Sowing the Seeds of Sisterhood

Sowing the Seeds of Sisterhood is the beautiful collaboration between the talented Artist and Graphic Designer, Gina Benson and the gifted Healer and Transformation Life Coach, Misty Blakesley. 

As Gina and Misty traveled the path of Solopreneurship, they realized just how lonely and difficult starting a business can be. And as they worked together towards their individual goals, something amazing emerged as they realized that they were better together than alone.  

And that is how Sowing the Seeds of Sisterhood was born. Together Gina and Misty have launched a Podcast with the mission to encourage and support women as they strive to serve with greatness as entrepreneurs or employees, daughters, sisters, wives, mothers, friends, mentors and more. Gina and Misty also wanted to create an opportunity for everyone to access coaching regardless of where you may be in your journey, budget, or time zone. So Misty and Gina have also launched multiple ways for their audience to participate via the podcast and memberships which include digital library of courses, live groups, and 1:1 sessions.

Co-Founder

Lemonade with Love

I started coaching because I know we are all powerful enough to create the life we want. I am living my dream and now I help people like you find and live your dream as well. Sometimes we just need someone else to help break down the barriers.

Founder

relode

In my most recent position, I was tasked with developing and building processes and systems to support Relode’s first Customer Success Organization, hiring and developing a client success and delivery team. In more detail, I sourced and ramped up a team of 10 (4 Client Success Managers, 4 Job Managers, and 2 Candidate Success Associates) during a high growth year of 84% YOY revenue growth and 4X customer logo increase.  I also implemented and documented scalable processes for all roles including Customer Success Managers and Job Managers, rejuvenating client kick off and on-boarding. In addition, I performed monthly ROI calls, and QBR’s with client senior leaders and decision makers, tracking performance and coaching for improvement and career growth. I authored and executed upselling and cross-selling processes, increasing sales. Moreover, I created accountability for Customer Success Managers tied to net & gross logo and revenue retention. I also designed a job intake PowerPoint and process, optimizing the Job Manager process, slashing candidate wait time in funnel. In a few measurables, I skyrocketed the crowd client NPS score from -11 to +64 and improved crowd client engagement $2M to $3.1M, with a predicted $1.2M in Q3 of 2022.  I also created processes and procedures, leveraging Salesforce and Power BI, exceeding all objectives in less than 8 months. Finally, I created an inspirational culture with zero team turnover as well as phenomenal client experience leading to client retention.

VP of Client Success

Apex HCM

For these three years, I was charges with New Sales, Account Management, Implementation and Onboarding, and the Marketing departments. I managed and motivated a team with a $1.2M team quota. In more detail, I :
•	Achieved a $1M pipeline during the Pandemic while recovering from an extreme 2019 ransomware attack. 
•	Focused on retaining the $10.5M client base and converted 1300 EINS and 87,000 EEs to the Apex Platform.
•	Achieved $850K in new sales and retained a $11.5M client base while growing ancillary and partnership revenue $600K.
•	Rejuvenated processes, implemented a sales funnel, and redefined sales opportunities escalating closing ratios from 18% to 35%.
•	Developed the Client Success Program, expanding recognized revenue from 72% to 89%.
I also completed an in-depth analysis of the conversion back log and recurring revenue, partnering with the CFO. In addition, I analyzed TAM and determined the market, understanding the competitive landscape and refining the value proposition.  I also identified new product requirements and prioritization for quarterly planning for the development team (Agile). I carefully created a new Sales Playbook, reducing the sales process time by half. Finally, I improved cross functional communication and escalated the new client on-boarding experience.

VP of Sales

Heartland Payment Systems

Here, I lead the charge of increasing sales in payroll and HR services and referrals to merchant services, e-commerce, and lending. I recruited, hired, trained, and developed sales professionals and sales leaders, conducted weekly team calls, 1:1s, and team building events. I supported the team with on-going mentoring and coaching, leading to promotions. Behind the scenes, I inspected the pipeline, managed forecasting and division budgets and produced production and forecasting reports for the Regional VP. Finally, I created 55% of the Diamond level performers in the top 25% of revenue producers in the enterprise.

Payroll Division Manager

As the Global Ancillary Sales Manager, I managed a team charged with increasing sales in consumer health spending account services, absence management services, dependent verification audits, total reward statements and custom communications in a dual hunter and partnership role. I profiled, prospected, and executed marketing and sales campaigns gaining top prospects and accounts in GA, FL, SC and NC, creating 25 opportunities in 9 months. I also repaired cross functional upper manager relationships in 9 months’ time, leading to better collaboration and a positive impact on results.

Ancillary Sales Manager

Becker Professional Education

SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER, 2014 – 2015

For this fast-paced year, I mentored and coached 55, with clients including Price Waterhouse, KPMG, Deloitte, Ernst & Young (EY), and Grant Thornton, underpinning company growth of 12-14% YOY.

ACCOUNT MANAGER, ATLANTA METRO, 2010 – 2014

I managed 70+ accounts producing $3.5M+ in revenue.  I was honored as a member of the Growth Initiative Counsel propelling new growth by developing targeted tools for online classes.

Sr. Account Manager

Helping people transform their life through healing | Intuitive | CPO | CHO (Chief Happiness Officer) | Boy Mom | My Husband's Biggest Fan

I work with individuals by leveraging my passion to help people transform their lives by guiding them to self-healing of their trauma and wounds allowing happiness, abundance, and love to flow. I am passionate about the potential living within each of us and activating that potential so every person can the life they dream of!  

I also partner with Founders and CEOs to support his or her vision by optimizing individuals and teams through coaching, providing valuable insights and best practices to create a culture of highly engaged and energized employees . I lead through example and inspire through my passion. 

Lemonade with Love: As I received my calling to transform people and businesses through healing, I founded Lemonade with Love. I merged my spiritual gifts with the science of meta cognitive programming to help people transform their lives through consulting, group/community sessions, and one-on-one sessions. I would love to help you unleash your potential and find happiness today. Message me to get started. 

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CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

LEADERSHIP WITH LOVE
"Misty was a spark of courage that I needed personally. Having a leader that pours into you and points out your strengths while acknowledging the weakness is what I needed. Most leadership I have experienced were not so uplifting, they only pointed out the bad and basically stated "Do better". You made me feel like I could definitely do well and go far in this position and any position I set my mind to. You have provided me vision. I greatly appreciate that."  - Joseph Smith

FINDING YOUR WAY THROUGH TRAUMA 
"Misty is without a doubt one of the most gifted souls that I have had the luck to encounter and know in my life. Her counseling and guidance have been vital to my personal healing from childhood trauma and relationship trauma. She is patient, nonjudgmental and genuine. She has a unique ability to give the right messages at the right time, and coupled with that she suggests practices for everyday life that further you along your path. I can honestly say, that I would not be the same person, mother, parter, friend and employee without the divine guidance I have received through Misty." -Dara Vaughan Peck

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Find out more at www.lemonadewithlove.com. 

For daily personal development tips and motivational guidance, FOLLOW ME on LinkedIn.

Misty Blakesley

People & Culture related Consulting for organisations.
Coaching: Work to help clients especially top performers across mindset, career and leadership verticals based on need. Enable them to harness their potential by providing the right tools & techniques and support them as a performance coach.

Mindset, Career & Leadership Coach for High Performing Executives

Traders Central

Traders Central is a fast growing remote-first Fin-tech startup based in Canada. 
Key responsibilities include developing best in class people processes across talent attraction, development  & employee engagement including coaching employees and managers and employee engagement surveys for identifying action areas for improvement regularly.

People and Culture Consultant

Virtual Internships

Virtual Internships is a global leading Edtech startup connecting companies and interns around the world through remote internships. Virtual Internships was featured on BBC and won Top 100 Euro Edtech Start-up. We partner with universities and foundations that are doing their best to help their students to enhance global employability.

Company Placement Manager

Eurofins

Key responsibilities: Overseeing overall HR function for the India & Middle East region including recruitment, compensation & benefits, organisation policies in line with local laws, optimize organisation design and building a performance driven culture.

Director HR-India & Middle East

Godrej Consumer Products Limited

As Business HR led people agenda for India Marketing and Global functions : Global Design,Innovation,Exports, Communication Design &  Research & Development (R&D).

Responsibilities included providing overall leadership, coaching and guidance by partnering in areas of  talent acquisition, engagement, career development, succession planning, retention, training, leadership development, compensation, and benefits. Coaching business leaders and functional heads on people management, motivating and engaging teams.

Key projects : Streamline and revamp talent acquisition practices for the partnering functions and strategies for attracting and hiring niche skills including launching campus program for Graduate trainees, Marketing & Quality organisation restructuring ; design & roll out of functional competencies for Marketing organisation & career development plan/ programs ; developed technical career path and competency framework for R&D.

Senior HR Business Partner

HR Business Partner for Global Exports, SAARC countries & Centre of Expertise for Management Trainee Program and Great place to Work Practices & Audit. Responsibilities included Internal Employee Engagement surveys and external Best Employer Surveys (Aon Hewitt Best Employer, Great Place to Work survey) across India & SAARC supported by team of 3 team members. Led HR for SAARC countries and led setting up practices for Hiring, resourcing, organisation development and optimize structure based on business priorities and plans.
Achievements: 
SAARC employee engagement score moved from 50% in 2014 to 91% score in 2016
Developed innovative and insight led practices for Campus program (NPS of 81%) a
GCPL featured in Aon Best Employer Study as one of the best employers in the country

Deputy General Manager-HR

Colgate Palmolive

Key Projects: Led Pan Asia Talent Development projects including conceptualisation, design and implementation of Asia Early in Career Leadership Program Design ; Roll out of EVP survey and  facilitate EVP development for Asia subsidiaries ; Developed scope and draft design for Asia Learning Academy.

Assistant Manager- Human Resources

Led Sales HR for West India, responsible for end to end HR processes for Sales team. Key responsibilities included: Talent Acquisition, Manpower planning, On boarding for faster productivity & designing HR policies & processes for the Sales Team

Key projects: Development Sales Graduate program for effective onboarding of sales interns. Design & implementation of Sales training program for merchandisers.

Sales HR Manager-West India

Led Training & Development (Functional & behavioural), Employee Relations & Engagement, Performance Management & Change Management for the Factory consisting of 350 associates (Blue & White collared employees)

Key project:· Launched and Implemented Revised Performance Management System for Associates by applying Change Management Principles·

Area Leader-Training & Development

One year rotation program across Sales, Operations, Sales HR, Manufacturing and Corporate HR.

Achievements
Won YCMAD Award (Chairman’s You Can Make a Difference Award) twice in the first year which is the highest award at country level

Business Leadership Associate (Human Resources)

Ashlesha is a People & Culture specialist as well as a  mindset, career & leadership coach based in Vienna, Austria. A Psychology enthusiast, she has more than 12 yrs of corporate experience at various levels in the field of Human Resources. She has experience working in large multinational organisations and startups across geographies in Asia & Europe. Passionate Human Resource professional with 12+ years of overall HR experience & 8+ years of experience in multinational FMCG organisations such as Colgate- Palmolive & Godrej Consumer Products limited across countries leading teams in person & virtually. Adept in strategy and implementation of best practices across people processes as an HR business partner. Skilled in employee engagement, performance management, recruitment, compensation & benefit, succession planning processes in line with organisation objectives. 
She thrives in co-creating, driving and delivering the talent agenda in complete sync with the business needs and reality.

She holds  Masters degree in Human Resource Management from Tata Institute of Social Sciences & a Post Graduate diploma in General Management from University of California, USA (UCLA) where she studied with some of the best minds in the continent.

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The Battle

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Ashlesha Jain

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