Rich Adams

Director, Enablement Programs + Strategy 

Workiva

Helping build a culture of sales excellence & coaching at Workiva as a member of the sales enablement organization.

Lead Field Coach - Americas 

Rich Adams Sales Advisors

🌟 Freelance Sales Strategy & Enablement Expert 🚀 | 15+ Years of Success in SaaS Sales & GTM Strategy | Helping Sales Teams Excel and Delight Customers 

Are you seeking a seasoned Sales Strategy & Enablement Expert to elevate your sales team's performance and deliver exceptional customer experiences? Look no further!

🔹 About Me:
With over 15 years of experience in SaaS Sales and Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy and execution, I specialize in helping organizations define, build, and execute winning sales enablement strategies. My mission is to empower sales teams to stand out in the market and exceed customer expectations.

🔹 What I Offer:
🚀 Rich expertise in crafting and implementing effective sales & and enablement strategies
🛠️ Proven track record in GTM strategy and execution
💼 Fractional enablement leadership + execution 
💡 Modernizing sales processes and team enablement
🌐 Consulting, project-based, and fractional roles


I'm open to freelance consulting, project-based work, and fractional roles to support organizations in modernizing their sales processes and enhancing team performance. Whether you're looking to fine-tune your sales strategy, boost your sales team's effectiveness, or revamp your GTM approach, I'm here to help.

📬 Feel free to reach out for a chat! Direct message me to explore how we can work together to achieve your sales and customer experience goals. Your success is my priority!

Fractional Sales Enablement Leader | Coach | Consultant | Advisor | SME

Pavilion

Associate - Member

BombBomb

People buy from people. Humanize your sales motion using video messaging and build relationships faster, and close more business. 

Building the strategic account expansion & enablement strategy to help more BombBomb customers expand their use of video messaging to build better relationships,  drive more sales, improve productivity, and humanize their business.

Strategic Accounts, Manager 

Bravado

I fill critical enablement needs to help small businesses successfully build & onboard fractional sales teams through Bravado Flex.

- Built an end-to-end enablement strategy & sales playbook in partnership with Head of Sales to successfully onboard a flex sales team in less than 2 weeks
- Setup sales tools like Apollo and optimize for outbound sales motions + hit key sales metrics 
- Build outbound sales messaging, talk tracks, cold email templates, and end-to-end workflows 
- Facilitate live coaching + and training sessions for flex sales teams 
- Advise flex sales leaders & co-founders how to accelerate ramp time for flex sales reps

Fractional Sales Enablement Expert 

RevShoppe

Rich overhauled the enablement pillar for RevShoppe, and implemented a new enablement methodology across RevShoppe programs that will drive more value for clients and increase overall sales engagement adoption. 


‍RevShoppe is transforming sales engagement through executive strategy and tactical workflows. By optimizing operations, messaging, and enablement, our operating models empower executives to scale their go-to-market strategy and deliver an unrivaled buyer experience.

Zoom Video Communications

The front-line sales manager is the force multiplier of a sales organization. Unfortunately, most revenue teams forget about enabling their most important player. 

Following the “Zoom boom” I had the chance to build Zoom's first sales manager excellence program with the help of an amazing team that was designed to help sales managers excel in their roles, elevate their team's performance, and create a healthy and winning sales culture. 

I had the chance to train hundreds of new and existing managers on cutting-edge coaching strategies, new tools, and leadership best practices.

Sales Enablement Manager, Manager Execution 

After successfully building the training & enablement strategy across Zoom's sales tech stack that was critical for a successful IPO, I got the opportunity to build a specialized team focused on driving strategy, enablement, and innovation of the global sales technology stack. 

We built dynamic sales playbooks, influenced how and when sales tools were used through the sales and buyer journey, drove adoption strategies,  and continued to push the limits on how technology & AI can empower the revenue organization at Zoom. 

We helped the global team accelerate & build pipeline, increase win rates, add predictability to revenue, and enhance Zoom's pipeline management & forecasting process through better use of tools.

Creating the scalability of systems and tools enabled Zoom to scale ($100m - $4B ARR) at a rapid rate during the pandemic where speed and agility were critical.

Core Sales Tech Stack 

✔️ Outreach  
✔️ LinkedIn Sales Navigator 
✔️ Chorus.ai
✔️ Clari 
✔️ People.ai 
✔️ GURU 
✔️ Workramp 
✔️ Zoominfo

Manager, Sales Tools Strategy (RevOps)

I was hired to join the nimble sales enablement organization that would end up training & onboarding the core sales team that took Zoom through one of the most successful SaaS IPOs. 

My focus was to maximize ROI and adoption of the sales tech stack through creative training and mapping key sales tools to critical stages of the sales and buyer journeys. 

I created hundreds of training modules, videos, and tutorials, and led 100+ live and virtual training workshops focused on driving sales velocity through better use of sales tools. 

This function was critical in scaling Zoom through a successful IPO and setting the table for hypergrowth.

Sales Tools Trainer (enablement manager)

Conga

Conga acquired May 2020 by Apptus 

Promoted to lead and build out Major Account Sales  & Account Management Team, focused on growing strategic accounts in North America (1,000-5,000 employees), accounting for 50% total MRR bookings eventually leading to successful exit.

Manager, Major Account Sales

Launched Conga's first Global Account Management team focused maximizing customer value, and  driving upsell and cross-sell of Conga's full suite of intelligent document automation products to global customer base. Was instrumental in building the install base sales model that fueled record 200% YoY growth,

Manager, Account Management

Ambassador - Referral Marketing Software

Ambassador acquired by West Corp Oct 2018

Successfully built out Ambassador's Denver based enterprise sales office.  In first 90 days, developed a  new business acquisition & account based sales strategy that consisted of hiring and training  an outbound SDR team that drove a 40% increase in outbound sales opportunities across the global sales pipeline, fueling the rapid adoption of Ambassadors platform across B2C and B2B companies in less than 12 months.

Manager, Enterprise Sales

TapInfluence

TapInfluence acquired by IZEA July 2018

Brought in by executive team to build direct SaaS sales engine, and aggressively drive the adoption of TapInfluence platform across enterprise brands & agencies through creation of scalable outbound sales model, and overhaul of lead to cash process. 

Instrumental in closing large enterprise $100k+ ARR deals with Comcast, Boulder Brands, Demand Media, and other large PR and Advertising agencies to jumpstart SaaS model.

Enterprise Sales

I help sales professionals elevate their communication and customer experience with video messaging. With over 15 years of experience and expertise in SaaS sales and enablement, I have a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities that sales teams face in today's competitive and dynamic market.

My passion is to modernize the sales profession and transform the way salespeople connect with their prospects and customers. I have a proven track record of building and leading high-performing sales teams and enablement functions at fast-growing SaaS companies, such as Zoom, where I helped the company grow from $100M to $4B in revenue in 3+ years. I believe that selling is not about pushing products, but about helping customers achieve their goals and challenging the status quo. 

Let's work together to lift each other up and maximize our potential.

Why 2026 needs to be the year #SaaS makes #coaching a priority. We need better sales leaders, not just more tools. 


#AI won't solve the leadership problem we have. 

I went ahead and broke down how we can get leadership back on track. How to make coaching great again in sales. 

How can we lead with #kindness and #empathy and still generate amazing results? 

I am ready to be a leader who is evangelizing a coaching culture. 

I am ready to bring the human side of selling back to the forefront. 

Let's find ways to elevate people, not replace them. 

It starts with leadership. 

Who is with me? 

Excited to hear everyones thoughts. 

DM me if you have ideas, a need for a leader like myself, or simply want to compare notes. 

Let's go!

Entrepreneurship has been the backbone of my family for multiple generations. 

I got my start in business mowing lawns, and eventually launched an eBay business in college selling ebooks like "How to flip PS3s for a profit" 

Having spent the last 15+ years building, leading, and enabling sales teams for successful start-ups,  
I've developed an incredible passion for elevating the sales profession through better coaching, enablement, operational excellence, and technology. 

Few highlights: 

✔️   Confio Software -  I helped build the inside sales engine, trained dozens of sellers, brought new products to market, and developed new international territories that contributed to the triple-digit YoY growth (4-year period) and a successful exit ($103M 2013 by SWI) 

✔️   Conga -  Built the account management & install base sales organization that laid the foundation for Conga's hyper-growth from 2016 through the successful exit and merger (2020 by Apptus).  

✔️   Zoom -  I joined in 2018 to fill a key role in building the sales enablement engine that fueled a historic IPO in 2019, grew Zoom to a household name through a pandemic, and scaled the organization from  $100m to nearly $4B in revenue and 7,000 employees in just a few years.

If you think Rich could be a fit for your organization in a full-time role or consultant/coach, book time with me using the link below. 

https://calendly.com/richhadams/chat-with-rich

Let's go

Coach Rich | Helping Sales Leaders Become Better Coaches | Sales Veteran | Sales Enablement & Leadership Development Expert | Dad & Husband

Posting this again today with a question that’s been on my mind:


👉 When was the last time you felt truly coached at work?

Not a pipeline or deal review. 

Not talked at for 45 minutes. 

Not "here is what you should do." 

Actually coached.

Where you felt heard. You felt challenged positively. 

Where you felt like you were growing. 

You felt like a new person walking out of the coaching session. 

This article is about rebuilding leadership and coaching in sales,  and making work better for the humans doing it.

https://lnkd.in/gPw-5XUH

Would love your perspective.

Its encouraging to see new #salesenablement roles being posted in January, but why is the compensation package ranges so low?  Like really low? 🤷‍♂️ 


Have seen a flurry of roles come across my feed that read to be very senior, high visibility, and to have pretty high expectations, but the comp range is barely what a mid market AE would make at a mediocre SaaS company....

$90-110K? Really? 

I have worked with amazing BDRs with a couple years of experience who exceeded that. 

Enablement leaders and practitioners are former top sellers, sales leaders, revenue experts with years,  if not decades of experience. 

You are asking these folks to solve your biggest revenue challenges. Train and coach your best sellers and leaders, implement cutting edge tools, and shape and define your selling motions. 

These are strategic roles held by some of the most passionate, talented, and dedicated people I know that care about elevating the sales profession, and helping sales succeed. 

I have worked with enablemtn pro's who have single handidly changed the trajectory of sales teams. 

Shaped a company strategy that resulted in tens of millions in revenue. 

Have been integral in changing peoples career trajectory and have had a lasting life long impact. 

They are the ultimate servant leaders who bring a unique set of talents to the table. 

They should be paid what they are worth, and given a seat at the table. 

We know the market is tough, but to low ball these roles is a disservice to the profession and a signal to your own sales team that enablement is still a "nice to have" role. 

Its frankly wrong. 

The good old saying " You get what you pay for" holds true. 

If you want the best enablement talent, pay for it. 

If you want the best enablement results, you have the make the investment in your people. 

Its OK to hire for entry level roles, but paying entry level of expert talent is exploitation. 

I will call it what it is. 

We can do better. Lets give enablement the respect it deserves. 

They are worth it. 

I am worth it. 

Sales is worth it. 

Who agrees with me? 

And to pay people what they are worth is the ultimate sign of leadership and act of #kindness. 

Let's go.

Supporting #mentalhealth in the workplace is more than providing mental health services and benefits. 

Those are great, but they are reactive, after someone has gone through something. 

Sometimes it's too late. 

What it means to truly support mental health is committing to creating a safe workplace, enabling leaders to lead the right way, and ensuring leaders aren't creating challenging environments for employees. 

In other words, if you are enabling a culture of poor mental health, you aren't the savior because you pay for mental health benefits. 

You are causing the problem.

In #salesenablement, you’ll get pulled into projects and “urgent” initiatives with timelines that feel… well unrealistic 😅


It’s exciting to be trusted with high-visibility work.

It can also be overwhelming when the ask is vague, the scope is fuzzy, and the deadline is yesterday.

One of the most powerful things you can say in that moment, to set yourself (and the project) up for success

“Let me take a day or two to digest this, form my perspective, and come back with my recommendations on how we should proceed.”

Why it works:

It creates space to understand the real problem (not just the loudest request)

It lets you clarify scope, outcomes, stakeholders, and tradeoffs

It signals leadership, not hesitation

It shifts you from “order taker” to “owner”

It can be tempting to respond with an immediate “Yes, I’ve got it.”

But a better “yes” is one that comes with a plan.

Taking a beat isn’t slowing things down, it’s how you regain control and increase the odds the work actually lands.

What’s your go-to phrase when you need space to assess before going all in?

The best #sales professionals I have worked alongside over the last two decades had this superpower. 



They were kind and humble, and EASY to work with. 

Emphasizing EASY. 

Yea. Not what you expected. 

They weren't just fast and slick talkers. 

They weren't just product experts. 

They weren't just fierce closers. 

They weren't just persuasive. 

They showed humility, empathy, and curiosity. 

They were graceful in their approach. 

They were honest and ethical. 

They were kind to their customers, their partners, their co-workers, and their leadership. 

Were they always at the top of the leaderboard? No. 

But they stood the test of time. 

A fast-talking, slimy seller might edge them out 1-2 quarters, but they won in the long run. 

When hiring and developing talent, I was always much more interested in talking to your B+ players who were consistently at the top; chances are, they were the ones who were built for the long run, and possessed the humility that made them easy to do business with. 

I can't tell you how many tough conversations I have had as a sales manager with customers of top sellers who were not happy. 

They were lied to. 

They felt tricked into buying. 

Just because your top salesperson is hitting the numbers out of the park doesn't mean they are good at what they do. 

It doesn't mean they are easy to work with. 

They might be harming your business. 

SO look beyond the numbers, understand if the seller is trusted and human first. 

Let's reward sellers who are honest and kind.

I just got the classic “have you been abducted by Aliens” breakup sales email….


Reminds me of the other classic “are you being chased by a hippo” 

Anyone else use that one years ago? 

How about the “trapped under the desk”? 

2014 first time I saw these cadence breakup emails really come to life. 

Saw teams get crazy results with them. 

It’s alive and well in 2026. 

I guess a decade later sales teams are still using them 😂 

What  was your favorite breakup email? 

#saleshumor

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