I think failure is really the best way we learn and in the early days, I didn’t appreciate that as much

Meet Tom Viggers, the latest addition to the Voco team! With over 20 years of experience in marketing, sales, and human resources under his belt, he’s here to lead our sales efforts and propel Voco’s growth forward. Let's take a moment to learn more about Tom’s career so far and the journey that landed him at Voco.

Can you tell us a little about your career so far?

I’ve worked in the HR solution space for the last 20 years, and for the last 10 years, I've focused on technology specifically.

‍How did you know you wanted to pursue a career in sales?

When I started to have the opportunity to meet customers, that  felt like the most exciting part of my job. I loved bringing a solution to people, and I am a bit of an attention seeker. I enjoyed bringing a solution to a client and working with them to establish how I would bring value to their organisation.

‍In your long career so far, what has been the biggest mistake you've ever made?

So the biggest mistake, I would say, is fearing failure. I think failure is really the way we learn and maybe in the early days, I didn’t appreciate that as much. You have to try something, figure out how it's not quite there, and that's really the only way you learn. 

‍How did you end up at Voco?

After a decade in HR tech, I've noticed a trend where we're told we're more connected than ever, but it often just means scrolling past each other on social media. I recognized this need for genuine connection where individuals can learn from and support each other. Voco fills the gap by fostering meaningful professional relationships and naturally that's why I joined their mission. 

If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and what would you talk about?

I would love to have dinner with Charles Darwin because I love nature and the way he saw individual organisms as part of a collective system was pretty amazing. I think that way of thinking was visionary and I think it could be applied to so many disciplines. I would ask him when he first started seeing the patterns that would lead him to come up with the theories of evolution.

What's the best piece of advice you've ever received, and did you follow it?

The best piece of advice I've ever received is to "start with a solution and work back from there." It's a guiding principle that has served me well. By focusing on the end goal and then strategising backwards, I've found more efficient and effective solutions to various challenges.  

‍