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Ted Qian
Director Solution Architecture at Ciena
Professional Background
Ted Qian is an accomplished professional with a robust background in product line management spanning several technical domains, including data center networking, internet core routing, and network functions virtualization (NFV). Over the years, Ted has demonstrated an exceptional ability to manage products from inception to market, embodying a profound understanding of profit and loss responsibilities across diverse sectors, including cloud service provisions, enterprise solutions, and telecommunications. His tenure in well-respected organizations like Ciena, Arrcus, and Hewlett-Packard Networking speaks volumes of his capability and dedication to advancing product strategies that meet and exceed market demand.
With a rich history in leading product management initiatives, Ted has skillfully navigated the complex waters of the technology industry, ensuring that products not only resonate with target audiences but also position themselves competitively within the landscape. His experience has been marked by a keen passion for promoting products and showcasing their unique value propositions to sales organizations and customers alike. Ted is an advocate for understanding customer behavior deeply, which reflects in his strategic approach to product development.
As a recognized inventor in the field of technology, Ted holds United States patents (7,688,832 and 9,178,798) that highlight his innovative capabilities. These patents focus on pivotal aspects of networking technology and showcase his commitment to advancing the field through practical and groundbreaking solutions. Ted's current projects include two additional patent applications pending in VXLAN and SDN WAN, demonstrating his continual pursuit of innovation.
Education and Achievements
Ted’s educational background solidifies his extensive expertise in responsible product management and technical acumen. He has received formal training in various key areas from reputable institutions such as the University of California, Berkeley, and Stanford University, equipping him with the necessary skills to excel in a competitive environment. Some notable programs he has completed include:
- Pricing: Strategies and Tactics at the University of California, Berkeley
- Cloud Computing: Selling and Marketing SaaS Solutions to the Enterprise at Stanford Continuing Studies
- Tame Big Data to Drive Big Insight at Stanford Continuing Studies
- Monetizing Business Models: Foundation of a Profitable Business at Stanford Continuing Studies
- Product Management Program at UC Berkeley, Walter A. Haas School of Business
- Master of Science in Computer Science from Virginia Tech
With a blend of practical experience and academic prowess, Ted is well-equipped to foster forward-thinking product strategies and maintain competitive advantages in the fast-paced tech arena.
Career Highlights
Ted has held several strategic roles throughout his impressive career, where he has been pivotal in driving product success across various organizations:
- As the Director of Solution Architecture at Ciena, Ted has delineated his role in integrating network solutions tailored for high-end customers, further advancing market outreach and product relevance.
- His previous position as the Director of Product Management at Arrcus, Inc. saw him leveraging his vast industry knowledge to steer product direction and engage with cross-functional teams to achieve success.
- A notable part of Ted’s journey includes his time as the Senior Global Product Line Manager (Principal) at Hewlett-Packard Networking, where he played a crucial role in defining product changes that catered to evolving market demands.
- He has also served as Sr. Product Line Manager at Juniper Networks and Product Line Manager at Brocade, proving his ability to adapt product strategies effectively in alignment with technological advancements.
- Ted's foundation was laid with his tenure at Cisco Systems, where he served as both Sr. Product Manager and Technical Leader. His experience here underlines his capability to meld technical and managerial skills for exceptional product delivery.
In these roles, Ted has extensively enhanced product life cycle management, from strategy formulation to pricing, enabling successful deployment and market traction. He is also proficient in open-source software, Agile processes, and various networking technologies, preparing him to lead with innovative solutions that transform the industry landscape.
Specialties and Skills
With a firm dedication to advancing technology and enhancing customer experience, Ted possesses an impressive range of specialties that complement his product line management capabilities. Below are key areas of expertise that define his professional landscape:
- Data Center Technology: Expertise in relevant technologies that support robust data center functionalities.
- Software Defined Networking (SDN): Deep understanding of SDN principles and their competitive advantages.
- Cloud Computing: Insights into cloud architecture and deployment strategies, ensuring his products meet modern enterprise needs.
- Product Strategy and Lifecycle Management: Proficient in developing strategies to manage products throughout their lifecycle effectively.
- MPLS and Networking Protocols: Extensive knowledge of multiprotocol label switching and other networking protocols.
- Networking Security: Commitment to safe and secure product deployment as essential in modern networking solutions.
- Sales Training and Development: Strong background in equipping sales teams with the tools and insights necessary to sell technologically advanced solutions.
Ted's forward-thinking approach, combined with a well-rounded skill set, positions him as a respected leader within his field, paving the way for future innovations in technology.
Conclusion
Ted Qian's remarkable career trajectory reflects his unyielding dedication to product excellence, market understanding, and technological advancement. His educational pursuits combined with his rich professional background provide him with the acumen necessary to push boundaries within the industry. As he continues to explore innovative avenues in data center networking, SDN, and cloud computing, Ted remains committed to fostering seamless experiences for customers while delivering exceptional value through his products.
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Clay offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Clay offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Clay for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Clay accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Clay offers extensive integration capabilities. Clay introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Clay supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Clay also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Clay is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
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.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
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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