When you get stuck professionally, where do you go? Who do you ask for help? How do you find your community?
The new RDU chapter of Pavilion—an international group of over 10,000 executives in primarily go-to-market roles at some the world’s fastest-growing companies—provides resources and meaningful connections to Triangle leaders seeking community.
Joe Aurilia, a Senior VP of Operations at cybersecurity firm Cyware who is helping to spearhead the RDU chapter, said that Pavilion is a “one-stop shop” for executive leadership community.
Members are typically senior execs in go-to-market roles such as sales, marketing, customer success, RevOps and whoever else is helping drive the revenue function, which at on-the-rise startups usually includes the CEO.
Vince Beese, the founder of Sales HQ and a sales growth expert, is the Chapter Leader of the Pavilion RDU.
“At the end of the day,” Beese says, “what we’re trying to do is support each other.”
Historically, Beese said many people operating in high-level positions have been more guarded about their experiences, but Pavilion encourages executives to be vulnerable and connect more with each other.
For example, a founding CEO of a tech startup could use Pavilion to meet other founding CEOs and open conversation about their struggles, their celebrations and everything in between.
“You become more human, more empathetic,” Beese said. He added that in the traditional business world opening up to other executives could be seen as “weak.”
Beese said Pavilion became “really powerful” during the pandemic and post-pandemic period because it helped senior, executive-level professionals find their next jobs despite market struggles.
Aurilia said he found Pavilion when he was desperate to find a professional community during that time. He had just moved to Raleigh in the midst of Covid-19 and had “no clue where to go.”
“I started to hunt online like crazy,” he said. “And I found Pavilion.”
Aurilia also said that when he attended one of Pavilion’s market conferences, he realized that the people who are part of the network aren’t just focused on advancing their professionalism and knowledge but also care about improving executive and entrepreneurial spirit.
Whereas other networking spaces, like LinkedIn, can be extremely broad, Pavilion offers a more specific space for senior leaders and “people with similar backgrounds.”
Beese said his friend, an early member of Pavilion, introduced him to the community when it was first starting out in New York City. Though Beese questioned its differentiation from LinkedIn, his friend convinced Beese that the platform was on “a whole other level.”
“I finally was in a spot where I said, I need to up my game too,” Beese said. “And that’s why I joined.”
Not only can Pavilion help execs find their next job, it can also benefit their current work success by providing channels for sharing resources and advice.
Pavilion chapters don’t occupy physical locations—they network virtually, such as through Slack channels, in addition to gatherings and planned events. The parent organization also has a robust educational component via its virtual “Pavilion University” to keep skills sharp.
Currently, Pavilion is restarting its city chapters so that the global community can also connect locally with others.
“So not only do we have this big, broad, global group, but now we have people locally,” Beese said.
The RDU chapter is quite young compared to others in large metropolitan areas that have been operating for years and is in its “beginning stages.”
To those interested in joining the Raleigh chapter of Pavilion, Beese hopes they understand that Pavilion is a community, but it is also a career development space.
In terms of defining who an “executive” is, Beese said he doesn’t think there’s a “one size fits all” definition for membership to Pavilion. People interested in joining Pavilion should occupy VP-level-and-above positions and can fill out an application. Members pay $275 a month for full access to sessions, community events and Slack channels.
“The bottom line I tell people when I’m speaking to potential new members is if you put the effort into community,” Beese said, “it will pay back in dividends for sure.”
Pavilion RDU’s next chapter event will take place Wednesday, Feb. 21 from 5-6:30 pm at Sales HQ. Those who are interested can RSVP by sending Beese an email at vince@salesatscale.com.