ContactOut

Negotiate contracts, pricing, and terms to secure profitable deals and maximize value for both the company and the client.

Stay updated on industry trends, competitive landscape, and market conditions to identify new business opportunities.

Prepare and deliver persuasive presentations, demonstrations, and proposals to clients, showcasing the value of the company's products or services.

Sales Development Representative

Tech Startup

Sales Development Representative at ContactOut

As a Sales Development Representative, I am fueled by my sincere desire to connect with individuals and aid them in discovering the solutions that will lead them to success. My unique blend of enthusiasm, strategic thinking, and technical expertise sets me apart. I have a proven track record of generating top-notch leads that convert into loyal customers.

With extensive experience in crafting and implementing effective sales development strategies across diverse industries, I have honed my ability to establish meaningful connections with people and fully grasp their needs. I leverage cutting-edge tools and technologies to optimize my sales strategies, relying on data-driven insights to consistently deliver exceptional results.

Above all, my commitment lies in providing outstanding customer service and cultivating long-term relationships built on trust and transparency. Whether you're a startup aiming to establish your presence in the market or an established company seeking to revitalize your sales development efforts, I possess the skills and expertise to help you achieve your goals.

If you're in search of a passionate Sales Development Representative who is dedicated to helping individuals succeed and surpassing expectations with exceptional outcomes, I invite you to connect with me. Let's collaborate and explore how we can propel your business forward.

Ella Chivers

Grow North Thursday Newsletter

Every Thursday morning, you'll get 1 actionable tip to boost your business, enhance your purpose, and help you live your best life.

Author

Catapult North

I help small and medium businesses, as well as individuals, build audience and revenue through 1:1 coaching, flexible marketing advisory, and Fractional CMO services

Fractional CMO, Marketing Advisor & Growth Coach

Saunable

After experiencing the life-changing benefits of sauna, my husband Ed and I built a high-end, custom mobile sauna. Our mission: help more people feel better through quality, accessible sauna.

Today, we offer custom-built mobile saunas for purchase and host guided sauna experiences in nature. Learn more at Saunable.com.

Founder

Emergent Software

Brought on by the leadership team as a fractional CMO to define marketing strategy aligned with business goals, build a scalable content engine, align resources for execution, elevate brand positioning, and drive awareness and lead generation.

Chief Marketing Officer

Good Plane Living

My husband Ed and I built a Vans RV-10 airplane in our garage over the course of 3.5 years. We vlog/blog about our airplane building (now flying) adventures and life as an aviation family.

Airplane builder & Content Creator

Midion (formerly LeanProject)

I helped Midion navigate the decision and execute the transition from LeanProject into a brand that truly captures its broader value beyond lean construction. I partnered with leadership to develop a comprehensive marketing strategy, including a full rebrand, a website overhaul, and various digital initiatives - while bringing in the right resources to ensure long-term success.

Fractional Chief Marketing Officer

CIOs Against Cancer

After helping build CIOs Against Cancer from the ground up, I stepped into a strategic advisory role to support the next stage of growth.

-Helped shape the plan for scaling our mission and operations beyond the founding team.
-Advised on long-term fundraising efforts, including geographic expansion.
-Supported leadership transitions to ensure continuity and momentum.

I'm proud to have played a part in this organization’s journey. My volunteer commitment to CIOs Against Cancer, cancer research, and ending cancer... for everyone, continues on.

Strategic Advisor

Co-created and launched the organization, spearheading the idea from inception to impact.

Key contributions:

-Community Building: Launched founding events and built the base for long-term engagement.
-Organizational Design: Developed structure and processes for a scalable, consistent community.
-Board Growth: Supported board expansion to ensure long-term stability.
-Fundraising Leadership: Led efforts that raised $1M+ in 4 years

Built the foundation for a mission-driven organization with lasting momentum.

Founding Executive Director

Renodis - Connectivity Technology Experts

I supported the business strategy through marketing advisory and strategic marketing vision to generate awareness, build credibility, and drive qualified leads. I also led the development of Renodis community, CIOs Against Cancer, a group of c-suite technology leaders working toward a future without cancer.

Fractional CMO

Society for Information Management - Minnesota Chapter

SIM (Society for Information Management) brings together IT leaders to share, network and give back to their communities through the collaboration.

Board of Directors - Chair of Programs and Events

Cashé Software

Cashé Software is Minnesota’s leading provider of agency management software for home and community-based services agencies.

In my Strategic Advisory role, I worked with the Marketing Team to create the strategic marketing roadmap as well as provide counsel ongoing.

Fractional CMO, Strategic Advisor

Purpose-Driven Growth Coach | Author, Grow North Thursday | Marketing Advisor | 3x Entrepreneur | Airplane & Sauna Builder

👋 Follow me for weekly thoughts on business growth, personal purpose, and life design. 

🔥 Try my free newsletter Grow North Thursday. Get 1 actionable growth system each week to align profit, purpose, and a meaningful life. 

Award-winning marketing leader with 20 years experience growing B2B technology brands, SaaS startups, and $300M+ legacy businesses.

My purpose is to help others grow in their personal and professional purpose, advancing joy and meaning in individuals and communities, and courageous choices that lead to a fulfilling life.

Personal interests: Experimental aviation, sauna building, lifting heavy weights, meditation, lifestyle design, and attacking cancer. Proud boy mom and partner in projects and dreams with my husband, my life build teammate, Ed.

My Core Values:
-Service & Integrity
-Growth & Curiosity
-Connection & Understanding
-Wellbeing & Health
-Courage & Creative Freedom

LET'S CONNECT.

I love working with smart and interesting people from all walks of life.

If you have an idea for a collaboration, want to jam out on a podcast, or hire me, then let's chat.

Colleen Kranz💡

Did anyone else run outside last night?


The northern lights were out in full force.

I knew they were coming. I’d heard it on MPR yesterday morning, but between prepping to pour concrete in the new barn, getting dinner on the table, and wrangling kids to bed, I almost forgot.

Until a few friends texted: “Go outside. Now.”

So we did. And wowzers!

It reminded me why we need our people. The ones who nudge us to pause, look up, and remember what’s really worth noticing.

Alignment is powerful.

Whether it’s a group of friends sharing a moment under the sky, or a group of leaders rallying around a shared mission, alignment is what creates connection.
And connection is what creates momentum.

That’s exactly what I’m unpacking in tomorrow's Grow North Thursday newsletter:

how alignment turns communities, teams, and organizations into movements that actually move.

If you'd like to join us, subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/gkpjFiyN

And if you caught the lights, drop your best photo below! 👇

Purpose-Led Growth Architect | Author, Grow North Thursday | Advisor to Entrepreneurs Who Want Profit, Purpose & Wellbeing | 3x Entrepreneur & Builder of Communities, Airplanes & Saunas

Today I’m honoring my dad.


He’s one of the hardest-working people I’ve ever known. He grew up working on a neighbor’s dairy farm at age 8.

Served as an Army Ranger. Worked full-time while managing a hobby farm and a massive garden to feed our family.

Raised three girls. And when my mom passed away when I was 13, he raised a teenager on his own.

He’s been through more than most, and he never stopped showing up.

He taught me the importance of family, hard work, love, and purpose. He taught me that leadership isn’t about words or titles, it’s about how you live.

I’m proud to be his daughter.

And thankful for every veteran who’s served with that same strength and selflessness.

Today, I’m thinking of all of you.

Thank you for your service and for the example you set.


📸 image cred: Jack Ruhr Field Miesville, MN. Home of the Mudhens. ⚾

I will never be "master of my emotions," but I will always take action in an attempt to head off my self-destructive emotions.

One of the first and maybe most important components of the self-leadership curriculum I’m building is something I’ve noticed from some of the most incredible leaders I’ve had the privilege to work alongside:

• Emotionally strong leaders take an active approach to their emotions.
• They never say, “That’s just how I feel, I can’t help it.”
• They’re never held hostage by their feelings.

In Perspectives on Applied Psychology, M. Asch wrote:

“Motions are the precursors of emotions.”

That means you CAN do things to influence your own emotions. You may not control them completely, but you can change them through your actions.

One of my favorite applications of this idea comes from Og Mandino:

If I feel depressed I will sing.
If I feel sad I will laugh.
If I feel ill I will double my labor.
If I feel fear I will plunge ahead.
If I feel inferior I will wear new garments.
If I feel uncertain I will raise my voice.
If I feel poverty I will think of wealth to come.
If I feel incompetent I will remember past success.
If I feel insignificant I will remember my goals.
Today I will be master of my emotions.

What’s one small action you could take today to shift how you feel?

Maybe it’s a walk.
Maybe it’s making that call you’ve been avoiding.
Maybe it’s noticing gratitude instead of frustration.

Or maybe it's using a little moment during kiddo activities, like this one, to share an idea that's been brewing. 😉

Whatever it is, do it.
Motion always comes before emotion.

Let’s get to it.

__

Hi, I'm Colleen. 👋
I teach simple systems for aligning purpose + profit + wellbeing in my weekly newsletter, Grow North Thursday. Drop a ‘Grow’ in the comments and I’ll share the link.

Over the past few years, I’ve found myself in very different rooms.


In some, I was leading marketing and growth strategy as a CMO, helping companies clarify what they stand for and how to scale it.

In others, I was working alongside purpose-driven leaders to build communities that raise awareness and resources for causes that matter.

And often, I’ve been in quiet one-on-one conversations with entrepreneurs building businesses that feel good to run.

Different goals. Different pressures. But one pattern keeps showing up:

Connection comes before growth.

When people feel connected to what they’re building and why, everything works better.

When that connection fades, alignment breaks and even the best plans stall.

That realization shaped the framework I’ve used for years, now refined and taught as the Grow on Purpose System (GPS), a practical model for aligning profit, purpose, and well-being.

One of its core components is something I call Community Design: intentionally shaping the relationships, rhythms, and environments that make growth sustainable.

Because community goes far beyond customers or employees. It’s the full ecosystem around your business: partners, peers, advocates, collaborators, and the spaces where those relationships live.

Sometimes it looks like a branded community.
Sometimes an event or a shared cause.
Sometimes it’s one meaningful conversation between two people who wouldn’t have met otherwise.

When those connections are intentional, they create belonging, trust, and energy. The real fuel behind long-term growth.

This week’s newsletter breaks down six types of connection every purpose-driven business needs, and how to design them into your ecosystem.

If this resonates and you want the deeper breakdown, you can read it here:

https://lnkd.in/gkpjFiyN

📌 What kinds of connection have made the biggest difference in your work?

Back in 2015, we completed the build of our Vans RV-10 airplane.
 
It took years of weekends, late nights, and a whole lot of learning.
 
The plane has a Garmin G3X touchscreen and an autopilot system that, once you’re at cruising altitude, can hold course for hours.
 
It’s smooth. Reliable. Honestly… a little too easy.
 
Because even with autopilot on, we still stay alert. Watching the skies. Navigating around weather. Listening to the radio. Monitoring fuel and altitude.
 
Autopilot keeps the wings level. But it doesn’t think ahead.
 
That part is still on us.
 
And it’s not all that different from how we live our lives.
 
We find our routines. We lock in a course. And suddenly we’re months or years down the line, moving fast but not checking whether we’re still headed somewhere that matters.
 
A client said this to me recently on a strategy call:
 
“I’m so busy keeping everything running that I can’t remember the last time I felt excited about any of it.”
 
She wasn’t burned out. She was disconnected.
 
Her days had turned into a checklist of things that once mattered but no longer felt alive.
 
That’s what autopilot looks like in real life. You keep moving, but you stop steering.
 
Tomorrow in Grow North Thursday newsletter, I’m sharing 5 practical ways to step out of autopilot and take back the controls in your work, your leadership, and your life.
 
If you want the guide, the link to subscribe is in the comments. ✈️ 💛

“Berry rich.”


Last weekend I was sitting around a bonfire with friends when someone used this phrase I'd never heard before.

It means you can afford to buy berries in the middle of winter.

I laughed out loud. When I was growing up, we had wild black raspberries that grew along every edge of our farm. Each summer, we’d fill old ice cream buckets with them until our fingers were stained purple. My parents froze what we couldn't eat - small containers stacked in the freezer, waiting for winter.

I can't even remember buying berries from a store, but man... did it feel rich.

So when I heard "berry rich,” it got me thinking. 

Maybe richness isn’t just about what we can buy. Maybe it’s also about what we can still appreciate.

If you’ve ever wondered what “rich” really means, or how to keep the good things from losing their meaning, tomorrow's Thanksgiving-edition newsletter is for you.

We’ll explore what it means to define richness for yourself, and how to protect what makes your life feel full.

Want to join us? Link is in the comments ↓

I’m grateful for you.


Whether you’ve been in my corner for years or we just connected recently, thank you for reading, supporting, sharing your wins, asking thoughtful questions, and doing the hard work of growing with intention.
 
It’s easy to rush through the year without stopping to notice what (and who) is actually helping us move forward.
 
So today, I hope you get a moment of stillness. A moment to breathe. A moment to appreciate how far you’ve come, even if it doesn’t always feel like it.
 
Happy Thanksgiving, my friends. Cheering for you always. 🤍

I’ve noticed a pattern this year across the leaders I work with.

 
Many of them are growing, but not always in a direction that feels meaningful to them.
 
They’re busy. They’re hitting milestones. They’re moving things forward.
 
But the progress doesn’t feel like the right kind of growth.
 
Across my client work (fractional CMO, growth coach, and strategist), the same three themes keep showing up. 

 
1. Clarity is beating speed  

More leaders are slowing down long enough to ask better questions. Where are we heading? Why does it matter?
 
The companies growing in a healthy direction are defining their reason for existing, choosing a direction and a specific market position, cutting noise, and making decisions with intention. They know speed without clarity just creates burnout.

 
2. Simplicity is becoming an advantage  

So many teams feel the weight of complexity. Too many tools, tactics, and competing ideas.
 
What’s working now is much simpler: clear messaging, focused offers, and systems people can actually follow through on. Leaders want work to feel cleaner, not heavier.

 
3. Well-being is becoming a business strategy  

This is one of the most encouraging shifts.
 
More founders are recognizing that sustainable growth depends on their capacity. They’re choosing fewer priorities, setting boundaries, and designing healthier rhythms. Overwhelmed leaders make overwhelmed decisions.

 
The bottom line  
 
The leaders who pause, simplify, and realign are the ones creating growth that actually feels like success.

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

This quote from Viktor Frankl has been on my mind lately, especially around the tension between two skills that shape how we grow:

Self-honesty: facing reality as it is.
Self-freedom: loosening our grip on the identities and stories that keep us stuck.

Most of us lean hard toward one side.

Some of us are great at being honest. We see the numbers. We see the patterns. We see the strain we keep calling “a busy season.” But honesty without freedom can feel like a cage. You stare at the truth, judge yourself for it, and stay rooted in the same spot.

Others lean toward freedom. We love new ideas and possibilities. We detach from old beliefs quickly. But freedom without honesty can drift into avoidance. No grounding.

I believe real growth happens when both are present:

➽ Honesty says: Here’s what’s true right now.
➽ Freedom says: And here’s how I’m willing to respond.

So here’s a simple practice for this week:

Where do I need more honesty?
(What am I avoiding, downplaying, or rationalizing?)

Where do I need more freedom?
(Where am I gripping too tightly to old roles, expectations, or stories?)

If you can hold both, you’ll make clearer decisions and stay far more resilient through change.

Which one do you need more of right now?

I'll go first 👇

You'd be surprised how many people are out there doing it completely terrified.

Some people have just figured out how to take action anyway.

Nobody does brave things alone.

Every bold move I’ve ever made was easier because of the people in my corner. The ones who remind me who I am, and nudge me toward the version of myself I’m building.

Fear shrinks when your inner circle is strong.

The friend who listens without judgment. Bhavika Tilwani
The one who tells you the truth gently. Laura Krafka
The one who reminds you you’ve done hard things before. Jenica Pospisil
The one who believes in you on the days you forget to. Keri Lappi 

If you’re stepping into something new right now and feeling that familiar fear… don’t white-knuckle it alone.

Lean on your people.  
Accept support.  
Let yourself be lifted.

Your fear doesn't disqualify you from success.
 
What bold step are 𝘺𝘰𝘶 taking this week? ✌️


📸 image cred: Lake Superior sunrise moment in Two Harbors with the lovely Laura Krafka. She’s bringing something meaningful to the North Shore - a place for people to slow down, reconnect, and grow!

A big part of being happy is letting yourself be excited about things.
 

And I’m not talking about big milestones. I mean the tiny, ordinary moments that make up most of your life.
 
My son Dash reminds me of this. His superpower is feeling excited about things. A new house project we’re working on, a new friend, hot chocolate, something we mentioned two weeks ago.
 
His excitement fills the whole house.
 
We adults, especially leaders and entrepreneurs, often lose this skill.
 
We stop letting ourselves look forward to things unless they are big or “productive.” We move from one responsibility to the next. We forget how energizing simple excitement can be.
 
I’ve been trying to bring more of it back into my week.
 
Sauna Fridays.  
Planning a meal I love.  
Cheering for my friends and clients.  
Anything that gives the week a spark of excitement.
 
When you let yourself get excited about everyday things, life feels more alive. More meaningful. More yours.
 
📌 What’s something you’re excited about today?

Do you struggle to switch off from work?


You’re not alone. I’ve worn a lot of hats in my life: consultant, entrepreneur, volunteer, creator. For a long time, work slipped into corners of my day that should have stayed personal.

Even after hours, my mind kept running through ideas, problems, and the next thing on my list.

If that feels familiar, I get it.

I eventually realized that if we want to make a long-term impact, we have to protect our personal time.

So how do you switch off?

Here are three things that helped me build a clearer line between work and the rest of my life:

1 - Digital Detox

Set Do Not Disturb, remove work apps from your phone, and stay off work platforms once the day is done.

2 - Shutdown Meeting

A simple end-of-day routine that wraps up loose ends, lowers stress, and gives you a clean start for tomorrow.

3 - Transition Ritual

A small activity that helps your brain shift gears. A walk, a book, a moment of quiet. Anything that pulls you out of work mode. My go-to is a walk with the pup.

These habits made a noticeable difference in how I felt and how I worked.

How do you switch off from work?

It’s getting to be that time of year again. Holiday plans, gift lists, family expectations, and everything that comes with it.

A few years ago, after I left corporate and stepped into independent work, Ed and I decided to pause all non-essential spending for a full year. We wanted a reset. We wanted to understand what mattered before building the next chapter of our life and work.

It took intention and planning, and it pushed us to get creative.

What surprised us most was how many of our favorite memories from that year had nothing to do with buying anything. They came from the time we spent together and the simple things we made space for.

Some that still stand out:

• Destination bike rides around the city
• Outdoor movies in a tent
• Testing new recipes and celebrating the ones that actually worked
• Scavenger hunts and long hikes
• Games that turned into family favorites
• Stargazing and watching sunrises
• Movie series marathons and long conversations
• Geocaching and exploring new corners of our area
• Library trips that turned into slow reading afternoons
• Letters and surprise notes to friends and family
• Creative projects like making a time capsule
• Learning small skills just for fun

We also spent time purging and donating things we didn’t need, which shifted our mindset far more than we expected.

Looking back, cutting out non-essential spending didn’t feel like missing out. It made us more aware, more connected, and more grounded in what we valued.

As the holiday season gets closer, I keep coming back to one question:

What would intentional spending look like for you this year?

Not a freeze or a perfect budget. Just a pause before the rush begins and a conscious choice about what actually matters to you and your family.

What helps you stay intentional during the holidays?

Staying informed without getting swallowed whole by the news cycle feels like a modern-life tightrope.

I want to know what’s happening in the world. But I also want to protect my mental bandwidth so I can do good work and show up well for the people around me.

For a long time, I swung between two extremes.

⮕ Total avoidance or total overload.

Neither felt great.

Lately, I’ve landed on something that works well enough. A quick morning radio update.
Audio only. Short. Intentional.

Just enough to feel informed without the emotional pull that comes from watching video or scrolling headlines.

How do you stay up to date without getting pulled into the vortex?

Here’s the process that works for me right now:

𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿
For me, that's five to ten minutes in the morning. No doom-scrolling before bed. No mid-day “quick checks” that turn into spirals.

𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺
Audio is easier on my mind than video. Short summaries beat commentary. And local news helps me feel grounded.

𝗕𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀
I'm choosing outlets that focus on facts. My goal is clarity.

𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗽
After I get the information I need, I move on. This is the part I used to skip. Intentional consumption requires an intentional exit.

I haven’t found a perfect system for me yet, but this has helped me stay aware without feeling weighed down. 


I'm looking for more tips. What’s your preference for consuming news?

taplio

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Colleen Kranz💡

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