Former Vice President of Sales to lead Abstrakt through its next growth phase
The Start of His Career
Eric started his career at Abstrakt in 2012 as an Operations Intern. In just seven years, he has progressed to holding a position on the Executive team. When he first started as a Business Development Manager, Eric made cold calls to understand the role of those he was managing. He realized he wasn’t exactly a natural and became an example of how much one could improve with hard work and dedication.
A Jump in Revenue
Today, Watkins manages more than 230 employees and Abstrakt is proud to announce his promotion. Since his start in the Business Development division in 2016, the division’s revenue has risen from $5.6 million in 2015 to pacing for $22.2 million by the end of 2019 and $30 million by the end of 2020. This is a jump of 299.32% and is only possible because of people like Eric piloting Abstrakt’s divisions.
A Word from the CEO
“Eric’s professional and personal development over the past 7 years, exemplifies the exponential growth opportunities we have at Abstrakt, going from an Operations Intern in 2012 to President of Outbound in 2019. He is an invaluable asset to the constant development of excellence in our workplace, and the contributions he has made to our culture are immeasurable,” said CEO, Scott Scully.
Restructure of Business Development Division
Watkins’ role in restructuring the Business Development division enabled Abstrakt to grow rapidly but sustainably, with the team member count increasing by 140%. Eric is a leader who truly sees value in the people around him and makes it his mission to help them grow and develop personally and professionally.
“I am extremely honored and humbled to have the opportunity to play the role of President of Pipeline Outbound here at Abstrakt. I would love to take credit for getting to this point, but the truth is I have been extremely lucky to be surrounded by an incredible team every step of the way here. In addition, Scott Scully has mentored me every step of the way and without his support I would not be in a position to take on a role of this magnitude. I could not be more excited about the opportunity to push the envelope for what is possible for Abstrakt. At the end of the day, our company is fueled by the growth of both our team members and our clients. I know that if we continue to invest in and develop our team members, they will in turn deliver an incredible service that will lead to our client’s growth,” said Watkins.
From Workforce Game Changer to President
In 2018, he earned Workforce Magazine’s Game Changer Award for his contributions to Abstrakt’s culture. As the company grows in revenue, leaders like Eric ensure its culture also progresses. While it’s true that Eric has already accomplished many impressive feats at age 29, his career is just getting started. This choice to promote Watkins to President of Pipeline Outbound is a clear reflection of the company’s mission to always be growing, and they’re ready to finish the year strong with exponential growth and success for clients.
