Welcome to The SEssions with Savannah, a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like to build a career in presales. From demo fails to discovery wins, I’m sharing lessons, laughs, and learnings from the frontlines of tech sales. Whether you’re new to SE or just want to get better, pull up a chair. You’re in good company.

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In this episode, I’m answering the most common questions I get about SE/SC roles — from what the job actually is, to what a typical day looks like, to how to break in from a nontraditional background.I&#39;ll be covering:<ul><li>SE vs SC vs Sales Engineer: is there a difference?</li><li>What SEs actually do (hint: it’s not closing deals or writing production code)</li><li>Why technical storytelling matters more than ever</li><li>Real talk on coding expectations, AE partnerships, and role variation</li></ul> Whether you’re brand new to the field or a seasoned SE who’s tired of explaining your job at parties, this one’s for you.🎧 Listen now and send in your own SE questions for a future listener Q&amp;A episode!<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/savannahforeman" rel="nofollow">Connect with me on LinkedIn</a>

Episode 6: Solutions Engineering 101 + FAQs

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In this episode, I break down the exact storytelling frameworks I shared at DemoFest 2025 and how you can apply them in real presales conversations. I&#39;ll cover:– Why storytelling isn’t &#34;extra,&#34; it’s how you win deals– The difference between product-led and buyer-led demos– Three simple frameworks you can actually use (and when to use them)– A real-world narrative breakdown featuring a fictional buyer persona Whether you’re running a first call, a business case workshop, or prepping for a POC, this episode will help you build stories that move deals forward. 🎧 Listen now, or check out the full DemoFest presentation in my <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7323370456290316288/" rel="nofollow">LinkedIn post</a>. 📌 Resources mentioned:→ Download the <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d5JI4XVsOvEM0qOFmSv5WmZG_ormNLDp6011hSce_Jk/edit?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow">Storytelling Framework Worksheet</a>→ Connect with me on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/savannahforeman/" rel="nofollow">LinkedIn</a>

Episode 5: Storytelling That Wins Deals

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Even while I’m on vacation this week, I wanted to leave you with something that feels supportive, especially if you’ve been feeling burnt out recently. This mini episode is a short guided meditation for tech professionals navigating high-pressure roles: SEs, AEs, CS folks, engineering, enablement, product, and anyone else out there who’s been stuck in back-to-back meetings for too long. Together, we’ll: • Slow down and reset your nervous system• Let go of pressure to always be “on”• Remember that rest is a skill, and it’s one worth practicing If you’ve been needing a few quiet minutes to yourself, this one’s for you. 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/49FvznuxJYAptYgmwIGSiS?si=4b1e4bcb35db44ab🔗 Connect with me on LinkedIn: <a href="http://linkedin.com/in/savannahforeman" rel="nofollow">linkedin.com/in/savannahforeman</a>

Mini Episode: The 5-Minute Reset – A Guided Meditation for Tech Professionals

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During my job search, I didn’t just send out resumes. I built real projects that helped me grow as an SE, sharpen my storytelling, and find joy in the process again.In this episode, I’m walking through three of those builds:<ul><li>A Shopify-style storefront with a custom CMS integration</li><li>A POC with a custom locale picker in Builder.io</li><li>A pieced-together commercetools demo that still told the right story</li></ul>You’ll hear what worked, what didn’t, and what I learned about staying grounded when things go sideways. I’m also sharing a preview of my next project I’m building in my new role at UserTesting that blends storytelling with real customer feedback. 🎧 <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/49FvznuxJYAptYgmwIGSiS?si=0bb196704b074b61" rel="nofollow">Listen on Spotify</a>📹 Watch the Builder.io POC walkthrough🔗 <a href="http://linkedin.com/in/savannahforeman" rel="nofollow">Connect with me on LinkedIn</a>

Episode 4: My Demo Interview Projects from the SE Job Search

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<h3>About the episode</h3> What does it really take to land a Solutions Engineer job in 2025?In this episode of The SEssions with Savannah, I’m pulling back the curtain on my entire 3-month job search, from the cold outreach and custom demos to the amount of interviews it took to land an offer. I’m breaking down:<ul><li>The exact numbers (yep, I tracked everything)</li><li>The patterns I saw across 16 different companies</li><li>What actually worked (and what definitely didn’t)</li><li>The emotional toll of nonstop interviews after a layoff</li><li>And the one shift that changed everything for me</li></ul> If you’re an SE navigating your own search, wondering if the process is supposed to feel this chaotic, this one’s for you. 👀 Plus: A soft reveal about what’s next for me… 🔗 Resources &amp; Links:<ul><li><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1A6_r7NyI6yuiWu7PrLmYZDw48Q3Ty1Hk7iDiVPGqfWI/edit?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow">Solutions Engineer Interview Prep Guide</a></li><li>Connect with me on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/savannahforeman/" rel="nofollow">LinkedIn</a></li><li>Follow The SEssions with Savannah on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/49FvznuxJYAptYgmwIGSiS?si=762192b2c37749cd" rel="nofollow">Spotify</a></li><li>Got thoughts, rants, or stories from your own SE interviews? DM me.</li></ul> 🎧 Subscribe, share, and leave a rating if this episode made you feel a little more seen. #solutionsengineering #presales #jobsearch #techhiring #truthintech #podcast

About the episode

What does it really take to land a Solutions Engineer job in 2025?

In this episode of The SEssions with Savannah, I’m pulling back the curtain on my entire 3-month job search, from the cold outreach and custom demos to the amount of interviews it took to land an offer.

I’m breaking down:

- The exact numbers (yep, I tracked everything)
- The patterns I saw across 16 different companies
- What actually worked (and what definitely didn’t)
- The emotional toll of nonstop interviews after a layoff
- And the one shift that changed everything for me

If you’re an SE navigating your own search, wondering if the process is supposed to feel this chaotic, this one’s for you.

👀 Plus: A soft reveal about what’s next for me…


🔗 Resources &amp; Links:

- Solutions Engineer Interview Prep Guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1A6_r7NyI6yuiWu7PrLmYZDw48Q3Ty1Hk7iDiVPGqfWI/edit?usp=sharing
- Follow The SEssions with Savannah on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/49FvznuxJYAptYgmwIGSiS
- Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/savannahforeman/
- Got thoughts, rants, or stories from your own SE interviews? DM me.

🎧 Subscribe, share, and leave a rating if this episode made you feel a little more seen.


#solutionsengineering #presales #jobsearch #techhiring #truthintech #podcast

Episode 3: Inside The Solutions Engineering Job Search

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<h3>About the episode</h3> In this episode, I’m talking about something we don’t hear enough in tech: what happens after a layoff—emotionally, professionally, and personally. I’m sharing what it was like to be promoted and let go in the same month, the silence that followed, and how I rebuilt from it. If you’ve ever questioned your value after getting laid off, or felt totally alone in it, this one’s for you. What’s inside:• The dissonance of being promoted and laid off in the same month• The emotional impact of post-layoff silence from teammates• What the job search really felt like• What I’m learning from the experience and what’s next for me <h3>Resources &amp; Credits</h3> commercetools Layoffs:• <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/02/26/commercetools-a-pioneer-in-headless-commerce-lays-off-dozens-of-staff/" rel="nofollow">TechCrunch article</a> on commercetools layoffs• <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1NBtWvGpXRQFbMrENO9J6p?si=f0f06658331f46ee" rel="nofollow">Rick Watson’s RMW Commerce podcast episode</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ecommercestrategyconsulting_commercetools-layoffs-likely-signal-ipo-plans-activity-7301220852698697728-Za6d/" rel="nofollow">LinkedIn post</a> about the commercetools layoffs Tech Layoff Best Practices for Employers:• <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-support-employees-during-layoffs-best-practices-employers-saini-ud2ef/" rel="nofollow">How to Support Employees During Layoffs: Best Practices for Employers</a> by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dev-raj-saini/" rel="nofollow">Dev Raj Saini</a>• <a href="https://newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com/p/preparing-for-layoffs" rel="nofollow">Preparing for Layoffs in Tech</a> by <a href="https://substack.com/@pragmaticengineer" rel="nofollow">Gergely Orosz</a>• <a href="https://hbr.org/2018/05/layoffs-that-dont-break-your-company" rel="nofollow">Layoffs that Don&#39;t Break Your Company</a> by Harvard Business Review• <a href="https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=63824" rel="nofollow">Layoffs in the Tech Industry: 2022–2023</a> published in Harvard Business School Case Collection<ul><li>This case study examines the mass layoffs in the tech industry from 2022-2023 at four companies: Twitter (X), Stripe, Meta, and Google. </li></ul> Music credits: <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/2BfsAxLtiPa9nq0nyXtv7v?si=529816beda584829" rel="nofollow">theme song</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/4qPtvDNdZtvN0YsJZqttgu?si=dcbb7ab202014ff7" rel="nofollow">ambient music</a>, <a href="https://podcastle.ai/" rel="nofollow">other music</a>

Episode 2: Surviving Layoffs as a Solutions Engineer

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Welcome to The SEssions with Savannah, a podcast about selling &amp; surviving SaaS.In this first official episode, I’m sharing why I started the show, what presales really feels like behind the scenes, and what you can expect from upcoming episodes. If you’ve ever:•	Felt like your demo was more performance than product•	Been burned by a broken hiring process•	Or wondered if anyone else was quietly losing it behind their screen… …this one’s for you. 🎙️ The SEssions with Savannah is about honest stories, strategic rants, and the real stuff that happens before the sale._______________________________________________________Note: Episode 0 was originally recorded as an internal enablement sample for the commercetools SE team. Episode 1 (this episode) marks the official launch of the podcast. Connect with me on LinkedIn: <a href="http://linkedin.com/in/savannahforeman" rel="nofollow">linkedin.com/in/savannahforeman</a> #SalesEngineering #SolutionsEngineering #Presales #Tech #WomenInTech #WomenInSales #Sales

Welcome to the SEssions with Savannah, a podcast about selling &amp; surviving SaaS. In this first episode, I’m sharing why I started the show, what presales really feels like behind the scenes, and what you can expect from upcoming episodes. If you’ve ever:<ul><li>Felt like your demo was more performance than product</li><li>Been burned by a broken hiring process</li><li>Or wondered if anyone else was quietly losing it behind their screen…</li></ul> …this one’s for you. 🎙️ The SEssions with Savannah is about honest stories, strategic rants, and the real stuff that happens before the sale.

Episode 1: Welcome to The SEssions with Savannah

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/5/30/18/b55fbc20-97b1-4f44-8a31-83da55d3e129__2F2025-4-26_2F401022105-44100-2-95d13f3222615.m4a

This is a sample podcast episode I created as part of a self-driven project to enable the commercetools global Solution Engineering team. In this episode, I walk through recent commercetools product releases and how they impact presales conversations, discovery framing, and demo storytelling.While this isn’t part of an official company series, it reflects how I think about technical enablement, internal storytelling, and translating product updates into customer-relevant value.If you’re a Solution Engineer, Product Marketer, or presales leader, you’ll find examples of how to frame these new capabilities in customer conversations and how to weave them into effective, persona-driven demos. Note: This is a sample enablement podcast created independently by Savannah for internal use and portfolio purposes. It is not an official commercetools broadcast.

This is a sample podcast episode I created as part of a self-driven project to enable the commercetools global Solution Engineering team. In this episode, I walk through recent commercetools product releases and how they impact PreSales conversations, discovery framing, and demo storytelling.While this isn’t part of an official company series, it reflects how I think about technical enablement, internal storytelling, and translating product updates into customer-relevant value.If you’re a Solution Engineer, Product Marketer, or PreSales leader, you’ll find examples of how to frame these new capabilities in customer conversations and how to weave them into effective, persona-driven demos. Note: This is a sample enablement podcast created independently by Savannah for internal use and portfolio purposes. It is not an official commercetools broadcast.

Episode 0: commercetools SE Enablement Podcast

Welcome to The SEssions with Savannah, a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like to build a career in presales. From demo fails to discovery wins, I’m sharing lessons, laughs, and learnings from the frontlines of tech sales. Whether you’re new to SE or just want to get better, pull up a chair. You’re in good company.