To celebrate Forter’s 10th birthday, we’re spotlighting Forterians who are making significant impacts in their respective regions. Meet Matt Botbyl, Global Director of Customer Success!
Give us a little background about yourself – where are you located, and what do you like to do in your free time?
I live in Jersey City, NJ right next to the Statue of Liberty – located in NJ not NY! – with my wife and dog, Kylo. In my free time I enjoy long walks on the beac – ahem – I mean, outside of work, you can usually find me watching my favorite sports teams, exploring new tasting menus, learning to play golf (emphasis on learning), and rewatching old episodes of 30 Rock with my wife for the billionth time.
What is one fun fact that people might not know about you?
I said I like exploring tasting menus. That led me to fly to Modena, IT to try the tasting menu at Massimo Bottura’s restaurant, Osteria Francescana. It’s a three-Michelin-star restaurant that was ranked No. 1 in the the world twice in 2016 and 2018. Check it out on season 1 of Chef’s Table on Netflix!
What does your role look like at Forter?
Customer Success (CS) is difficult to explain because it’s an exciting (often chaotic) world that requires you to be a Jack or Jill of all trades. CS is the glue that holds everything together to deliver the best experience for our customers. In its purest sense, the job is to keep customers happy and help them find additional value in using more of our offerings. As Director, my job is to set the long-term vision for the department and ensure my team has everything they need in order to achieve their goals.
What is your favorite memory from your time at Forter?
If nothing else, Forter is defined by its commitment to experiences. That certainly applies to employees. I can remember Forter Week trips where I’ve felt incredible joy exploring Lake Como, overwhelming awe while floating in the Dead Sea, and immeasurable pain completing a scavenger hunt amidst 2000°F heat in Acre, IL. I’ll always carry these memories, and I can’t say that any other company I’ve worked for has ever matched them.
How do you feel Forter has evolved since your joining in 2019?
It’s been six years since I joined Forter. It’s changed a lot in some ways: there are a lot more of us now! We’re also a much more global company. My Forter world used to be confined to a tiny WeWork office near Madison Square Garden that contained practically the entire company outside of Israel. Today, I regularly find myself on virtual calls with (and sometimes visiting) wonderful colleagues in the UK, Singapore, and so much more. Thankfully, a lot of things have stayed the same: namely the impressive quality of talent and unique level of collaboration and humanity that permeates the company’s DNA.