From Sales to Leading Product Sustainability Marketing, See Megan's Journey at Dell Technologies

Megan C. | Senior Consultant, Product Sustainability Marketing | Austin, TX

Originally Published: April 6, 2023

Can you tell me a bit about yourself and your current role? My name is Megan, and I’ve been at Dell Technologies for 16 years. I am the Global Product Sustainability Marketing Lead, and I am responsible for messaging and marketing Dell’s efforts to make our products, solutions, and services more sustainable, in addition to how our technology is used to drive climate action. I have had an incredible career at Dell, and I enjoy our culture and the people I work with. I met my husband and so many friends during my time at the company and owe so much of what I love about my life comes from working here. Even in difficult times, like when I was unexpectedly put on bed rest with my son for a month and then had to spend two weeks in the NICU with him, my team sent flowers several times, visited, and checked in with me to make sure we were okay. Not to mention, I paid very little out of pocket and enjoyed additional time with my son because we have amazing benefits and programs.

Why did you choose to join Dell Technologies, and what experiences in your career path led you to your current role?

I went to school for journalism and PR, but the job market in 2007 for those roles were scarce due to the rise of social media and the pending recession. I decided to move to Austin to improve my chances but still had difficulty. Then I saw an ad for Dell consumer phone sales, and it unknowingly sent me on a path that changed my entire life. It was the start of my six-and-a-half-year-long sales journey, a time of my career foundational for my future in marketing. I took sales learnings with me when I started as a Product Marketing Manager at Dell, collaborating closely with salespeople and having customer conversations. From there, I transitioned into Channel Field Marketing where I told channel marketers why they should position Dell monitors to their customers. This required some creativity as we needed to stand out from several other competitors. Some of our ideas included making caricatures of ourselves to represent our personal brand and subsequently using them to create content and contests. This was a huge hit and was successful at helping us stand out! That role reignited my creativity, so when I heard of an opportunity on the Product Messaging and Marketing team, I initiated conversations to see how I could make the leap into marketing. The networking proved successful, and I gladly received an offer to join this team, and during that time I owned messaging around monitors, docking stations, and other solutions including the few product sustainability-related requests that may come up. At the time conversations around product sustainability were very rare, as many customers prioritized our corporate goals and initiatives. However, in the summer of 2020, it quickly rose to a top concern for customers. Seeing this growing topic and opportunity, I worked with my leaders to create a “go big” plan to develop a robust product sustainability marketing strategy. They supported my vision, and it led to the creation of a new area of focus for Dell. I’ve happily been in this role full-time for the past 3 years! Through networking, building on previous experiences, and advocating for myself at each step along my journey, I have found a career at Dell that perfectly aligns with my interests, strengths, and values.

What are some of the main initiatives Dell is working on to advance sustainability and take climate action? Ironically, when I started at Dell in 2007, they had just started our Plant a Tree initiative, and I became the team advocate for it, encouraging other sales makers to offer it to their customers. I also remember our first PC made with bamboo in 2009 and thinking about how cool that was. Now almost 16 years later, I’m leading sustainability marketing around our products, solutions, and services. In my current role, I support initiatives that promote the use of ocean-bound plastics and other recycled and renewable materials in our products and packaging. This aligns with our 2030 goal to have 100% of our product packaging and 50% or more of our product content made from recycled or renewable material. I also have the opportunity to share all the industry-leading sustainability initiatives that our engineers are working on behind the scenes. I particularly love the work they’re doing around sustainable materials. When a company like Dell invests in new materials, we give confidence to the industry that if Dell is using these materials, they likely can too. This creates demand and establishes a supply chain of innovative new materials, which drives down costs and makes it easier for those that follow to make those changes as well.

What have you been most proud of during your career at Dell?

I’m most proud of my current role: having the ability to work for great leaders and create a career for myself that is perfectly aligned with my values and experiences. Before starting my current role, product-level sustainability marketing didn’t really exist, and in 3 years we were able to build it all from scratch. With the encouragement and support from my leaders and stakeholders we have visibility at the highest levels in the company! Putting my work in front of leadership not only helped me with my confidence, but also helped me make a real impact on the company and bring sustainability to the forefront. When I have a big vision, I never fear speaking up!

At any company, you can have good or bad experiences with leadership, but I’ve been fortunate to have more good than bad. I am grateful that I am part of the organization I’m in today, with both a direct leader and a skip level who are incredible to work for. Both are supportive, open to suggestions and encourage us to speak up. With these leaders, I’ve never felt I couldn’t ask for something or advocate for what I believe in.

What advice do you have for incoming talent?

From a career perspective, always be sure to advocate for yourself and find ways you can stand out. My manager once said “It’s not just your manager that promotes you, it’s the people around them. If your name comes up in a meeting about a promotion, you want several people in the room who know of you and your work to say “Yes, I agree, X is doing great work.” The more people who know your name and the better your personal brand, the easier it is to find your next role.

Something I often see with new hires is a reluctance to take on roles that are either unrelated to what they studied in school or not as high-level of a role as they think they deserve. While that may be true, I often remind folks that you have many years in the workforce to try different roles and understand where your interests are. Every experience I’ve had in my career has prepared me for this one; it’s those experiences that have allowed me to maneuver the complexities of this role. From understanding what it’s like to be in sales and what Dell customers expect from us to building a technical background that helps me better understand how our products are planned and launched, it has all been critical to making the changes and implementing the plans we need to drive sustainability. No matter where you start, every experience you have is worth the time and investment to learn something new, build your network, and bring something unique and valuable into your new roles.

How do you believe each of us can work towards building a more sustainable future?

The collective way to drive sustainability on our planet is by supporting companies that prioritize sustainability initiatives. As an individual, yes, you can recycle, but supporting large companies like ours and encouraging them to act and make products responsibly can have a much more influential impact. You can’t do this overnight, so it is necessary to follow and support these companies throughout their journey and show that what they do is meaningful to customers. When companies know that consumers care about their sustainable practices, it encourages them to continue to reduce emissions and develop even better initiatives for a sustainable future. Together, we can build a more sustainable future by encouraging companies to be more sustainable and holding them accountable when they are not.

Outside of work, what do you enjoy doing?

I love spending time with my family and friends, traveling, and exploring new places. I also enjoy antique and vintage shopping since I love giving a new purpose to old things! 

To learn more about Dell's sustainability initiatives and what it's like to work at Dell, visit advancing sustainability and our stories.