In this episode of Resilience Rocks Sales, host Stacey welcomes Xiang Li, a mental health counsellor and art therapist, to discuss the issue of burnout, particularly in the sales industry. Xiang shares personal experiences and professional insights into the causes and symptoms of burnout, emphasising that it is not just limited to sales professionals but can affect anyone, including leaders, managers, and parents. Key symptoms like extreme tiredness, resistance to work, cravings for junk food, and anger are discussed, providing listeners with a framework to identify burnout in themselves or others.

Xiang recounts her own journey with burnout, from her time in the sales and marketing industry to becoming an art therapist. She highlights the importance of recognising the warning signs early and the detrimental effects if left unaddressed, such as depression and suicidal tendencies. Xiang also dispels myths about psychiatric care, explaining it’s not just for severe cases but can be beneficial for anyone struggling with mental health. She highlights the importance of slowing down, self-care, and understanding one's own limits to effectively manage stress and avoid severe burnout.

The discussion digs into practical tips and strategies to prevent burnout. Xiang suggests small, manageable steps like incorporating self-care routines, eating healthily, high-quality sleep, and practicing mindfulness and meditation. She shares how even brief moments dedicated to self-care, like longer showers or stepping outside for fresh air, can significantly improve mental well-being. Music and art are also highlighted as therapeutic outlets. The conversation ends with a reminder that being in tune with one’s mental health is crucial for long-term sustainability in both personal and professional life.

Connect with Xiang at https://www.linkedin.com/in/xiangliarttherapy/

Connect with Stacey on LinkedIn or Instagram

Listen to Resilience Rocks playlist on Spotify

About Xiang:

Xiang Li is a registered Professional Art Therapist (AThR), counsellor and award-winning artist. Xiang has lived experience with mental health. Xiang is committed to use art and art therapy to support better mental health and well-being in our society.

In this episode of Resilience Rocks Sales, Stacey is joined by Regan Barker, Head of Revenue Operations at Grant Thornton. The two discuss Regan's career journey from marketing in professional services to her current role, where she extends sales capabilities and integration between sales, marketing, and revenue profitability. Regan shares how she builds and nurtures her team and emphasises the importance of resilience in achieving long-term success.

Regan takes us deep into intelligent sales strategies that focus on building long-term relationships, rather than quick sales. She brings fresh perspectives on embedding great practices within a firm, leveraging sales enablement, and ensuring alignment between different business functions. The episode also touches on personal practices for building resilience, including meditation and journaling, and the significance of positive self-talk.

If you would like to connect with Regan, she is an active LinkedIn user and enjoys early morning virtual or face-to-face coffees. You can find her at https://linkedin.com/in/ReganBarker

Highlights:

- Transition from marketing to revenue operations leadership

- Importance of aligning sales and marketing teams

- Role of resilience in sales success

- Building a strong sales enablement structure

- Strategic long-term relationships vs. quick-win tactics

- Personal resilience practices from journaling to fitness goals

- Critical role of continual learning and team support

In this episode of Resilience Rocks Sales, we get to know the inspiring journey of Maranda Dziekonski. Maranda, a remarkable leader in the customer success space, shares her story of overcoming extreme poverty, and other adversities from her childhood in rural Michigan. Her path is a testament to resilience, having navigated through significant life challenges such as early emancipation, becoming a single mother at a young age, and establishing a successful career.

Maranda discusses the pivotal moments in her life that led her to choose a path of resilience and self-improvement. She sheds light on the importance of having a supportive community, sharing anecdotes about her grandmother's life-changing advice and her husband's unwavering encouragement. Her narrative demonstrates how emerging from hardship with a mindset geared toward growth and self-belief can lead to extraordinary outcomes, both personally and professionally. Maranda's determination and success story are sure to resonate with and inspire many.

The episode also touches upon leadership strategies, particularly in startup environments. Maranda emphasizes the need for resilience in early-stage startups, discussing the challenges that come with unpredictability and rapid changes. She provides insights on how leaders can effectively support their teams through communication, directness, and adaptability. Maranda also reflects on her experiences handling difficult situations like company layoffs and maintaining team trust and morale during tough times. This episode is packed with valuable lessons on resilience, leadership, and personal growth that will benefit anyone facing challenges in their careers or personal lives.

Connect with Maranda on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/marandaanndziekonski/

Connect with Stacey on LinkedIn or Instagram

Listen to Resilience Rocks playlist on Spotify

About Maranda:

Maranda Dziekonski is the SVP of Customer Success and Ops at Datasembly. Maranda has over 20 years of experience both working in and building world-class operations.

She has extensive experience building and scaling teams in early and mid-stage startups and has been part of 4 companies with successful exits (one unicorn). Fun fact: Maranda is now working on her 9th startup!

While she has owned everything from sales and marketing, HR, biz ops, and various other functions, her passion remains with Customer Success.

Maranda has been honored as a Top 50 CCOs to Watch, Top 25 Customer Success Influencer for 2021, 2022, and 2023, and various other awards for CS and Leadership. She also sits on numerous boards and is on the advisory board for the University of San Francisco's Customer Success and Insights MBA Program.