Solution Heroes: The End-of-Year Recap & Key Takeaways

As we wrap up a year of conversations on Solution Heroes, hosted by Chris Mabry, one thing has become crystal clear: the solution engineering profession is undergoing a fundamental transformation. We’re witnessing a pivotal moment where the role is evolving from technical support to strategic partnership, and the implications are reshaping everything from how we hire to how we demonstrate value.

Whether you’re an individual contributor just starting out or leading a global organization, here are the six biggest lessons from this year’s conversations with some of the brightest minds in presales.

The Human Touch Is Your Competitive Advantage

In an age of increasing automation, there’s a tempting narrative that technology will eventually replace human interaction. But the reality emerging from our conversations tells a different story. As Christina Trapolino from Lattice reminded us, the true value of solution engineering lies in the gray area between teams — that complex, nuanced space where buying decisions are made based on trust and emotional connection, not just features and functionality.

Yes, AI can handle lower-stakes tasks like filling out RFPs. But when it comes to the moments that matter, there’s no substitute for being there in person. Sara Jones from Sitecore put it perfectly: four virtual demos will never equal the impact of one onsite visit where you can build genuine relationships over coffee and face-to-face conversation. The wisdom here is simple but profound: love AI, but love humans more.

Welcome to “SE 2.0”

The profession isn’t just evolving — it’s being redefined. Gregg Aldana from Appian introduced the concept of “SE 2.0,” where the modern solution engineer shifts from demonstrating features to articulating the “why” behind them and driving measurable business outcomes. This new paradigm is built on six foundational pillars that include sharing ownership of quota and pipeline.

The mindset shift is crucial: start thinking of your territory as your “book of business.” This isn’t just semantic — it’s a fundamental reframing of the SE role from supporting sales to being a strategic partner in the revenue engine. Rachel Lo from Shopify pushed this further, arguing that with this shift comes the need for individual compensation and targets that properly recognize the specific role SEs play in closing deals. The key insight? Align your SE function with the maturity of your go-to-market motion, not just your company size.

AI Mastery Means Actually Using It

Everyone’s talking about AI, but talk is cheap. Hannah Bloking from AWS urged leaders to move beyond theory: make every presales engineer an AI practitioner and thought leader, not just someone who can discuss product features. The real differentiator is using these tools in your daily workflows, understanding the real-world challenges of implementing AI at scale, and becoming genuine practitioners.

The future is clear, as Rachel Tilghman from Braze pointed out: AI might eventually handle the “demo monkey” work, but the SE’s essential value will shift toward validation, critical thinking, and building consensus. The question isn’t whether AI will change your role — it’s whether you’ll master it before it masters you.

Hiring for the New Landscape

As the role evolves, so must our hiring criteria. Michael Townsend from Egnyte shared the “Four Cs” framework that offers a practical lens: Competence, Confidence, Curiosity, and Coachability. That last one deserves special attention — consider implementing mid-interview check-ins specifically designed to test coachability before making final decisions.

And here’s a reality check for job seekers from Yuji Higashi at Better Career: while companies hunt for unicorns with highly niche skills, you can differentiate yourself by emphasizing transferable and soft skills. In our increasingly digital world, the ability to network and build genuine connections matters more than ever. Technical chops will get you in the door, but human skills will build your career.

Leadership That Understands the Work

Great culture doesn’t happen by accident. It requires leaders who understand a fundamental truth: smart people hate dumb tasks. If you’re going to ask your team to track activities, you must explain the “why” and demonstrate the benefit to them. Otherwise, the data you collect will be worthless.

This profession also needs to embrace continuous education the way that law and medicine do. Learning can’t stop after onboarding; it needs to be baked into the role. And when it comes to change management, sometimes the most effective approach is counterintuitive. Creating limited “office hours” can generate organic demand that helps you scale best practices across hundreds of employees far more effectively than mandated training sessions.

Rethinking How We Demo

The future of software demonstrations is being reimagined. Dedicated demo engineering teams are emerging to handle the heavy prep work, freeing SEs to focus on strategy and win themes. This isn’t about reducing the SE role — it’s about elevating it. When you’re not buried in demo prep, you can spend your time where it matters most: understanding customer challenges, crafting compelling narratives, and driving business outcomes.

The Collective Truth

If there’s one message that ties all of these insights together, it’s this: The Solution Engineer is no longer just a technical resource. We are change agents, storytellers, and the essential bridge between technology and business value.

The path forward requires us to break out of narrow definitions and limiting boxes. Explore. Test. Create. The profession is being redefined in real-time, and the most successful SEs will be those who lean into the ambiguity, embrace the strategic shift, and never forget that our superpower has always been, and will always be, our humanity.

Here’s to solving more problems and building stronger connections in the year ahead.

Want more? Tune in to our Solution Heroes series on YouTube or Spotify.