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.

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.

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.

The episode further explores common challenges faced by emerging leaders, such as the delicate balance between delegation and micromanagement. Del advocates for a proactive approach to leadership development, underscoring the need for tailored programs that address these challenges and enhance self-awareness among leaders.

Ultimately, the discussion underscores the critical impact of investing in leadership skills across all levels of an organization. By fostering a culture of continuous learning and self-improvement, Del suggests that companies can significantly improve their operational effectiveness and employee satisfaction, leading to sustained growth and success.

Laura dives into her unique professional background, which combines operating, enabling, and being an equity analyst. This diverse experience has given her a holistic view of the industry, allowing her to tackle challenges in revenue operations innovatively. Laura's approach is not just about operational change but also about fostering a fun and understanding environment for clients and their buyers.

The episode explores Laura's philosophy of breaking down silos and building effective customer journeys. She discusses the importance of empathy and open communication between cross-functional teams. Laura believes in the power of collaboration, where stakeholders contribute to creating efficient processes and, ultimately, a seamless customer journey. This conversation offers valuable insights into modernizing revenue operations and enhancing customer experiences.

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.

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.

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, 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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

But is it necessary to plan and create a thorough annual plan to achieve good alignment between teams? Or is it enough to craft a list of primary goals and observe it from various standpoints?

In the latest episode of Taking the Lead, Christina Brady welcomes Esther Friend, the VP of Sales Efficiency and Transformation at Five9. They get into the piloting phase of tool evaluation, creating alignment between teams, the role customer feedback plays in tool improvements, and other such aspects relating to tool acquisition and assessment.

But being a female leader often comes with some significant challenges, such as getting interrupted, spoken over, or feeling excluded.

In this episode of the Taking the Lead podcast, our host Christina Brady welcomes Jenni Dettman, the Vice President of Marketing at DZS and a powerful female leader. They get into the issues women encounter at the workplace and discuss ways to overcome them and come out even stronger. In addition, they chat about self-awareness, adaptability, and authenticity as key aspects of being an inspiring leader.

According to our guest, Kirsten Reynolds, Head of Partnerships at Airvet, it all comes down to our willingness to ask questions, learn, and not compare ourselves to others.

''Stop comparing yourself to other people. I still challenge myself with that all the time. It's something I need to tell myself to this day. I wish I would've started when I was younger, but everybody's on this journey. And so, everybody has different speeds at different times.''

In this episode of Taking the Lead podcast, Kirsten introduces Airvet, discusses the magical combination of the vet and tech space, and shares what it was like moving from the corporate world to a startup. Kirsten and our host Christina also chat about the importance of building a community, helping each other, and being kind. 

But most CROs struggle with the customer experience piece of the puzzle and rely only on the efforts of their sales and marketing teams to drive revenue. 

In this episode of the Taking The Lead Podcast, our host Christina Brady welcomes Mary Ward, the CRO of Athennian, to discuss the challenges and perks of being a CRO. They get into how CROs can bring marketing, sales, and CX together, why this holistic approach to revenue generation is so effective, and the best ways to help these teams work towards their common goals.

Today's guest is Nanette George, a pioneer in career changes. But you know what? She is happy and thriving. So if you want to feel the same way, tune in to hear what she has to say.

Nanette is the Director of Product Marketing at Comet. Prior to that, she was the Senior Manager of Product Marketing at Oracle and Senior Marketing Manager at Cloud Factory and is also launching her own podcast soon. Nanette says that over the years, she's learned how to leverage all her skills from all these different experiences and go after what she wants in business. Now she wants to help others do the same, discover their North Star, and make that career change they've been dreaming about for so long.

In this episode, our host Christina Brady and Nanette chat about the role of curiosity in finding your dream job. How to stand out from others and where to start when you want to make a radical career change.

Angela Earl is the VP of Global Marketing at RFPIO Inc., and she believes the key to achieving a flawless work-life balance lies in picking up the pieces of each and integrating them in both spheres. She encourages executives to be who they are at work, be vulnerable, and take a break when things become overwhelming. That way, their teams will be encouraged to do the same.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, our host Christina Brady introduces us to Angela Earl. Angela reveals the secrets of maintaining a perfect balance between personal and professional life, especially in the COVID-driven environment.

Gabriella explains what it takes to become an entrepreneur, how to find a great business partner, and points out that luck is very important for success. But, of course, there's much more you'll need to become an entrepreneur and run a company.

During this insightful interview, Gabriella remembers her path through the industry and provides us with great pieces of advice on how to pave the road toward your dreams. She thinks it's important to be disciplined, emphatic, and aware of your strengths.

Luckily, some people have proven to be experts in the field, and it's our pleasure that one of them is with us today. Meet Romaine Buck, the VP of Customer Success at Articulate.

With over 20 years of experience in CS, sales, account management, and recruiting, Romaine is a professional you would want to run to if you need advice regarding business growth.

In today's episode of the Taking the Lead podcast, Romaine joins our host, Christina Brady, to discuss the most common misconceptions regarding customer success. 

Romaine also shares details from her prolific career, encouraging women not to be afraid to raise their hands, ask questions and show how amazing they are.

On the other hand, those who show interest in climbing the career ladder should not be afraid to ask for feedback. Therefore, fruitful business relationships depend on open communication.

Anna Talerico is an operating partner at Arthur Ventures. She is our guest today. Anna is also the co-founder of SaaSX and the advisor for Founders Advisors. In today's episode of the Taking the Lead podcast, Anna and our host, Christina Brady, discuss the importance of mastering the skill of managing up. As our guest explains, those who want to prosper need to understand their company's modus operandi. 

They also talk about women's position in the business world. Diversity is such a powerful word these days, but we should not stop there. Women should free themselves from imposter syndrome and not be afraid to ask for what they deserve in the business space. 

Jenny has a Bachelor's degree in political science and philosophy, but she ended up being a marketer when it was all said and done. She thinks that innovations aren't always promising, mainly when companies tend to innovate without a particular purpose, but believes in companies with progressive cultures, where people can be their true selves, regardless of their skin color or sexual orientation.

In this new episode of Taking the Lead, Jenny Coupe and Christina Brady discuss the impact COVID has had on companies, whether the salary depends on the cost of living in these circumstances, the future of Silicon Valley careers, and other exciting topics.

Roquita Williams is a fantastic female leader and a professional speaker with over 25 years of business experience. As a keynote speaker at Habits at Work, Roquita sees habits and skills as two different yet equally important concepts that encourage the creation of a healthy, inclusive culture at the workplace.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, Christina Brady and Roquita Williams discuss the key differences between skills and habits and other concepts that foster diversity, equity, and inclusion. Besides, Roquita defines the four key habits every culture should possess in order to achieve revenue goals - giving and receiving feedback, listening emphatically, posing the right question, and telling stories to change minds.

Catie has a rich background in leadership, from being a Vice-President of Sales to now the RVP of Sales at Demandbase. She's on a mission to help sales leaders be better and find ways to propel more women into the highest levels of leadership. She thinks sales leadership is hard sometimes, especially if you thrive on being great at it. But the key is to learn, get feedback from others, and evolve constantly. 

Feedback plays a significant role in sales leadership, and it's not reserved only for employees. Leaders also need to be open to receiving feedback if they want to become better at their job. In this episode of the Taking the Lead podcast, Catie and Christina talk about everything a sales leader should know. They exchange ideas on how to ask for feedback constructively, and they share some key traits that ineffective leaders have. Tune in to this episode to find out more.

Anna loves software and B2B SAAS tech. She is passionate about developing solutions and helping people improve their businesses. She is aware of the changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and believes companies must focus on buyers, their needs, and purchasing strategies. Vendors should be partners with their customers. 

Anna and Christina also talk about the time to value. Many products and services take time to mature, and it seems hard to evaluate their value at an early stage. However, interlocutors agree some things can happen in those early stages that can show whether the product or service is right for you as a customer.

Throughout the whole conversation, Anna emphasizes the importance of taking risks. She believes in joint action and embracing possibilities whenever they show up in front of you. 

Lorena Morales, a VP of Marketing at Go Nimbly, shares her incredible story of coming to the USA and becoming the VP of the first revenue operations consultancy. She reveals the common gaps within companies, especially now, during the pandemic and the most viable problem solutions. She also focuses on CRM and tool creation, including the most common mistakes people make during the process.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, our host Christina Brady and guest Lorena Morales discuss the struggle of being a woman in a foreign country, especially in terms of finding a job. Lorena also reveals a defining moment in her life and how education helped her deal with unpleasant situations and difficult questions.

Rita Patel Jackson is a versatile woman whose goal is to keep empowering other females to follow their dreams and overcome the fear of public speaking. She used to work for great companies, including IBM and GE Healthcare. The rich experience she has gained has helped her excel in what she does now - product marketing.

In this episode of the Taking the Lead podcast, Christina Brady and Rita Patel Jackson talk about women's position in technology, what young women need to be heard, and how marketers and sales teams should join their forces towards a common goal - the customer.

Tracey is currently the VP of marketing and brand strategy at XSELL Technologies. Before that, she spent a long time leading complex client-facing events. And then, COVID happened. Not only did she find herself with six months of already planned events, but she also changed her job mid-pandemic. There's no denying that she is the expert on change and dealing with the unknown.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, our host, Christina, talks to Tracey about the importance of flexibility and empathy in the business world. Also, they touch upon important topics such as leadership, growth, and perseverance. Tune in to our latest episode to hear more.

Learn about the DOs and DON'Ts during the job interview process, what traits a company should look for to find the best fit, and much more useful information directly from Helen Calvin, the CRO at Jellyvision. 

In this episode of Taking the Lead, with host Christina Brady, you'll hear everything you need to know about job interviews, how to ask the right questions, and attract amazing people.

Kimberly Miller is a leader at heart. She is passionate about lifting others, helping them grow and become the best version of themselves. Once a CEO, now a Senior Director of Sales, Kimberly knows the ins and outs of leadership, sales, management, and much more. She is a successful businesswoman, selflessly sharing her knowledge and experience with others.

In this episode of Taking the Lead, host Christina Brady talks to Kimberly Miller about career pathing, growth, and development. They discuss employee motivation, the cost of success, and how to negotiate your way to your perfect job. 

Kate talks about her work experience and how she ended up working at Glassdoor. She mentions the importance of building relationships and earning the team's trust in the workplace. She also claims that communication is a key to overcoming obstacles at work and finding viable problem solutions.

In this episode of the Taking the Lead podcast, you will hear about the most common challenges female leaders face every day. You will also learn exciting facts about Kate outside of the corporate world.

According to Alison, there is no time to waste. She is a motivational speaker, business advisor, and podcast host. Above all, she is a fighter. She is on a life quest to teach people from different companies and industries how to live a life without regrets while still being successful in their jobs. She says, "You can still give 110% at your job, but make sure that you keep the things that really matter at the forefront."

If you feel unhappy at your current job or you're not maximizing every moment of your life, make sure you listen to the latest episode of the Taking the Lead Podcast. Hear what Alison and Christina have to say about the hyper-growth tech, work-life balance, and most importantly, living life like there's no time to waste.

Andee Harris is an incredible and versatile woman. She is a leader and a role model to many women. Andee is dedicated to spreading the idea of diversity, culture, and equal chances. She is also a mentor and angel investor. 

In this episode of Taking the Lead, host Christina Brady and Andee Harris discuss inclusivity, minority rights, women leaders, and startups. Listen in and get the encouragement needed to think outside the box and show your potential.