Ripple Effect Sales Advisory LLC

Starting a new chapter in my sales career, about 5 years earlier than I originally planned is where I find myself today. I always told myself I'd retire from Corporate America at 50 and my layoff from Coupa last November just accelerated things a bit.

I love mentoring, coaching, and advising quota carrying reps to achieve more than they ever thought was possible. #UntappedPotential is one of my mantras and it's simply the difference between where someone is today and where someone can be tomorrow.  The delta can be big or small, but it's completely in their power. 

Ripple Effect Sales Advisory's mission believes that we each have the ability to leave a lasting impact on whoever we interact with each and every day. The ripple effect of those interactions can be felt for years to come and sometimes exist without us even knowing.

My success in sales over 25 years has everything do with this ripple effect phenomenon. At each phase of my journey via Sales Operations, Franchise Ownership, Account Executive and Regional VP Sales I strove to have memorable interactions that left others motivated to learn more and believe in what's possible.  Not a "What if", but an "Imagine if"...

My priority in 2024 is authoring a book called "The Layoff Cooties: It's Them, Not You" and growing Ripple Effect Sales Advisory in its first year being founded. If you would like to share your layoff story or are interested in sales coaching opportunities, please schedule time here: https://calendly.com/laurakrauss or via my website: www.rippleeffectsales.com

Founder & Chief Ripple Officer (CRO)

The Outlier Project

Member

Chief

CHIEF Member

This time was spent dealing with the trauma of a shocking layoff.

I can still feel the pit in my stomach when the 9:15 am email saying “Your Role Is Impacted” came through on 11/29. 

I was on a call with a colleague and I told him I needed to deal with an emergency. 

The range of emotions one feels when a company you once believed in lets you go in a moment’s notice is REAL RAW EMOTION. 

I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. Truly.

I clearly recall being at peace one moment and then full of rage, disappointment, sadness, and grief in the next moment. If you’ve ever been laid off, YOU KNOW! 

But it was also during this time that I gained full clarity on my next adventure. At 45 years young, it was time to give back and share my 25 years of sales experience with the world. The idea of Ripple Effect Sales Advisory was born.

Taking a Break From Corporate America

Coupa Software

Asked by sales leadership to spearhead this role, I supported the Mid-Market Customer Growth East team of 5-7 strategic account executives upselling solutions to existing customer base beyond Procure-to-Pay.

Coupa went from a public company to a private one (insert "Follow Private Equity Script" with multiple rounds of layoffs). I survived the sales org layoff in June 2023 and got 5 new reps on my team as Coupa was investing more in the Customer Growth channel. Imagine my surprise when I was the only RVP let go in November.   

✅ 95% to goal in Q1 and Q2 of 2023.

✅ Mentored and coached many AEs throughout the Corporate & Mid-Market sales organization.

✅ Managed $40M book of business across the US/Canada with focus on upselling existing customer base.

Lessons learned at Coupa:

1️⃣ Culture eats strategy for breakfast is true. Toxic cultures no longer make you hungry.

2️⃣ Work friends are not your real friends. Be careful who you share your feelings with at all times.

3️⃣ Bad things happen to good people. Rejection is simply redirection. Go forth in confidence and truth.

Regional Vice President, Customer Growth East

Responsible for selling to East Coast customers to grow Coupa's existing solutions and define a long-term business spend management strategy with C-Suite teams.

✅ FY 2022: Achieved Annual Quota & Excellence Club in Q3 (102% to FY Plan).

✅ FY 2021: Achieved Annual Quota & Excellence Club in Q3 (120% to FY Plan).

✅ Regularly sought out by sales leadership and reps to mentor others throughout the sales organization.

Director Strategic Accounts, East

Responsible for new business sales of Coupa's Mid-Atlantic accounts.

✅ Quickly ramped and sold three deals within nine months of hire.

✅ Asked by sales leadership to pilot the first customer growth channel in Mid-Market.

✅ Created better sales enablement tools to help other sales reps ramp more quickly.

Senior Account Executive

Unanet

After taking the month of March 2019 off to begin healing after my dad's death, I started a new Senior Account Executive role at Unanet. A user friendly ERP stealing market share from big, bad Deltek, Unanet introduced me to the niche world of Government Contracting.
  
At my time of hire, Unanet was a family owned operation with less than 300 employees. Their sales organization was very small and didn't take advantage of the tech stack available in the market place.  This was a hard pill to swallow after my career at progressive companies leveraging technology. 

A few months into my tenure, Unanet was purchased by a Private Equity firm. They started to implement many of the necessary changes I so desperately wanted to see.  I hit my annual quota in less than 9 months, the second time accomplishing this feat, but this time at a new company.

The GovCon world is small. Everyone knows everybody. I didn't enjoy it enough to stay so I left to get back into the world of Business Spend Management with my next stop at Coupa in February 2020.

Lessons learned at Unanet:

1️⃣ You don't know what you don't know. You have to learn it before you can decided if you like it.

2️⃣ Private Equity is no joke. Follow their playbook and keep your mouth shut.

3️⃣ Trust in your manager is everything. When it's lost, it's time to move on.

SAP Concur

Have you ever heard the expression "a bull in a China shop?" Ahem, that was me in my first year at SAP Concur. As a former client of Concur, I thought I could just walk right into a CFO office, spew the feature/functionality of how easy it is to process an expense report, and BOOM - contract signed. Umm, no.

After selling only $82k my first year, I humbled myself to truly learn what makes a trusted sales advisor successful.  The following year I sold $1.2M in the same territory with basically the same quota and earned Mid-Market Rep of the Year in 2017.  

I crushed every quarterly quota and earned 4 Eagle Awards that year. Considered in the top 1% of sales reps at SAP, I was able to experience the epic Winner's Circle President's Club retreat icon CEO Bill McDermott curated. I also participated in the SAP Catalyst early leadership program. It was a great experience, until it wasn't. 

My dad's Alzheimer's battle raged in 2018 and I was pulled from dedicating time at work to worrying about his care. He almost died in the fall of that year, but rallied until Feb 2019 in God's perfect timing. It was the right time for me to move on from SAP Concur after his death.

Lessons learned at SAP Concur:

1️⃣ Everything is Attitude, Effort and Skill.  It's the sales trifecta, but also exists in life.

2️⃣ One day you can be at the bottom; the next you can be at the top - both are extremely lonely.

3️⃣ Mentorship should be a win-win situation for mentors and mentees. Both will learn from one another.

Senior Regional Sales Executive

Greer Laboratories

Ventured back into the pharma/biotech/allergy industry in a Sales Operations Manager role, but it was a short stint. Major changes by the new Private Equity firm combined Greer Labs with Stallergenes and organizational changes made it difficult to want to stay.  I left on my own accord to pursue new opportunities.

I led the company's evaluation for an expense management solution and implemented Concur as part of my Sales Operations role at Greer Labs. After hitting it off with the Concur rep during the evaluation, she and her VP thought I'd make a great addition to the Concur team. I wanted a new challenge so I shifted from Sales Operations to SaaS Sales, this time as an Account Executive.

Lessons learned at Greer Laboratories:

1️⃣ Job descriptions can reveal a dream job. Dream jobs can become a nightmare surrounded by the wrong people.

2️⃣ Corporate politics multiply when bringing two companies together. Be on the right side with your values.

3️⃣ Know when it's time to go. Leave on your own accord.

Sales Operations Manager

Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

After 3 months on unemployment following the dissolution of my DirectBuy franchise, I went back to what I knew best. I landed a Sales Operations role with Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins/Wolters Kluwer Health.  It was an introduction to the medical publishing industry, but allowed me to continue my career path in Sales Operations.

I quickly excelled at account planning, sales reporting, commission creation and calculations, and took in additional projects from leadership. I didn't create a spreadsheet I didn't like and fell into a nice routine of monthly reporting cadences for several different sales teams.  

The coolest part of the job was working in the Warehouse Building at Camden Yards/Orioles Park. We could see a tiny sliver of right field from my sales leader's office and one of our medical reps did the announcements for the baseball games once in a while!

Lessons learned at Wolters Kluwer Health:

1️⃣ Life is short. My boss died 6 months into my role. I can still remember learning she passed at the holiday party.

2️⃣ Hybrid/remote work is possible. Supportive leaders understand the work gets done regardless of location.

3️⃣ Always exit the building after an earthquake. Staring at your colleagues holding onto a wooden beam is not helpful.

Senior Sales Analyst

DirectBuy of Hagerstown

Franchise ownership was the best and worst experience of my life. Period. It almost killed me, literally and figuratively. 

My husband and I invested our blood, sweat, and tears into this business. It started by working with the State of Maryland Highway and zoning departments approval to construct our 10k sq ft building in Hagerstown, MD.  Acting as the general contractor to get the brick and mortar building constructed was only the beginning for the first phase of this venture.

We opened our doors in January 2009 and closed them in 2011. If you remember what the world economy was like during that period of history, it was not very nice to bootstrapped businesses such as ours. 

We employed 10-15 sales and service associates for 2 years, but ultimately had to file for bankruptcy. I never faced a greater stress than wondering if we could make payroll each month.

Lessons learned as DirectBuy Franchise Owner:

1️⃣ You cannot carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. It's too heavy a burden and not yours to bear.

2️⃣ Family and friends will intervene to ensure you get self-care. It's a lifeline - take it.

3️⃣ Starting over is not the worst thing. At least you learned what doesn't make you happy.

Franchise Owner

👋 Thanks for stopping by. I hope we can connect soon. LI is the only social media platform I use so you’ll find a fun mix of both personal and professional daily posts from yours truly. 

💼  Recently I founded my own sales advisory consultancy after 25 years in sales. It’s called Ripple Effect Sales Advisory because I believe strongly in the power of the ripple effect we can have on each other’s lives.

📊 Sales Operations was my first love in sales and where I spent half of my career. I’m data driven and enjoyed being the liaison between field based sales teams and corporate HQs. I never met a spreadsheet I didn’t like and loved creating sales reports and analyses to help reps understand their business better.

💰During my first year in SaaS sales, I tried to quit three times. I know what it’s like to be at the bottom of the rankings and it’s not fun. I put in the work to become a trusted advisor. The following year I was Rep of the Year earning my highest W-2 ever (even more than I made as an RVP Sales)!

🗓️ I hit my annual quota in 9 months time at three different SaaS companies. I love everything about sales, but my forte was using data to my advantage. Whether it was account planning, analyzing closed won/lost reports, or researching my prospects and customers, I acted as the CEO of my territory. 

🫶 I absolutely love mentoring others, especially women who are just starting their professional sales career. If you’re looking for a mentor, DM me! We need strong female leadership more than ever!

📖 I’m currently writing a book called “The Layoff Cooties: It’s Them, Not You.” After experiencing the trauma of an unexpected layoff as a top performer, I want people to know it’s normal to feel all the visceral emotions a layoff can bring. Losing your job feels very much like a death. My book explores the stages of grief after a layoff, but more importantly it’s a motivational read on how to take rejection and find a new redirection. 

💪 Everything in sales (and life) is about Attitude, Skill, and Effort (EASE). All my struggles (and yours) can be tied back to one or more of those three things. Think about that for a minute 🤔

🙌🏻 Let’s connect and get to know one another by supporting each other on this platform. I started posting daily since 11/30/23 and don’t plan on stopping anytime soon!

Golden handcuffs are real. 

Especially for those left behind after layoffs. 

Let me explain.

A major theme in my book “The Layoff Cooties, It’s Them, Not You” focuses on the lost relationships from colleagues and work friends after you’ve been laid off. 

It can happen overnight or gradually over time. 

It’s an inevitable part of someone’s layoff experience that just doesn’t get talked about nearly enough. 

For me, it’s been the worst part of my layoff grief, more so than my six figure W-2.

In the weeks after my November layoff, I started to build out my sales advisory consultancy called Ripple Effect Sales Advisory. 

Twenty five years in sales too long to not want to share my expertise with other sales professionals looking to improve their attitude, effort, and skills.

My own coaches advised that I collect testimonials and recommendations from my network.

I reached out to all different levels of former colleagues, both internal and external to the company where I worked most recently. 

The majority of folks were happy to oblige my request and over the next few weeks wrote humbling testimonials on LI.

A minority didn’t respond at all; perhaps they forgot the work we did together or just didn’t make it a priority.

But then, I was shocked to get this reply from a C-Suite Executive at my former company…

“You have put out some pretty negative messages on LI and for me to put out a recommendation in the public domain is something I can't do.”

OUCH.

Well, let’s observe the facts:

If speaking the truth about my layoff experience and emotional trauma resulting from the loss of my dream job and work friendships (the one where I brought in millions of dollars of software sales over 4 years and where I trained and mentored many in the sales organization) is “negative” then YES! 

✅ I am guilty as charged.

If bringing attention to pay inequity in the sales organization where women were repeatedly paid less than men for doing the exact same job is “negative” then YES! 

✅ I am guilty as charged. 

If sharing the anger, disappointment, sadness and shame after being a top performing sales rep and leader who was the only one laid off in an entire sales segment is “negative” then YES!

✅ I am guilty as charged. 

Golden handcuffs are real. 

They chain down people you once respected.
They chain down people who are riddled with fear.
They chain down people from being a kind human.

Vulnerability is my greatest strength. It always has been.

I will never be silenced.
I will never live in fear.
I will never wear golden handcuffs.

——

Hi! I’m Laura. I’m fulfilling two passions in 2024:

👩🏻‍💼I coach sales reps and first line sales leaders with EASE: Everything is Attitude, Skill, & Effort. I love mentoring sales professionals. Let’s chat!

📖 I’m writing a book called “The Layoff Cooties: It’s Them, Not You.” It’s part of my healing process after an unexpected layoff last year. Publishing in Fall 2024!

Laura Krauss

I didn’t tell my husband I was laid off the day it happened. 

I needed to be in the right mindset. 
I needed him to be in the right mindset too. 

Telling him during the middle of his busy work day wasn’t the right time or place. 

Over twenty five years together (and a little bit of common sense) taught me that much.

I knew he would be supportive about my layoff, but I couldn’t face him that evening after his work day concluded.

I was ashamed.
I was embarrassed.
I was feeling guilty as though I let our family down. 

The day after my layoff before I drove my daughter to school that morning, I left a note on his desk in his office. 

I knew he would read it before I returned home. 

It wasn’t lost on me that I wrote my message on a UNICO Riviera Maya Hotel piece of paper. 

It was the notepad I took from the last President’s Club trip we attended in Cancun earlier in the year to celebrate my stellar sales performance. 

I wrote in all caps:

ERIK,

I WAS NOTIFIED YESTERDAY THAT MY ROLE HAS BEEN ELIMINATED AS PART OF THE PE ACQUISITION. I AM RECEIVING A SEVERANCE PACKAGE. THIS IS A SHOCK TO MY SYSTEM AS IT FEELS LIKE A DEATH, BUT MY FAITH IS STRONG AND YOU KNOW I WILL LAND ON MY FEET. GOD IS GOOD AND WE ARE BLESSED. I APPRECIATE YOUR LOVING SUPPORT DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME. 

❤️ME 

Behind my handwritten note was a copy of the severance agreement and COBRA insurance paperwork. 

I knew he wouldn’t read through the pages of minutia that morning, but like a good CPA’s wife, I wanted to ensure he had all the documentation when he was ready to review it in greater detail.

When I arrived home from bringing my daughter to school, I parked my JEEP in the usual spot and just sat there for a few minutes with my eyes closed, trying to breathe calmly in and out. 

I told myself, “today is going to be a good day.”

I walked in the side door by the garage, through the laundry room foyer and into the kitchen to see Erik walking out of his office to meet me. 

He smiled at me and spread his arms open wide for a hug. 

There was nowhere else I needed to be at that very moment than in the comfort of my husband’s warm embrace.

This is what matters in life.. For years I’ve been so concerned about my professional legacy and while that has its place, the more important things in life are your personal legacy.

Erik. Ben. Kelsie. Me.

That’s all that matters.
Now and forever.

——

Hi! I’m Laura. I’m fulfilling two passions in 2024:

👩🏻‍💼I coach sales reps and first line sales leaders with EASE: Everything is Attitude, Skill, & Effort. I love mentoring sales professionals. Let’s chat!

📖 I’m writing a book called “The Layoff Cooties: It’s Them, Not You.” It’s part of my healing process after an unexpected layoff last year. Publishing in Fall 2024!

The most important person in your career path...

...is not the CEO of the company who’s vision you believe in and follow. 📈

...is not your direct supervisor who says wants the best for you. 👩‍💼

...is not the HR manager who processes your paycheck. 💵

The most important person in your career path is the man or woman that you come home to each night after a long, hard day at work. 

Whatever your definition of “work” might be. 

It’s the man or woman who gives you the advice you need to hear instead of what you want to hear.

It’s the man or woman who supports and cares for your family just as much as you do so you can both have a meaningful career. 

Sometimes it’s represented in a 50-50 split effort and sometimes it seems like it’s 80-20. 

But it’s OK because neither one is keeping score.

You’re both on the same team with the same long term objective. 

And sometimes, just sometimes you’re on the exact same page and just look at one another to know…

It’s time to jump in the JEEP and go for a ride ❤️

Enjoy the ride, friends. 💯🙌🏻

I couldn’t eat.
I couldn’t sleep.
I weighed 95 pounds.

I was clinically depressed.

And I owned a multimillion dollar franchise.

Well, on paper.

Real world cash flow was a different story.

It was my idea to invest in the franchise.

It was my idea to convince my husband to leave his job because I needed a partner. 

It was my idea to draft the business plan and present it to my parents for them to invest heavily in my dreams.

And it was my idea to swallow a handful of pills on Christmas Eve 2009 to end it all.

I felt like a failure.
I felt like a failure.
I felt like a failure. 

If I could write that 1000 x without space limitations on this post I would.

But you get the point.

By the grace of God, I lived. 

I remember crying out asking Him what my purpose was in life if this opportunity wasn’t it.

Not realizing then that my purpose has absolutely nothing to do with my career.

As a self proclaimed workaholic I’ve always valued myself by my career. And only my career.

I’d fallen into that trap far too many times.

There was no way I’d allow myself to go down the failure path after a shocking political layoff last November.

Their loss not mine.
Their loss not mine.
Their loss not mine.

If I could write that 1000 x without space limitations on this post I would.

I write it because I believe it. 

And you should too.

From one layoff thriver to another…

Believe.
Believe in you.
Believe in yourself.

You are so much more.
You are so much more than.
You are so much more than your job.

And if you ever need anyone to remind you…

I am here. 

By the grace of God, I am here.

——

Hi! I’m Laura. I’m fulfilling two passions in 2024:

👩🏻‍💼I coach sales reps and first line sales leaders with EASE: Everything is Attitude, Skill, & Effort. I love mentoring sales professionals. Let’s chat!

📖 I’m writing a book called “The Layoff Cooties: It’s Them, Not You.” It’s part of my healing process after an unexpected layoff last year. Publishing in Fall 2024!

(Picture of me below is from HIERVE EL AGUA in Mexico this past March). 🙌🏻💯❤️

I didn’t know who I was without my job. 

It was part of my identity as much as my big brown eyes. 

To have someone else control that I could no longer work for a company and with people I believed in, shattered me to my core. 

Perhaps that was my fault for valuing myself too much through my work, but I don’t think it’s unusual for anyone trying to be the best version of themselves.

In the days and months after my unexpected layoff on 11/29/23, I started writing on LinkedIn. 

Until then, I had only used LinkedIn to get career background on my prospects and customers. 

I hardly ever posted content. 

I was in desperate need of connection and poured my heart into writing daily posts. 

It was a therapeutic release and I craved it every day. 

Very quickly I had a following of people across industries and disciplines who resonated with my stories. 

I found solace in seeing who would leave comments and tap one of the six colorful emojis:

👍 blue thumbs up
 🙌🏻 green clapping celebration
🤲 purple open palm support
❤️ red hearted love
💡yellow insightful light bulb and that
😂 turquoise funny smiling guy

While it may sound silly, those emojis and comments on LinkedIn had a ripple effect on my soul. 

I felt like people cared about me again, outside of my family who knew how painful my layoff was impacting me. 

I knew my former colleagues could read my posts, at least the ones who hadn’t blocked me.

I noted to myself when one of them would comment or leave a reaction, but mostly I noticed how many didn’t pay attention to them at all. 

That was equally as telling and it crushed my psyche.

Writing a book and having a public record of my layoff experience is part of my healing process. 

I don’t want to be forgotten. 

I can’t just be a statistic in the “Tech Layoffs of 2023” that number in the tens of thousands. 

My story matters and it needs to be told. 

Not all of us will write a book.

Not all of us will be able to express in writing what a layoff truly feels like. 

Not all of us want a public record of their emotions for all the world to read. 

My hope in sharing my story is that you will feel seen and heard in yours. 

Your story matters too.

——

Hi! I’m Laura. I’m fulfilling two passions in 2024:

👩🏻‍💼I coach sales reps and first line sales leaders with EASE: Everything is Attitude, Skill, & Effort. I love mentoring sales professionals. Let’s chat!

📖 I’m writing a book called “The Layoff Cooties: It’s Them, Not You.” It’s part of my healing process after an unexpected layoff last year. Publishing in Fall 2024!

I’ll never get tired of golfing with my son Ben.

Here is what I’ve learned over the years:

⛳️ It’s never too late to take a mulligan.

🏌🏻‍♀️ Sometimes you get bad bounces. That’s life.

⛳️ Sometimes you get really good bounces. That’s also life. 

🏌🏻‍♀️ You have to just keep on swinging. No matter what.

⛳️ Hitting it in the sand bunker might actually be the smarter play.

🏌🏻‍♀️ You never know how many free golf balls you can find when looking for your own.

⛳️ There are always worse golfers than you.

🏌🏻‍♀️There’s no such thing as speeding in a golf cart.

⛳️ One bad hole won’t kill your round. That’s why you play 18.

Yesterday we golfed at the course where Ben works part-time.

He and I started golfing when he was 8 years old. 

It was something for us to do together since his dad coached him in little league baseball.

Halfway through our round yesterday, Ben put his arm around my shoulder and thanked me for introducing him to the sport at an early age.

Insert tear strolling down my face.

Neither of us were very good back then (OK, I’m still not that good 10 years later) but it was quality time we could spend together.

Who knows?

Ben just might major in some kind of PGA Professional Golf program or learn how to be a Golf Superintendent at Coastal Carolina in college.

(I suggested being a sales professional in the golf industry working for one of their major brands…anyone know anybody)? 😂

And to think it all started when I simply asked him to go golfing with me one afternoon.

PSA to spend quality time with your kids. 

He graduates high school in three weeks. 

I feel like he was just born. 

Well, at least like he was just 8 years old.

P.S. Let me know if you need a fourth! 💯🙌🏻❤️

——

Hi! I’m Laura. I’m fulfilling two passions in 2024:

👩🏻‍💼I coach sales reps and first line sales leaders with EASE: Everything is Attitude, Skill, & Effort. I love mentoring sales professionals. Let’s chat!

📖 I’m writing a book called “The Layoff Cooties: It’s Them, Not You.” It’s part of my healing process after an unexpected layoff last year. Publishing in Fall 2024!

🔔 Follow ♻️ Repost ❤️ Be Kind

"I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples." 

~ Mother Theresa

Happy Sunday, friends. 🙌🏻💯❤️

“I’m 45 and still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.”

This is what I told my 18 year old son Ben last night at 11pm.

It was one of those conversations where your HS senior opens up about their hopes and fears and dreams. 

I was really tired BEFORE we started talking but when opportunities like this arise, you stay up!

Ben is going to Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC this fall. “Chants up!”

He’s always loved sports. 

Anything that involves a ball and keeping score…he’s up for the challenge.

All of his career interests have something to do with sports or athletics (and in no particular order):

1️⃣ Collegiate/Professional Coach in NFL
2️⃣ Athletic Director
3️⃣ Athletic Facilities Manager
4️⃣ Professional Game Day/Event Coordinator
5️⃣ Sports Journalist 
6️⃣ Sports Analyst/Commentator
7️⃣ Sports Operations Manager
8️⃣ Sports Marketer
9️⃣ Golf Superintendent/PGA Professional

I told him the cool part is he can do many of these at the same time or over the course of his career.

Few stay in the same job or career path their entire lives anymore. 

I remembered back to career conversations I had with my parents at that age. 

I always just wanted my parents to be proud of me, no matter what I did for a living. When I was 18 AND when I was 45.

So I told Ben I was proud of him so he would never have to wonder at age 18.

I hope I’m around when he’s 45 so I can tell him again. 

Maybe by then he will know what he wants to be when he grows up.

And if he doesn’t, that’s OK too.

✅ Day 21 of my 30 Day LI Video Challenge highlights Ben (No. 4) scoring his first and only lacrosse goal this season. He usually plays defense so this was out of the ordinary. 🥍

——

Hi! I’m Laura. I’m fulfilling two passions in 2024:

👩🏻‍💼I coach sales reps and first line sales leaders with EASE: Everything is Attitude, Skill, & Effort. I love mentoring sales professionals. Let’s chat!

📖 I’m writing a book called “The Layoff Cooties: It’s Them, Not You.” It’s part of my healing process after an unexpected layoff last year. Publishing in Fall 2024!

🔔 Follow ♻️ Repost ❤️ Be Kind

I’ve always believed titles don’t matter in the workplace. 

How you make people feel is more relevant to your purpose.

My dad spent 50+ years in public education.

His entire career was dedicated to serving others: students, parents, teachers, administrators, and the local community where he worked.

As a Superintendent of Schools, his leadership was felt in districts all across NY. 

He was often solicited by state and local government officials for his expertise in educational tax matters, balancing multimillion dollar budgets, and turning around troubled schools.

Wherever my dad worked, his main objective was to improve the situation around him.

There was a man at my dad’s funeral who introduced himself to my family. 

He shared that he was a troubled high school kid back in the 1980s on the brink of being expelled. 

He had no direction in life with little to no support at home. 

As Superintendent my dad had to meet with him to determine his disciplinary action.

This man didn’t share what my dad said specifically, but divulged that my dad gave him a second chance instead of moving forward with the recommended expulsion.

It changed the direction of his life because he had never been given a second chance before. 

Thirty plus years later this man felt the need to show up at my dad’s funeral and share that story with us…complete strangers. 

That man didn’t care about my dad’s title. 

He simply interacted with someone who cared about him.

Everyone has a purpose, regardless of title 💯🙌🏻❤️

——

Hi! I’m Laura. I’m fulfilling two passions in 2024:

👩🏻‍💼I coach sales reps and first line sales leaders with EASE: Everything is Attitude, Skill, & Effort. I love mentoring sales professionals. Let’s chat!

📖 I’m writing a book called “The Layoff Cooties: It’s Them, Not You.” It’s part of my healing process after an unexpected layoff last year. Publishing in Fall 2024!

(Picture below is me and my dad less than two months before he passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer’s in February 2019).

Lessons learned from my 30 Day LI Video Challenge:

🎥 Trying something new starting from a place of fear led to unexpected sources of fun.

📹 Making my challenge public created a sense of accountability.

📽️ Storytelling is brought to life when video is included.

📈 Top 3 Posts with Hook and Type of Video

1️⃣ 31.3k Views: 

🪝 I sold $82k of software my first year in SaaS sales. 19% to plan. Less than 5 net new logos.

🤳 2018 Video of me thanking my team for helping me earn MM Rep of the Year after being one of the lowest performing reps a year prior.

🙌🏻 Salespeople love an underdog story of triumph. Crazy how that one went viral in 24hrs.

2️⃣ 5.9k Views:

🪝Family traditions are extremely important.

🤳 2023 Video of my son Ben jumping into our pool at start of the pool season.

🙌🏻 Who knew jumping in cold water with socks on would be so intriguing? 2024 pool season opens today!

3️⃣ 4.6k views

🪝 Been thinking about that four letter F-word a lot lately.

🤳 2016 Video of me jumping off a high pier into a lake.

🙌🏻 Another water video (and overcoming fear) for the win!

Seriously…I had more fun using old videos from phases of my “life” than recording myself for 60 seconds and hitting post.

✅ Day 30 of my 30 Day LI Video Challenge brings you a serene 20 second clip from my waterfall hike in Mexico this past March 🇲🇽 (since you all like water videos)!

When will you post your first (or next) video? 

——

Hi! I’m Laura. I’m fulfilling two passions in 2024:

👩🏻‍💼I coach sales reps and first line sales leaders with EASE: Everything is Attitude, Skill, & Effort. I love mentoring sales professionals. Let’s chat!

📖 I’m writing a book called “The Layoff Cooties: It’s Them, Not You.” It’s part of my healing process after an unexpected layoff last year. Publishing in Fall 2024!

🔔 Follow ♻️ Repost ❤️ Be Kind

Family traditions are extremely important.

⛪️ Church on Sundays

🍝 Family dinners

🥎 Youth sports

🎲 Family game nights

🍿 Movie nights

❤️ Just being together

AND…

Every spring when we open the pool, Ben has the honor of christening it with the first jump of the year…🥶

Here’s the pool christening video from 2023…pool season 2024 opens next week at Rocky Ridge Retreat 💦

If someone asked you to think of 2️⃣6️⃣ things to describe yourself, could you do it?

Why 2️⃣6️⃣ you say?

Because you have to use a letter of the alphabet to start each description! 😮

I completed this exercise with one of my sales advisory clients as a way to get to know her better.

I’m always looking for new ideas to make learning about someone fun and interesting beyond the “tell me about yourself” question. BORING 🥱 

She liked it because it made her really think about unique qualities about herself…

I won’t share her answers, but here are mine:

(Because I don’t ask anyone to do anything I wouldn’t do myself) 😉

A - Aspiring Author
B - Ben & Kelsie’s Mom
C - Charcuterie Lover 
D - Dependable
E - Erik’s Wife of 19 Years
F - Forgiver but not Forgetter
G - Generous with my Time
H - Hardworking
I - Introvert 
J - Jeep Owner
K - Kindhearted 
L - Loyal to the Core
M - Mentor & Mentee
N - Nap Taker
O - Open Minded
P - Philanthropic
Q - Quiet Time Finder
R - Restaurant Seeker
S - Sales Professional
T - Trustworthy 
U - Understanding of Differences
V - Vulnerable to a Fault
W - West Islip HS Graduate
X - Xenial (aka welcoming…saving you from googling it)
Y - Youngest of Five Kids
Z - Zero Tolerance for Rude People

CHALLENGE: Take a few minutes to reflect on who you are today…from A to Z 🙌🏻💯❤️

——

Hi! I’m Laura. I’m fulfilling two passions in 2024:

👩🏻‍💼I coach sales reps and first line sales leaders with EASE: Everything is Attitude, Skill, & Effort. I love mentoring sales professionals. Let’s chat!

📖 I’m writing a book called “The Layoff Cooties: It’s Them, Not You.” It’s part of my healing process after an unexpected layoff last year. Publishing in Fall 2024!

Both my kids weighed 7 lbs 10 oz and were 20” long when they were born.

One in 2006 and the other in 2012.

Both my kids faces looked alike when they were born.

One had fat chubby hands and the other long skinny fingers.

Both my kids were relatively easy babies with happy dispositions.

One cried a little more than the other.

Both my kids like to play sports and exercise.

One likes football, basketball, baseball and golf and the other likes softball and running track.

Both my kids like to eat candy.

One likes sour tasting sweets and the other likes anything with chocolate.

Both my kids keep their rooms neat and tidy.

One is a minimalist and the other likes stuff.

Both my kids make me laugh out loud.

One likes to do impersonations and the other is funny without even realizing it.

Both my kids like learning new things and going to school.

One likes more math related subjects and the other likes reading and writing.

Both my kids love me no matter what. 
 
One started our family and the other completed it.

Thank you, Ben and Kelsie, for making me a mom. It’s the best job I’ll always have!

Happy Mother’s Day, friends. 🙌🏻💯❤️

(Pics below are three of my faves over the years)!

1️⃣  Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

2️⃣ Is the glass half empty or half full?

3️⃣ What phrase or quote best describes you?

4️⃣ Do you consider yourself a DIY person?

5️⃣ Have you ever served on a jury?

Welcome to #FridayFunFacts 🤓

When I led my sales teams, one of the tools I used to get to know one another better over time was Friday Fun Facts.

✅ Create a GoogleSheet with each person’s name along the top columns. This will be where they enter their answers each week.

✅ On Mondays, craft up 5 questions for them to answer. The first column will be a rolling list of 5 questions you add to the GoogleSheet each week. 

✅ Attach the GoogleSheet link in a calendar invite for 12 noon on Fridays so it’s an occurring meeting on their calendar. Most will complete well before Friday.

✅ Enjoy learning more about your team each and every week as they complete the questions. Best part…seeing your team connect on things they probably never would have known about one another. 

——

My answers:

1️⃣ I’ve met a few famous people but we’ll go with Chris Evert because I got her autograph on my tennis racket back in 2018. She ran a tennis clinic session when I was at Winners Circle/President’s Club in Hawaii working at SAP Concur. 🎾

2️⃣ I’ve learned when the glass spills it can always be filled up again so let’s go with HALF FULL. 🍷 (Unless it’s wine, then I’ll take a full glass)!

3️⃣ IF IT IS TO BE, IT IS UP TO ME. 🥰

4️⃣ Depends on the project and if I have the time. ⏱️ I painted my daughter’s bedroom during the pandemic but then when we decided to paint other rooms throughout the house a year later, we hired someone. 

5️⃣ Yes! Once when I was in my mid-20’s. It was a hit and run car accident case and we found the guy guilty! 👩‍⚖️

Happy Friday, everyone 🙌🏻💯❤️

——

Hi! I’m Laura. I’m fulfilling two passions in 2024:

👩🏻‍💼I coach sales reps and first line sales leaders with EASE: Everything is Attitude, Skill, & Effort. I love mentoring sales professionals. Let’s chat!

📖 I’m writing a book called “The Layoff Cooties: It’s Them, Not You.” It’s part of my healing process after an unexpected layoff last year. Publishing in Fall 2024!

1️⃣ Do you think you can learn something from everyone you meet?

2️⃣ Do you text with one hand or two?

3️⃣ What do you love most about a carnival or county fair?

4️⃣ What is the worst thing that has ever bitten you?

5️⃣ What is the most annoying song ever?

Welcome to #FridayFunFacts 🤓

When I led my sales teams, one of the tools I used to get to know one another better over time was Friday Fun Facts.

✅ Create a GoogleSheet with each person’s name along the top columns. This will be where they enter their answers each week.

✅ On Mondays, craft up 5 questions for them to answer. The first column will be a rolling list of 5 questions you add to the GoogleSheet each week. 

✅ Attach the GoogleSheet link in a calendar invite for 12 noon on Fridays so it’s an occurring meeting on their calendar. Most will complete well before Friday.

✅ Enjoy learning more about your team each and every week as they complete the questions. Best part…seeing your team connect on things they probably never would have known about one another. 

——

My answers:

1️⃣ Yes. Whether it’s something good or bad, you’re still learning from that person. 👍

2️⃣ Only one. Pointer finger on my right hand. I’m in awe of the younger generation who can text with two thumbs at the speed of lightning. $20 to anyone in Gen Z who wants to train me. 💬

3️⃣ Funnel cake. Powdered sugar only please - no other topping allowed. 🎟️

4️⃣ The Layoff Cooties…apparently it’s so contagious, your closest friends from work forget all about you for fear of infection. 🥹

5️⃣ It’s a tie between the 12 Days of Christmas and Feliz Navidad. I love Christmas music, but those two songs turn me into the Grinch immediately. 🎶 (Video below is a short clip from my Oaxaca, Mexico retreat in March…I could have listened to this music all day)!

Happy Friday, everyone 🙌🏻💯❤️

——

Hi! I’m Laura. I’m fulfilling two passions in 2024:

👩🏻‍💼I coach sales reps and first line sales leaders with EASE: Everything is Attitude, Skill, & Effort. I love mentoring sales professionals. Let’s chat!

📖 I’m writing a book called “The Layoff Cooties: It’s Them, Not You.” It’s part of my healing process after an unexpected layoff last year. Publishing in Fall 2024!

🔔 Follow ♻️ Repost ❤️ Be Kind

The road to solopreneurship via 25 years of “sales experience” in one post.

It starts with my first job in Corporate America through my last.

💥Lessons learned at Marriott: 2000-2002 Entry Level Sales Analyst

1️⃣ Be a sponge. Learn as much as you can.

2️⃣ Ask for help when you need it. You're not expected to know it all.

3️⃣ Realize the only constant is change.  Embrace it!

💥Lessons learned at MedImmune: 2002-2007 Sr. Sales Analyst

1️⃣ Teamwork truly did make the dream work.  Cultures thrive when people are empowered.

2️⃣ Autonomy was given freely. Mistakes were learning opportunities.

3️⃣ Scaling sales organizations organically is a lot of fun.

💥Lessons learned at DirectBuy: 2007-2011 Franchise Owner

1️⃣ You cannot carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. It's too heavy a burden and not yours to bear.

2️⃣ Family and friends will intervene to ensure you get self-care. It's a lifeline - take it.

3️⃣ Starting over is not the worst thing. At least you learned what doesn't make you happy.

💥Lessons learned at Wolters Kluwer Health: 2011-2015 Sr. Sales Analyst

1️⃣ Life is short. (My boss died 6 months into my role. I can still remember learning she passed at the holiday party).

2️⃣ Hybrid/remote work is possible. Supportive leaders understand the work gets done regardless of location.

3️⃣ Always exit the building after an earthquake. Staring at your colleagues holding onto a wooden beam is not helpful.

💥Lessons learned at Stallergenes Greer: 2015 Sales Operations Manager

1️⃣ Job descriptions can reveal a dream job. Dream jobs can become a nightmare surrounded by the wrong people.

2️⃣ Corporate politics multiply when bringing two companies together. Be on the right side with your values.

3️⃣ Know when it's time to go. Leave on your own accord.

💥Lessons learned at SAP Concur: 2016-2019 Sr. Regional Sales Executive

1️⃣ Everything is Attitude, Effort and Skill.  It's the sales trifecta, but also exists in life.

2️⃣ One day you can be at the bottom; the next you can be at the top - both are extremely lonely.

3️⃣ Mentorship should be a win-win situation for mentors and mentees. Both will learn from one another.

💥Lessons learned at Unanet: 2019-2020 Sr. Sales Executive

1️⃣ You don't know what you don't know. You have to learn it before you can decide if you like it.

2️⃣ Private Equity is no joke. Follow their playbook and keep your mouth shut.

3️⃣ Trust in your manager is everything. When it's lost, it's time to move on.

💥Lessons learned at Coupa: 2020-2023 Regional Vice President of Sales

1️⃣ Culture eats strategy for breakfast is true. Toxic cultures no longer make you hungry.

2️⃣ Work friends are not your real friends. Be careful who you share your feelings with at all times.

3️⃣ Bad things happen to good people. Rejection is simply redirection. Go forth in confidence and truth.

I haven’t updated my “corporate” resume since 2019.

I hope I never have to again. 💯🙌🏻❤️

It really is the most magical place on earth.

Woke up at 3:30am to catch a 6:30am flight.
Airline tickets were minimal due to vouchers.
Landed at 8:30am in Orlando yesterday.
Took a taxi (I don’t Uber) to Magic Kingdom.

Decided to hit all the roller coasters first.
I couldn’t believe the gorgeous weather.
Stopped to eat a Mickey pretzel with cheese.
No one anticipated Space Mtn closure.
Everyone including us was hoping it would open.
Yes! Only temporary closure!

We had a great mother-daughter day.
Only once did we wish rest of family was there.
Really hoping we can do it again sometime
Life happens fast.
Don’t let it pass you by.

✅ Day 23 of my 30 Day LI Video Challenge brings you a 30 second clip from “It’s a Small World” ride at Magic Kingdom 🙌🏻💯❤️ Enjoy!

——

Hi! I’m Laura. I’m fulfilling two passions in 2024:

👩🏻‍💼I coach sales reps and first line sales leaders with EASE: Everything is Attitude, Skill, & Effort. I love mentoring sales professionals. Let’s chat!

📖 I’m writing a book called “The Layoff Cooties: It’s Them, Not You.” It’s part of my healing process after an unexpected layoff last year. Publishing in Fall 2024!

🔔 Follow ♻️ Repost ❤️ Be Kind

94-81-84-93-83 and 45

Winning lottery numbers? Yes and no.

The first four numbers reflect the ages of each of my grandparents on the day they died. 

The fifth was my dad’s age when he passed away five years ago.

And 45 represents my age now.

One could say that I still have at least half my life to live, given my respective gene pool. 

And another could argue that I might not be granted another single day. 

Yesterday was five months since my life changed forever with an unexpected layoff as a top performing sales leader. 

A week prior to my layoff I had celebrated my 45th birthday. 

When I led my sales teams, I used to give my sales reps the day off on their birthday.

No PTO required. Just take the day and do something fun.

So of course I did the same for my mine to lead by example!

My birthday fell on a Monday last November so my husband and I took an overnight trip to Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in WV. 

I love to play blackjack. I find $10 or $15 tables and can sit there for hours playing the minimum bet.

I only gamble a couple hundred bucks and whatever happens to it, win or lose, it’s providing entertainment value.

Do I hit or do I stay? It’s the same question over and over again.

Sometimes the odds are in your favor and other times they aren’t.

And sometimes you can do all the right things but the dealer winds up winning anyway.

I don’t know what the cards will be in my professional future. I have a game plan for the rest of this year and then, who knows?

I still believe I have another 40 years in me.

After 25 years in sales, I think I’m just getting started.

And I’m pretty sure I hit the lottery already (or blackjack)…even with a few busts along the way! 

——

Hi! I’m Laura. I’m fulfilling two passions in 2024:

👩🏻‍💼I coach sales reps and first line sales leaders with EASE: Everything is Attitude, Skill, & Effort. I love mentoring sales professionals. Let’s chat!

📖 I’m writing a book called “The Layoff Cooties: It’s Them, Not You.” It’s part of my healing process after an unexpected layoff last year. Publishing in Fall 2024!

🔔 Follow ♻️ Repost ❤️ Be Kind

Lots of people DM me about my LI headline where it says “Lover of God, Charcuterie, & Legos.”

I get it. Weird combination and who really cares, right? 🙄

Well I think it’s important to learn about people’s interests beyond what they’ve chosen for their career path.

1️⃣ God = Love. It’s that simple. ❤️

2️⃣ Charcuterie is my fave food group. 🫒

3️⃣ Legos = Hours of fun, regardless of your age. (The obsession started as a side hustle rebuilding and selling sets during the pandemic). 🧱 

Every Saturday I share a few lines from a popular Christian song. I share a picture of a charcuterie board I created or enjoyed during my travels. And I share a cool LEGO set from my collection.

🎶 “So Will I (100 Billion X)” by Hillsong UNITED on their 2017 album Wonder is a beautifully written song. I saw this performed at a Bethel Music concert in LA that same year and it was amazing. 

“God of creation
There at the start
Before the beginning of time

With no point of reference
You spoke to the dark
And fleshed out the wonder of light

And as You speak
A hundred billion galaxies are born
In the vapour of Your breath the planets form
If the stars were made to worship, so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You've made
Every burning star
A signal fire of grace
If creation sings Your praises, so will I

God of Your promise
You don't speak in vain
No syllable empty or void

For once You have spoken
All nature and science
Follow the sound of Your voice

And as You speak
A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath
Evolving in pursuit of what You said
If it all reveals Your nature so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You say
Every painted sky
A canvas of Your grace
If creation still obeys You, so will I

So will I
So will I

If the stars were made to worship, so will I
If the mountains bow in reverence, so will I
If the oceans roar Your greatness, so will I

For if everything exists to lift You high, so will I

If the wind goes where You send it, so will I
If the rocks cry out in silence, so will I
If the sum of all our praises still falls shy
Then we'll sing again a hundred billion times”

🧀 This week’s video was filmed last weekend during my trip to Reno, NV. I enjoyed a delicious charcuterie creation from The Wheyfarer. I loved chatting with the owner and hearing how her woman owned business was part of the revitalization project in that part of the city in the last year. She was passionately living out her dream as a small business owner sharing her love of charcuterie with locals. How can you not love that? Happy to support 🙃

🧱 LEGO Star Destroyer retails for over $400 and is part of the STAR WARS collection. Star Wars sets have the best resale value IMO but there are some like this one that I’ll never sell. This was a really tough build…lots of technical pieces that I normally do not enjoy, but I was determined to complete! Sometimes we need to do things outside of our comfort zones, right? 

Have a great weekend, friends. 🙌🏻💯❤️

Have you ever had a “God Whisper”?

It’s that feeling that you need to do something at that very moment.

Some may call it a gut reaction.

Females may call it women’s intuition.

I call it a God Whisper and it happened to me in September 2022.

I got a text from one of my brothers saying my mom had a little health scare but was in and out of the ER quickly.

He said there was no need for me to drive up from MD to NY and that she was fine.

Something didn’t feel right.

I packed my bags that afternoon and drove the five hours to Long Island, arriving around 11 pm that evening.

I’d work remotely from my mom’s house and spend a few days with her for the weekend.

All was well that next day…we had a lovely lunch together at a local hot spot and she went about her day running errands and volunteering like she usual does. 

She seemed fine.

We played cards in the evening. A family favorite called “Photo” which is a lot like Rummy, but with 13 cards.

I retired to bed for the evening around 10 pm.

She fell asleep on the couch that was right outside the downstairs bedroom where I was staying.

Around 4 am, I heard my mom babbling incoherently. I thought I was dreaming at first.

I got out of bed and found my mom still on the couch but she did not look well.

And her speech…oh, her speech did not sound good.

I knew I had a medical emergency on my hands and sprung into action. 

I started recording audio on my phone to document what was happening.

I wanted my four siblings and the medical team to know exactly what happened.

I thought she was having a stroke.

I was shocked at how calm I was in that moment.

My mom was in a diabetic shock.

When the ambulance showed up minutes after I called for help, they injected her with sugar to stabilize her condition.

They took note of her last given medications. 

At the ER, the doctors told me she would have died if I wasn’t there. 

Her blood sugar numbers were in the 40s (80-120 is considered normal).

Apparently the diabetic medicine she was on for nearly 20 years started to have adverse effects when she got older in age.

I hate to think about what would have happened if I wasn’t there.

Thanks goodness I listened to that God whisper.

P.S. My mom is an amazing lady. When she listens to these audio videos (I have five from that fateful morning) she laughs. We have a good sense of humor in our family. We all got that from her ❤️ and yes, she gave me permission to share this on LI…

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