To learn more about the daily lives of our Team8s working in different departments, we created this blog series featuring some special guests. Today we sat with Nuno Sarabando, based in our office in Aveiro, Portugal, who accepted our invitation to give us a sneak peek into a Solution Consulting Manager’s world.

8x8: Nuno, thanks for accepting our invitation. To start us off, how would you describe yourself?

Nuno Sarabando (NS): I am someone who loves meeting people, creating new relationships, experiencing new adventures, and I’m always keen to help those around me!

8x8: Where is one most likely to find you in your spare time?

NS: In the summer you’re most likely to find me at the beach or BBQing with family and friends. In the winter I love the cozy and warm moments around the fire, family, and the kitchen—I simply love being in the kitchen! From preparing and cooking to tasting, good food paired with fine drinks makes for the most pleasant moments.

8x8: So you’re a bit of a chef in your free time! What about work—what do you do at 8x8?

NS: I manage a team of highly talented Solution Consultants in the EMEA region. They are a skilled, tech savvy team who work on the design and implementation of 8x8’s solutions to our customers. I also see myself as an inspiring local ambassador in our Aveiro office, taking care of facilities, managing resources and activities, and looking after people's happiness.

8x8: Did you always know that you wanted to pursue a career in this field?

NS: It was more like a journey for me. I started out as a Network Developer Engineer for one of the biggest operators of Fixed and Mobile telephony in Portugal. I was a developer there for two years, then I had the opportunity to move internally and spent the next eight years working as a Radio Consultant for Mobile operators in under-development countries in Asia and Africa, guiding and advising customers on the best approach to evolve their networks. Liaising with different company structures and cultures, working closely with customers and with different layers of decision makers, stakeholders, and operational people, and advising on technology investments allowed me not only to gain a lot of knowledge on the business side, but also to keep up to date with technology.

8x8: That’s quite a journey indeed. And what do you like about working at 8x8?

NS: I love the collaboration here, there is a lot of knowledge sharing, and also the social interactions. On top of that, my team is just amazing! They are very self-driven and focused, it’s truly a pleasure to lead them and they make my role managing them quite easy. It’s also why working remotely has never really been a challenge for us as a team.

“You will love the experience and you will be surrounded by great people!”

8x8: Speaking of remote work, what are your thoughts on hybrid work?

NS: If you ask me if I prefer working from home or the office, My answer is the office. Even though my team is not co-located in Portugal, most of them are based in France and in the UK, I prefer to work from the office because this way I have the chance to interact face-to-face with other colleagues. However, the hybrid work option is great as everyone has their own preferences and needs, and hybrid offers that flexibility.

8x8: What methods or tools do you use to structure your day and stay organized?

NS: My calendar and agenda are my baseline, followed by the tools we use to communicate and collaborate day-to-day like our 8x8 Work app and Google Drive.

8x8: What’s the most challenging thing for you about working from home?

NS: Focus. It’s very easy to get distracted at home. Either the pets are asking for attention (I have two sweet dogs), or you try to cross some domestic tasks off your list while working, and your mind keeps fooling you into thinking you can do both simultaneously with way less time than doing each separately [laughs].

8x8: What’s your morning routine for a good day?

NS: Typically, I am a lazy morning athlete. First thing always is to wake up with my black coffee for breakfast. Then I take the dogs out and go to the city to drop my daughters off at their respective schools before arriving at the office to start another day.

8x8: How do you unwind and recharge after work?

NS: I switch my mind to focus on other areas of life, like my kids and their activities, domestic needs, bike riding and workouts with my wife, or I turn to the hobby that I love the most—going to the kitchen. I’m also a volunteer of the federation biking team where I’m an athlete. There, I take care of the social media news and posts, so working on those and bringing new ideas also helps me disconnect from work. I enjoy experiencing new countries, cultures, and local gastronomies, so when holiday time is coming I try to prepare a visit to different new places.

8x8: What’s something surprising that not many people know about you?

NS: I would like to be more organized. In the office I try to be organized and keep good hygiene in my and my team’s tasks, but at a personal level I really struggle with it.

8x8: What advice would you give to someone interested in working at 8x8?

NS: I would challenge you to give it a try! I’m sure you will love the experience and—believe me—you will be surrounded by great people!

8x8 is made up of a diverse bunch of more than 2,000 highly driven Team8s determined to shape how businesses communicate and work in today's rapidly changing world.

To learn more, check us out on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.

Interested in becoming a Team8? See all available opportunities and apply on our career page.

Read more in 8x8’s A Day in the Life series