Beyond the horizon: How saying yes to the unfamiliar shaped Amy Williams’ journey

Welcome to Beyond the horizon, a monthly series celebrating the people who shape Upsun's culture, innovation, and heart. In this month's edition, we're featuring someone who brings curiosity and momentum to Upsun's growth. Amy Williams, a Strategic Account Executive for Europe, sits within our sales organization, but her work is about far more than selling. She's a problem-solver and partner to teams across industries, helping organizations uncover real value, innovate faster, and build with security at the core. 

What makes Amy’s story especially compelling is how seamlessly her personal compass aligns with the way she shows up at work. A lifelong explorer who has spent months traveling through Southeast Asia and the Americas—hiking volcanoes, diving with sharks, and saying yes to the unfamiliar—Amy brings that same adventurous spirit into every customer conversation. She leans into complexity, thrives on new challenges, and approaches each relationship with a discovery mindset rather than a transactional one.

Amy also speaks candidly about navigating the gender imbalance in tech sales, transforming what could be a barrier into purpose. Her journey is a reminder that confidence is built through doing, belonging is created through representation, and progress happens when people share their stories openly. At Upsun, she's not only helping shape our next phase of growth, but she's also helping shape the kind of industry we want to be part of.

Tell us a bit about yourself. What do you do and most importantly, who are you outside of work?

Hi! I'm Amy Williams, a Strategic Account Executive for Europe here at Upsun. In my role, I get to partner with teams across a huge variety of industries and countries to welcome new users into the Upsun ecosystem. Although I sit within the sales organization, what we really do is help businesses uncover value. We’re not here to “sell” in the traditional sense — we solve problems, co-create solutions, and help organisations innovate faster with security at the heart of everything.

I genuinely love what I do. Every conversation is an opportunity to understand a new challenge, puzzle out an approach, and see first-hand how our platform can transform the way teams build and deliver. It’s the perfect role for someone who thrives on curiosity… which brings me to life outside of Upsun!

When I’m not helping companies modernize their development workflows, you’ll usually find me on a plane, in the ocean, or halfway up a mountain. Before joining Upsun, I spent seven months travelling through Southeast Asia and South and Central America. Along the way I hiked active volcanoes, dived with sharks, lived in the Amazon (where dinner involved catching your own piranhas!), and fully embraced saying “yes” to the unfamiliar.

That same sense of curiosity and adventure shapes how I show up at work — I love exploring new ideas and diving into complex challenges, whether they come from a customer conversation or a jungle river.

I'm also a huge foodie. Whenever I visit a new city, I research the best local, independent restaurants before I even pack my suitcase. During my travels, I took several cooking classes and fell in love with bringing those flavours home — there's nothing better than recreating a dish you learned in a tiny open-air kitchen and sharing it with friends and family over dinner.

Amy in Uyuni, the salt flats in Bolivia.

If you could describe your journey in one sentence, what would it be?

“Always exploring - new places, new challenges, new solutions.”

What's a challenge you've faced and how have you grown from it? 

One challenge that's been impossible to ignore is the gender imbalance in the tech industry, particularly from my experience in sales roles. Walking into rooms, virtual or otherwise, where I'm one of the only women isn't daunting, but it is a clear reminder of the imbalance that still exists. Rather than seeing it as a barrier, I've come to view it as a motivating force.

Working in a male-heavy industry has pushed me to build confidence, trust my voice, and back my expertise. It's also made my achievements feel even more meaningful — not just on a personal level, but as proof that women belong and can thrive in these spaces.

More importantly, it's made me passionate about helping change the landscape. I want to see more women in tech sales, and I hope that by sharing my experiences openly — with friends, peers, or anyone considering this path — I can encourage others to step into roles they might have once thought weren't "for them." If my journey can make even one woman feel more confident entering the industry, that feels like progress.

For me, the challenge has ultimately become a purpose: to do well, to lift others up, and to help shape a more balanced and inclusive future for tech.

Is there someone at Upsun who played a key role in your journey or made your experience possible? 

If I had to highlight one person who has truly shaped my Upsun journey, it would be my manager, Chris. From the very beginning, he was the person who believed I was the right fit for his team — even before I officially joined. That early confidence meant a lot, and it’s something he has continued to show throughout my time here.

Chris is the definition of a champion for his people. He's always on hand to help, genuinely listens, and consistently goes above and beyond to make sure our voices are heard. At the same time, he's brilliant at managing expectations and keeping us focused, which creates a team environment that feels both supportive and high-performing.

One of my favourite things he’s introduced is the way we run our off-sites. Instead of being stuck in a meeting room for two days straight, we explore a new city together and incorporate “walking and talking” sessions. There’s something incredibly refreshing about discussing strategy, challenges, and new ideas while out in the open air, letting the world around us spark inspiration.

I genuinely feel lucky to have a manager who not only believes in me, but helps create an environment where that belief can turn into real progress and success.

As we say at Upsun, 'Your greatest work is just on the horizon.' What's the next horizon you're excited to reach in your journey? 

For me, that horizon is all about propelling us into 2026 with real momentum. I’m excited to play my part in accelerating our new business growth across Europe as we continue shifting into our identity as a leading cloud application platform.

Our solution is evolving, our story is evolving, and that evolution opens the door to entirely new conversations with customers. There’s something incredibly energizing about being part of that transformation — helping organizations modernize faster, adopt secure and scalable practices, and ultimately bring their ideas to life with fewer barriers.

Personally, this next chapter feels like a natural extension of everything that has shaped my journey so far: curiosity, problem-solving, and a belief in what we're building. I'm looking forward to taking on this new challenge alongside the amazing team around me, championing Upsun’s values in a way that inspires confidence and excitement.

As we wrap up this month’s journey, Amy’s story reminds us that growth often begins the moment we step into the unfamiliar. Her curiosity, resilience, and commitment to lifting others reflect the spirit that moves Upsun forward — a belief that exploration fuels innovation, and that every new path holds the potential to reshape what’s possible. We’re grateful to have Amy guiding customers, inspiring colleagues, and charting new frontiers across Europe. 

Join us next month as we continue to spotlight the people whose stories shape our culture and illuminate the horizons ahead. 💙