal shares. “We have Agentforce for Sales tools that create call transcripts, summarises account notes, generates personalised outreach, and can give feedback on talk tracks.”
Whether you’re an experienced SaaS seller or brand new to the industry, Hayal recommends embracing change and pursuing your potential. “It’s such an exciting time to be in technology, and there has never been a better time to join Salesforce! Agentic AI is revolutionising how we work, and we have the privilege of guiding companies into this new era.”
If you’re ready to take your career to the next level and work with leaders like Hayal, check out our open roles in London and apply today.
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Sadie KoeppelEmployer Brand Communication & Content Manager
A storyteller at heart, Sadie is the Employer Brand Communications and Content Manager at Salesforce. She writes about career stories, workplace culture moments, and the core values that make Salesforce a great place to work.
