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Steve Braz
Customer Success Leader • Service Business Development Leader
Professional Background
Steve Braz is a distinguished enterprise security services sales leader with over two decades of rich experience in the information technology (IT) sector. Known for his exceptional leadership skills, Steve has successfully developed and managed innovative sales portfolios that significantly exceed booking, revenue, and margin targets. His career journey is marked by a pronounced expertise in services delivery, strategy formulation, trend analysis, and territory alignment, along with a proven ability to effectively plan and optimize organizational strategies to meet and exceed corporate goals.
Throughout his impactful career, Steve has taken on various leadership roles, applying his extensive knowledge and skills to build effective sales and customer success teams. His strong passion for executing corporate initiatives has led him to cultivate lasting relationships with clients and foster an environment of success and collaboration within his teams. Steve is recognized for his strategic vision and his ability to drive change in dynamic business environments.
Education and Achievements
Steve’s solid educational foundation supports his remarkable career in the IT industry. He earned a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business Management from the University of Central Florida, equipping him with the essential skills needed for strategic planning and leadership within the business landscape. Additionally, he holds an Associate of Science (A.S.) in Business Administration and Management from Nassau Community College, further solidifying his knowledge in managing business operations and understanding market dynamics.
His educational accomplishments have propelled him into various industries, particularly in enterprise security and customer success. These studies prepared him not only for the technical aspects of his career but also for leadership roles that require strong communication, project management, and organizational skills.
Professional Experience
Steve's professional journey is rather impressive, highlighted by various key roles he has assumed in prominent organizations. Currently, he serves as the Customer Success Leader at Ellucian, where he oversees initiatives to enhance customer engagement and satisfaction, ensuring that clients derive maximum value from the company's offerings. His expertise in customer success aligns seamlessly with his commitment to fostering positive relationships and maximizing client retention.
Before his tenure at Ellucian, Steve built a formidable career at Symantec, where he held multiple senior leadership roles, including Sr. Director of Premium Support & Customer Success, Sr. Director of Cyber Security Services, and Director of Business Critical Services. During his time at Symantec, he was instrumental in driving the company's strategic initiatives, developing cybersecurity solutions, and enhancing customer engagement strategies that contributed meaningfully to the organization’s bottom line.
In his role as a Customer Success Manager and later as a Partner Account Manager at Symantec, Steve honed his skills in managing partnerships and delivering exceptional customer service, which are pivotal in the ever-evolving field of IT security. His experience at Symantec, one of the leading cybersecurity firms globally, has deeply enriched his understanding of technological solutions and market strategies, helping him adeptly navigate the complexities of customer needs while delivering tailored cybersecurity solutions.
Additionally, Steve’s involvement on the Advisory Board for Expand Selling at the Technology Services Industry Association (TSIA) showcases his commitment to sharing knowledge and advancing the industry standards. This role highlights his emphasis on continual learning and collaboration within the technology services sector.
Beyond his corporate endeavors, Steve has also contributed to youth sports as an Assistant Baseball Coach at Orangewood Christian School and served as a Managing Member at Elite Athletic Sports Club. His involvement in these activities emphasizes his commitment to mentorship and community development, which are essential components of both his professional and personal ethos.
Notable Achievements
Steve Braz’s career is distinguished not just by his roles but also by noteworthy achievements, particularly in areas that drive organizational success. His leadership at Symantec led to the successful implementation of numerous initiatives that improved customer retention rates and enhanced overall customer satisfaction. His strategic foresight has often resulted in the effective alignment of services that meet client needs, demonstrating his understanding of market demands and customer expectations.
Moreover, Steve has been recognized for cultivating a culture of teamwork and collaboration within his teams, significantly improving the execution of corporate initiatives. His ability to mentor and develop teams is reflected in the consistent achievement of revenue and margin targets across various portfolios.
In summary, Steve Braz is a renowned enterprise security services sales leader with a proven ability to outperform in highly competitive environments. His extensive career, marked by a strong educational background and a series of impactful leadership roles, has equipped him with the tools necessary to lead successful teams effectively. His commitment to customer success and strategic initiatives positions him as a key player in the IT industry, ensuring he remains at the forefront of technological advancements and service delivery excellence.
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Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
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Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Clay's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Clay's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Clay has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
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