In the final episode of Taking the Lead,  Christina Brady, CEO and Co-Founder of Luster, reflects on the podcast's four-year journey. She highlights the inspirational stories of over 80 women leaders in tech who shared their experiences, challenges, and successes. Christina emphasizes the show's mission to elevate women's voices and promote diversity in the industry, celebrating the unity found in diverse thoughts, cultures, and orientations.

Christina also shares her personal evolution from Chief Strategy Officer to SVP of Sales, and now to CEO and Co-founder of Luster, an AI tech company. She expresses her commitment to fostering a diverse and respectful culture within her new venture. As she bids farewell to the podcast, she thanks her listeners for their support and encourages them to continue finding inspiration in the episodes, which will remain available.

In this episode of "Taking the Lead," host Christina Brady sits down with Jenn Glabicky, a seasoned expert in sales enablement and revenue operations. Jenn shares her unique journey from the world of medical sales to becoming a key player in sales enablement, highlighting the challenges and successes she encountered along the way.

Jenn dives into the complexities of defining sales enablement, emphasizing the often misunderstood and varied nature of the role within different organizations. She discusses the importance of aligning enablement strategies with company goals, the need for collaboration across departments, and the critical role of proper training and strategic planning in achieving business success.

Throughout the episode, Jenn offers valuable insights into the pressures of transitioning from a high-stakes medical environment to the dynamic world of sales enablement. She also touches on the personal and professional burnout faced by many in the field, sharing her strategies for maintaining alignment and pushing forward in the ever-evolving landscape of enablement.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, host Christina Brady welcomes Jennifer Igartua, CEO of Go Nimbly, to discuss the intricate balance between leadership and personal passions. Jen shares her journey, emphasizing the importance of a well-rounded life outside of one's professional role. She dives into the challenges and rewards of being a leader in a tech startup, offering insights on fostering a supportive and fair work environment.

Jen's approach to leadership is innovative. She advocates for maintaining interests beyond the professional sphere, illustrating this with her own experiences in running a game company alongside her role at Go Nimbly. This dual engagement, she believes, enriches her contributions to her company. Her philosophy challenges the conventional notion that leaders must solely focus on their business.

Lastly, the episode touches on the notion of overperformance in the workplace. Jen opposes the idea of burdening high performers with additional work, suggesting alternative approaches like diversifying their responsibilities and compensating them appropriately. This segment provides valuable perspectives for both leaders and employees on managing workloads and recognizing individual contributions effectively.

In this episode of Taking The Lead, host Christina Brady engages in a conversation with Jennifer Ryan, the Director of Global Sales and Pre Sales Enablement at BlackLine. Jennifer shares her unique professional journey, which demonstrates adaptability and seizing opportunities. Her career transition from procurement to IT, training, and eventually to sales enablement exemplifies her willingness to embrace change and diverse experiences.

Jennifer discusses her approach to challenges and opportunities, underscoring the importance of saying "yes" and learning from failure. Her stories, including spontaneous moves into IT and sales enablement, showcase a career built on adaptability and a positive mindset. Her journey is a testament to the value of being open to new experiences and finding learning opportunities in every situation.

The conversation also covers Jennifer's philosophy on personal growth and professional development. She advocates for having a personal "board of directors" – a support network for navigating career and life challenges. Jennifer's insights provide listeners with valuable lessons on career evolution, embracing change, and the significance of a proactive and positive approach in professional and personal realms.

In this episode of Taking The Lead, host Christina Brady welcomes Tara Ryan, CEO & Founder of InfiniDEI, for an insightful discussion on leadership and work-life integration. Tara shares her journey, highlighting the challenges and triumphs she experienced in her career. She emphasizes the importance of understanding one's own values and priorities to achieve a fulfilling work-life balance.

Tara delves into her Fair Play Method, a unique approach to managing work and personal life. She explains how this method has helped her navigate the demands of her career while maintaining her well-being. The conversation also touches upon the evolving workplace culture and the role of leadership in fostering inclusive and supportive environments.

The episode concludes with Tara offering valuable advice to aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs. She stresses the significance of resilience, adaptability, and the empowerment of women in the workplace. Tara's insights offer listeners practical strategies for personal and professional growth.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, host Christina Brady sits down with Sara Strope, the Chief Marketing Officer at Quotapath. Sara unveils her unique journey, transitioning from a lobbyist in Washington, D.C., to a pivotal figure in the tech industry. She emphasizes how her lobbying days laid the foundation for her marketing acumen, teaching her the art of understanding market landscapes and crafting compelling messaging.

As the conversation progresses, Sara introduces the concept of being a "customer-led marketer." This approach prioritizes understanding the customer's entire lifecycle, from acquisition to retention. Sara believes in deeply knowing the customer, from their business metrics to their personal motivations and fears.

Christina and Sara also touch upon the challenges and responsibilities of customer success teams. Sara's perspective on intertwining marketing with customer success offers a fresh take on building and maintaining strong client relationships.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, host Christina Brady engages in an insightful conversation with Stephanie Middaugh, a seasoned sales enablement professional from Pinecone. Throughout the discussion, Stephanie provides a wealth of expertise on the often-misunderstood world of sales enablement.

Stephanie emphasizes the critical importance of aligning sales enablement initiatives with business objectives. Rather than relying solely on lagging indicators, she encourages a focus on leading indicators to predict outcomes effectively. By doing so, organizations can develop a clearer understanding of whether their enablement efforts are truly making an impact. Stephanie's approach is a refreshing departure from the conventional method of merely assessing outcomes and provides a valuable perspective on how to drive success proactively.

The conversation dives into the multifaceted role of sales enablement, including its involvement in event planning and program management. Stephanie acknowledges that enablement often finds itself at the base of the organizational hierarchy, where various responsibilities accumulate. Despite this challenge, she underscores the need for enablement professionals to define their roles and impact clearly, ensuring they are recognized for their crucial contributions to a company's success.

In this insightful episode of Taking the Lead, host Christina Brady sits down with Stephanie Valenti, the dynamic COO & Head of Revenue at Vitalyc Medspa. Stephanie shares her unconventional journey to leadership, revealing how she navigated through various roles and industries, initially aspiring to be a doctor, and eventually finding her passion in operations. She discusses the challenges and learnings from leading a $300 million organization, emphasizing the importance of asking the right questions and adapting to different leadership styles.

Stephanie delves into her experiences in operations, highlighting her ability to simplify complex problems and drive change. She reflects on her transition from being the "gas pedal" to learning how to be the "brake pedal," adapting her approach to meet the diverse needs of her roles. Stephanie’s story is a testament to her resilience, adaptability, and commitment to growth.

Listeners will gain valuable insights from Stephanie’s masterclass on ramping in an executive new role, leading with empathy, and focusing on both hard and soft skills. Her approach to identifying trends and addressing organizational needs showcases her strategic thinking and people-first mentality. This episode is a treasure trove of wisdom for anyone looking to evolve their leadership skills and make a meaningful impact in their field.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, listen to a high-impact conversation between Christina Brady and Ravi Rajani, the host of The Influential Communicator.

Christina's insights on sales leadership are both refreshing and actionable. She emphasizes the importance of proactive coaching, highlighting its pivotal role in sales team success. Christina's straightforward approach is clear: sales leaders must actively engage with their teams, fostering an environment of continuous learning and growth.

The episode also explores the evolving landscape of sales technologies and how they're reshaping the sales process. Christina's emphasis on adaptability and data-driven decision-making offers a practical guide for sales professionals striving to stay ahead in this fast-paced industry. This episode of Taking the Lead is a must-listen for anyone looking to elevate their sales leadership skills and drive results in today's competitive marketplace.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, Christina Brady sits down with Alex Dillon, a seasoned expert from Intuit, to delve into her intriguing professional journey. Alex shares her transition from a sales role to a more focused path in training and coaching. Her experiences shed light on the challenges and rewards of navigating such shifts in one's career.

A central theme of their conversation revolves around the undeniable power of connection. Alex emphasizes how building genuine relationships has been pivotal in her success, especially in the realm of training and coaching. She believes that fostering these connections can inspire and motivate individuals to reach their full potential.

As they wrap up, both Christina and Alex highlight the importance of continuous learning and adaptability in today's fast-paced professional landscape. Their insightful discussion offers valuable takeaways for anyone looking to evolve in their career.

In the latest episode of Taking the Lead, Christina Brady welcomes Alexine Mudawar, a dynamic CEO and founder with a rich background in enterprise sales. Alexine talks about her professional beginnings, recounting her experiences in sales roles at various startups and painting a vivid picture of the challenges and rewards of the fast-paced startup environment.

Transitioning from her sales roles, Alexine embarked on a new journey as a CEO, founding her own company. She shares the hurdles she faced, the lessons learned, and the growth she experienced in this leadership role. Her insights provide a unique perspective, bridging the gap between sales and executive leadership.

Throughout the conversation, it becomes evident that Alexine's resilience, adaptability, and passion have been pivotal in her professional evolution. This episode offers valuable takeaways for anyone looking to navigate the complexities of startups and leadership.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, Justin Brown engages Christina Brady, SVP of Sales at Spekit, in a candid conversation. They discuss the art of podcasting, outlining the importance of personal stories and the power of non-linear journeys. Christina emphasizes the value of unique narratives, highlighting how they form the backbone of their show.

Justin and Christina also touch on the necessity of enjoying the process. They discuss the monotony of asking the same questions and the need to look forward to every episode. Justin shares his excitement about crafting unique intros for each episode, setting the stage for the conversation to unfold.

Lastly, they explore the importance of evoking strong emotions in listeners. Christina underscores the goal of leaving listeners with a significant feeling, whether it's joy, motivation, or even frustration. They also discuss the importance of making the guest feel like they've had a great conversation. The episode ends with a discussion on the evolution of podcast setups, emphasizing that perfection is not necessary for producing great content.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, host Christina Brady chats with Jodi Mesa, the Chief Product Officer and co-founder of Luster. Jodi shares her self-taught journey in tech, starting from college where she learned HTML and JavaScript on her own, to leading product teams. She emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs and the strategic handling of tech debt.

Jodi discusses the balance between good and bad tech debt, explaining how some level of tech debt can foster quick experimentation, while excessive tech debt can slow progress and hurt customer experience. She highlights the need for hiring top talent to build robust and scalable products, and the importance of being customer-centric in product development.

Christina and Jodi also dive into leadership challenges, especially for women in tech. Jodi shares insights on overcoming self-limiting beliefs and making tough decisions in product management. She stresses the significance of mentorship and continuous learning in navigating a successful career in tech.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, host Christina Brady sits down with Priyanka Sundhar from 4pm. They delve into the challenges and opportunities of remote work, mainly focusing on productivity. Priyanka emphasizes the importance of personalizing productivity, cautioning against broad, one-size-fits-all approaches. She suggests that productivity is a personal journey, unique to each individual, and should not be confined to traditional notions of early mornings and relentless hustle.

The conversation then shifts to the role of daily habits in productivity. Priyanka advocates for the quick implementation of productive habits and the power of daily standups in remote teams. She underscores the importance of sales leaders holding their teams accountable for their daily activities, emphasizing the potential of each day.

Lastly, Priyanka and Christina explore the intersection of productivity and AI. They discuss the potential of AI in enhancing productivity while acknowledging the need for the human touch in sales. Priyanka's insights provide a fresh perspective on productivity in the digital age, offering valuable strategies for sales success.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, host Christina Brady welcomes Kristina Jaramillo, President of Personal ABM. The conversation kicks off with a deep dive into Kristina's journey, revealing how she accidentally found her way into the marketing world and evolved into her current role. Next, Kristina shares her company's focus on the one-to-one portion of Account-Based Marketing (ABM), emphasizing the importance of interactions over scaling for securing higher-value deals.

The discussion then shifts to the tactical aspects of ABM. Kristina highlights the importance of tailoring for relevance and teaching away from the status quo. She underscores the need for a hyper-focused approach that differentiates from competitors and the status quo, ultimately convincing prospects that doing nothing is more costly than implementing a new tool.

The episode wraps up with a rapid reveal section, where Kristina shares her favorite board game, her irrational fear of sharks, and a piece of advice that everyone could benefit from: slowing down and being intentional. She encourages listeners to consider whether they are delivering the experience they want, both personally and professionally.

In this episode, host Christina Brady engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Jen Allen Knuth from Lavender. The discussion navigates the complex terrain of sales motivation and buyer engagement, shedding light on the need for a paradigm shift in approaching sales.

Jen Allen Knuth draws on her rich experience in the sales industry to present a fresh perspective on sales strategies. She underscores the importance of tuning into buyer needs and rethinking how we view motivation. The conversation illuminates the transformation of sales from a seemingly daunting task to an empowering journey.

In the concluding segment, Jen shares her inspirations and the powerful impact of a memorable Coldplay concert. She also discusses her role at Lavender, focusing on the essentiality of well-crafted written communication in sales. This episode is a treasure trove of insights for anyone seeking to enhance their sales strategies and buyer communication.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, Christina Brady hosts an enlightening conversation with Keli Frazier-Cox, Founder of Promote Leaders. The discussion delves into a challenging but crucial aspect of leadership — balancing business objectives with the humanity of a team.

Keli shares her unique insights, emphasizing the importance of maintaining dignity during hardships, performance issues, and tough feedback conversations. She articulates how trust and loyalty are built in these challenging moments, leading to lasting success for both the individual and the organization.

The conversation also explores the nuanced art of giving difficult feedback. Keli highlights how empathy and genuine interest in the team member's success can transform the feedback process, turning even tough performance conversations into opportunities for growth. This episode is a must-listen for leaders seeking to build a more empathetic, resilient, and successful team.

Honest communication is the foundation of good business relationships and team dynamics, and leading with transparency will ultimately impact your business in a positive way.

However, as a middle manager, you have to balance transparency both up the chain and with your team.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, Marissa Homere, the VP of Marketing at Irwin, gets into the importance of balance for middle management. Marissa and our host Christina Brady discuss the concept of discovery in managing up as an individual contributor (IC), how an IC can develop a relationship with their manager, and why being considerate is the highest form of influence.

Interpersonal communication is all about sharing emotions, thoughts, and ideas. When you think of communication, you instantly think of spoken language and the verbal exchange of information, but nonverbal communication is just as essential to get your point across.

In this episode of the Taking the Lead podcast, our host Christina Brady welcomes Rachel Cossar, the CEO & co-founder of Virtual Sapiens. They talk about the importance of body language and nonverbal communication, why listening is as vital as talking, and the key traits of great communicators.

If you are satisfied with the company where you work, its culture, and the people around you, and you do not want to leave it but want something new, you can change your role and even move to a completely different sector within the same company. In addition, you can explore other opportunities based on what motivates you.

But how do you identify what motivates you, and how do you identify the gaps you need to fill for your next role in order to be successful?

In this episode of Taking the Lead, Samantha DeStefano, VPII of Enterprise at Upwork, explains how you can figure out how to identify what motivates you. In addition, she explains how to develop your career successfully. Samantha and our host Christina Brady discuss the importance of motivators in career development and combining external and internal networks if you’re looking to change careers, and how to prepare for your next role.

Everyone has a different experience when it comes to working in a company. And while it may be easy for some to get ahead, others fail even though they try their best. 

However, you have to learn to stand up for yourself and be able to communicate effectively and respectfully to advocate for yourself even though it is sometimes difficult.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, Jenna Rogers, the founder of Career Civility, gets into civil communication and how you can use it in the workplace. Jenna and our host Christina Brady discuss the importance and power of effective communication, how to successfully stand up for yourself, and why people struggle with self-advocacy.

Open communication and transparency are the foundation of your company culture. But they can be double-edged swords, given that it's tricky to determine how far you should go with being transparent. 

According to our guest Marina Golemis, transparency is non-negotiable but still isn't a standard. Also, not all information brings value to your team, so it's critical to at least share the information that can affect their work, performance, results, etc. 

Marina is the SVP of North American Sales at ShipBob and has over 15 years of experience in sales. She joins our host Christina Brady to share what goes on behind-the-scenes of sales and CS, the difference between the two, and why they should work in tandem. She also explains how she uses past experiences to be successful in her current role and be a good leader. Marina and Christina discuss the importance of feedback, especially when employees give it to their superiors.

Although we live in a male-dominated world, women beat all odds and challenge the dominant structures everyday. Further, many women are in leadership positions; they are managers, directors, and even independent entrepreneurs and founders.

But to be successful in business, women still have to work harder than men. They have to invest in themselves to learn, and considering that their mentors and bosses are mostly men, they lose the will to advance because it seems impossible for them to be in a higher position than men.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, our host Christina Brady welcomes AmyK Hutchens, Founder and Intelligence Activist at AmyK International Inc. AmyK describes her journey from being a school teacher to entering sales and starting her own business. AmyK and Christina discuss leadership, how to lead your team successfully and how the She Gets It community helps women with self-development.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, host Christina Brady welcomes Stephanie White from Medallia. They dive into the nuances of customer experiences and the journey through various sales roles that Stephanie has navigated. Beginning with experiential marketing, Stephanie shares her grassroots approach to gathering customer feedback and how it has shaped her perspective on sales and customer interaction.

Stephanie emphasizes the importance of communication in sales and leadership. She discusses her strategies for setting and shifting conversational tones to ensure productive and positive outcomes. Her insights are grounded in real-life examples, illustrating her ability to adapt and thrive in dynamic environments.

The conversation also explores the broader impacts of career changes and personal growth. Stephanie's story is a testament to embracing the "zigzags" of a career path, highlighting the significance of resilience and adaptability in professional success and satisfaction.

Adopting a sales methodology can help develop a successful sales process because it provides sales reps and managers with a scalable and predictable way of operating that ultimately determines the organization's ability to improve win rates. Further, it is critical that as many people as possible in the organization should be fully trained in the sales methodology to apply it successfully. 

But in many companies, even if the entire company has undergone comprehensive long-term methodology training by experts, employees may struggle to provide that level of training to others. In that case, the company has to allocate money from its budget to train new people on their methodology.

Dina Gallay, Senior Specialist in Sales Enablement at Relativity, suggests a scalable way to train employees in the company’s sales methodology. "It's shadowing people, providing the resources (the talk tracks, the questioning strategies, objection handling), and a lot of role-play," says Dina.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, Dina explains why she left people leadership and moved into the sales enablement sector. Dina and our host Christina Brady get into the similarities and differences between sales enablement and sales leadership and discuss the sales process and methodology.

If you work hard, succeed at your job, progress quickly, and contribute to your organization, you may eventually want to start your own business. While being a founder can bring you more money, more free time, and more freedom to implement ideas, there's no denying that starting a business is challenging, especially if you're a woman. 

Women generally face many more obstacles than their male counterparts in entrepreneurship. Some apparent challenges are gender bias and discrimination, but women often do not even have government support, and their access to funding is limited.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, our host Christina Brady welcomes Samantha McKenna, the founder of #samsales Consulting. Sam describes her journey in sales and how she became a founder. Sam and Christina discuss sales, prejudices relating to jobs in sales, and how to create a successful brand.

An important segment of any organization is its employees — on whom the company's success depends. It is just as important to take care of your current employees as it is to find suitable candidates when recruiting new ones.

That's why many choose to transfer employee management from manual to digital and use platforms and tools that quickly find suitable candidates.

In healthcare, the Apploi platform can help you attract, hire, and engage talent. Their comprehensive analytics dashboard gives you complete visibility into every stage of the hiring process, and you can actively follow and analyze workforce, recruitment, and hiring trends at each of your facilities.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, our host Christina Brady welcomes Natalie Lambert, the CRO at Apploi. Natalie describes the quota-carrying AM, retention-focused CSM, and enablement-focused CSM roles, and she gets into the importance of using discussion, debate, and commitment to reduce moments of friction at work. Natalie and Christina discuss how to structure a CSM team and how to start creating a compensation plan.

Data-driven teams use company-wide data insights to identify, advance, and achieve their business goals. And using data, you can have insight into how your employees operate daily.

But inaccurate data can be a big problem that can lead to bad business decisions and negative business performance. Also, incorrect data can lead to a drop in productivity because everyone — sales, marketing, customer support, etc. — uses the same data.

According to Stephanie Sanders, it's important to take action if data seems inaccurate and collaborate with others to get their perspective. "It's always about communication. It's always about being open to other perspectives and ways of looking at the same slice of the pie and then using that to help progress your agenda and everything else in the next situation," says Stephanie.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, Stephanie explains how you can use data as a diagnostic and to make decisions. Stephanie and our host Christina Brady discuss the importance of being open to other perspectives when analyzing data, data usage in the sales funnel, and wrong data.

An executive is a powerful leader who is in charge of their company's growth, and it takes a lot of hard work, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills to become one.

But you can be authentically yourself and still be a successful executive. In this episode of the Taking the Lead podcast, our host Christina Brady welcomes Jamie Kirmess, the managing director at Shift Paradigm. They talk about the power of being yourself, how to embrace your biggest strengths, and why you should never stop learning.

A partnership is a relationship between two or more companies who come together to provide even more value to their customers. There are different types of partnerships — strategic, channel, or technical — and they can have a significant impact on the business. Each such relationship plays a specific part in the company’s strategy and must be entered into after giving it a lot of thought.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, our host Christina Brady welcomes Jessie Shipman, the CEO and founder of Fluincy. Jessie and Christina get into the importance of partnerships and how a partnership strategy can improve business. They discuss strategic, channel, and technical partnerships, partnerships as a go-to-market strategy, and how a partnership team can achieve success.

When certain companies are hiring new people, usually the first step is to review the CVs of interested candidates. And then, the company eliminates those candidates who don't have the specific qualifications they're looking for, whether it's the experience in that job/industry or education.

But if you just look at the resumes and reject candidates based on them, without talking to them, you can miss out on people who would contribute to your company. By rejecting diversity, that is, by not digging into each candidate before making a final decision, you may not hire the best.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, our host Christina Brady welcomes Kimberly Evans, a global sales enablement director at Logz.io. Kimberly and Christina get into the importance of diversity in the company and providing opportunities for people. They discuss how previous experiences can be used in a completely new environment and how companies can contribute to increasing diversity.

''What do you want to be when you grow up?'' is one of the most common questions kids are asked. But what about adults? Just because someone finished school, got a job, and succeeded doesn't mean they are happy where they are. Maybe they still wonder what they want to do when they grow up. After all, growing up is a life-long process. 

Of course, at some point, life kicks in; we have to pay the bills and earn a living. 

Therefore, it is critical to set priorities, be realistic with your resources, and see what's important to you and will make the lives of you and your loved ones better. So, don't assume. Instead, seek to understand yourself and others.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, we have a fantastic guest — a woman who proves that determining what you don't want to do is sometimes more important than knowing what you want to do. She is Margaret Weniger, once a successful sales leader, and now, an entrepreneur and a podcast host living her purpose. 

Margaret and our host Christina Brady discuss the challenges and concerns of quitting the well-trodden career path and digging into the unknown. Margaret shares why she decided to step out of the sales leadership role and dedicate herself to creating a space for women to share their stories and become entrepreneurs. They also discuss what it takes to be a good leader and how celebrating and learning from small victories is the path to great success.

Believe in yourself and never settle for less than your authentic self. But that's easier said than done, especially in the corporate world, where employees are sometimes expected to hold back a part of their personality and natural strengths to meet certain expectations.

It's time to eradicate that belief and prove to executives that only a culture of trust and open communication drives success. Therefore, we asked Amy Hegarty, SVP of Sales at MedTrainer, to join us on this episode of Taking the Lead.

Amy shares her professional and personal background and explains how a strong support system is a prerequisite for professional growth. She also talks about gratitude as the key ingredient of success and why encouraging employees to nurture and be their authentic selves in the workplace will help take the business to the next level. 

You have to work hard to get your dream job. You also have to continuously learn and be ready to take certain risks to reach your goal.

However, despite a strong desire, many people are insecure and afraid to step into something new. They are lulled into the routine of their current job, and although they are aware that they will not progress there, they remain in their comfort zone and do not make their career into what they really want.

Megan Dimmer is someone who has taken risks to make her dreams come true. She made decisions that may seem frightening to some. But, those calculated risks are why she is the CRO at Esellas today.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, Megan gets into her career journey and describes her transitions through it. Megan and our host Christina Brady discuss career planning, taking career risks, and the importance of having your life team.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, Christina Brady shares her appearance in The Sour Takes Podcast, hosted by Jason Hasenberg. The dialogue traverses the nuanced terrains of sales strategies, onboarding processes, and the crucial role of diversity and inclusivity in fostering dynamic sales teams. Christina shares her seasoned insights, drawing from her rich experiences to shed light on evolving sales practices.

The discussion dives into the challenges of sales ramp-up times, advocating for a more humane and individualized approach to onboarding. Christina underscores the importance of acknowledging diverse learning curves and the potential of tailored training to elevate sales outcomes. Her perspective offers a fresh lens through which to view sales training, one that champions adaptability and continuous improvement.

Furthermore, the episode highlights the significance of diversity in enriching sales teams. Christina’s narrative emphasizes how inclusivity not only fosters a vibrant workplace culture but also drives innovative sales strategies. This crossover episode not only serves as a platform for sharing expert knowledge but also underscores the synergy between diversity and sales excellence, providing listeners with actionable insights and thought-provoking discussions.

An angel investor is an individual who provides capital — mainly for a business — usually in exchange for convertible debt or ownership equity. Angel investors typically support startups in the beginning, when most investors are not prepared to back them. And if you pick the right investments, you'll get a high reward.

But angel investing can be risky since the investment or the business is unproven. While making money is possible, many angel investors lose their entire investment.

Amber Illig successfully went from angel investor to the role of founding general partner at The Council Fund, an emerging venture firm that invests in technology companies that are transforming traditional industries in Logistics, FinTech, Digital Health, and the Future of Work. She has a handful of successful investments behind her.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, Amber gets into angel investing and venture funding. Amber and our host Christina Brady discuss different ways to invest as an angel investor, how to pick winners, and the impact of COVID on the VC industry.

Onboarding is the process of integrating new hires into the organization, and it helps them adjust to the social and performance aspects of their jobs so they can quickly become productive, contributing members of the organization.

But not all companies have onboarding programs that prepare a new hire for success. As a result, many new employees are not ready for work and do not do well.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, our host Christina Brady welcomes Carly Lehner, the senior director of RevOps & Enablement at Andela. The two get into the importance of the connection between sales enablement and RevOps and the importance of good onboarding programs. Carly and Christina also discuss RevOps, Andela, and Andela’s onboarding programs and the departments involved in them.

A common misconception regarding sales teams is that they ignore rejections and try to sell at any cost. But, modern-day and high-quality sales departments don't fear rejection. Instead of trying to sell, they focus on understanding the client's needs and challenges and demonstrate that they are trustworthy partners.

If you aspire to have such a sales team, you need a leader who understands that employees need to pause and take a breath to perform well and deliver the desired results. You also want your employees to be courageous. 

In this episode of Taking the Lead, our host Christina Brady welcomes Kim Mirazimi, Senior VP, Commercial Sector at 3Pillar Global. Kim and Christina discuss courage in the workplace. Kim explains that being courageous means being intentional, well-prepared, and curious. She also reminds us that we are humans and encourages everyone, especially those in sales, to not be afraid of asking questions and admit that they are wrong. It is the only path, Kim says, to professional growth. 

There are many processes and structures in a business, and they're the backbone that holds the organization together.

But alignment is the secret sauce of success, so you need to ensure that everyone is aligned with the north star of your business.

In this episode of the Taking the Lead podcast, our host Christina Brady welcomes Renee Psenka, Head of Revenue Operations at RudderStack. They chat about the key qualities of good leaders, why there's no such thing as bad ambition, and how to align your teams.

Even though there are more women in leadership positions or starting their own entrepreneurial journeys, the fact remains that the fight for gender equality is still going on. 

Further, recent US events like the overturning of Roe v. Wade highlight how much more progress still needs to be made. 

Therefore, it's up to all of us to empower women to raise their voices and join forces for a better and more equitable world. 

In this episode of Taking the Lead, our host Christina Brady welcomes Amy Volas. Amy is the founder and CEO of Avenue Talent Partners. The two discuss the position of women in today's business world. Amy shares her career path and why she prefers being an individual contributor rather than a leader. They also touch on the idea of success in the public and private sphere and conclude that standing up for what you believe is right creates better opportunities for everyone. 

Startups are built for fast and consistent growth, and everything you do must be planned.

But sometimes, it's hard to adapt to the changes that happen pretty quickly in a startup. For example, it happens that you need to hire 50 people at once and adding so many people to your team can lead to chaos.

Kristen Habacht, President and COO of Shogun, points out that sometimes it just looks like you need more people; so, she advises a detailed analysis to ensure that you have a solid foundation for acceleration.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, Kristen describes her journey from an office manager to becoming a female president and COO of a tech company. Kristen and our host Christina Brady get into constant changes in startups and how to adapt to them, employment in a fast-growing startup, and the relationship between PLG and sales. They also discuss how to properly incentivize a new business rep and the importance of looking at your mix of the comp to base.

Enablement-related roles are growing in popularity, and people are increasingly becoming interested in the field. But, not many know what this role involves and the requirements you must meet to land it.

Therefore, it is critical to familiarize yourself with those who have already paved the way to becoming enablement professionals by helping others reach their career goals.

Lauren Goldfinger, a shared services enablement manager at Salesloft, joins host Christina Brady in this episode of Taking the Lead. The two discuss what the enablement role involves, how companies and especially leaders should approach employee training, and how to go from a good to an excellent manager by acquiring proper coaching skills. 

''One of the most important pieces of a leader's job is coaching. It is also often the first thing they don't do [because] of time and priority and commitments and resources. But it is critical. And there is so much data that supports how well teams perform, how much better teams and individuals perform when they are being coached,'' concludes Lauren. 

Being a salesperson is an emotional rollercoaster. And when things don't go your way, or you struggle to make a sale, you will be tempted to ponder on whether you're really cut out for a career in sales.

However,  once you master these crucial sales skills, you will be unstoppable.

In this episode of the Taking the Lead podcast, host Christina Brady welcomes Jennifer Ives, a founder, advisor, and board member. They chat about the most critical tips for making it in sales and how to embrace your curiosity and build professional resilience.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the world had to adapt to a new way of life and work. Remote work has become commonplace, and both companies and employees are facing many new challenges. Mutual trust has become very important, and companies have been looking for ways to drive the engagement of their employees.

Even before the pandemic, so many organizations struggled to hire someone for entry-level positions. But a lot of companies don't accept retail experience as one of the entry points, even though retail could be great preparation for a job in sales. 

In the new episode of Taking the Lead, Christina Brady welcomes Gianna Scorsone, the Head of North America at Aircall. Christina and Gianna get into why retail is a good starting point for a sales job and discuss the importance of creating more empathy in the workplace. 

One of society’s most complex problems is mass incarceration. And contrary to popular belief, incarcerated people can also be talented, motivated, and capable individuals who are ready for the opportunity for a thriving career — in technology, for example. They need support, inclusion, and a second chance.

But many tech companies don’t hire folks with prison backgrounds, and as a result, they often miss out on really good candidates.

In the new episode of Taking the Lead, Christina Brady welcomes Kate Leidy, the CEO of Strively. Christina and Kate talk about reducing prison recidivism, the similarity between tech salespeople and those in the prison system, and also the importance of making space for the previously incarcerated because they can be an incredible asset to the tech industry.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, host Christina Brady sits down with Meredith Chandler from Pclub.io to dive into the intricacies of sales leadership and team dynamics. They discuss Meredith's journey from her early days in tech sales to her current leadership role, highlighting the lessons learned and strategies developed along the way.

Meredith shares valuable insights into building a successful sales culture, emphasizing the importance of resilience, adaptability, and the power of a positive team environment. She offers practical advice for overcoming common sales challenges, drawing on her own experiences to guide listeners on how to achieve excellence in sales.

The conversation also touches on the future of sales and leadership, with Meredith providing her perspective on the skills and attributes that will be most valuable in the evolving landscape. This episode offers a blend of personal anecdotes and expert advice, making it a must-listen for anyone looking to enhance their sales and leadership skills.

Women are more than capable of managing teams and leading companies. And without a doubt, we need to have more women at executive tables. 

But no matter their gender, age, or race, all leaders need to have an executive presence and truly show up as leaders when they walk into a room.

In this episode of the Taking the Lead podcast, our host Christina Brady welcomes Christine Rogers, the President and COO of Aspireship. They talk about why sales is not for everyone, how to stay true to yourself while moving up the company ladder, and what are the main issues with having a lack of diversity at the executive table.

Hiring new people has become one of the most challenging tasks for a company. Given how incredibly competitive compensation plans have become, it's hard to chase talent as they’re ready to turn down any offer that doesn't meet their needs.

However, should compensation be the determining factor for a candidate? Even if compensation plans aren't as convenient as expected, candidates should look at the opportunities available at the company and how they can use them to gain valuable experience in the field, whether it's sales or something else.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, Christina Brady welcomes Amber Smith, the VP of Small Business & Mid-Market Sales at InsideView (a Demandbase company). They get into the challenges of hiring talent, how compensation plans impact the candidate's decision while choosing a company, the importance of chasing opportunities, and other ideas concerning hiring and paying employees today.

In almost all companies, there are top sales representatives who are also capable of leading teams and achieving excellent results in their field. They not only know how to position the company and create qualified potential clients, but they also have the skills to build trust within their teams.

But most sales representatives do not know how to reach the position of leader (even if  it is handed to them), and they are often afraid to take the next step. Should I ask for a promotion? Am I even ready for that kind of responsibility?

In this episode of Taking the Lead, Christina Brady welcomes Michelle Pietsch, the VP of Revenue at Dooly. Christina and Michelle get into how to get to your desired position and advance in your career and emphasize that the most important thing is to work meaningfully on your development path.

The comfort zone is our worst enemy, and most of us decide to settle for less because we fear being rejected by a company we want to be a part of. But, being in a place where you don't feel valued can do more harm than facing failure. 

Therefore, every time we think there's no way to accomplish more, we should look for examples of successful individuals who once were where we are now. 

In this episode of Taking the Lead, our host Christina Brady welcomes Debra Senra,  the Head of Sales and CS at ThreeFlow. 

In this insightful and inspiring conversation, Debra shares her professional experience and how she fought gender inequality. She also explains how to ask for what you deserve without jeopardizing your position, and how even lousy advice can help you grow.