Solution Heroes: Rachel Lo on Redefining the SE Role

In our latest Solution Heroes interview, I had the pleasure of speaking with Rachel Lo, Head of Solutions, Americas at Shopify. What struck me wasn’t just Rachel’s impressive track record, but her willingness to challenge some deeply held assumptions about how we structure and reward SE teams.

This isn’t just about money — it’s about acknowledgment. Rachel has seen firsthand how individual accountability transforms an SE team. When SEs have skin in the game with their own targets, they own their demos and opportunities differently. It’s a perspective that challenges how most of us think about SE compensation, and honestly, it makes a lot of sense.

From Technical Expert to Strategic Advisor

The days of “show up and demo” are over at Shopify, and Rachel is leading that transformation. Her SEs aren’t just responding to RFPs — they’re thinking a year ahead about their customer’s success.

“We want to be advisors,” Rachel explained, and she means it. Her team now consults with customers on long-term platform strategy, anticipates needs before they become problems, and thinks holistically about business growth. It’s a shift that requires SEs to develop new muscles beyond technical expertise, but one that positions them as genuine strategic partners.

AI as Enhancement, Not Replacement

When it comes to AI integration, Rachel has a refreshingly grounded perspective. “Work is relational. Selling is relational,” she reminded me. While her team leverages AI for accuracy and speed improvements, she’s crystal clear that it can’t replace the human element that builds trust and lasting customer relationships.

Rachel encourages thoughtful AI adoption — different models for different tasks, focusing on multi-step functions that genuinely boost productivity. But the core relationship-building work? That stays human.

Scaling Influence Through Genuine Conversations

Rachel’s approach to scaling her team’s influence is deceptively simple: talk to everyone. Skip-level meetings with AEs, Marketing teams, customers — she wants her SEs getting a 360-degree view of challenges and opportunities across the organization.

“No one is not important,” she emphasized, and this strategy is paying off. When SEs understand problems from multiple perspectives, they can position themselves (and their solutions) more effectively. It’s relationship-building at scale.

The Bigger Picture

What I found most compelling about Rachel’s vision is how she’s expanding the definition of what an SE can be. She’s not just evolving processes — she’s challenging us to think about Solutions Engineering as a multidimensional role that can contribute more broadly to organizational success.

Her roadmap for the future isn’t just about better demos or smoother handoffs. It’s about SEs becoming indispensable partners who think beyond features to business outcomes, relationships, and creating long-term value.

Key Takeaways

• Individual SE compensation drives accountability: When SEs have their own targets, they become deal-makers, not order-takers.
• Think advisor, not just demo-giver: Strategic SEs focus on long-term customer success in addition to product features.
• AI assists but does not replace relationships: You should use technology to work faster, but the human connection still closes deals.
• Talk to everyone to scale influence: Engaging stakeholders at every level gives SEs the context they need to drive real impact.

Want to see the full Solution Heroes interview? Watch the video here.