Megaport Success Stories: Devin Lim
- October 18, 2021
Our channel wizard Devin Lim spoke to us about how he’s grown so quickly in his time at Megaport, and why having a sense of humor can be your best asset.
Based in San Francisco, US, Devin has become an integral part of Megaport since joining in April 2020. Helping the company grow its channel program and thrive in the wake of a pandemic, he’s taken advantage of every learning opportunity he could get his hands on – and as a result, he’s already had three positions (and learned a boatload!). Now, as Channel Manager for Data Center Partnerships, he’s helping Megaport build our partner network and deliver better connectivity to our customers every day.
For our latest Success Story, we spoke to Devin about everything from the highlights of his whirlwind Megaport journey, to the importance of always being prepared for karaoke.
MP1: Give us a brief outline of your role.
Devin: My official title is Channel Manager, DCO – essentially, I work in the channel team with our data center partners, at the intersection of sales, product, marketing, and deployment.
My goal with each partner is really to build a go-to-market strategy that delivers value to the data center, and most importantly, to their end customers. It’s all about finding each data center’s niche and discovering how Megaport fits in with that story. I’m very lucky to work with partners that are, simply put, awesome! I’m excited to see how they continue to innovate in this industry, and I’m excited to contribute to that effort alongside them.
MP1: When did you start at Megaport, and how have you grown?
Devin: I became a Megaporter in April 2020, basically at the height of the pandemic. I started as an inside salesperson in North America; this was a new position at the time, so I really got to shape what that role looked like. This was a huge learning opportunity, and I got to fully immerse myself in the role, trying new ideas and connecting with a lot of different people across the company.
I was able to grow really quickly, and as we expanded our channel program, I knew I wanted to be more involved in this space. Before long I was able to move into an Account Manager position, and soon after, the Channel Manager role I’m in now.
I’m super thankful that Megaport allowed me to challenge myself in these roles, and that they believed I could excel as a Channel Manager.
MP1: You came on board at a strange time, at the height of COVID-19. How did Megaport manage to bring you on board and help you settle in at that time?
Devin: Even though I had to be onboarded completely virtually, I actually found it much easier than I anticipated. I think the reason it was so easy is because everyone here is so willing to help you settle in and hit the ground running. Everybody I met was more than happy to schedule some time to meet me and just chat about how they could support me; that’s rare.
MP1: If you had to sum up Megaport in one word, what would it be?
Devin: Acceleration. It’s one of our Megaport values, and it’s something Megaport is just amazing at.
MP1: What has been the highlight of your time at Megaport so far?
Devin: To help us bring a little more substance to our partnerships, I had the opportunity to help coordinate some events we held with several partners earlier this year. We hosted a series of webinars with different data center partners, and along the way I had the pleasure of working closely with our cloud team, marketing team, and solutions team, as well as the data center partner teams and a few of the major hyperscale cloud service providers.
It was the perfect way to strengthen my relationship with our various internal teams as well as those data center partners, and it was just an incredible mix of people – plus, those events ended up driving so much value for our viewers. It was a huge team effort that made me realize how much we’re really capable of as a team, and what I’m capable of individually with Megaport standing behind me.
MP1: Speaking of the people, how do you find the culture at Megaport?
Devin: It’s people-oriented – very welcoming and familial. You develop relationships with these people that go beyond just being a coworker.
Regardless of whether or not something is in the scope of someone’s regular job, or whether or not you’re in the same team, everyone works together to achieve goals as one. It’s incredibly collaborative and innovative – which also happen to be two of our Megaport values!
MP1: What’s your favourite thing about your colleagues?
Devin: I think everyone here has a great sense of humor – I don’t say that lightly because humor is subjective, but everyone here really is funny! I think it’s because everyone knows how to get along, and help each other feel great about themselves and their job. It’s such a fun environment.
MP1: What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received from another Megaporter?
Devin: My manager, Pete Gallagher, was recently telling me how karaoke is an important part of any Megaport event. You need to be prepared for any situation by having a song ready to kick off the night, carry through the middle, or wrap up the end. I told Pete, that is the best advice I have received! I’ve now prepared my go-to songs for different occasions (subject to change, of course) – ‘Miami’ by Will Smith (if I’m in Miami), ‘Wagon Wheel’ by Darius Rucker (when I’m feeling a little country), and ‘Take on Me’ by a-ha (when my falsetto is really warmed up and the crowd needs a little ’80s energy).
I can’t wait to see where we are in one, three,
and five years with so many bright minds in our team.
MP1: What has been your biggest learning experience in your time here?
Devin: I’m very fortunate to have all of these brilliant people around me who aren’t afraid to share new ideas and try new things. What once would have been a crazy idea to me when I started here, I’ll now look at as something you should bring to the table. At Megaport you’re encouraged to back your own ideas and give them a shot, even if they result in failure. Because of this, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is to believe in myself and have the courage to try new ideas. Because sure, sometimes they may not produce the result you want – but what if they exceed expectations?
MP1: When it comes to your future at Megaport, what are you most excited about?
Devin: There are so many things! As we scale up and scale out, there are a lot of new people joining us, all with their own talents and their own expertise. Having that diversity is only going to accelerate our growth and make our goals a reality faster. I can’t wait to see where we are in one, three, and five years with so many bright minds in our team. I also have a few ideas I want to see through so I’m excited to try them; watch this space!
MP1: When it comes to the Megaport culture, what attitudes or behaviours do you think someone needs to be successful at Megaport?
Devin: You can’t be afraid to take risks. Consider new ideas and new perspectives; operate in ways you might not have before; and understand that Megaport is a fluid, fast-moving company. You need to be the kind of person who can handle a constantly changing environment, and can adapt quickly while keeping a good sense of humor along the way. If you can do that, you’ll have the time of your life here.
MP1: We’d love to get a glimpse into your life outside of Megaport. What are your favourite things to do when you’re not working?
Devin: A few things that soothe my soul - playing guitar and surfing. I am absolutely in love with my guitars. For any fellow acoustic guitar nerds, I have a Martin 0000-18 Sinker Mahogany and a Martin M36. They are my two favorite possessions. Between meetings, during lunch, and to end the day, I’ll often pick up the guitar and play. It’s kind of meditative for me. When I play I don’t think about anything else.
I learned to surf when I was eight while traveling in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. Some of the locals offered to take me out, and I vividly remember the first time I got up on a wave. Growing up in Southern California, I had access to a variety of world-class waves and used to compete throughout high school. Now it’s all just about having fun.
One last little fun fact about me - in high school and college, I played rugby at the international level, representing the USA on various tours in Europe, Canada, and Africa (for the Men’s Under-20 World Trophy held in Zimbabwe!). The sport was a big part of my identity for the longest time, but a few bad injuries put my playing on hold for the foreseeable future. Now I play touch footy with all of the other players whose bodies won’t hold up in a full-contact game!
MP1: What advice would you give to a new Megaporter?
Devin: Be as collaborative as you can! Circulate your ideas, work across different teams, and take the time to work with all of the brilliant people in this company, and you’ll achieve so much.
