 | Kara Wilson Chief Marketing Officer Born:
San Pedro, CA
Prior Experience:
Cisco Systems, VP, Collaboration Solutions Marketing
Network General, Chief Marketing Officer
PeopleSoft, Group VP, Corporate Communications
Sybase, Senior Manager, Product Marketing
Arthur Andersen, Senior Associate, Business Consulting
Education:
University of California, Berkeley – BA, Political Economy of Industrialized Societies
What I like to do outside of work:
Outside work — it’s all about my family. My two girls are the joy in my life, and I never mind four soccer games in a weekend. I grew up in Southern California near the ocean, was a triathlete, and ran track and cross-country in college, so I love being active… especially surfing, snowboarding, wakeboarding and running.
Q: Where in your background did you learn the most?
A: I have to say junior high school. At age 13, girls can be pretty mean and I was a bit of a nerd. During these pivotal years, my mom instilled a drive and confidence in me that made a profound impact. Every work environment is a dynamic mix of skills, motivation and personality. My energy comes from building strong teams and the satisfaction of winning together — it’s a balance between being relentless yet empathetic.
Q: If you could meet one person in history, who would you meet and why?
A: This one is easy — Nelson Mandela. He has exhibited humility with intense passion, far reaching purpose with individual empathy, and the patience and perseverance to never give up on worthwhile dreams.
Q: What's been your biggest surprise during your time at SuccessFactors?
A: SuccessFactors embodies the intoxicating energy of a high-growth company along with an unwavering drive for innovation and differentiation. We have incredible assets — from our technology, to our people, to our competitive nature and drive to win (I’d really hate to be our competition).
Q: If you had 20 seconds to tell a new client about why they should use SuccessFactors, what would you say?
A: Most companies spend more in OpEx on people than any other category, yet few organizations invest sufficiently in this valuable asset. When I hear customers talk about the value of SuccessFactors to their organization, it really does feel transformative. The power to align a workforce with the company’s strategy is one thing, but the ability to analyze it across every aspect of the business is driving a whole new level of insight, visibility and control. That’s pretty compelling.
Q: Why are you proud to work at SuccessFactors?
A: I’m proud of our relentless focus on customer success. We have an innate impatience to be extraordinary, and that drives me. I definitely like our chances. |
