President
Posted on: 2013-04-26
LESLIE SHERIDAN
P.O. Box 726, Clearlake, CA 95(phone hidden)
(phone hidden) * (email hidden) * www.TheAddedEdge.com
* Business Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliemsheridan
Rainmaker & Trailblazer in Sales, Business Development & Marketing
SUMMARY: Seasoned, street-smart and savvy sales, marketing and business development executive with many years in national sales and marketing of services/products, covering all industries across 50 states; Consistently at the top of any sales team; Track record of taking start-ups and/or underdogs and “putting them on the map;” Innovative, entrepreneurial, out-of-the-box maven, and fearless cold calling queen with a penchant for doing the “impossible.” A demonstrated ability to sell a wide variety of services/products, (including BPO/managed, human capital, financial, ecommerce, call/contact center services, and solutions/services with an IT/SaaS component,) and a penchant for the sales hunt!
EXPERIENCE:
The Added Edge 9/1995 - Present
President, Chief Rainmaker, Trailblazer & Coach
A national consulting firm specializing in sales, marketing, human resources, and coaching
Predominant focus: sales and marketing
● Founded and directed sales and delivery of consulting services
● Partnered with Alexander & Alexander Consulting to launch their entry into the Fortune 1500 market, selling and providing sales coaching nationally, garnering sales of $2.5 million in the first year
● Sold and secured business nationally for two mid-sized consulting firm partners with Fortune 1500 firms including: Allstate, American National Can Company, Caterpillar, Inc., Cendant Corporation, City of St. Paul, Deluxe Corporation, Norwest Corporation, Safeway, Inc., US Bank System, and Zenith Electronics Corporation
● Overhauled and streamlined the proposal and sales process at Alexander & Alexander Consulting
● Designed sales training and trained the sales team at Alexander & Alexander Consulting, and a regional auditing and accounting consultant team at Watson Wyatt Worldwide on "SPIN Selling”
● Developed and presented sales motivation and strategic visioning sessions for Robert Half International and the March of Dimes Foundation
● Conducted national focus group recruiting campaign for American Airlines
● Planned and presented products/services at international and national trade shows
● Researched, streamlined and authored new policy guides for Metris Companies, Inc.
● Consulted with executives and their staffs, orchestrating a key organizational initiative at Northwest Aerospace Training Corporation
● Administered surveys and conducted related feedback and action-planning sessions
● Designed and conducted workshops and presentations at numerous organizations
● Devised, authored and edited national newsletter featuring articles by industry leaders
● Conducted focus groups at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, Inc.
● Reviewed website content for proper brand imaging, marketing layout and presentation
● Partnered with Clark Consulting to help expand their footprint in the Fortune 1500 market, selling and providing sales coaching nationally, across all industry verticals
● Conducted sales outreach campaign to enterprise and mid-market companies for SaaS company, securing meetings with Adobe Systems, Boeing, Compass Group USA, Robert Half International, Xerox, and others
IBM – WFS Workforce Solutions 6/1993 - 6/1995
Senior Business Development Consultant
A 1000-person start-up consulting firm
Predominant focus: sales
● Led the overhaul and re-launch of a failed start-up, from a marketing and sales standpoint
● Overhauled and implemented nine annual marketing plans, positioning a new business re-launch
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LESLIE SHERIDAN
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IBM – WFS Workforce Solutions (continued)
● Achieved top sales rank
● Executed national sales of consulting services and products, including BPO and contact/call center services, to executives in the Fortune 1500, securing sales of $800K in the first year (during which time orchestrated total marketing overhaul,) while generating deals worth $14 million in year two
● Secured business with Fortune 1500 companies including: Abbott Labs, Allstate, Ameritech, Budget Rent A Car, NRG Energy, U.S. West Communications and Zenith Electronics Corporation
● Proactively pursued and landed alliance with Proskauer Rose, LLP
● Created and conducted "Thinking BIG" sales training for 400 IBM executives and consultants
● Conducted market research, product readiness assessments, and restructured service offerings and pricing for nine business units
● Planned and conducted extensive interviews with service unit executives, focusing marketing direction and strategizing execution of tactical plans
● Defined strategy and tactics, including market segmentation, competitive analyses and pricing analyses
● Redirected marketing and sales strategies, increasing sales revenue and market share
● Overhauled and streamlined the sales proposals in collaboration with Proposal Center
● Advised IBM's advertising and public relations firms on market requirements for a new business, and reviewed promotional copy for market applicability.
● Developed and implemented promotional plans, including advertising, public relations and direct mail campaigns
● Designed and wrote product fulfillment and collateral pieces
● Planned and presented products/services at international and national trade shows
● Restructured service and product pricing, and forecasted revenue for nine service units
● Advised nine different service units on client needs to create winning client solutions.
● Received a Special Achievement Award for exemplary commitment to the development of a new business
Stanard & Associates, Inc. 11/1990 - 12/1992
VP, Client Relations
A small national consulting firm
Predominant focus: sales
● Pioneered national sales efforts, significantly enhancing its reputation across numerous industries and securing Fortune 1500 client accounts
● Prospected, cold-called, and conducted personal meetings with senior executives in national targeted Fortune 1500 companies, expanding prospect database by 1000% at national consulting firm
● Secured business nationally with Fortune 1500 companies including: Allied Van Lines, Allstate, Budget Rent A Car, Cargill, Carlson Companies, Ford Motor Company, Northwest Airlines, and U.S. West Communications
● Organized and conducted seminar series in key cities nationwide
● Wrote and edited copy for promotional collateral and direct mail pieces
● Consulted with senior executives in diverse industries on solutions for key initiatives
● Achieved top sales rank
National Computer Systems, Inc. 11/1988 - 11/1990
Product Marketing Manager
A start-up unit within a national company
Predominant focus: marketing
● Sold organizational assessment products and services nationally
● Created, developed and implemented annual marketing plans, tripling sales in a one-year period
● Initiated and managed the launching of two new product lines
● Defined strategy and tactics, including market segmentation, competitive analyses and pricing analyses
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National Computer Systems, Inc. (continued)
● Initiated and conducted market research, including planning and monitoring focus groups
● Developed and implemented promotional plans, including advertising, public relations, and direct mail campaigns
● Achieved front-page "Marketplace" placement in The Wall Street Journal, promoting product author
● Wrote and edited catalog copy and direct mail pieces
● Designed and wrote product fulfillment and collateral pieces.
● Formatted and conducted focus groups on product advertising
● Planned and presented products/services at international and national trade shows
● Trained telemarketing and customer service personnel on products
● Initiated and directed new product development and packaging
● Specified market requirements for new products
● Conceived, designed and edited the first user's guide for technical product, establishing a prototype for other product lines
● Restructured and revised product pricing, resulting in higher profit margins
● Established relationship with new business, resulting in the creation of new product line
Prior Career in Human Resources* 7/1982 - 11/1988
EDUCATION:
University of WI-Madison
Bachelor of Arts: Spanish and Sociology
● Years of personal development/transformation experience and coaching others in same
● SPIN Selling and training others in same
SKILLS:
Language: Spanish
Technology: Internet, PC, CRM software (including Salesforce.com and ACT,) word processing, and Excel
OTHER:
● Awarded prize by Working Woman magazine for essay on time-management strategies
● Co-created and acted in program for Akaku, Maui Community Television
● Conceived, authored, and published an international e-newsletter
● Published poet, lyricist, and article author
* A full chronological Human Resources Profile including prior human resources career, as well as a Sales Profile including more sales accomplishments are available upon request.
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