The Big Pivot To Sales Leadership

Lots of you reached out to say congrats yesterday as I kicked off my official day one leading a sales team here at LinkedIn. And many of you *also* reached out with questions because, well, I’ve been a marketer for 20+ years. 

Why sales and why now?

I’ve actually contemplated a move into a more commercial role for some time, but here are a few of the themes that drove this leap at this particular time for me:

1. Learning & Skills Development. As a marketer, I’ve been revenue-adjacent for a long, long time and I’ve owned marketing-related revenue goals and P&L. But I’ve never carried the quota personally or as part of my team. So. What better way to be a better marketer than to learn directly from customers from this vantage point and get a closer look at the revenue operations of a multi-billion dollar media business? It’s a really outstanding opportunity to broaden my capabilities as a growth and revenue leader and to hone my expertise in B2B go-to-market strategy.
2. The Rare Opportunity to Pivot. Making a pivot into a new discipline doesn’t just take translatable skills, it takes a leadership team with the vision and trust to actually empower someone with an unconventional background to take on a new challenge. I had an unprecedented opportunity to do that here at LinkedIn as part of a successful, growing business and a leadership team who valued the expertise I bring to the table while I learn from theirs. Doesn’t get better, and you can’t pass those moments up when they show up.
3. Personal and Professional Growth. Most of the best decisions and opportunities I’ve come across in my career have been as a result of openly and bravely asking ‘what if’…and not sitting still when those chances come along. I’ve always taken exploratory calls and conversations, braved asking bold questions, built relationships, stayed open minded, and been willing to re-imagine what my career path might look like in the future even when I thought I knew where I might be going. Growth happens when you’re uncomfortable, when you take intelligent risks (one of our core values at LinkedIn) and when you step into new territory, even if you can’t see where the journey ultimately leads. This was an immense opportunity to do just that.
4. My Team and Colleagues. It's not an overstatement to say that the people I work with at LinkedIn are some of the absolute best and brightest I've ever worked with. The people drew me to LinkedIn, the people and singular culture have kept me at LinkedIn, and the opportunity to move back into leadership alongside some of the most talented, hilarious, warm and passionate people I've gotten to work with in my career? Yes, please. I have a ton to learn from them, I'm hopeful I can contribute something of value to them during my tenure, and I know we're going to have some good shenanigans and adventures along the way.
5. My Customer (and Company) Passion. The amazing thing about being a marketer providing solutions to marketers is, well, our customers make me smarter, too. I learn from their organizations and challenges. I get to know what makes their businesses tick. I get to help untangle and unravel thorny marketing challenges as a peer and a collaborator not just a “vendor”. I get to work with some of the most exciting technology companies in the space and conspire with their marketing teams about how to bring their businesses to life, in part with us at LinkedIn (a platform and purpose I believe in, passionately). That’s the good stuff right there.

I had to chuckle a little when one longtime colleague asked if I was at all uncomfortable moving into such a “reviled” profession. Wait…what? Reviled? Because you bought into the trope of “sales” the way you saw it in a movie once? Come on, now. 

I have been in the world of B2B for a long time. As a marketer, as a consultant, as a blend of both. And in that sense? My job isn’t changing. My responsibilities to my organization change a little internally and my goals are a bit different, but if we do this right, the outside of all of that doesn’t change. Growing a B2B business is exciting, fun, hard and complicated. I’m still doing that, right alongside my team, colleagues and customers. 

In that sense, I’ve always been in sales. And marketing. And B2B. Some of the most outstanding leaders, mentors and partners I’ve admired most have been exceptional sales leaders because of their mastery of strategy, market dynamics, customer experience, and designing valuable partnerships. And hopefully, now I’m just another member of the community of professionals trying to help businesses be their best selves, online and off.

So I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity, more excited for the challenge, and more energized by the perfect storm of market, company, platform, customers and colleagues that I’m fortunate to be part of right now. 

And if you’ve been hanging around because of my content (you crazy person, you)…that isn’t going anywhere. In fact, I’m working harder on that than I have in a long time, and I have PLANS. In fact, my own meandering career experiences figure prominently in my the book I'm working on about unconventional careers, work trauma, and imposter syndrome. It's called The Courageous Career and there's more to come on that. I’m sorry or you’re welcome, whichever feels better to you. :)

Thank you all for your enthusiasm, excitement, and support as I embark on this new chapter. So much exciting and challenging stuff ahead and I am so very happy to have you along for the ride.