Katherine Kirk's Linkedin Analytics

As a college student bopping off to St. Ambrose University (Go Bees) to chase my dream of becoming a star in marketing (is that a thing?), I got hooked on an advertising class headed by the late, brilliant professor Dr. Mark Brand. After winning two advertisement campaign contests in a row, I thought I had my path mapped out. I’d graduate, move to NYC, get a Carrie Bradshaw-style brownstone and create amazing commercials with the impact of Don Draper’s “Carousel” episode. As Alanis would say, “Isn’t it ironic?” that I would end up doing the opposite and stay in my home state of Iowa; I somehow landed in an experimental inside sales development program that would go on to build my skills in business and prepare me for my current role. While learning the ropes in commercial furniture manufacturing, slinging chairs and desks and becoming aware of my poor posture via lessons in ergonomics - uncross your legs at your desk, it’s bad for your back - I made some amazing connections and observed some legends in the world of business. Fast forward a few years, I then met my husband and began living that Air Force spouse life that required frequent moves, thrusting me into the space of remote working, years before it was the standard. After starting a family, and catching up on sleep, post-newborn phase, I was ready to enter the workforce again. Hats off to my best friend who introduced me to Samantha McKenna at #samsales Consulting, who then took me under her wing. Since starting, I’ve worn multiple hats and have had a front row seat to the numerous facets it takes to build and run a successful small business. I’ve taken the tangible and soft skills I learned in inside sales and applied them to becoming an expert in the sales team development space. “Hello” to the fine art of a disco call, what it means to Show Me You Know Me, and to sharpening my tech stack knowledge - specifically in LinkedIn, LinkedIn Sales Navigator and Outreach.io. When I’m not virtually working alongside my energetic, hilarious and talented team, and reminding Sam which password she uses for her accounts, I like to spend time with my family, go for walks and hikes in our new neighborhood in Arizona, sing, re-watch all the Harry Potters for the seventh time, cook (watch the Gordon Ramsay series on MasterClass!), travel and stalk local influencers for the best restaurants in the area.