Using a shared community email, a book of business and having daily meetings with a few co-workers, Patrick O’Connor prioritizes customer service, work-life balance and professional growth by volunteering for projects and other tasks while using remote work to his advantage. O’Connor, a senior sales consultant for Quality Equipment Finance, has been in the equipment finance industry for more than eight years with experience managing sales, syndication and capital markets teams. He has also worked as a broker for a fintech company.

O’Connor’s experience in different roles, companies and markets over the years has given him a perspective that benefits his customers. He communicates industry trends to his customers and his organization, which has enabled him to drive change and aid in scaling the business while mitigating risks.

Working directly with third-party originators and lessors from credit through funding, O’Connor remains present even while working remotely. He believes that with the right team, technology and management, success and growth as a professional are inevitable. To stay present in a remote environment, O’Connor schedules weekly calls with his company to stay abreast of any changes happening in the office that could be critical to his professional development. He uses daily calls with his teammates to create an office-like environment that helps the team share the responsibility of servicing their customers while maintaining a work-life balance that includes being able to step away from the office to spend more time with family and friends.

“Being ‘present’ as a remote employee is important, so instead of communicating excessively via email, I tend to make more calls to catch up on any changes taking place and to maintain a good relationship with our team,” O’Connor says.