APPRECIATION
First Things First…

BDR appreciation week, which 6sense created and has championed, is an incredible five days of events, both virtual Q&As and physical events.

What has impressed me the most has been the C-level of different organisations also getting involved. That praise is so impactful.

Even better, Ernest asked me to speak with him and over 360 people about cold calling; it was a great time and full of outstanding interactions. If you want to watch a rerun, go here.

With all the mess about ‘AI replacing SDRs’, SDRs are still people; they are doing a thankless job and are primarily new to the workforce. So praise them, encourage them and coach them!

STUFF ONLINE
Content of the week

• More than 2 hours of meetings per day reduces productivity (shock!)

• What’s your workflow for generating qualified meetings?

• Check out this CEO/CMO alignment flow

THOUGHTS
What am I seeing this Week: SDR Leaders of EMEA show the need for community

Two months into building SDR Leaders of EMEA, I’m just so impressed by the people ive met and spoken with.

There are a few core themes that underline all the conversations ive had:

• EMEA Leaders want a voice on the global stage

• Leaders want to be connected to their peers in EMEA regularly

• Sometimes, people need a place for sanity checks

This, for me, makes the mission clear on what the community needs to be.

So, over the next few weeks and months, I’m going to facilitate a lot more opportunities for EMEA SDR leaders to connect and engage.

Follow us in this journey! Check out the LinkedIn page here.

For those new to the newsletter and like what you are seeing, please click on the subscribe button, and you’ll receive this top-quality newsletter in your inbox every Friday morning!

INTERVIEW
Five Questions of the Week: Vandana Agarwal

One of the underlying missions of this newsletter is to raise the profile of up-and-coming leaders around the world. This week is no exception with the interview of Vandana Agarwal. Vandana is an impressive individual when you speak with her. Creating a clear idea and vision of how SDR organisations should be led. We are really fortunate to have her join us today!

What is your leadership methodology? 
I believe in being a coach rather than just a manager. It's vital for your team to feel open enough to approach you about anything. Recognizing and rewarding their efforts and ensuring their career progression is on track are key aspects of my leadership approach.

If you could go into a time machine, and speak to Vandana as she began her sales career, what would be the one piece of advice you give her? 
If I could go back and speak to myself as I began my sales career, I would advise myself to build my style and brand early on by consistently delivering value, being authentic, and building trust with prospects and the sales community. Also, doubling down on my strengths has been crucial in my journey.

Who are some of the leaders who have made the most impact on you? Apart from my ex-manager- who would lead by example & trusted my abilities more than me, and gave me room to fail and correct. Josh Braun taught me the fundamentals of email communication. Kyle Vamvouris's data-driven approach has been inspiring. Sam Nelson's clarity on outreach methodologies and tactics has significantly impacted me.

What would be your advice to someone who wants to follow in your footsteps into leadership?
For those looking to follow in my footsteps into leadership, I suggest getting hands-on with new initiatives early on as an SDR. Go beyond your job description, take on challenging projects, and focus on problem-solving rather than just tasks. Enable the entire team with your learnings, build sequences, conduct A/B testing, and push yourself out of your comfort zone.

What would be your advice to someone wanting to move into SDR leadership?
My advice would be to gain a deep understanding of the sales development process hands-on and the challenges faced by SDRs. Develop strong coaching and mentoring skills and the ability to motivate and inspire your team. Building solid relationships with other leaders in the organization and learning from Industry peers are also key. Most importantly, never lose touch with the world of SDRing.

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GOOD READS
Book of the week

For readers of the Newsletter, you can benefit from 25% off! Just use EUROLEADER at checkout!

LASTLY
Whenever you’re ready, here are two ways I could help you

The new Community for European-based SDR leaders: SDR leaders of Europe

An ebook about SDR<> AE Alignment: Closing the Gap