SoS Spotlight

Ashley stands out because she emphasizes staying true to yourself and always advocating for both yourself and others. She lives by “Go for No”…Remember, the worst someone can say is "no," so put yourself out there and take risks. Lastly, she says, always fill your cup first by prioritizing self-care to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Sarah says, "Don't be afraid to ask questions even if you don't know the answer. Even if you don't have the background or expertise, you can always follow up!" Sarah was recently selected to speak at a huge conference for one of her data vendors last fall. Congrats to Sarah on your role and the exciting opportunities that have come from it.

Missy started her company out of her passion for organizing. She took the leap and has never looked back. She is successful because of her combination of passion, expertise, client focus, and work ethic and loves her job as a professional organizer because it allows her to transform people's lives.

Silvana has casted and produced many shows for MTV, Telemundo & ABC and has included Latino talent in all of her projects- projecting them in a positive light. She is also founder of Quinces con Causa, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing low-income girls in Latin America and the United States the opportunity to celebrate their Quinces. Her career trajectory was recently featured on NBC and Telemundo. Click the link to see her interview.

Meet Tonya! She is a Pentagon-based Air Force Veteran of 26 years, who turned to inspirational sales & consulting to empower more women to excel, feel good, look their best and believe in their greatness. She partnered with Rodan + Fields, as she felt mission alignment and is launching a one on one interview formatted channel that will feature the stories of inspiring, motivational women from across the globe.

Lisa is a top performer in her role, reaching 212% quota attainment in 2021 and YTD 256%!

What is the secret to her success? She always tries to fit in an extra sales call or two everyday. Over the year those extra calls really add up!

She also says, “So many of the basic rules of sales really are true and effective.
You might have to reach out to a customer 8 times (or more!), as the studies show. Make a plan and a goal and execute against it. Always lead with questions and lots of listening. Don't assume but do make educated guesses. When you have a tough sales call, either push on to the next or change it up and work on a different part of your goal - be kind to yourself.“

This is Vicki’s second time as a Spotlight! She is currently a Summer Swamini Student and has changed roles since her last Spotlight. Her biggest accomplishment this year was taking the chance on leaving her long term career to start over in a new sales environment. Her motto, “do what’s right for the customer, always.”

Melissa loves her job as an Account Manager because of the flexibility it offers, the people she works with, and her personal connection to the trucking industry.

Her key to success comes from learning from the client first then coming up with a game plan around their goals. Even if the deal doesn’t close, there are still lessons to be learned.

She was the first person promoted to Account Manager at her company, and a member of the Culture Committee.

Adita is Summer Swamini Student and loves technology. She contributes being open to learning, staying a few steps ahead, being consistent and persuasive. In 2021 she won the Microsoft Marketing Award for the Caribbean. Her advice, “As women we are natural empaths which is an excellent skillset of a leader. Embrace it, don’t hide it. Leverage your personality, and stick to your ethics!”

Annika is a Swamini Student this summer and her favorite part of her job is the ability to help change the lives of every day Americans living paycheck to paycheck. Her biggest piece of advice: “Be willing to fall flat on your face, laugh at yourself, and get back up again!”

To learn more from Annika, check out her Instagram Live Interview with SoS on Tuesday, July 12 at 12p PT.

Ashley spent over a decade in hospitality management before entering the #SaaS world, quickly getting promoted to Business Development Team Lead. She loves to pump up her team with insights she finds from thought leaders and was awarded two RKO awards in the last year! She says, “be excited to try something new, be passionate, genuine curiosity is key in life and business and don’t forget to laugh.” Learn more from Ashley on Instagram LIVE link here. @societyofsaleswomen

Bonita has been back in the corporate world for one year. She's not afraid to do what it takes to get the job done and likes to take the time to think outside of the box, and go the extra mile. Her biggest advice for closing deals: never be afraid to let your creative shine-it’s good to be different and to stand out from a crowd. That little edge can be what help you to get a deal!

Valery loves to network in and out of her company- it’s the best way to see different approaches to sales! You can learn and take a little bit from everyone you meet to create your own sales style and be YOUnique. She also say, “Never stop learning!” Listen to podcasts, read books and watch webinars. Take care of yourself.... Go on a short walk to get some Vitamin D, tea break, and workout in the afternoon. Have this balance so that you don't feel "burnt out".

Lauren is based in Nantes, France and attributes her success to being mindful about different learning styles and listening carefully. She says, “Be mindful about different learning styles. I shape the content I create based on the needs of my audience. Be curious! When you don’t know the answer, ask questions. You can solve problems easier and better with open ears and an open mind.”

Meeshie believes sales is not just something you "do" when you clock into work. Sales really equals = YOU! It doesn't matter what you are selling, offering or promoting. What matters is how you present yourself and how you have built relationships in all aspects of your life that eventually leads to closing deals.

Ashlee is a business owner who aims to be a detective for her patients. Her advice to all women in business, “Procrastination can get in the way, and usually stems from feeling overwhelmed by the task ahead. Rather than planning to do the whole thing, put it on your calendar and set a timer for jump in for just 10 or 15 minutes, do as much as you can in that time, and then take a break!”

Joelle loves being in sales because it’s a social experience! She loves getting to know people and understand their needs. Her tip for anyone in sales is refreshing, especially in highly competitive sales environments: “Always have each other's back and be a team player. It is important to remember we are all going after the same common goal, so boosting each other up will always bring positive results.”

Kristin was the #1 Midmarket Owners Install Account Executive in Q2 2021 for overall sales before transitioning into her new role as Social Impact Specialist! She says the keys to her success are her constant curiosity, willingness to learn, and confidence. She also believes in herself and in the value and beauty that others have to offer.

Donna is not only a tenured sales professional, but she is also Director of Membership for SoS and a current Swamini Student! Donna’s tips for success rely on people - having a great network, relationships with co-workers, customers, and partners. She also says to make sure to triple-check everything you send out and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Her favorite part of being in the travel industry: the traveling! "Make sure to triple-check everything you send out and don’t be afraid to ask for help."

Reshmi loves using the challenges of being a woman in sales in her favor and building a network of strong, like-minded women. "If the sisterhood and trust are strong, they will mention your name when you're not in the room." Reshmi continues to perform in her role as a Regional Account Manager, and earned the Outstanding Sales award for the entire Latin America and Caribbean Market in 2020.

Meet Felicia! This woman is the definition of go-getter, winning President’s Club for her sales performance in 2020. Her advice?

1. Never believe you are less than your male counterparts
2. Keep pushing no matter the chatter.
3. Lift others up and build an incredible support system
4. Know you’re strengths and be aware of your weaknesses... never be afraid to lean on others to help where you might be weak.

Vicki was a President’s Club Award Winner for her results in 2020 and the first recipient of Merck Animal Health’s Way of Working Award this month! Developing relationships is at the core of her success, especially during a pandemic year. Her advice is pretty simple: “Focus on the needs of the customer.”

Vicki values customer relationships and consistently looks for ways to serve them. She looks at problems as opportunities, not something that gets her down. She stays positive and looks for every opportunity to volunteer, to be more valuable to her employer as well a give her the chance to learn and grow.

Angie was recently promoted to VP after implementing a new super-CRM for the company. She also spent a greater part of the year building DEI strategy alongside the CHRO and DEI Council. Being able to shift her focus into bringing diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging into a successful financial services firm has been the absolute highlight of her career.

One of her pieces of advice for success? Learn to properly give and receive feedback. It is career gold!

She also recommends sending an agenda with every meeting invite, as everyone's time is valuable. Lastly, working from home means surprise pet or kid visits, get creative about gracefully accommodating the moment for 20 seconds. Let them sit in your lap quickly, and readjust the moment.

Andrea's Advice: Just don't stop. Don't think of stopping as an option. Keep going and everything you put in WILL come back to you. Also, make a plan. It doesn't have to be drawn out and specific, especially not during a once in a century pandemic, but having a plan, having some kind of framework, allows you to know you're at least headed in the right direction. Even if the road gets flooded and you're walking alongside it on some kind of offroad trail, you know you're headed in the right direction and you'll have to detour a little, but you'll get there.

Andrea's tips for Success: Because I don't quit and I think of my company as a business. I'm passionate and excited about it, yes, but I also highly compartmentalize and try to employ real business strategies. I ask for advice and even when I don't like it, when I've heard the same thing from enough un-connected sources, I take the advice and say thank you.

Nancy is the Media Adviser and Content Strategist for SoS, writing our blog and getting out the word on SoS.

This high-energy fireball is passionate about women in the workplace; writing for publications like Forbes, Thrive, and Inc. with her distinctive POV. Over her 40-year career, Nancy was formerly a senior executive for major consumer and business brands, including Citibank, MasterCard, and Reed Exhibitions.

She’s also the Founder & CEO of The ONswitch Marketing, has written four books, publishes a women’s entrepreneur community (sheBOOM), and is a mom!

Wendy is the owner of English at Wendy’s, an English language platform that utilizes the internet, popular culture and English language coursebooks to create a learning environment for all students.

A great acting teacher of mine once told me, "When you walk out of an audition, ask yourself 3 things:
1) What did I do well? 2) What didn't I do well? and 3) What can I do better next time? and then let it go." Although this was advice about acting, I apply it to everything I do, especially my business.

Hannah loves having conversations with new people every day. She loves people! Because of this, she is successful in her role. She says, "Navigating people is the core of any sales position. If you’re able to navigate the way people want to buy, you can be great at sales."

Hannah's best advice: "Speak up! If you have an idea, a new pitch, or want something in your career, speak up and ask for it! I’ve found that my male peers are really good at this. They are a “squeaky wheel” until they get what they want."

Sheila just completed her Masters in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at University of Southern California, is currently the top selling inside sales rep, having closed $20 million in revenue YTD for Pitney Bowes, and is a current SoS #Swamini Student.

Sheila’s advice: “While you're kicking butt, don't forget to prioritize your health and well-being. Take time for yourself and recharge. This way you'll not only always put your best self forward for your career, but also for your personal passions and your loved ones.”

Birdie appreciates having a leadership team who believes in her and pushes her to be better. She was recently promoted from Manager to Director and accepted into the SoS Swamini Mentor Program this year.

She is successful because she builds relationships, is persistent, and is not afraid of hearing no.

Birdie says, “In sales, it’s important to believe in what you’re selling. Love the product, know that what you’re selling makes a difference, and stand behind it.”

Christina’s tips and advice for success are as follows:
Mindset and self image. Remind yourself everyday that you are a “10”. Have a solid strategy and be authentic. Whether you crushed it or barely moved, you gained “real estate”. Keep a list of all of the amazing things you did and that leadership recognized throughout the year; it will make your promotion ask a breeze. Your word is gold. Live economically- it will relieve sales fear and stress. Keep a journal and ask daily- what worked, what didn’t, and what did I learn? And finally, Get gong.io !

Julia says, “Female sales leaders can often feel alone in a male dominated industries, but it doesn't have to be that way. Seeking out community is critical to grow your reach, your network of supporters and advocates and ultimately create change and balance for all women sales leaders.” Julia’s experience includes creating The Art of Feminine Selling Live Experience for entrepreneurs and developing a Sales Playbook with a global company. Her success is based on a combination of her desire to serve first and a commitment to excellence, regardless of outcome.

Monica has held several sales leadership roles over the past 20 years, and loves the continued opportunity to lead and develop the future leaders of tomorrow. What she has loved most is being able to inspire others to bring their best selves to the table. The tenets of her success are grounded in welcoming diversity, being authentic, and developing mutual respect. Monica's advice? "Get good at networking and building lasting relationships upward, downward, laterally, and externally. Make time in your schedule to build these relationships- it's important."

Hebah’s favorite part of her job is working with local businesses and hearing their stories. She says she builds relationships by “being a good listener. We aren’t there to sell what we want, we’re there to provide what they need. Your clients enjoy talking about what they love, and as a result, will organically share what they need.” Hebah went on maternity leave in 2019, and when she returned, was able to lead her team to double their performance and end 2019 as one of the top teams in the state!

Nicole loves her job because she's so passionate about helping health coaches get their message into the world and find the people who need them. "People are going to do business with you because they know, like, and trust you. Your goal should always be to build relationships and find ways to serve the people who need you using what you know from your experiences, and your gifts and talents. I'm successful because I made a decision. I wasn't available for anything other than becoming the best in my company. And once I did that, I had an understanding that I could make a lot of things happen once I put my mind to it and made a decision. So I started my own coaching company so that I can make massive impact on the health and wellness of the world. When I use my experiences and skills to help health coaches learn how to sell and find clients, then I'm helping the entire world become a healthier place and that makes me really happy."

"You control your performance- no one else does!"

Sarah continues to build success by keeping her eye on the ball, ignoring the hype, and collaborating with others to close deals. She advises to stay true to yourself, speak up, and stand up for yourself- you never know who is listening or who you can inspire.

Dani loves her job because she sells something she believes in. Her company offers solutions for pay transparency and closing pay equity gaps. Her BA in Gender and Sexuality Studies at UC Riverside allows her to live her passion and educate others while enjoying a sales career. Dani's advice is to seek out mentorship both in and out of your organization; as mentors are imperative, especially to women of color. She says she attributes her success to not being afraid to ask questions, and not allowing mistakes to keep her from pushing forward.

Lisa is a high-performing sales director who attributes her success to being upfront and asking for meetings, the business, or next steps. She embraces the "Go For No" mentality and lives by 212 (The Extra Degree). "211 degree water is hot, but at 212 degrees that water is steam that can power a locomotive." One degree makes a difference - whether in water or in effort, business, or life.

Gracie’s proudest accomplishment of 2019/2020 was (and still is) watching her team grow and achieving 130% to goal during the hardest quarter of the year.

Gracie's Advice:
Be true to who you are and let your confidence shine.
Don’t second guess your abilities, you can control your thoughts.
If you feel any insecurity or doubt, remind yourself of who you are and the value you can bring to the table.

Never stop growing - always find ways to learn new skills and processes!
"No one will care more about your career than you." If you want something - go get it!

Julie is a successful Senior Account Executive for Coupa Software. While she is virtually based in Seattle, her clients are in Los Angeles. Being in software sales keeps her challenged and in charge of her own success. The words she lives by...

1. If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it

2. If you don’t ask, the answer will always be no

3. If you don’t step forward, you will always be in the same place

4. You are responsible for your own happiness

Robyn recently returned from third President's Club trip, completing her previous year at 120% .

Robyn says these are the tips to her success: “Stay curious, create an environment of constant learning, build strong relationships based on mutual respect and timely follow-up.”

Wende Katz is a sales all-star!!

This Manager of Business Development, Large Market for American Express is about to secure her 10th President’s Club award, hitting 350% of her sales quota!

These are the words she lives by: “If you lead your career with passion and commitment, the rest will always fall into place. Be proud of your accomplishments but always be willing to learn

from your losses. If you win every deal, you have no ability to grow.”