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.

BizDev Labs

Find out why 80+ high-growth B2B companies trust us to accelerate their growth 🚀

Founder

Pavilion

Member

Hired

Left to start BDL. Top performer out of 16.

BDR Lead

Sail Canada~Voile Canada

RS:X Olympic Class Windsurfer

Founder — BizDev Labs. Progressive outbound BDR agency (45+ SaaS clients 🚀)

Over the past several years, I've become a leading expert in outbound sales and account-based marketing (ABM) for high-growth companies. 

My journey began as the top-performing BDR out of 16 at Hired, where I discovered the power of effective outbound strategies. This insight led me to found my own agency, which I grew to 7 figures in just two years using these same strategies.

My background is diverse - from graduating from Canada's top business school to living and working in six countries (Israel, Hong Kong, England, USA, Canada, and Mexico) and even competing as an RS:X Olympic Class windsurfer. These experiences have shaped my unique approach to B2B growth.

In 2024, I was recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30, validating my innovative methods in outbound sales and ABM. Now, my mission is to revolutionize how B2B companies approach growth through BizDev Labs.

Our results speak for themselves:
→ Partnered with 80+ companies collectively holding $1B+ in funding
→ Significant revenue growth for clients through targeted ABM strategies

If you want to learn how we achieve these results, you can book a free consultation with me.

→ BOOK YOUR CALL ON OUR WEBSITE

Feel free to reach out if you're interested in:
• Optimizing your outbound sales program
• Implementing cutting-edge ABM strategies
• Scaling your B2B company fast and efficiently

Email: roy@bizdevlabs.com
Website: bizdevlabs.com

Roy Itzhaki

A founding BDR should get paid $200K.

Not because of how many meetings they can book…

But because a founding BDR isn’t a rep.
They're the architect of your entire outbound engine.

Let me explain:

A true founding BDR doesn’t walk into a working system.
They build the system you will rely on for years.

They are responsible for:

• Defining your ICP, messaging, and triggers
• Building your first sequences & call frameworks
• Mapping your channels and figuring out what actually converts
• Stress-testing positioning until it resonates
• Creating your first predictable pipeline (not guesses)
• Becoming the person who holds all early GTM knowledge

This is not “scaling” or what I call "2-10". 
This is founding work and "0-1".

Much, very, completely... different roles. 

You’re not paying for tasks.
You’re paying for strategy, 
iteration, 
and the first version of the GTM motion.

---

Founders underestimate this role every day.
The ones who don’t?
They scale faster. Much faster.

#BDR #SaaS #Sales #Outbound #GTM #LeadGeneration #Startups

Roy Itzhaki 

Founder @ BizDev Labs | Forbes 30 Under 30

Here’s what no longer works:
• Hiring a big BDR team of new grads
• Paying them $65K to “see what happens”
• Using the same old scripts
• Saying “just make more calls”
• Bulk lists from ZoomInfo
• Watching good BDRs leave for AE roles fast
• Restarting the whole thing every year

Here’s the new way 👇
→ Small teams of top BDRs (3 pros, not 10 entry)
→ A full pod: calling, email, LinkedIn, strategy, ops
→ Real teamwork with marketing + AEs
→ No junior titles
→ Better pay, more ownership, more impact
→ Built for long-term success, not quick hits

The outcome?
• Fewer reps, better results
• Steady pipeline every month
• Knowledge stays in the company
• No ramp issues (because people actually stay)

This is the end of “entry-level sales.”
Or a “BDR does all channels”

Nope. In 2026:
You need a pod structure. 
And you need top performing BDRs.

Want to see the model?
I’ll share the full breakdown:
• Our Outbound Pod setup for 120+ companies
• Example comp plans + role design

Like this post and comment “2026 BDR”, and I’ll DM you the breakdown.

#SaaS #BDR #Sales #Marketing

People think the difference between a $70k BDR and an $120k BDR is talent. 

It’s not.

It really comes down to two things:

1. How they prioritize their day
2. How focused their work is

1. Prioritization

Top performers don’t start their day randomly. They follow a clear order:

• They warm up before they go outbound
• They build their day around intent, not volume
• Cold outreach is the last step

Low performers skip all of this.
They start cold… and stay cold.

2. Focused work

The second gap is simple: focus.

Too many BDRs spend their day switching tasks nonstop:

Cold calls → emails → Slack → meetings → LinkedIn → back to calls → random admin → more emails.

By the end of the day, they’ve done a little of everything
and a whole lot of nothing.

Top performers do the opposite:

One tab open.
One task.
For long, uninterrupted blocks.

If they’re calling, they only call.
If they’re emailing, they only email.
No switching, no jumping, no chaos.

Focus creates output.
Switching destroys it.

If you want to level up as a BDR, keep it simple:

Prioritize the right things.
Then give each one your full attention.

Everything else is noise.

#SDR #SaaS #Marketing #BDR

My prediction for B2B sales in 2026:

The rise of the tenured BDR.

For years, the playbook was simple:

“Hire a group of juniors, give them scripts, and hope they succeed.”

And for a long time… that was the norm.

But the market has shifted.

We’re seeing a clear pattern across the companies winning today:

1. They rely on top performing reps
2. They value strategy over volume
3. Their top BDRs stay for years, not months

Outbound didn’t “collapse.”
It actually just evolved.

2026 belongs to experienced BDRs.
And that’s a good thing for the entire profession.

#SaaS #BDR #Sales #Marketing

P.S. We’re building the most tenured BDR team on the market.
DM me to learn more...

Here's a list of companies hiring for BDR/SDR roles in the United States:

1. Hypersonix Inc. (101 employees) is hiring for a BDR in Cali.
2. Starbridge (51 employees) is hiring for a BDR in NY.
3. LangChain (165 employees) is hiring for an SDR in NY.
4. WorkSpan (183 employees) is hiring for an Enterprise BDR.
5. Ketch (85 employees) is hiring for an SDR in the UW.
6. MakiPeople (114 employees) is hiring for a BDR (US) in NY.
7. Harbor Compliance (145 employees) is hiring for a BDR.
8. Didero (21 employees) is hiring for a BDR in NY.
9. Giga (48 employees) is hiring for an SDR in SF.
10. eSHARE (98 employees) is hiring for a BDR in Boston.
11. Peppr (70 employees) is hiring for a BDR in Irvine.
12. PERSUIT® (144 employees) is hiring for a BDR in NY.
13. Elysian-Softech (18 employees) is hiring for a BDR in LA.
14. Braincube (175 employees) is hiring for a BDR in the US.
15. Ketryx (127 employees) is hiring for a BDR in Boston.
16. Skan AI (199 employees) is hiring for a BDR in the US.
17. Beagle (92 employees) is hiring for a BDR in Dallas.
18. Multiplayer (17 employees) is hiring for a Founding BDR.
19. Inspiren (129 employees) is hiring for an SDR in NY.
20. Channelscaler (122 employees) is hiring for a BDR in MA.
21. Transcend (147 employees) is hiring for a Sr. BDR.
22. Novela Company Inc. (7 employees) is hiring for a BDA.

Who else is hiring? I'll add it to this post.

#hiring #sdr #saas #bdr

EDIT:

23. Climate X is hiring BDRs in NYC msg Tom Giles
24. Optimizely is hiring in ATX msg Nick Liemandt
25. Encord is hiring in the bay area msg James Falconer
26. Motus is hiring BDRs in Chicago msg Milo Dowling
27. Heron Data is hiring in NYC msg Brian kelly
28. Deck is hiring in USA and CAN msg Gabriel Benchimol
28. Next Glass is hiring BDRs in Wilmington msg Travis Huffman
29. Navan is hiring BDRs across segments/offices msg Matt Byrd

I am a lifetime BDR… on purpose. Shocking, right?

People still get confused when I tell them I never wanted to “move up” to AE.

Because the industry has pushed one path for years:

BDR → AE → Success.
Anything else?
“Must mean you didn’t make it.”

That mindset is outdated.

Here’s the truth:

I’m not a BDR because it’s the starting point.
I’m a BDR because it’s the craft.

My work is the strategy.

I’m not dialing random lists.
I’m not reading off old scripts.
I’m not waiting for someone else to set the GTM direction.

I build the outbound engine myself:
• ICPs, triggers, messaging
• Multi-channel plays
• Positioning that actually converts
• If something doesn't work I pivot
• Find growth hacks outside the box

That’s not “junior.”
That’s not “temporary.”
That’s not “do more calls.”

This is high-skill, high-leverage work.

The old model said BDR is where you start.
The new model says BDR is where the real builders stay.

And there's a lot of money to be made here.

#BDR #Outbound #Sales #LeadGeneration #SaaS

The old-school BDR role is dead.
(and most companies still haven’t realized it)

statistically, the traditional model had a 3% chance of working:

hire juniors → give them scripts → tell them to grind → watch them quit → start over.

zero knowledge stays. zero consistency. zero scalability.

i refused to accept that.

i stopped playing the volume game.
i stopped hiring rookies because “that’s how it’s always been.”
i stopped pretending BDR was an entry-level role.

and the moment i flipped the model, everything changed.

here’s the new era 👇
→ smaller teams of elite BDRs
→ full outbound pod: caller, email specialist, LI, strategist, GTM engineer
→ no junior titles
→ high pay, high ownership, high expectations
→ deep alignment with AEs + marketing
→ built to last, not burn out

the result?
fewer reps, more pipeline.
no ramp time.
knowledge stays.
teams don’t churn.
pipeline becomes predictable instead of “pray and spray.”

this is what most companies get wrong:
they think outbound is a numbers game.
it’s not.
it’s a systems game.

and the people who win?
they build systems that don’t reset every 12 months when another BDR leaves.

you have the same chance to build this - if you commit to it.

so to make this easier, i’m giving away the full blueprint:
• the outbound pod structure we use for 120+ SaaS clients
• real compensation + role design examples
• how we replaced the entire “entry-level BDR” model forever

like this post, comment POD, and i’ll DM it to you.

because in 2025, the cost of keeping the old model isn’t inefficiency.
it’s losing the entire pipeline.

#SaaS #BDR #Sales #Marketing

PS. if you’re a BDR or a GTM leader, ask me anything.
i’ve seen the old model fail 1,000 times.
and i’ve built the one that actually works.

“Most people treat BDR as a 1–2 year stepping stone. I turned it into my entire career advantage.”

Somewhere along the way, the market decided the “normal path” is:

BDR → AE → something else.

But here’s the truth no one admits:

The people who stay in outbound long enough… become dangerous.

Because they start seeing the patterns others never stay long enough to understand.

I’m one of those people.

I didn’t “grow out” of the BDR role, I doubled down on it.

And that decision is the reason BizDev Labs exists today.

Over the last few years:

• I’ve worked with 120+ SaaS companies
• Generated millions in revenue purely from outbound
• Built a pod model that outperforms traditional BDR teams
• Solved outbound problems most founders don’t even know they have
• And proved (again & again) that outbound is a skill, not a stepping stone

Here’s what I learned the hard way:

Starting an outbound program from scratch is brutally difficult.

Not because founders aren’t smart, but because there are too many variables a junior team can’t control.

Data, messaging, intent, prioritization, systems, positioning, iteration, channel balance, reporting, ICP shifts…

It’s too much for an entry-level team.

And that’s why so many BDR orgs crumble before they ever hit consistency.

What companies actually need is simple:

A group of experts who’ve seen every outbound problem before, 
and know how to build something that scales, not something that just survives.

That’s why I built BizDev Labs.
Not to run “outsourced BDR tasks.”
But to bring BDR mastery into companies that want real, predictable pipeline.

If you want 2026 to be the year your outbound engine finally works the way it should…

DM me.
It’s probably worth a conversation.

#sdr #bdr #saas #sales

A few years ago, every SaaS founder I spoke to believed the same thing:

“If we hire 10 junior BDRs and give them scripts… pipeline will show up.”

And for a while, it kind of worked.

But eventually reality hit:

• New grads didn’t understand the market
• Scripts stopped working
• ZoomInfo lists got abused
• Leadership kept yelling “more calls”
• Top BDRs left the second they became good
• And every January… the team had to be rebuilt from scratch

It became a treadmill.
Fast, expensive, and going nowhere.

Then something changed.

The companies that stopped scaling headcount and started scaling expertise… pulled away from the pack.

Not 10 juniors.
Three top perfoming BDRs.

Not “BDR fresh out of university.”
Not “prove yourself for $65K.”
Not “BDR below AE.”

But BDRs with several years of experince.

And the results weren’t subtle:

• Fewer reps → more qualified meetings
• BDRs remained in-seat far longer
• Ramp time disappeared
• Pipeline became predictable, not lucky

This wasn’t a small adjustment.
It was the end of the entry-level BDR era.

2026 is the year of the expert BDR.
Mark my words, this will only become more necessary.

#SaaS #BDR #Sales #Marketing

My good partners at Dripify just launched their Black Friday deal 👉 25% off annual plans.

Code: (BLACKFRIDAY25).

They also added a small update I like: 
Tags.

You can label leads by warmth, 
stage, or campaign
to keep things organized.

Sharing in case it helps anyone this week.

#linkedin #sdr #saas #leadgen

P.S. what other deals are going on today?
Let us know!

taplio

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Ellen Rataj

Roy Itzhaki

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The Battle

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Roy Itzhaki

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