JULABO’s Emily Sologuren Talks about the Value of the Human Element In Temperature Control Equipment and Sales
Meet Emily Sologuren, Northeast account manager and the team sales manager for JULABO USA. Emily functions as the key account manager and contact person for laboratories and industries in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C., Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and Massachusetts that are in need of JULABO’s temperature control equipment. She’s also been recently promoted to the role of sales manager, working with JULABO USA’s account managers on training and territory development. We recently talked with Emily about her role(s) at JULABO USA and how the human element helps her succeed in both positions.
Two Roles, One Engaged Leader
The first thing you should know is that wearing two hats doesn’t bother Sologuren, she prefers it that way. “I think it’s important to maintain a customer base and territory. It gives me credibility when I’m working with other territory account managers and it keeps me in the loop as far as what’s working and what’s going on in the field,” Sologuren explained. “Working a territory helps me walk the walk, besides there are so many fun parts to being an account manager, especially the customer interaction that I’d miss if I weren’t doing that. Both jobs are rewarding, and every day is different, so that’s exciting!” she added.
“I have deep appreciation and admiration for colleagues and what they are trying to accomplish, I also know that our customers are directly changing people’s lives, and we need to support that. I couldn’t be prouder to put in the hours and support both customers and our account teams. I want to be there for those who need me.” – Emily Sologuren
Experience Helping Others & Solving Problems
Before joining JULABO USA, Sologuren served as a sales representative and later a sales manager in the field of higher education. Her background selling to academia prepared her well for her role at JULABO USA.
After years of experience in higher education, she was comfortable talking to highly technical decision-makers such as chemists, physicists, scientists, and engineers, and could speak their language. She also knew how to help people navigate change, including helping people through a consultative purchasing process, navigating timing and budgetary requirements, and building consensus.
As the JULABO sales manager, Sologuren is working to create a supportive culture, where she can help individuals succeed. She wants them to know they can come to her when there’s a problem or a need, even if it’s something complex.
“I enjoy solving problems and diffusing conflict. I can usually distill the heightened emotions and turmoil and see a solution.” – Emily Sologuren
Sologuren’s ability to listen, empathize, and remain calm have served her well during the recent pandemic. She’s been working to guide the JULABO account team through uncertainty while also responding quickly to customer’s demands for laboratory and industrial equipment.
Shifting with the Times, What’s Changed Recently
Sologuren is navigating most of the recent work developments easily. Fortunately, Sologuren is used to working from home. What she’s not used to is an audience. With her family home, she’s having to adjust some of her habits. “I’m working upstairs in the office off of our bedroom, instead of throughout the house. I can’t pace while I’m on the phone. My family tells me I’m too loud. So, while I’m busier than ever, I’m having to sequester my movements and stay in one place,” Sologuren admits. Her new audience does come with a few rewards, however. Recently her daughters set the table, made her lunch, and told her she needed to stop, take a break, and eat with them, which she did happily.
While Sologuren is used to doing a lot of her work by phone and email, she does miss the ability to travel. She would normally be traveling to work with colleagues in their territories and visiting with customers to see their equipment set-ups, processes, and applications.
“The customer visit is the best; you get to see the space and walk in their shoes. You can see the system and understand your customer’s challenges. You can connect and read someone’s face and emotions. And then you have that moment — the meeting after the meeting when you start to talk about your life and your kids and make a real connection. I miss that and look forward to doing that again, whether it’s meeting with customers in my territory or traveling with the team. There’s nothing that can replace that.” – Emily Sologuren
A Recent Epiphany about the Value of JULABO
Sologuren has had some recent epiphanies about her work in light of the pandemic. It’s been a profound discovery for her, seeing just how many customers and industries depend on temperature control for their daily operations. It’s given her a new perspective on what she does and how it impacts others.
According to Sologuren, it’s also easier to explain the importance of temperature control in light of all the research, discovery, and shifts in manufacturing. People, like her family, who didn’t fully understand what JULABO was all about, have a clearer vision now. “People see the importance of what we do when I say that laboratories and vaccine researchers need to match human temperatures and keep their samples at a specific temperature. They get it when I say manufacturers need to heat the molds for the plastic tubes for ventilators and that they use our equipment to power those processes,” she explained.
“I used to explain that we sell laboratory equipment to pharma, biotech, and industry. And that the equipment is used to control temperatures. Now, I can share very relatable examples. The other night I turned on the news and saw a pharmaceutical customer talking about their efforts to find a vaccine. We’d just rushed an adapter to them from the warehouse. That was a really cool moment, I’ve never been prouder to be a part of this industry,” – Emily Sologuren
Assessing Possibilities & Looking Ahead
JULABO USA has seen an increased demand for equipment and service in some industries and a decline in other industries. It’s a global issue and no one knows for sure what will happen. Luckily, Sologuren says she’s not much of a multi-tasker, she gives her full attention to whomever she’s having a conversation with, as she puts it “People can tell when you’re distracted or doing something else like reading or writing an email.” So, Sologuren is going to do what she’s used to doing, assessing each situation as it arises and giving everyone her undivided attention.
Personally, she’ll be glad when she can celebrate milestones like birthdays with her entire family. Both of her daughters are celebrating birthdays during the quarantine. According to Sologuren, these are the times when perspectives change, and we see what matters most. A few years ago, Sologuren’s mother passed away. Looking back at this extraordinary loss she says, “I’m so grateful we were able to be there with Mom when she passed, the whole family. I see how grateful I am for that now,” Sologuren confided.
Whatever comes next, Sologuren says she’ll be happy and grateful for little things like going to the beach again, celebrating family barbecues, visiting customers, and traveling with colleagues in the field. In the meantime, Sologuren takes refuge in the fact that her work is making a difference in ways she hadn’t considered before. And, for now, that’s enough motivation to keep her moving forward in both roles.
When it comes to scientific equipment, the Human Element makes all the difference. Discover more stories like this one and get to know the people at JULABO USA on our Human Element page.
To learn more about JULABO USA, visit us at julabo.us.
