U.S.-based sales and marketing leader Natalie Shpiegel encourages professionals across the United States to build cross-functional skills to strengthen companies and careers.
Scottsdale, AZ, USA — Natalie Shpiegel, Director of Sales and Marketing at RIGID Industries, is speaking out about the growing need for cross-functional leadership in today’s business environment. Drawing on a career that spans marketing, operations, and growth strategy across several industries, Shpiegel is encouraging professionals to expand beyond traditional job roles and develop a broader understanding of how businesses operate.
“Sales, marketing, and operations can’t operate in silos anymore,” Shpiegel said. “If those teams are not aligned, growth becomes harder than it needs to be.”
Shpiegel’s perspective reflects a broader trend in modern organizations. According to a 2023 McKinsey report, companies with strong cross-functional collaboration are up to 25% more productive than those operating in siloed structures. Meanwhile, research from Deloitte shows that 83% of executives say siloed teams limit innovation and business growth.
Shpiegel believes the challenge often begins with how professionals build their careers.
“Many people grow up professionally in one lane,” she said. “They become great at marketing or operations, but they don’t always learn how the full system connects.”
Shpiegel’s own career path reflects the benefits of crossing those boundaries. She began in brand marketing at Miller Coors, where she worked on the Blue Moon brand and helped develop Saint Archer Gold. She later moved into program management at Redfin, focusing on large-scale operational initiatives, and then joined Carvana as Associate Director in Market Operations and the Last Mile Division.
“Marketing teaches you how to create demand,” Shpiegel said. “Operations teaches you how to deliver on that promise. You need both.”
According to Harvard Business Review, companies with strong collaboration between departments are 1.5 times more likely to report above-average financial performance. Yet many organizations still struggle to connect strategy with execution across teams.
“Last mile is where the brand promise meets reality,” Shpiegel said, reflecting on her time at Carvana. “If the experience breaks down there, everything else suffers.”
Shpiegel also attributes her adaptability to her international upbringing. Born in Israel, she spent much of her childhood moving every two years because of her father’s work with Motorola. She lived in France, Arizona, Texas, South Korea, and China before returning to Israel as a teenager.
“When you grow up changing countries that often, you learn how to read a room quickly,” she said. “You listen first and adjust.”
Today’s workforce increasingly requires that same flexibility. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average person changes jobs around 12 times during their career, often across industries.
“Learning new industries quickly is a skill,” Shpiegel said. “You ask better questions when you’re not locked into old assumptions.”
Rather than waiting for companies to drive change, Shpiegel encourages professionals to take action themselves.
“Don’t wait for someone to hand you a cross-functional role,” she said. “Volunteer for projects outside your comfort zone. Ask how decisions in your department impact others.”
She suggests a few practical ways individuals can start building broader business understanding:
- Attend meetings outside your department
- Build relationships across teams
- Learn how revenue flows through the organization
- Ask how strategy connects to real execution
“Understanding the full system makes you a better leader,” Shpiegel said. “It changes how you make decisions.”
As industries continue to evolve, Shpiegel believes professionals who develop cross-functional skills will be better equipped to lead teams, solve complex problems, and help companies grow.
“At the end of the day, it’s about impact,” she said. “Are you helping the business grow? Are you building something that lasts?”
Call to Action
Professionals who want to strengthen their careers can begin by expanding their perspective. Talk with colleagues outside your department. Volunteer for cross-team projects. Learn how different parts of your company operate. These small steps can build the kind of broad understanding that modern organizations need.
About Natalie Shpiegel
Natalie Shpiegel is a U.S.-based business leader and Director of Sales and Marketing at RIGID Industries. Born in Israel and raised across several countries including France, the United States, South Korea, and China, she developed a global perspective early in life. She earned a BA in Economics and Business Management from Tel Aviv University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Her career spans brand marketing at Miller Coors, program leadership at Redfin, market operations at Carvana, and growth strategy at RIGID Industries. Shpiegel is known for her cross-functional approach to leadership and her focus on connecting strategy with execution to drive sustainable growth.
