Liftoff Employee Spotlight: Karl Berta, Head of LATAM Sales
Karl Berta joined Liftoff in February 2015 as one of our first Account Executives on the sales team. Since joining Liftoff, Karl has closed many high touch accounts and now leads our LATAM sales efforts.
What was your first job?
My first job out of college was a trader at a financial trading desk in San Francisco. I was the youngest employee there at the time, and I had to work east coast hours. Although I learned a great deal about the industry, a year and a half later I realized the day to day aspects of the job were not for me.
Before working at Liftoff, where did you work?
I worked at AdRoll, a retargeting platform. A few Liftoffers including Deanna Ulrich, Matt Crane, and Josh Hayes also used to work there.
What drew you to Liftoff originally?
At the end of my time at AdRoll I realized the company didn’t have a strong mobile offering and some of my clients were already beginning to prioritize mobile. That’s when someone from Liftoff reached out to me. Overall, I was quite impressed with the quality of leadership and individuals that were currently working at Liftoff, even though the company was still small at the time.
What is your biggest accomplishment at Liftoff?
Looking back, it’s great to reflect on how significant a lot of the client relationships I’ve originated were and continue to be for the health of our business in North America. Looking ahead I’m excited about the opportunity in Latin America for Liftoff and proud that we’re currently the fastest growing DSP in the region.
What is your favorite part about working at Liftoff?
I enjoy the work life balance, but mostly enjoy the quality of work and the professionalism of the people I get to work with everyday. During my first days at the company I was surprised to see so much involvement from our founders when it came to client success. I appreciate the team collaboration that continues throughout the organization, and that my roles and responsibilities have grown as the company has grown.
Favorite event at Liftoff?
The Ski Trip! Before joining Liftoff I did not know how to ski, but through these trips I learned and was also able to teach my fiancé.
What advice would you give future new hires joining Liftoff?
There is so much to learn, but you won’t be able to learn it all in one day, so take your time. Get to know the people around you as well as what challenges they’re working on. Sit in on meetings that have representation from various teams across the organization in order to gain valuable perspective.
What is the one thing you can’t live without?
Coffee! I used to work as a barista and was trained by professional baristas on traditional Italian espresso preparation. Through this experience I’ve become somewhat of a coffee snob who needs coffee every morning.
One life highlight?
Getting engaged is one of my recent life highlights, but I still consider graduating from UC Berkeley a huge accomplishment. My family is Peruvian and I’m a first generation American who grew up in the Bay Area. I would say I come from humble beginnings, so graduating from UC Berkeley was a huge accomplishment for not only myself but my family as well. I’m extremely thankful that my family, mentors and counselors were there every step of the way.
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