Ellen Rataj

PolishUp, Inc.

We help B2B sales teams hire more A players.

Co-Founder & CEO

nReach.io

VP of Sales

Closed Won Revenue

Helping Series A & B startups scale their teams to grow revenue

Fractional VP Sales & GTM operator

Commsor 🦕

Advisor

FreeWill

Managed a team of 60 people, I successfully turned around FreeWill's revenue engine by 36% YOY growth in 2023 (after an 8% YOY rev decline in 2022) by leading and scaling the 60 person sales organization to help nonprofits expand & accelerate their impact.

Rebuilt the FreeWill Sales Team through setting a strategic vision, implementing repeatable and scalable processes, and focusing on execution, accountability, and performance management that led to:  

+ Doubled PPR (productivity per rep)
+ Doubled win rate from 6% to 12%
+ Decreased sales cycle from 100+ days to a median of 45 days
+ Quartered new hire ramp time
+ Held ACV steady

HubSpot

As Head of Sales, I developed & ran the Ramp Acceleration Program for HubSpot's global sales org. Every sales segment (eg Corporate, MidMarket, SMB, etc) is assigned a Ramp Acceleration Manager to turn new AEs into fully productive reps as quickly as possible, measured through segment PPR and ASP metrics.

Founder - Head of Ramp Acceleration, Sales at HubSpot

I built the Sales Enablement (now Revenue Enablement) function from the ground up, focusing on coaching and developing global sales leaders through recurring programming, skill development playbooks, and 1:1 mentoring.

I also built the executive communication and strategy execution model for sales, to ensure cross-departmental alignment, through consistent change management efforts.

Founder - Head of Sales Leadership Enablement, GTM Enablement

As one of the original four SMB Sales Managers at HubSpot, I managed a team of 10 direct sales reps. I onboarded, coached and developed 22 sales reps over two years, many first-timers, and built programming to expand the segment to 30 sales managers and over 250 sales reps (as of H2 2022)

Sales reps on my team learned how to successfully position the HubSpot platform through a highly consultative and evangelical sales process.

Sales Manager

+ Received Brian Halligan's (HubSpot Cofounder) "Heavy Hitter" sales award
+ #1 Direct Sales Rep in 2014 at 181%
+ #4 Direct Sales Rep in 2015 at 154%
+ Attended every HubSpot President's Club annual recognition trip for top sales performers

I helped companies rethink the way they do business & how they compete within their industries.

Principal Account Executive

Vodafone Global Enterprise

I actively managed local relationships within the Netherlands for 25 multinational Vodafone customers.  As a customer-focused team player that influences & leads through strong communication and concise decision-making skills to achieve results, I drove profitable sales and increased Vodafone's market share of integrated products, services, and solutions.

National Account Manager

Verizon Wireless

I was hired as an Account Executive.  As a top performer, I was promoted into Sales Management and lead the Boston B2B sales team targeting mid-market accounts.

Sales Manager, Mid Market

AT&T Mobility

I was extended an offer to join AT&T's on-site, intensive five-month Business Sales Leadership Development Program.  Finishing #1 of 24, I transitioned into an Account Executive role responsible for net new business growth measured through monthly quota targets.  I also was responsible for maintaining all relationships going-forward and measured on install base, upgrades, add-on, and retention metrics.

Business Account Manager

In 2022, FreeWill's net new revenue unfortunately declined by 8% YOY. 
I was hired in Q4 2022 as VP of Sales to lead the 60 person team.
15 months later, we finished 2023 at 36% YOY net new rev growth. 

Why was I able to do this? How was I able to do this? 

I rebuilt the FreeWill Sales Team through setting a strategic vision, implementing repeatable and scalable processes, and focusing on execution, accountability, and performance management.

Within 12 months, we: 
+ Doubled PPR (productivity per rep)
+ Doubled our win rate from 6% to 12%
+ Decreased our sales cycle from 100+ days to a median of 45 days
+ Halved new hire ramp time
+ Held our ACV steady 

I am a people-first Sales VP, dedicated leader, and executive strategist with GTM enablement experience scaling global sales teams.

Today, I lead the 60 person sales organization at FreeWill by balancing execution across both short-term and long-term growth plans. I believe in motivating sales teams to perform at their best by running a repeatable and scalable GTM motion, which has increased FreeWill's revenue and driven company growth. 

As a company, FreeWill has raised over $10 BILLION dollars through the creation of over 1 million wills and supports a customer network of over 1500 non-profit organizations.

Prior to joining FreeWill in 2022, I spent a decade at HubSpot. In 2022, I built out a brand new global role within HubSpot Sales as "Head of Ramp Acceleration". I supported 25+ Managers and 4 Directors as I created, executed, and scaled a segment-wide program to decrease "time to ramp" for new hires, which has since been implemented across the global HubSpot sales footprint to all teams and segments.

From 2018-2022, I co-founded HubSpot's now 45+ person Revenue Enablement team. I built and lead the growing Sales Leadership Enablement team, focused on developing and coaching sales managers & directors across all our global offices as we scaled from 40 managers to 200 managers, through implementing net new global programs, processes, and playbooks.

From 2016-2018, I was one of four original SB Sales Managers for HubSpot. Over these two years, I coached and lead a high-performing sales team to exceed our monthly quota targets while simultaneously ramping 22 new hires, which positioned me to step into the challenge of cofounding our Sales Enablement team in 2018.

From 2013-2015, I joined HubSpot as an Account Executive. I was the #1 Global Direct Rep of the year in 2014 and the #4 Global Direct Rep of the year in 2015.

Responsible for scaling the FreeWill revenue engine.
Leading 65 exceptional sales people.
Helping nonprofits expand their impact.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport

As CLT’s first cargo-focused property lead, I manage leasing, tenant relations, and compliance for the airport’s air cargo facilities. I oversee 36+ properties, support long-term development strategy, and lead key initiatives including profitability modeling and asset condition assessments to enhance revenue, retention, and operational efficiency.

Cargo Properties Leasing Coordinator

GMI - Global Market Innovators

Solely led all legal and compliance functions, reporting directly to the CEO. Drove contract strategy, negotiated high-value client and vendor agreements, and partnered with leadership to streamline risk management. Played a key role in boosting client retention through proactive compliance reviews and strategic account support.

Legal and Compliance

City of Charlotte

Government procurement experience, ensuring compliance with regulations while optimizing value through cost-saving initiatives. Proactive leader in workgroups for process improvement, budget compliance, and effective sourcing strategies across divisions.

Procurement Officer

Windermere Real Estate

Member of a 2 person team responsible for average monthly transaction amounts of  $1M

Realtor

Virtually Alishia | V.A. Services

Developed and implemented an in-depth customer key performance indicator (KPI) tracking dashboard for monthly leadership return on investment (ROI) report outs

Founder & Consultant

Boeing

•Successfully negotiated all active contracts’ total cost down by 15% resulting in company savings exceeding $10M
•Led multi-department emergency response team mitigating the potential risk of schedule delays resulting in fees exceeding $100k/day

Senior Procurement Agent

U.S. Bank

Achieved ranking of #2 in District for Sales and #3 for Customer Service through mentorship and daily coaching

Customer Service Manager

Vector Marketing

Keynote speaker at multiple national conferences due to exemplary metrics in recruitment and retainment

Recruitment Manager

Recognized for Regional Top Productivity per Representative highlighting multiple achievements in employee development

Branch Manager

Sales Representative

With 15+ years of experience bridging operations, compliance, and strategic partnerships, I specialize in helping organizations turn complexity into clarity and relationships into results.

I currently serve as the Cargo Property Leasing Coordinator at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), where I lead the strategy behind 30+ aviation facilities. From negotiating leases to overseeing vendor performance, I ensure infrastructure aligns with long-term business goals while balancing FAA regulations, revenue targets, and tenant success.

Previously, I led Legal & Compliance at both Global Market Innovators and their sister company, Valor Global. I built scalable contract processes and strengthened client confidence during high-stakes tech implementations. My background also includes contract negotiations and supplier management for global aerospace programs at Boeing, where I drove operational alignment across multiple partners, multi-million dollar cost reductions, and performance metrics.

Although my experience spreads across multiple industries, what connects all these roles is a deep belief that successful operations depend on strong relationships, clear communication, and systems that work as hard as the people behind them.

Whether it’s optimizing infrastructure or supporting partner success, I’m most engaged when solving problems, driving performance, and helping organizations think three steps ahead.

Outside the office, I’m either road-tripping with my husband and son (28 states down!) or unwinding with my rescue beagles and a Taylor Swift playlist.

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Ellen Rataj

Alishia Nugent

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