In this interview, we explore the fascinating journey of Cari Lacour, who has been an integral part of Avature for the past 11 years. Cari’s Avature story began in an unexpected way, with a chance encounter that would eventually lead to a pivotal role in shaping our product offerings.
From her early days in Consulting to her transition into Product Marketing and now focusing on AI, Cari’s story is a testament to passion, growth, and the perfect blend of Avature’s dynamic nature and her own. As she continues to push the boundaries of what's possible with AI, her insights and experiences offer a unique perspective on how to grow—and thrive—in a rapidly changing field.
Keep reading and discover the milestones of her inspiring career, the challenges and triumphs along the way, and the future she envisions when it comes to AI as she continues to make a significant impact at Avature.
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What initially drew you to join Avature 11 years ago?
I met Avature quite by chance. Back in 2013, I was finishing my industrial engineering studies at UBA and got into an exchange program to the Czech Republic. Before I said yes, I was offered the option to meet the other guy who had also been selected. That guy was Guillermo Sabbatella, now Engineering Director at Avature, who was already an Avaturian at that time. We met to see if we could be friends, and we instantly clicked! That’s when we decided to go together, and the experience was amazing.
Sabba left Avature for the exchange, but during our time abroad, he introduced me to his Avaturian friends, including Den Dresler, who was doing on-site consulting in Europe. After we returned to Argentina, Sabba rejoined Avature and suggested I applied. In the end, Milton Ramos, another friend and colleague from my university days, referred me, and within a few weeks, I got a job in Consulting, already knowing a bunch of cool Avaturians.
What were the most significant things you learned in Consulting? What motivated your transition to Product Marketing?
Consulting taught me how to configure Avature, providing a solid knowledge base that serves as a trampoline to any area within the company. It also enhanced my organizational skills, making me more goal-oriented and resilient, and taught me a lot about customer relations. Being a consultant could be a bit demanding at times, but I loved solving problems and learning new things constantly.
While I enjoyed Consulting, in 2016 I realized I wanted to go a step further and explore a more commercial side of Avature and see how solutions were sold. That’s when I expressed interest in Product Marketing and had an interview with the director of the area. I got the product marketing analyst position and was absolutely thrilled!
Were you able to explore the business side of Avature as much as possible? What did you learn?
I indeed got to learn a great deal about our business as part of Product Marketing, first as analyst and then as manager. I went from focusing on service and delivery in Consulting, to understanding the commercial side of selling our solutions. I learned about go-to-market and product strategies, storytelling, pitching, pricing, and how to collaborate with other commercial teams.
Selling enterprise solutions involves long processes that can sometimes take up to two years, and for me, that was a fascinating learning experience in every sense.
What inspired you to shift your focus to AI, and how did you navigate this transition?
From the start of my Avature journey, I was drawn to the technical side of our solutions, finding myself more intrigued by product development. In 2016, Den Dresler, who is now an exceptional VP of Product Design, noticed my passion and encouraged me to participate in ProductTank talks—forums where product enthusiasts exchange ideas. Engaging in these discussions, continuously learning, and connecting with knowledgeable people helped me master my field and learn a lot about emerging trends, such as AI.
When the boom of AI kicked in, I recognized its transformative potential and became the go-to person for AI within the Product Marketing area. As my knowledge grew through extensive reading, research, and conversations with experts, I realized that we had an untapped opportunity to integrate AI more effectively across our solutions—and this insight motivated me to embark on a new adventure in March 2023 as Product Manager for our AI initiatives.
What excites me about AI is that it's a trend that's here to stay. At Avature, I saw a chance to leverage AI more effectively. Collaborating with teams like Machine Learning, Chatbots, and Natural Language Processing, we continually ask ourselves: What are the market's AI needs? What should we prioritize? Which teams should we involve? How can we enhance the user experience in the Core App? By addressing these questions, we aim to bring our AI-driven visions to life, crafting solutions that truly empower our users.
How do you stay ahead of the rapidly evolving landscape of AI, and how do you balance the excitement of innovation with the responsibility of ensuring security and compliance?
I’m still navigating this transition into AI and, to stay updated on the field, I am always reading and learning, I enjoy it. I recently read a book called “So Good They Can’t Ignore You,” which talks about how to leverage ourselves to become increasingly productive and maximize our potential. The book emphasizes that if you want to succeed in what you do, you need to know everything you can about the subject, constantly learn, and talk to people who are knowledgeable in the field. That's exactly my mindset.
Still, the main challenge is that AI evolves every day. It went from hard-coded rules to sophisticated Neural Network Models trained with data. That’s when teams like Machine Learning were created at Avature, to leverage this evolution, focus on Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs), and develop innovative features like Resume Parser, People Matching, and Skills Matching.
While it’s essential to seize the opportunity presented by Generative AI, the challenge lies in bringing our new features to production while ensuring they are secure and compliant with legal standards. The challenge is to maximize the use of emerging technologies, which evolve daily, while enhancing what we bring to market, our added value.
Can you share an example of how AI has significantly improved a product or process at Avature?
This year, we launched a feature internally called "Internal Knowledge Base" (IKB), a knowledge management system trained on document collections specific to our organization. With those collections, the system can generate accurate and fluent answers to questions made by users related to the company/organization. The idea now is to allow customers to quickly retrieve specific data from uploaded documents. For example, if you're a recruiter on the phone with a candidate and need to know the maternity leave days in a particular location, IKB can provide that information instantly.
We tested it internally using large language models before offering it to customers. So, it started as an idea, became an internal prototype, and is now being shaped for our customers.
How do you envision the future of AI at Avature, and what role do you see yourself playing in that future?
Recognizing that AI is here to stay, we want it to take a central role in our features roadmap. Our goal is to enhance recruiter efficiency by integrating AI across all platform components, improving user experience meaningfully rather than just ticking a box for having AI features.
As for me, I've been in Product for over a year and love the change; it's where I want to be. I enjoy the engineering aspects of my role, blending it with business and product insights to have a comprehensive view of what we are doing as a company. At Avature, leadership comes through influence rather than authority, so I feel I can come up with ideas and suggestions and that I'll always be heard.
You’ve been an Avaturian for way too many years and are known for having lots of outdoor hobbies, such as kitesurfing, padel, skiing, and exploring the world. How did you manage to maintain a good work-life balance all these years?
The key to maintaining a healthy work-life balance is effective prioritization and organization. Time is limited, so it's important to maximize productivity during your work hours and know when to draw the line. Being honest with yourself about deadlines and avoiding overpromising can help you manage expectations and reduce stress. I promise this self-assessment approach has been invaluable for me, and I believe it will help others too.
Feeling that I’m making a meaningful impact at Avature and enjoying a fulfilling personal life have been essential for me all these years.
Looking back on your 11 years at Avature, is there any advice you would like to share with new Avaturians who are just starting their journey?
My advice for new Avaturians is to embrace exploration and growth. If you ever feel stuck, remember that every role offers valuable experiences and opportunities. Take the time to explore different areas and discover what truly excites you. Avature is a place that supports your development and provides numerous opportunities for learning and growth. Our career paths aren’t linear, and that’s a strength that allows us to pursue our passions and evolve in ways that align with our interests and skills.
Pursue your interests, regardless of your background—it's the most natural way to grow!