Team Impel includes musicians, foodies, avid animal lovers, athletes, and more, and their passion, energy, and grit make Impel successful. Impel’s Employee Spotlight Series highlights one of our incredible teammates each month, giving you an authentic and behind-the-scenes look at our culture. This month we’re introducing you to Billy Clifford, Customer Success Associate and two-time Storm Chaser Award winner.
Could you share your journey up to your current role as Customer Success Associate?
What a journey it’s been! I’ve been with Impel for just over three years, starting literally just 72 hours after graduating from college during the pandemic. Since then, I’ve been a part of several teams at Impel, from Tech Support to SMB Sales and Enterprise Sales, and now Account Management where I work with some of Impel’s largest partners to ensure their success. The ability to experience every facet of a rapidly growing software company has been incredibly rewarding and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
Which Impel core value resonates with you the most and why?
Energy. I’ve long been a believer that the energy you put out into the world is exactly the energy you receive back. It’s impossible to control everything, but you can always control your attitude, effort and energy!
You recently received your second Storm Chaser Award, congratulations! Could you share some of your daily practices that empower you to go above and beyond for the business and your colleagues?
From the business side, I’m a complete geek for automotive and an even bigger geek for technology. I’m always reading the latest news from the industry, looking at trends, and identifying new cutting edge technologies and overall keeping a pulse on potential challenges and opportunities for the business.
Now for the People. A lot of companies say “we’re like family” but at Impel, I truly feel this. Being able to help build a software company in my home city of Syracuse alongside some truly exceptional individuals – some of which were lifelong friends before I showed up, many others will be lifelong friends from here on out. This alone drives me to work even harder. Factor in the high level of talent and consistent genius that is displayed by everyone in the organization and you begin to see how this is an environment that pushes you to grow. Everyone at Impel pushes me to be better, learn more and most importantly, be a better version of who I was yesterday. I’m incredibly grateful for all of my colleagues (both in Syracuse and around the world!) and that makes it easy to go above and beyond.
In your view, how do you define success?
Wow, this is a tough question! Success to me is consistency. I’m a firm believer that if you push towards a goal long enough and hard enough on a consistent basis it’s almost impossible for you to not see success in one way or another.
What is the best piece of advice you have received and how do you apply it to your everyday actions and decisions?
Smile. I used to never smile – not out of emotion, I just wasn’t a very smiley person. One day I asked a mentor of mine for advice on how to develop stronger, more meaningful relationships both personally and professionally.
The answer was simple. Smile more.
My mentor was absolutely right…. Yes, I’m smiling just thinking about it while writing this 🙂
Share a hidden skill or talent you have that might surprise your colleagues.
I have two because I know one of them will make people laugh.
Everyone I work with knows I live for golf but secretly I’m a Scratch bowler and have bowled since I can walk. Start laughing!
Second, I’ve helped develop two fully functional robots. The first simulated autonomous driving on a small closed track with a small, hand built car…. We crashed it but we DID pass the class….. The second would take handwritten art/handwriting that someone could create on a Smart Pad and software would copy that writing onto an object in the real world (paper, cardboard etc.) We named that one “Stewart.” That one didn’t crash and still exists!
Your Slack profile hints at an interesting fact – could you tell us more about how you ended up being an extra for the movie Big Time Adolescence?
I was a baseball player in high school and college. One day my high school coach called me and asked if I wanted to be in a movie…. DUH! I actually got to meet Pete Davidson and MGK (Machine Gun Kelly) while filming and it was incredibly cool to see Hollywood behind the scenes.
If you had a chance to switch roles with anyone at Impel for a day, who would it be and why?
Mike Quigley. Mike is our President + Chief Strategy Officer and heads up all things strategy and Corp Dev related. Everytime MQ presents an Executive update, I’m always fascinated by what he has to say and hearing his explanations and thinking behind decisions.
If you could travel back to your first day working at Impel, what is one piece of advice you would give your past self?
“You should go get TSA precheck right now.”
You’re known to embrace hobbies that bring you out of your comfort zone. Have any of these hobbies become an integral part of your life that you can’t imagine living without?
Funnily enough, the hobby that’s become so integral to my life by going out of my comfort zone, is actually trying new hobbies that get me out of my comfort zone!
Billy’s radiant energy shines through in every aspect of his work, making him an invaluable asset to everyone at Impel. Fueled by his passion for both automotive and technology, Billy is ready to take on any challenge that crosses his path.
