WISE: Women Inspiring Sales Excellence

What can women in sales do to manage a successful career progression?Today our guest is Penny Orme, a leader with over 30 years of experience in B2B software companies. Now, she supports B2B tech companies through advising and consulting. During the episode, Penny emphasizes why it’s important to champion women to be successful in sales, and shares tips on how women can utilize their unique characteristics to reach senior levels of leadership.Topics discussed in this episode include:- How sales led Penny into a career in B2B leadership.- How the tech industry is relatively recession proof and why that matters to Penny. - What sales is really all about and why this makes it somewhat AI-proof too.- What it takes to build trust and show up as a true leader.- The book Penny co-authored and what the mission of it is.- Why it’s important to champion for more women in the B2B tech space.- The reasons we don’t see enough women in sales senior management.- The unique capabilities women bring to sales and leadership roles.- How the power of empathy is underestimated in sales.- The types of people drawn to a CRO role and what you need to succeed in it.- Key differences between a mentor, a champion, and a sponsor.- How male allies can show up as champions and support women in sales.- The best way of creating the support network you need to become a CRO.- Tips for moving up in sales successfully and when to simply ask for what you want.- The most critical trait for women stepping into sales leadership today.Penny on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/penny-orme-0a61053 Melissa Di Donato on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/penny-orme-0a61053 Join the Sales Revolution community: https://female-leader.com/sales-revolution

What does it take to be consistent and authentic in your sales performance?Today we’re joined by Erica Neal, the Director of Sales Alignment at tmp, and she has amazingly never missed a target. In our conversation, Erica reveals the unique perspective she has on approaching targets and how it helps her meet them in advance. She also discusses the importance of a human approach to sales, how sales leaders can better understand and support their teams, and the innate skills women bring to sales roles.Topics discussed in this episode include:- Why having a plan (and fiercely protecting it) is so important to your performance.- Shifts you can make in managing your calendar that help you get to your target faster. - What happened when automation entered the sales industry, and what the result is.- Common myths about sales and which ones are absolutely not true.- The importance of personalization in messaging and why it matters.- What happens when marketing creates the sales copy (and what to do instead).- Why there’s no excuse for sending a generic message with the tools we have today.- How to avoid giving your prospects more work by “thinking and linking”.- Tips for avoiding losing the human element in your process even when using AI.- Simple steps you can take with your team to understand and support them.- Why recognizing effort-based goals and mini-wins are important for resilience.- The power in honouring the skills that make each of your team members unique.- How to work alongside marketing to make the sales and marketing process better.- Why more women in sales should embrace visibility and their own personal brand.- The unique skills women bring to sales and how it helps produce results.Erica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-neal-b2b-sales-and-marketing-alignment/Join the Sales Revolution community: https://female-leader.com/sales-revolution/   

How can you use following up as a cheat code to success in sales?Our guest today is Evelyn Oluwole, AKA the Follow Up Queen, who is known for turning ambition into action. With over two decades of experience, she’s held senior roles at ASOS, Yahoo, Viacom, and now at WeTransfer. Evelyn emphasizes follow up as a mindset that helps shape careers and lives. During the episode, she shares her experiences in overcoming barriers as a black woman in leadership as well as her grounded perspective on balancing ambition with real life.Topics discussed in this episode include:- What Evelyn originally found interest in and studied before going into sales.- What having the “gift of the gab” really means and how she owns it. - How important it is to be comfortable chatting on the phone today.- Why you can’t be successful at sales without actually caring about other people.- How following the journey of your customer digitally can help you build relationships.- Why sellers sometimes get a bad reputation and how it isn’t always true.- The unique situations where clients become friends (and why it’s not surprising).- How a follow up strategy can help you find success in work and in life.- Tips for an effective follow up strategy and the tools that can help.- How Evelyn handles cold reach outs, especially the ones with mistakes.- Why inviting a new generation of ambitious women into sales matters.- Why she’s against toning down your uniqueness (and what she says to do instead).- One of Evelyn’s biggest inspirations and why this person resonates with her so much.Elelyn’s website: https://www.evelynoluwole.comEvelyn on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/evelynoluwoleJoin the Sales Revolution community: https://female-leader.com/sales-revolution

How does rest help teams and leaders thrive and create long-term success?Today our guest is Hannah Godfrey, Founder of I am pausing, which helps leaders and teams achieve sustainable high performance through a combination of science-backed psychology and embodied practices. Hannah has her own experience with burnout, so during the episode she shares how hustle culture impacts teams, the role the brain and body play in stress versus sustainable energy, and why rest is the answer to long-term growth.Topics discussed in this episode include:- Hannah’s background in sales and how it led her to found I am pausing.- The view on hustle culture when she started her career and how that changed. - Why always being “on” is not realistic for the long term.- Why doing more is not always better, and won’t get greater results.- The role that time management plays in maintaining sustainable energy.- How to integrate rest as a central part of performance in sales.- Where dopamine spikes in the sales process (and how this changes everything).- The seven different types of rest and what it might look like for you.- The biggest misunderstandings about rest and how to shift perspective.- What leaders can do to support a healthier culture in their organization.- How vulnerability (when it feels right) can help you embrace rest when you need it.- What to do when you identify a team member who might headed for burnout.- The power of breathwork and when to use it as a practice.- Hannah’s advice for women in sales who want to thrive without burning out.- Why women fit perfectly into the sales space almost innately.Join the Sales Revolution community: https://female-leader.com/sales-revolution/ Hannah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahgodfrey/I am pausing: https://www.iampausing.com/

How can sales leaders better understand and support their team members?Today we’re joined by leadership coach and business consultant Casey Calkins. In 2023, Casey founded C2it Partners, a consultancy that specializes in sales leadership development as well as small and medium business advising services. In our talk, she shares her expertise on sales leaders, and explains the many ways they can best support and guide their team using emotional intelligence without burning out. Topics discussed in this episode include:- The unique way Casey approaches what’s missing in corporate America. - Why human skills are seen as less valuable (even though they’re not).- How operating at a high speed can come at the cost of human capital.- Why top-performing sales individuals need more support transitioning to leadership.- How to execute more successful one-on-one meetings as a sales leader.- Building systems of mutual accountability within a team.- How to diagnose issues within your team without micromanaging.- What taking ownership of conversations with your team looks like.- Why revisiting the basics is crucial to leading well (especially when under stress).- The simple steps to uncovering what really motivates your team.- Why you need to deeply understand yourself to be a great leader.- The importance of connecting with people who can help you be better.- The most critical trait sales leaders must have to be successful today.- Female sales leaders who have inspired Casey in her career.- The book your team needs to read if they want to feel more confident.Join the Sales Revolution community: https://female-leader.com/sales-revolution/Casey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseycalkins/

What can you do to make a career pivot in sales feel less intimidating?Today’s guest, Sara Brownstein, transitioned from a career in teaching to the tech world, starting in an entry level position and gaining two promotions quickly. Now, she has impressively worked her way up to become an Enterprise Account Executive in Software Sales, and is on a mission to empower more women to see a successful career in tech sales is completely within reach.Topics discussed in this episode include:- Where Sara found the courage required to change careers.- Why you aren’t stuck in the role you have, no matter where you’re starting from. - What Sara found most exciting about entering a sales role.- How her skills from speech therapy translated over to sales.- Why sales has gotten a bad reputation (and why it’s not close to the reality).- One of the most useful AI tools for getting better at sales quickly.- The role of clarity, confidence, and empathy when you don’t have all the answers.- How a focus on helping others makes sales a more positive experience.- What she learned about the ideal customer profile that all people in sales should know.- The sales strategies Sara has found works most effectively and why.- Her experience as a woman in the male-dominated industry of sales.- How Sara uses her confidence as her superpower.- The challenging account set she had when she started out and what she learned.- Where to put your focus when you’re having a difficult time in your sales role.Join the Sales Revolution community: https://female-leader.com/sales-revolution/ Sara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-brownstein-2915b3177/  

Discover how one leader turned her unique skill set into a powerhouse sales career.Today we’re joined by Rebecca Aliab D, the US Board Lead for The Women in Programmatic Network. Rebecca’s journey through sales looks a little different compared to most, which highlights the different avenues that can take a person into sales. In this conversation, she shares her tips for building positive relationships with clients and team members, selling with greater success in an AI-integrated future, and pitching yourself for the role you want in sales.Topics discussed in this episode include:- The biggest takeaways Rebecca has gained from the career pivots she’s made.- Rebecca’s tips for navigating the stress of meeting quotas.- What it means to take the path of least resistance in sales and why it matters.- How to avoid getting stuck on the big shiny numbers (plus the important nuances to know).- The moves Rebecca made to pitch her own self-made role.- What her superpowers are and how she’s been able to use those in her roles.- The importance of independent social relationships and how they can support your team.- Why observing is key, especially when it comes to gaining in-person consensus.- How getting an outside perspective helps you shift your selling strategies.- Why she sought out The Women in Programmatic Network, and what happened next.- What the skills of the most effective sales leaders will be in the next five years.- Why pursuing self-education is so important for tomorrow's sales leaders.- Why listening is so underrated in sales (but shouldn’t be).Rebecca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccaadeng/Join the Sales Revolution community: https://female-leader.com/sales-revolution/

How can you find a role that plays to your unique individual strengths?Today we’re joined by speaker, author, and process consultant Kristie K. Jones. Kristie helps organizations elevate their sales process by getting her hands dirty so she can help them drive more revenue through their customer success teams. She’s passionate about coaching sales teams to help them reach their full potential.Topics discussed in this episode include:- What Kristie’s book “Selling Your Way IN” is about and what the message inside is.- The risks her parents took when she was young and what she learned from it.- What it means to take the right seat on the bus and why it matters in your career.- Questions to help you figure out what your unique strengths are.- The difference between the Hunter, the Gatherer, and the Farmer.- Signs you’ve found the right fit for your sales style and risk profile.- Where we are losing the right people in sales, and what can be done about it.- What you need to know about yourself before you can pick the right sales role.- Where women tend to excel in sales and what they tend to be better at than men.- Why picking the right industry is so critical to your success in sales.- The out-of-the-box questions Kristie asks when interviewing someone for a sales role.- How focusing on personal development can help you land the role you want.- The most critical trait a sales professional can have.- What impressed Kristie about her first mentor and what she learned from her.Join the Sales Revolution community: https://female-leader.com/sales-revolution/

Is cold calling an outdated strategy, or is it still worth focusing on in sales?Leslie Venetz is a top B2B sales expert, sought-after speaker, and founder of The Sales-Led GTM Agency. She was named the 2024 Sales Innovator of the Year, and she's one of the most influential voices in modern sales. Today, she joins as a guest on the podcast to share her journey through sales, including her biggest lessons, why she still strongly believes in cold calling, and the tactics and strategies she’s found to be the most valuable.Topics discussed in this episode include:- The many hats Leslie wears and which role has been the most transformative for her.- Where self-development really comes from and how to master it.- Why the work she does now is what she feels truly called to do.- Freedom as Leslie’s #1 metric for success and what it means to her.- What she learned in her first year as a full-time founder.- Why cold calling is not dead and what the data actually says.- Why people say cold calling doesn’t work and what they’re doing wrong.- Leslie’s best hook for grabbing attention on a call.- The best ways (and worst ways) to use voice notes to connect with other people.- Why it’s important to stay active on social media when you’re in sales.- The most outdated parts of the industry and one thing that Leslie says has to change.- The book Leslie recently wrote, what it’s about, and who needs to read it the most.- What led her to burnout multiple times and how she would approach it differently now.- Why it’s important to invest in yourself, and the sooner the better.Join the Sales Revolution community: https://female-leader.com/sales-revolution/ 

What’s the secret to excelling in sales while being a present parent?Today we’re joined by B2B sales and media expert Stephanie LaBasco. Stephanie is the Senior Agency Partnerships Director at DemandScience and leads relationships with top media agencies to help global brands drive measurable demands. She’s also passionate about advocating for women in sales and a proud mom of two boys.Topics discussed in this episode include:- What Stephanie loves most about the work she does and where she started.- How her work provides an unconventional way of giving back.- Whether or not women can have it all.- The most important times to be present for your children and how she prioritizes it.- How to navigate a career as a woman in sales, especially one with kids.- How employers can help their sales team members feel supported.- What maternity leave looks like in the US and how it compares to other countries.- Why she decided to make a company change after having children.- Why authenticity is so important in sales and how to get there (if you aren’t already).- The recent experience that reminded her of the importance of client relationships.- What empathic leadership looks like and why it shouldn’t be underestimated.- How Stephanie manages deadlines with clients, especially when they are unrealistic.- The most critical trait a sales leader needs to have today.- The woman in sales Stephanie most looks up to.- A book that’s influenced her sales approach.Join the Sales Revolution community: https://female-leader.com/sales-revolution/Stephanie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanielazare/ Frannie Danzinger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franniedanzinger/ 

What does it take to be memorable in a crowded, competitive space?Shari Begun, a transformative sales and strategy leader, has a track record of delivering billions in revenue. She’s known for leading high-performing teams, optimizing global operations, expanding market share, and more while navigating evolving customer demands. She’s also passionate about mentoring the next generation of talent. Shari joins us in this episode to talk about what it’s been like finding success as a woman in sales, as well as her top tips for selling effectively while championing others.Topics discussed in this episode include:- Being underestimated as a woman in sales, and turning that into an advantage.- Shari’s pivot from engineering to sales and how it’s influenced her approach.- The conversation that led to a leap of faith in her career.- The role of intuition and gut instinct in high-stakes decisions.- Why preparation is everything when it comes to earning trust.- Navigating sales as both an introvert and extrovert, and why you don’t need to be loud to be successful- The mindset required for long and complex deal cycles. - The secret to staying mentally strong through tough deals (and what you’ll need most).- How being paranoid can be helpful when you’re trying to seal the deal.- Strategies to arm your champions to sell on your behalf inside their organization.- What needs to change in the industry, especially when it comes to company culture.- What it takes to thrive when the market is tough.- How her analytical mind became a superpower in an industry not traditionally built for it.Safe Worldwide on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/safe-worldwide/ Linda Lanzl on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/safeworldwide/Stacy Mayer’s book Promotions Made Easy: https://www.stacymayer.com/book/Stacy Mayer’s podcast Women Chaning Leadership: https://www.stacymayer.com/podcast/Start with NO...The Negotiating Tools that the Pros Don't Want You to Know: https://www.amazon.com/Start-Negotiating-Tools-that-Pros/dp/0609608002How I Built This with Guy Raz: Cisco Systems & Urban Decay: Sandy Lerner: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?i=1000521067728How I Built This with Guy Raz: Spanx: Sara Blakely: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?i=1000396023160Join the Sales Revolution community: https://female-leader.com/sales-revolution/

How does this senior sales leader use humour to make professional connections?We’re chatting with Miram Ebrahim, the Senior Director of Strategic Enterprise Sales at Criteo. Miram brings a refreshing authenticity to sales. She’s not afraid to be different and relate to other people using something funny or interesting. It might not always go as planned, but in sales, a “no” is bound to happen—it’s all about how you recover from it. She also emphasizes the power of tapping into your network and finding mentors to help you along the way.Topics discussed in this episode include:- What women bring to sales and how it’s become a more equitable environment.- The value of mentorship in becoming your best within the sales industry.- The unconventional way of seeking out mentors that actually works.- The biggest lessons the experiences at Google, Apple, and Amazon taught Miram.- How to stand out when you feel like a small fish in a big pond.- Critical traits of successful leaders and whether they’re innate or learned.- How to help your team deal with rejection and why it’s so important.- How making it weird and owning it can help you move past every no.- The benefits of using humour as a sales tool and who it works for.- How to recover when your reach-out flops.- The power in using relatable moments and stepping out of your comfort zone.- Why cold calling doesn’t have to be intimidating (even if it’s awkward).- The top trait you need to have to be successful in sales.- What Miram is reading right now to grow professionally.Miram on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miramebrahim/Alexine Mudawar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexine-mudawar/ Join the Sales Revolution community: https://female-leader.com/sales-revolution/ 

What secrets will this top sales strategist reveal about building authentic connections that redefine success in enterprise sales?We’re looking at the intricacies of sales mastery through personal branding today with Christina Minshull, CEO of The Brand Audit. With her impressive collaborations alongside industry giants like EY and LinkedIn, she unveils the secrets of turning genuine connections into opportunities. We explore her experiences at the TikTok Global Agency Summit, highlighting the importance of authentic engagement over mere transactions in enterprise sales. Christina's transition from marketing leader to dynamic entrepreneur perfectly illustrates the power of building relationships and community. We also discuss the evolving role of sales professionals and the need for more female representation in the field.Topics discussed in this episode include:Why nurturing relationships over transactions is crucial for enterprise sales success.How Christina's transition from a marketing leader to a sales innovator highlights essential sales skills.Why creating genuine content and community on LinkedIn and TikTok has helped Christina.How personal branding can power engagement with potential buyers in modern sales.Why Christina is a big fan of the mantra “give more than you take.”Why empowering women in enterprise sales is important and offers new perspectives.Why internal selling parallels external client acquisition in entrepreneurship.How systems and batch content production can maintain consistent engagement and visibility.More reasons why sales professionals should focus on building trust and relationships over traditional tactics.How the lack of female representation in sales highlights the need for change.Why understanding human psychology can fuel successful sales leadership.Christina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinaminshull/ Join the Sales Revolution community: https://female-leader.com/sales-revolution/ 

How can mastering self-awareness transform your leadership style and drive success in the sales industry?Today we’re welcoming Monica Stewart, a sales powerhouse with over 15 years of experience, to guide us through the art of personal branding and leadership in sales. Monica shares her strategies for guiding startups to scale sustainably, highlighting the importance of understanding buyer personas in niche markets. We then examine gender disparity in sales leadership, emphasizing the need for visibility and inclusion of women in the industry. With personal experiences in male-dominated environments, we discuss fostering inclusive sales cultures and the vital role of self-awareness in leadership, drawing inspiration from trailblazers like Ursula Burns.Topics discussed in this episode include:How Monica leverages her sales experience to guide personal branding.Why New York City's supportive culture is fantastic for sales success and networking.The moment that Monica realized she never wanted to work for anyone else ever again.How understanding buyer personas can refine sales strategies in specialized markets.Why balancing rapid growth with foundational groundwork is crucial for startup success.How gender disparity affects sales leadership and the importance of female visibility.The percentage of male founders that Monica works with compared to women.Why building inclusive sales cultures can inspire change and empower women.How self-awareness plays a vital role in effective sales leadership.Why Monica's commitment to daily LinkedIn writing has boosted her visibility.How Ursula Burns' journey as a leader is so inspiring when it comes to achieving gender equity.Why strategic planning is essential before scaling sales efforts in startups.How the Sales Revolution Community aims to reimagine modern sales practices.Why adaptability and resilience are key in the evolving field of sales.Monica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-stewart/ Join the Sales Revolution community: https://female-leader.com/sales-revolution/ 

Are you ready to unlock the secret of social selling through authentic engagement and "social giving"?I'm thrilled to welcome Hannah Ajikawo, an award-winning go-to-market consultant and the founder of Revenue Funnel. Hannah's inspiring journey into entrepreneurship in 2019, despite financial uncertainties, underscores the critical need to amplify female voices in the B2B sales industry. She reveals her personal branding success on LinkedIn, exploring the transformative power of authentic engagement and "social giving" in building lasting professional relationships. Hannah shares her insights on navigating the B2B landscape with intentional content creation, highlighting how strategic visibility fosters meaningful connections. We also tackle the importance of effective sales leadership and inclusive training, advocating for a more collaborative approach across sales teams and customer success managers.Topics discussed in this episode include:How Hannah's bold move into entrepreneurship in 2019 sparked significant accomplishments.Why amplifying female voices in sales is crucial for a more inclusive industry environment.How authentic self-expression on LinkedIn can drive personal branding and social selling success.Why shifting from sporadic to intentional content creation fosters meaningful B2B connections.How "social giving" focuses on engagement and value, building lasting relationships without sales pressure.Why responsive leadership and inclusive training are essential for effective sales leadership.How aligning sales processes with modern buyer journeys promotes sustainable growth.Why customer success managers need equal training for a cohesive sales approach.How consistent posting on LinkedIn can transform visibility and create new opportunities.Why caring and passion are vital traits for successful sales engagements.How Hannah's confident presence on LinkedIn serves as a blueprint for women in sales.Hannah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-ajikawo Join the Sales Revolution community: https://female-leader.com/sales-revolution/ 

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