Then and now: Daryl Goodman-Gordon

In the latest instalment of Bdaily's Then and now series, Daryl Goodman-Gordon, vice president of sales at London-based Google Ads insight and automation platform Squared.io, reflects on his career, from his first role to the present day, highlighting the lessons he has learned from his personal and professional evolution.

What does your role entail?

As vice president of sales, I’m responsible for driving revenue growth, scaling our commercial function and building partnerships with brands and agencies.

I work closely across product, marketing and customer success to ensure our go-to-market strategy is tightly aligned with business priorities and delivers real value to clients.

Did you always want to work in tech and advertising? Or did you have other ambitions when you were growing up?

I actually imagined a future in law or politics – something rooted in communication and persuasion. 

But I’ve always been intrigued by how technology can solve complex problems, and I’ve always enjoyed the challenge of influencing outcomes through relationships. 

That mix naturally pulled me toward advertising and software as a service (SaaS).

What was your first job – and did you enjoy it?

It was in a fencing and gardening business during my first year of secondary school; it taught me the value of hard work early on. 

My first role in the industry was at Pitney Bowes, selling franking machines. 

It wasn’t glamorous, but it was the perfect crash course in sales fundamentals: resilience, consistency and putting the customer first. 

Those early experiences still shape how I approach work and growth today.

Were there any mentors or individuals who helped shape your career? And are you still applying lessons you learned then to your workforce of today?

Absolutely. 

I’ve had the privilege of working in a number of AdTech and MarTech start-ups alongside some truly inspirational leaders. 

A few standout mentors taught me the value of consistency, commercial discipline and staying solutions-oriented, especially when navigating uncertainty.

One in particular, Aoife Desmond – my manager at Twitter and someone I’m lucky enough to call a friend – taught me the power of being detail-oriented and authentic. 

She showed me you can operate at a high level while still being empathetic, human and kind – a balance I try to bring to my leadership today.

What attracted you to the AdTech and SaaS spaces?

The pace, the innovation and the accountability. 

I love working at the intersection of data, creativity and performance.

SaaS provides constant feedback loops, while in AdTech, you can see exactly how your work moves the needle.

That transparency and impact really drew me in.

How do you feel you’ve changed as a person over the years? Have career roles brought new dimensions to your personality?

I’ve become more strategic, more collaborative and more empathetic.

Early in my career, I was very focused on delivery and execution. 

Now, I see the broader picture: how to motivate teams, align stakeholders, build culture and drive sustainable results. 

Leadership isn’t just about numbers, it’s about people.

You’ve seen many changes to the employment world across your career – how do you see the workplace evolving in years to come?

Flexibility and autonomy are now non-negotiable. 

The future of work is rooted in outcomes, not hours. 

Leadership will become less about oversight and more about trust. 

And while tech will keep reshaping how we work, I believe the human side – purpose, wellbeing and culture – will become even more central.

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