The recently published Heels to Deals: How Women Are Dominating in Business-To-Business Sales documents how over 30 diverse women across the globe shattered the glass ceiling to become leaders in the field of professional sales. Each chapter is authored by a different sales executive who just happens to be a woman. The contributions from these talented and renowned sales influencers all circle back to several recurring themes—how they found their way, dismissed any negativity, and worked hard for their success. In a world where male-biased boards of directors seem the norm, it is important to shine a light on the women who were able to break through male-dominated cultures and excel in their profession. It is imperative to not only give respect to the female leaders who were able to push business bias aside, but to also show younger women that sales is a viable career choice and that anything is possible if they put their minds to it.

As one of the co-authors of this empowering book, I am excited to share some of my story and a few highlights of my chapter, entitled, “FEAR-Face Everything and Rise. In this chapter I discuss my journey into B2B sales and how nervous I was starting out. Until my mom advised me to get in front of FEAR and think about the word to mean “Face Everything and Rise.” These golden words became my mantra and helped me to move up the ranks in the B2B sales industry.

Everyone at some point in their life has had the feeling of FEAR, whether it was starting a new career, getting a promotion or just taking on more responsibilities. You may have even questioned whether you would make an impact to the organization or the people you were leading. The answer is YES. Here are some of the ways I got in front of FEAR:

  1. Start with self-affirmations every morning to hype yourself up and continue having a growth mindset.
  2. Stick to a strict schedule and prioritize your time wisely. Dismiss as many distractions as possible that may get in the way or prohibit you from accomplishing your goals.
  3. Bring your whole self to what you have committed. Commitment is a behavioral pattern, and you must be consistent in that pattern which will bring you results.
  4. Be curious — continue to seek answers to the questions you have along the way, as wisdom is gained through experience.
  5. Always be perfecting your craft. No matter how long you have been in sales, there is always room for growth.

Since the publication of the book, I have made several video and audio podcast appearances which gave me the chance to share these messages with the world. I am a huge advocate for women in sales and motivating people to not just go through life but to GROW through life.

There will be two upcoming Heels to Deals book signing events taking place soon. The first one will be in Dallas Texas on June 16-17th and the second one will be in Los Angeles, CA on October 13th-14th. If you are interested in attending either of these to meet and mingle with several of the pioneers who are Heels to Deals contributors and who are helping to change the face of business-to-business sales, please reach out to Shawanda Roberts directly through LinkedIn and she will be happy to share the details.

Heels to Deals: How Women are Dominating in Business-to-Business Sales is currently available on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Walmart and Books A Million — order your copy today!

Shawanda RobertsIn her current role as Vice President of Sales, Americas, Frost & Sullivan, Shawanda leads a team of sales professionals who work with clients to help them accelerate their growth objectives through the company’s research and advisory solutions in thirteen different industries. She has served in additional sales leadership roles at Frost & Sullivan, providing market research and consulting services to C-level executives within the financial services community.

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