Joseph Fung, Donna Litt, and Derek Hall were crestfallen after observing one too many stories of “career stagnation, dissatisfaction, and hamster-wheel jobs.”
When Covid became a global reality, the market began to shift, and the need for proper training became more than just a common issue—it became crucial for the survival of the industry, according to Fung, Litt, and Hall.
“The process needed an overhaul,” they said.
The trio started asking questions: “What if sales training didn’t end after the completion of a program? What if sales reps could be offered career-long support?”
The three soon pivoted their roles at Waterloo tech firm Kiite to build Uvaro, a “career success company.”
Straddling a line between education, skill-building, and career support, “we’ve built something different,” the founders believe. “We are now a unique program that will support you in getting hired, then help you climb the ranks, then help you reach your goals at every stage of your career.”
Uvaro’s Unique Platform
Uvaro, whose team is now more than 80 strong, has seen over 500 members graduate across three dozen cohorts.
Programs range from four to 12 weeks in length, targeting areas like Sales Leadership, Customer Success Management, and Tech Sales Foundations.
For example, a four-week course on “Account Management Foundations” helps participants form their own account management style and learn up-to-date skills and techniques from industry pros. Meanwhile the CSM course teaches students how to apply specific communication, mentoring, organizational, and mediating skills, as well as leverage tools to become empathetic mentors who guide and support customers with integrity.
Membership to the tech sales training platform is USD$250 per month with a two-year commitment and includes access to small-cohort courses with live daily classes; on-demand content; themed workshops; Q&A webinars with experts; and private coaching opportunities.
According to Uvaro, a typical course will have 10 to 30 members per course to maximize attention and collaboration. Weekly hour commitments range from 10 to 20 and aim to flex alongside existing obligations.
“Live cohort-based learning is focused on collaboration,” the company says. “You’re grouped with 15 to 35 peers who attend the same live classes and study with you.”
Not only do you get study buddies, says Uvaro, but “many hiring managers recognize cohort-based learning programs as the superior learning format as it’s proven to help you retain information better and builds an internal resource network.”
Learn, Improve, Launch
Uvaro’s tiered approach is based on taking members from any level to any level, whatever that may mean for someone’s particular career trajectory. The company’s “Learn, Improve, Launch” system encourages a lifetime of personal and professional growth.
The Learn tier is founded on courses, which establish the base skill set for anyone to get hired. Next comes Improve, which builds individual skills through workshops, conferences, and internships.
“Stay current and keep growing by practicing and learning for your entire career,” recommends Uvaro, adding that this tier also grows your support network with critical feedback.
Fully equipped with skills, confidence, and a network, Uvaro says it is then time for members to Launch—secure work, and then continue to Learn and Improve in order to Launch even higher.
“Our unique acceleration model is highly tuned to the needs of today’s job-seekers, employers, and the future of work,” Fung, who serves as CEO, stated last year.
He says the tech sector is the fastest-growing segment of our economy, “with revenue-generating roles representing a significant proportion” of the growth.
Uvaro was founded in Waterloo in 2019 and launched online in early 2020.
