What is a day in the life of a Solution Architect superstar? Get to know more about Drew Adams, who has a passion for CPQ and Coffee. 

Drew Adams: Coffee with CPQ 

Drew Adams has participated or led in the launch of over 500 physical and digital products throughout his career. Drew taught himself how to code in sixth grade, and has worked with technology ever since. His passion lies along the intersection of where his product design and development skills cross paths with his early childhood software and programming skills. “The best thing you can be is a lifelong learner and always trying to learn something new.”  

And learn he has, earning multiple degrees. This June, he will be completing his master’s in Managing Product Design and Development. In addition to Salesforce certifications, CSM, PMP, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, and more! 

Before joining Neocol a year ago, Drew worked at a midsize exhibit and display manufacturer. He led a CPQ project that helped streamline the design, quoting, and manufacturing processes for custom trade show booths. On top of the front-end quote and pricing, the shop floor and production systems were connected to facilitate and organize the different steps of the build. He caught the CPQ implementation bug, enjoying the exciting challenges to drive innovation. From complex configuration logic to automating back-end billing and revenue reporting systems and everything in between, each CPQ project is different. 

This led him and the organization’s COO to pivot during the pandemic and scale quickly by utilizing their in-stock material, creating around 100 different PPE products, and enabling the company to bring some employees back to work. “CPQ software gives companies the flexibility required to innovate effectively, allowing them to provide their customers with more personalized user experiences. In addition to building product platforms that can offer additional support and services, up-sellable premium features, and customized pricing and payment options.”

His passion for CPQ is evident as he enjoys presenting about this topic at conferences and in the way he collaborates with his colleagues and clients, illustrating Neocol’s core values. “He is a superstar. People internally and externally love him,” said Jennifer Meehan, Senior Vice President of Revenue Lifecycle Management. 

What is a day in the life of a Solution Architect superstar? As a previous Starbucks employee, it starts with coffee. This coffee connoisseur owns an espresso machine, french press, etc. After coffee, it depends on the particular client project and their stage. “The flavor of the day changes based upon whether you’re in analysis and discovery facilitating workshops, compared to delivering during the build sprints or supporting user testing or a go-Live. I like the variety.”

“This is my dream job.” The combination of the culture, organizational values, and the Neocol focus on helping SaaS companies solve their CPQ, billing, and revenue automation challenges propelled Drew to join the team. “I love that we’re a truly global company. We understand how to collaborate efficiently with the flexibility to effectively work from anywhere.”

But his favorite part of being a Solution Architect is the people. “The people at Neocol are intelligent, hardworking, collaborative, and always willing to help each other out. When you’re on a team that really lives and breathes those same core values, it’s really fun to be a part of.”