Riley Blaisdell 🦏

Welcome to my community. I call it the Cul-de-sac.Because instead of followers, I like to think of us as digital neighbors.A little about me.I used to think insurance was boring, like most of the world. And maybe that is why only 12–14% of people actually understand it, even though far more of us need to use it.As a parent of a child on the spectrum, navigating healthcare became very real, very fast.Before Titan was diagnosed, we took him to doctors and specialists. We were told he was regressing or that nothing was wrong.Then we met one specialist who, within the first five minutes, told us Titan was autistic and non-verbal.As a parent, it felt like my world collapsed. I cried at the thought of never hearing my son say, “I love you.”But that diagnosis gave us access to early intervention and a path forward.Fast forward eight years, and Titan is thriving.He is doing things they once said were impossible.Titan taught me that the word “impossible” is really “I’m possible.”And yes, he does say “I love you.”He is also a Play-Doh fanatic. We probably own more inventory than some stores.We also have a daughter named Mina Mae. It is often mispronounced. Think My-nah, not Me-nah.Her name was picked out before Titan’s, and they have a six-year, four-month, and twenty-seven-day age difference.Mina Mae is a collector of people. She loves our dog, Waffles, and is always willing to help. Even when she is in the way. Dishes and cooking sometimes take longer, but those moments matter.I met Megan while dressed as Cookie Monster at a Halloween going-away party for a mutual friend.She is the definition of resilience. After being laid off from Fred Meyer in 2020, she returned to school, earned her degree in Speech-Language Pathology, and was recently accepted into graduate school.As for me, I have been in sales my entire life.My first cold call was at sixteen. I have 7-figure deals under my belt, building them from scratch and maintaining relationships to help those clients grow their bottom line. Today, I help employers design benefit strategies that actually work for both the business and the people using them. I focus on understanding today’s challenges, planning for what is ahead, and solving them together.TogetherEveryoneAchievesMoreMy goal is to improve healthcare literacy and design plans that support real employee needs.Engage is the rage.Mahalo nui loa 🤙

Major Market Account Executive

Sr. Account Director @ Feathr | On Maternity Leave 🩵

Always-learning BDR leader who cares a lot about building high-performing, human-first sales teams in the tech. I’ve spent 12+ years in sales across SaaS, edtech, transportation, and advertising, and today I manage Feathr’s BDR team in the nonprofit space. 

I'm focused on coaching reps to run smarter cadences, have better conversations, and book more meaningful meetings, not just rack up activity.

My world today is business development: outbound strategy, thoughtful sales cadences, and helping BDRs/SDRs really understand what “good” looks like and feel supported as they get there. 

I love creating playbooks, running experiments and A/B tests, and then working with sales, marketing, and RevOps to turn “what if we tried…” into GTM programs people actually use. Also: big fan of coffee chats, honest feedback, and building repeatable motions that help mission-driven teams grow.

Steph Peterson

Two interviews today. 

Two hiring managers caught off guard by the same question.

The question that flips the power dynamic.

Instead of: "What's your leadership style?"

I asked: "What can you tell me about yourself as a leader? And more specifically, what are some of your strengths and areas of opportunity as a leader?"

Both said "Wow, that's a great question."

One even said, "So many people just ask the generic leadership question,  but this challenges me to think deeper."

That's the point.

We're not just there to impress them. We're there to see them. To understand them. Because it has to be a good mutual fit.

The best hires happen when both sides can confidently say yes.

Stop performing. Start interviewing.

What questions are you asking your interviewers?

sales leader looking for my next role 👀

I’ve never been a Nooks customer. 

In fact, I’m technically a closed lost deal. Timing just didn’t work out.

Peter Mollins knows this.

I met Peter through SDR leader events over the past year, and he’s always been that kind, welcoming smile I love running into at these meetups. 

From the start, I could tell he genuinely cares about the leaders in this community.

But last month, that care hit differently.

I shared with Peter that I’d been laid off, and within moments, he sent me a gifting link to this Nooks tumbler along with a note reminding me to stay caffeinated during the job hunt.

The ROI on a tumbler like this might not show up in pipeline anytime soon (as much as I love Nooks). 

But the real value is knowing that their team leads with genuine care, not expectation.

The ROI is in posts like this, reaching my small but mighty network of sales leaders who might one day also need a new solution.

And the ultimate win is in Peter understanding that the long game is where the absolute best rapport is built.

Also, big shoutout to Harry Morrill because he’s a Nooks star too!

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Tomorrow marks one month of unemployment.

Time flies when you're having fun, huh? 

In that time, I’ve:
- Interviewed for 10 roles
- Walked away from 5 that weren’t the right mutual fit
- Completed final interviews for 2 (still in play!)
- Hit late/final stages for 3 more, but the offer went to someone else

The L's? They sting. But they don’t define us, we push through stronger.

The job market’s tough, sure. But opportunity is everywhere.

The real win? Holding out for roles that light you up, ones that match your goals, values, and life.

And saying “this isn’t for me”? That’s not defeat or arrogance. That’s a win, for you and the company.

To anyone else rowing in the same boat, we’ve got this. 

P.S. Looking for a sales leader to build high-performing teams? A Sr. AE to close deals and coach others? Or (new for my search) a passionate enablement addition to your team to craft playbooks and cadences that actually move the needle? It’s me!

Job search update: Still unemployed.

Morale update: Feeling so good. 

Why? Clarity.

I'm still applying to a variety of roles, but I've never been more clear on what actually matters to me in my next opportunity.

It's not the title or the industry.

It's the chance to work with or directly support a strong sales team and collaborate across departments to make them better.

It's continued financial freedom.

It's being treated like an adult. Having autonomy. Actually influencing decisions that affect my role or my team.

It's the flexibility to show up as a mom, a wife, and a friend. Not just an employee.

It's a company that wants someone scrappy, driven, and self-starting. Think early stage, fast scale-up, or turn around. Love to be busy!

Someone who's here to grow, not just perform.

I know what I'm ready and looking for and I know we're going to get there! 

P.S. Actively targeting BDR Manager, Director of Sales Dev/Biz Dev, and Founding AE, and Sr. AE roles, if you're hiring or know someone who is, my DMs are always open!

Some people have told me a layoff is the best time to pick up a new skill. 

This probably isn’t what they meant.

Job searching? Tips for first‑round interview prep: 

- Know what the company does.  

I paste the company URL into Perplexity and ask it to “explain to my grandma what [company URL] does.”  

The worst thing you can do is flop on “How much do you know about us?”

- Read the interviewer.  

I always visit their LinkedIn, skim their About section and career journey, and look for anything that feels like natural conversation fuel.

- Use Perplexity as a question‑idea machine. 
 
I drop their LinkedIn URL and the company URL into Perplexity and ask it to “write 5 highly relevant but casual questions I could ask [Linkedin URL] at [Company URL] on a first‑round interview.”  

Note: Use these as inspo, not as your script!

- Map the org a bit.  

I skim their boss and core team members’ profiles to get a sense of the structure and how the role fits in.

- Check their YouTube or other socials.  

I scan the company’s YouTube channel or other social channels for quick explainer videos. It tells me how forward thinking they are, or whether they are still building that presence and how they talk about themselves publicly.

- Do a values sweep.  

I skim the site for their values; most companies are proud of them and want to hear that you have actually noticed.

- Rehearse your numbers and story.  

Finally, I open my resume and make sure I am ready to talk through my impact, metrics, and career narrative without fumbling.

Do this once and you’ll walk into your next first‑round feeling like you already belong there!

- - 
Hi, I’m Steph and I’ve been in tech sales for over 10 years. I’ve also been laid off 3x in the last 5.5. At this point I’ll have to start sending the NJ unemployment offices Christmas cards. 😅  

Laid off? Looking for your next role? Follow me for practical, no‑fluff tips to help you land faster and feel a little less alone in the whole “job search grind” thing.

My biggest career growth has come from pivots.  

In 2012, I graduated Rutgers thinking Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s management trainee program was my straight shot into career success.  

I learned a ton, like cleaning cars (and then selling their value as a rentals) in 95 degree weather in business attire will teach you the true definition of grit. 

But that wasn’t my landing spot. 

Contract recruiting first. Realized quick it wasn't for me.  

Quit for a summer to bartend and reset. Ended up sub teaching after that, which led to my own classroom for a year. Thought I found it.  

A friend changed everything when he said, “Try sales at SHI. You'd crush it."  

Little did I know, this would be my second launching pad. 

From there? Sold digital advertising to trucking companies, safety software to K12, software to landscaping companies, K12 coding software, virtual curriculum to help students thrive amid social media, professional learning to GTM leaders, marketing software to nonprofits and associations. Sold and helped grow teams both as an IC, a team lead, and then as a manager.  

Every zigzag taught me grit, empathy, selling without the script. Those "detours" built the sales leader and human I am today.  

Lesson to 2012 me: Growth isn't a ladder. It's trusting the pivot.  

Not sure where this journey is taking me next, but I trust it'll be good. 🤞🏼✨

I don't wake up feeling okay every morning.

That's just human.

But getting myself grounded? That's where journaling has saved me.

Journaling doesn't have to be a whole thing.

I used to think it did. Long entries. Deep reflections. Uninterrupted time.

I'm a toddler mom navigating unemployment. None of that exists.

So now my journal has sections. Simple bullets. No full sentences.

Gratitudes. Focuses. Concerns. Frustrations. Roadblocks. Reflections. Manifesting. Prayers.

Some mornings I get through all of them. Some mornings I write down two things I'm grateful for and then I hear "mama" and that's it.

That counts. That's still the practice.

Here's what surprised me most: this job search has made my mind loud. 

Constantly. The "what ifs", the waiting, the self-doubt that creeps in when you least expect it.

This journal quiets all of that. Even just for a few minutes.

It keeps me focused on what I can control. Grounded on the hard days. Clear on what I actually want next.

The unemployment journey is not linear. But showing up for yourself every morning, even in the smallest way, keeps you moving forward.

The perfect quiet morning is not coming.

But 60 seconds and one grateful thought? That's always available.

Start there.

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Riley Blaisdell 🦏

Steph Peterson

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The Battle

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Steph Peterson

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