Samantha McKenna had her first exposure to competitive "sales" in sixth grade when my school was asked to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Knocking door to door and delivering a pitch was the start of my education; I still have the portable TV that I won for second place that reminds me to never take my foot off the gas so our teams can place first.
I’ve spent my career in sales doing a few things – breaking records, putting others first, creating global sales programs that reduce attrition, educating through peer interaction, onboarding new hires faster and making people feel valued. I’ve launched new verticals, have overseen the go-to-market strategy for some of the most successful initiatives in company history and have put in processes across businesses that redefine how each company works and succeeds.
In my latest project, I am committed to doing what I am most passionate about – making the largest positive impact possible. As the founder of #samsales Consulting, I split my time two ways:
• Advising a portfolio of Series A-C SaaS companies on their overall strategy with respect to sales, marketing and financials.
• Coaching sales and marketing across all company sizes on how to better develop processes and operationalize in modern ways.
As a sales leader, I believe a few core principles - coach in moment with radical candor, elevate our bars beyond what we think we can achieve, compassion and empathy are rare but key to leadership, be able to sell the product your teams are selling, grammar counts, the sale isn't over once we get signature, do the small things that no one else thinks to do, don't pitch - have a conversation, and positioning + value is everything.
Who am I, otherwise -
Overly enthusiastic, speaker, fulfilled by helping others succeed, strategic thinker, volunteer to support financial literacy, dog lover, Swiss Miss, die hard competitor, writer, Barefoot Contessa fan, former Nickelodeon game show contestant, OrangeTheory devottee, wanderlust'er, podcaster, extrovert, voracious reader, self-deprecating humor expert and willing to walk through fire to make you laugh.
