Humans of Rally: James Polhemus, Account Executive

Humans of Rally is a behind-the-scenes look at the people building the future of user research and turning ideas into tools that make research faster, more collaborative, and more human.

James Polhemus is an Account Executive at Rally, working with customers to navigate their buying journey, champion their goals, and make it easier for teams to scale meaningful user research. He began at Rally as the first SDR, building early processes from the ground up and carrying that learning into his AE role today.

How did you first discover Rally and what made the company stand out to you early on?

James: When I first heard about Rally, I had never really heard of User Research, but I saw some of the case studies and reached out to a customer listed on the website. He was kind enough to talk with me, and his kindness and enthusiasm really stood out.

Not only was he incredibly empathetic and generous with his time, but it was clear Rally was solving a big problem for him and that he actually loved the product. It all started to come together. Then I met Oren, one of the founders, and the team, and immediately loved them. It has been great ever since.

How did joining as the first SDR influence your path to AE and your role in building the sales function?

James: My SDR experience was unique. I was the only SDR, and we were a very small sales team. It was exactly what I wanted. I enjoyed building things from scratch and figuring it out. Even though we lacked structure, the support from the team was great.

That time really set me up for the AE role. The biggest thing I learned was to never stop learning. There is always something to improve, whether it is managing cycles, enabling champions to sell internally, or coordinating all the moving pieces that come with this puzzle. That mindset started in the SDR phase and has continued since.

The culture at Rally really encourages that. You are expected to try things, iterate, and keep getting better. We are a growing company, and we need to be able to try new things and continue to improve.

It has been constant change, but in a good way. SDRs have iterated on what I originally built, and it has evolved into something very different. The AE role has also evolved a lot. When new people join, we show them what has been working for us, and they bring in their own experience from other companies. You take the best of both worlds and move it forward. It has been really cool to see the foundation grow and get better over time.

What is your typical day like as an AE at Rally?

James: I try to look at all my deals and the teams I am working with and ask how I can make their lives easier. It is a lot of work for champions to buy software and sell it internally. They are doing all of that on top of their actual jobs, so I try to take work off their plate and make things as seamless as possible.

My day involves calls, call prep, prospecting, reviewing signals from accounts, researching companies that might be a good fit, listening to call recordings, prepping for upcoming meetings, and keeping pipeline healthy. It is a lot, but it is the nature of working at a startup.

How would you describe the sales team culture and the vibe of the Rally team as a whole? 

James: The sales team is very dedicated. Everyone cares deeply and is aligned and focused. We have had people join from other companies in the UX and research space who bring a fresh perspective, but the core energy is the same: hardworking people who are always trying to get better and do right by our customers.

I always think of Rally like a class project that you get to do with some of the most talented people in the class; everyone is laser-focused. Rally is everything you want in a startup. Why does someone join a startup? You join a startup to find a “project” with real momentum, great people that really believe in it and are all working toward the same goal.

To me, that is why you join a startup. That is the ideal of what a startup should be, and Rally fits that to a T. Startups certainly are not for everyone, but if that is what you want, Rally is the best. It has everything you want.

How has Rally supported your career growth?

James: I have always just felt very aligned with leadership here and very reassured that if I do the work and keep trying to push things forward, the rest will follow. From day one, expectations and what good looks like have been clear to me. 

I have always felt Rally does a great job of recognizing that. We have a kudos Slack channel where we frequently shout out people and good work. 

When you’re going the extra mile and putting in the time, effort, and energy, they will call it out. People, when they see you going the extra mile, when they see you putting in the time, the effort, the energy, they will call it out, and I think that is a really great thing.

The opportunity ahead of us is massive. The market wants what we offer, the product is the best in the category, and the company is growing. Those are perfect ingredients for career growth.

What have you learned about selling at a startup that you will carry with you?

James: I could write a thesis on this question. Something a lot of salespeople talk about is knowing your product inside and out, but I would say customer knowledge trumps everything. Knowing the world of the people you are talking to, understanding why a problem matters, what their day-to-day looks like, and being able to tell that story in detail changes everything.

It creates a much better sales cycle because prospects feel understood, and you feel confident prescribing solutions. They are putting a lot on the line by investing in something like Rally, so they need that confidence.

A drum I beat a lot is to never stop learning. We’ve been fortunate to have folks on the team, like new AEs, who constantly bring fresh insights, and the environment at Rally encourages that.

Finally, something else I’ve learned is how important it is to help our champions sell internally. Mapping out what they need, co-authoring business cases, giving them materials that help them quantify the value, and taking as much work off their plate as possible. That is a huge part of being effective in sales.

What qualities do you look for when hiring for sales?

James: I always ask about the last big learning someone had. It shows they reflect on their work and are always looking to improve. Sales can be punishing, and there are always things outside your control, but the exciting part is that there is always something you can tweak or make 1% better.

I also ask why they want to join a startup. Startups are not for everyone. Some people want a more structured 9 to 5 environment, and that is completely fine. But a startup requires dealing with fewer resources, more pressure, and constant change. If that excites someone, great. If not, it may not be the right fit.

Customer-centricity is huge. Can someone tell me why a customer bought something and how it impacted their life or business? Storytelling is also critical because it gives prospects an entry point to see themselves in the story. The ultimate goal is to make them a hero. 

And of course, willingness to work hard and excitement about what we are building.

What’s a deal you’ve worked on that still stands out?

James: There was one deal where my champion identified recruitment as a major issue. We worked together on a business case. Her company was a marketplace, so we did some research on their public filings and found that management had designated a specific type of user as key to growth and retention.

We connected the dots. If they could do more research and create a better experience for that user group, it would drive retention and revenue.

She later emailed me saying she had met with the SVP of product and the SVP loved it, thought it was fantastic, and said it aligned with the company vision.

That felt great. Not just validation for Rally, but because she looked buttoned-up and polished in front of her leadership. It helped her credibility at a time when some executives question the value of research. It was a win across the board. We didn’t just help our champion solve her problem of doing more research; we helped her grow her credibility internally. 

What excites you most about the next chapter for the sales team?

James: We are fortunate to be selling the best product in the market. Customers know that. We are aligned to a real, burning need, and we solve it well.

The most exciting trend is how UX Researchers are stepping into more strategic roles. Rally helps them get there. When someone buys Rally and then uses it to influence product roadmaps, inform major launches, or move from being order takers to strategic voices, that is incredibly fulfilling.

We are building more so that anyone in the company can do research, giving teams more agility and impact. As a salesperson, that means bigger impact and, yes, bigger contracts.

💜 Want to work with people who care deeply, move fast, and shape how teams do research? Explore our open roles and come say hi.