Elon alumnus Dave Brown ’13 returned to campus to share his journey in sales and technology with students at the Chandler Family Sales Center Speaker Event.
Dave Brown ’13, vice president of sales at Slack, returned to Elon University to speak at the Chandler Family Professional Sales Speaker Event on Nov. 11 in Sankey Hall. He shared insights from his journey from an Elon finance major to a leadership role in the tech industry.
Originally, Brown had his sights set on a career in investment banking.
“When I got into finance, I was good at modeling and understanding finance, but I knew that being in front of spreadsheets wasn’t for me,” said Brown. “I wanted to engage more directly with people and make a broader impact.”
After realizing that investment banking wasn’t his calling, Brown made a career shift to become a business development representative at Pegasystems. The move allowed him to interact directly with clients and opened doors to new opportunities in the tech industry laying the foundation for his future at Slack.
“The companies of yesterday are not going to be the companies of tomorrow,” he said. “Life is not going to propel you in one direction. You put one foot in front of the other. Make that change. Be inspired.”
Brown discussed how technological advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence, transform industries.
“AI is not news. The pace of innovation is staggering,” Brown said. “Take the opportunity now to do the research, make your pivot.”
Beyond his professional achievements, Brown highlighted his dedication to community service as a volunteer firefighter and EMT, both during his time at Elon and in his current community.
“I love finding the time to give back,” he said. “Being a volunteer firefighter and EMT keeps me grounded and sane. It helps me compartmentalize what happened at work. I’m dealing with something that’s life or death.”
He also spoke about his family, mentioning his wife Mary, an Elon alumna from the Class of 2013, and their two-year-old son.
“Everything I do revolves around Elon in some way,” Brown joked.
Students asked Brown for advice as they prepare to enter the workforce.
“Find what gets you up in the morning,” he advised. “Don’t sacrifice your values when making a decision. Money at the end of the day is great, but it won’t make you happy if what you do does not motivate you.”