Madlen Scholder
You recently celebrated your 4th anniversary at Checkmk and were even with your previous employer for over 6 years before that. You seem to be a very loyal person – what makes Checkmk a place for you where you feel comfortable in the long term?
Thank you so much! Yes, loyalty is important to me and I believe it mainly develops where the foundation for it exists. For me, the following things make all the difference: mutual trust, the great team, the opportunity to grow, an open corporate culture, and management where you feel genuinely appreciated and simply comfortable. Even after four years, there are always exciting projects and new challenges here. I simply feel like I'm in the right place and am looking forward to achieving a lot together in the future as well.
Last year, you made an internal move from 'Sales Enablement & Support' to the role of 'Sales Operations Specialist'. How has your daily routine changed through this step, and which new tasks do you enjoy the most?
The move was a great step forward for me! Before, my main focus was on Renewal Management – a super important task because direct customer contact and maintaining our existing customers are the main focus. I really enjoyed that, and it gave me a deep understanding of what our customers and the sales team actually need in their daily work. As a Sales Operations Specialist, I'm now taking it a step further, so to speak: I use these experiences to focus more on processes, systems, and background work. My daily routine has become even more diverse, strategic, and data-driven because of this. I find it particularly exciting to optimize processes and work with different teams to develop solutions that make sales more efficient. I like being able to not just recognize challenges, but also work directly on improving them sustainably. The best part for me is when an idea or a new workflow ultimately creates real added value – whether through optimized processes, improvements in Odoo, or clear documentation that makes daily work a bit easier for everyone.
As a Sales Operations Specialist, you are an important link and keep things running smoothly in the background for the sales team. What does a typical workday look like for you, and which tools or processes could you absolutely not do without?
There isn't really a classic workday for me – and that's exactly what makes the role so exciting. Sometimes I work on new processes or optimize existing ones, sometimes I implement them in our systems and then document them in Confluence. In addition, I optimize workflows in Odoo, support colleagues with questions about our systems, and work on smaller or larger projects. On top of that, there are regular syncs with different teams. I could definitely not do without Confluence. That's where we document our processes and create a central knowledge base that everyone can access. Odoo is just as important as a central CRM for the sales team. In Jira, I keep track of projects, tasks, and progress. Together with regular communication via Slack, these tools ensure that everything runs smoothly.
You now bring over 10 years of experience in inside sales and operations to the table. Looking back at your early days: How has the way sales teams are supported in the background changed over time?
A lot has actually changed. When I started out in inside sales back then, the focus was primarily on operational support – many tasks were still very administrative and, above all, manual. You sorted documents, typed contracts into the CRM, and played a lot of 'firefighter'. Today, everything – especially in Sales Operations – is significantly more data- and process-oriented. You can work more efficiently and support sales in a more targeted way, especially during various campaigns. As a result, the role of Sales Operations has also become more strategic: it's no longer just about supporting sales in day-to-day business, but actively shaping and optimizing processes, creating the right framework, and documenting it so that the sales team can focus on their customers.
Only one thing has remained constant for me and always will: successful collaboration thrives on good communication, mutual understanding, and trust. Modern tools and optimized processes are important supporters, but they only unfold their greatest value when they are oriented toward people's needs. It's precisely this combination of efficient processes and strong teamwork that makes a successful sales team for me.
On LinkedIn, you are very interested in personalities like Mel Robbins or Gary Vaynerchuk, who strongly represent motivation, personal responsibility, and personal growth. Is there a specific mindset or piece of advice from them that you like to apply in your daily work?
Yes, absolutely! What I find exciting about personalities like Mel Robbins or Gary Vaynerchuk is primarily the focus on personal responsibility, personal growth, and dealing with challenges.
With her 'Let Them Theory', Mel Robbins gets right to the heart of something that is incredibly valuable in daily work (and in private life as well): directing focus toward what you can actively influence yourself, and staying calm about things outside your control. When unexpected dynamics or short-notice requests arise in daily work, I don't let them stress me out. I stay calm and focus completely on providing solution-oriented support. From Gary Vaynerchuk, I mainly take away the human aspect: success comes not only from good processes and results, but also from mutual understanding. Especially when supporting teams, it's important to understand others' perspectives, listen, and develop solutions together. After all, behind every request are people with different priorities and challenges. If I had to formulate a piece of advice from that, it would be a simple metaphor: you can't stop waves (in daily work), but you can learn to surf them and, of course, decide which one you surf ;). Plus, you can apply this mindset both professionally and personally.
When you close your laptop on Friday after an intense week full of sales processes, data maintenance, and team support – how do you like to kick off your weekend to recharge your batteries?
On Fridays, as soon as the laptop is closed, the music goes on right away... nothing works for me without music. That's my direct switch to off-work mode. I consciously use the weekend to completely switch off mentally, recharge my batteries, and surround myself with nice things and positive people. If the weather is good, I try to spend as much time outside as possible and move around. I really love reading and recently discovered a new hobby for myself: making bead bracelets. It's somehow totally meditative. I also love cooking very much and often, usually with music or a true-crime podcast in the background, but I enjoy going to restaurants at least as much. The best thing for me is when good company joins in and you sit together for hours, laugh, and have inspiring conversations. It's exactly this mix of movement, rest, creativity, and time with people who are important to me that gives me new energy and ensures I can start again on Monday with a clear head and fresh motivation.
How did your journey at Checkmk begin? What made you decide to start working at Checkmk?
My journey at Checkmk actually started with a LinkedIn message. I was messaged by Max, who at the time was still working for a recruitment agency and then started working full-time at Checkmk himself shortly after me. Normally, I rarely to never respond to recruiter messages. But in that moment, everything just aligned: the timing was right, the message was incredibly friendly, and I was open to a new challenge and the next step in my professional growth. So I thought to myself: Why not, actually?
What ultimately convinced me completely, though, was the entire process after that: From the initial communication to the first conversation, all the way to the interview with Vroni and Richard, it just felt right from the very first moment. It's sometimes hard to put into words, but you immediately feel how much value is placed here on collaboration, trust, and real togetherness. At the same time, I found the combination of an exciting software company, a growing environment, and an extraordinarily down-to-earth corporate culture incredibly appealing. I haven't regretted the decision even once to this day.
What makes Checkmk – or specifically your team – special?
What makes Checkmk and also the team I'm in so special are mainly two things for me: the people and the leadership culture. Of course, Checkmk as a company is exciting – we have a great product, operate in a dynamic technology environment, and are constantly growing. But what I especially value is that, despite this growth, we've remained very down-to-earth, and collaboration and mutual support are truly lived values. On a team level, you notice that every day. We get along well not only professionally, but also personally. You can talk openly with one another, rely on each other, and develop solutions together. An even bigger factor in my development, though, is my manager Vroni. Our collaboration is based on a lot of trust and mutual respect. I can work independently and drive my own topics forward, while at the same time I know I will always get support when I need it. I find it very valuable that ownership isn't just expected here, but actively encouraged. You're challenged, but at the same time given the space to grow. When I started at Checkmk, I began in the Renewal Team, and Vroni recognized that my strengths also fit very well into Sales Operations. The fact that she trusted me with this step and supported me along the way means a lot to me. This progression was incredibly exciting for me and allowed me to further build on my strengths, like process orientation, structured work, and my role as a link between teams. I experience this exact same attitude when working with Richard. It's not just about reaching goals, but trusting people, supporting them in their growth, and achieving success together. For me, it's precisely this combination of a strong team, trust, personal responsibility, and people who recognize and foster potential that makes Checkmk a truly special place to work.