Our expert spotlight series showcases the great minds of SMG—those who keep us innovating, growing, and driving meaningful change for clients. We sat down with Noel Andrews-Sotta—VP, Operations—to learn more about her role and why she’s excited to be a part of the new era of SMG.
Tell us a little about your role as VP, Operations.
My team will handle operational requests and support (our new SMG Help Center is officially live!) so Client Success teams can focus solely on value-oriented engagements like program maturity, XM strategy, and industry thought leadership. This will help us expedite program change requests, execute faster + more efficient updates, and support the organization’s growth as SMG continues to evolve and expand.
We’ll also be more diligent on measuring client satisfaction, to ensure our support and services model is delivering the level of insights and success our client partners expect from us. As a company dedicated to customer and employee feedback, we are holding ourselves to an even higher standard.
What drew you to this position?
I recently relocated back to Kansas City and was familiar with SMG from when I lived here previously. Back then, it wasn’t the right time or fit, but when I heard of all the changes and vision of the new SMG, I wanted to be a part of it. The new era of global expansion is going to be an exciting one and I’m eager for the opportunity to help take SMG to the next level.
Now that you’ve been here for a few months, has anything surprised you about working at SMG?
I already knew this was a great company to work for, but when I got here and learned about all the ERGs, I was really impressed. This is also the first organization I’ve heard of with a neurodiversity ERG, and I think it’s such a huge asset. What’s better than making all employees feel welcome and heard and for it not to be taboo to talk about what employees need to do their jobs better? I think that’s so important and not necessarily something all companies are prioritizing.
What’s one of your proudest professional accomplishments so far?
By far I’m most proud of the teams and leaders I’ve helped develop and mentor over the years. I’ve lived all over the country and have made a network that expands continents and industries and that remains the most important thing to me, professionally. I love to mentor and help people grow their careers.
What’s your advice for women looking to break into a traditionally male-dominated field like tech?
Join SMG! Seriously, I’ve been in the software sector for many years and this is the first company where I’ve seen so many female faces. We have a seat at the table—there’s no having to speak over a room of male voices here.
I’d also recommend setting up some mentors. Find people you want to emulate and ask if they can advise you. It can seem intimidating to make that request, and though it may be scary to ask, I promise it’s welcoming to receive. Most people will be honored to serve as someone’s mentor.
What’s the most stand-out customer experience you’ve had?
Many holiday seasons ago, I ordered a pair of shoes from Zappos as a very last-minute Christmas present for my husband. But I didn’t want to pay for expedited delivery so I just accepted the fact that they wouldn’t arrive until after the holiday. But the next day (Christmas Eve), I was pleasantly surprised when a package from Zappos arrived with the shoes I ordered. The company—assuming my order was a holiday gift—wanted me to have it in time for Christmas and expedited it with no charge.
Noel’s team is hiring! Check out our open tech positions (+ opportunities in other departments) on SMG’s careers page.
