Inside Illumio: Shell de Bont

Inside Illumio is a monthly series that highlights the exceptional individuals behind Illumio’s world-class product. Each post will take a peek behind the scenes to spotlight a member of our team. Come get to know us a little better and learn more about what makes Illumio’s culture so unique.

This month, meet Shell de Bont, Account Development Representative. Hear about her favorite part about working at Illumio and what she is passionate about outside of her career.

Tell us about yourself. What do you do at Illumio?

I am an account development representative working out of Illumio’s Sydney office. I have always been passionate about software and wanted to work in this field since I was young. I loved the innovation of software, and how it is dynamic and fast-paced. I entered the world of software by way of recruiting for tech companies, but I found it challenging to talk to candidates about MY dream jobs. So here I am. I started at a large tech company before moving to Illumio about a year ago. I spend my time working closely with our local sales and marketing teams to increase market awareness and evangelize Illumio’s approach to network segmentation.

What does a day in the life of Shell look like? What are you working on that excites you?

As an account development representative, I spend a lot of time on the phone. A large portion of my time is spent engaging prospective customers in discussions about their segmentation challenges and how Illumio can help. I also do a significant amount of research to uncover new opportunities in regions or use cases that we may not have explored. Aside from this, I work to support our local events to promote brand and market awareness in Australia and New Zealand. It's very rewarding to be part of a company's journey. 

How do you stay illuminated during the work day? 

Our local team in Australia is great. We’re a tight team that collaborates closely and cultivates a culture of openness and honesty. They push me to bring my best to every conversation, and they are always a great sounding board when I need someone to listen.

What is the most important thing you've learned at Illumio so far?

Patience. We have a great product at Illumio, but it often requires a change in thinking and change is scary. When people understand our approach, it's very rewarding to see the impact Illumio has on their jobs. It's great to be part of their "ah-ha moment" and see their jobs made easier.

What is the best movie you've seen in the last 6 months?

I recently travelled to our HQ in Sunnyvale for our all-team meeting, and I watched Joker on the plane. It was haunting, but really well-made. That said, if I’m being honest, I prefer watching trashy reality TV shows.

What are you passionate about outside of your career?

Outside of work, I love to travel. If I could visit every country in the world, I would! Travel offers the unique opportunity to step out of my bubble and to experience different cultures, foods and ways of life. A while back, I spent four weeks in Alaska and had the opportunity to stay with local families. The experience gave me the chance to learn about a unique part of the world.

Which Illumio core value resonates most with you and why?

The core value that resonates most with me is Build Trust. I believe that trust is the foundation of every relationship, both personal and professional. From a personal perspective, if you don't trust the people around you, you can't form a good relationship. Business is no different. If you don't have trust in me or our solution, we really don't have any way to grow. Fostering openness and honesty is the foundation of any relationship. 

What do you want people to know about working at Illumio?

Illumio provides a fast-paced, dynamic, and rewarding experience for its employees, something that less agile companies struggle with. Most importantly, our customers are our priority. They can influence the way we operate and be part of our growth. It’s great to experience that level of inclusion. 

Join Shell and #TeamIllumio! Check out our current job openings.