SalesStar Triangle

United States

SalesStar is a sales transformation company empowering businesses around the world. 

The award-winning team of experienced sales people, business people, trainers and managers are passionate about the profession of selling and raising the performance and results of sales organisations.

We work with growth-oriented CEOs and executive sales leaders seeking tailored solutions to meet their specific needs. Those who are change-minded and willing to invest in their sales organisation in order to reach peak performance.

Combining sales specific research and proven best practices, we will provide you with a clear path to achieve your sales and business goals.

SalesStar
SalesStar Triangle

United States & Canada

SalesStar is a sales transformation company empowering businesses around the world. 

The award-winning team of experienced sales people, business people, trainers and managers are passionate about the profession of selling and raising the performance and results of sales organisations.

We work with growth-oriented CEOs and executive sales leaders seeking tailored solutions to meet their specific needs. Those who are change-minded and willing to invest in their sales organisation in order to reach peak performance.

Combining sales specific research and proven best practices, we will provide you with a clear path to achieve your sales and business goals.

SalesStar
SalesStar Triangle
Contact Us

United States & Canada

North America Head Office

13016 Eastfield Rd. Ste B200 #203
Huntersville, NC 28078

phone: +1 877-438-1355

email:

SalesStar Triangle
Meet The Team
Cassandra Marez SalesStar USA VP
Cassandra Marez
Vice President, USA Operations

Cassandra has 20 years of experience managing and improving back-office operations in both private and non-profit sectors. She started her career in a biomedical technology start-up where she was the executive assistant to the CEO. She grew in her role over several years and lead the support office staff as well as took on the role of the quality assurance manager in the company’s push to have their flagship products approved by the FDA.

Later in her career, she went to work for a venture-capital firm and was the Director of Operations. She loved working with the partners and other staff to create workflow processes and increase efficiency in day-to-day operations.

Most recently, Cassandra was working with a non-profit organization as a Regional Manager where she executed the growth of the company with hiring, customer service, and leadership mentoring.

Cassandra loves using her varied knowledge and skills to help SalesStar USA provide an exceptional quality of service to its clients, whilst supporting all members of the team to work efficiently, and supporting the company’s rapidly expanding business.

United States
Frank Niekamp SalesStar
Frank Niekamp
Practice Partner

Prior to starting my own sales team development consultancy, I have lead sales teams for 2 Fortune 500 companies – Mohawk Group and Shaw Industries, a division of Berkshire Hathaway, in addition to 14 years of success leading B2B sales teams for Mannington Mills, the largest privately held flooring manufacturer in the United States.

I pride myself on having recruited & coached Teams that turned long time prospects into loyal customers. This success includes winning the largest commercial accounts including: Macy’s, Big Lots, and Ford Motor Company to name a few.

My greatest passion is helping CEO’s and business owners put the pieces together that are required for a high performing sales team that produces predictable and goal smashing results.

United States
Jill Pedersen
Jill Pedersen
Practice Partner

Sales and marketing have been a part of Jill’s background for over 15 years. As a former Publisher and Business Development Manager, Jill has a solid foundation in building client relations,  networking and sales. She is proven in the area of sales processes, connecting, leading teams and managing goals. Additionally, having worked for a top marketing and communications firm, her experience with various industries ranges from agricultural companies, the manufacturing industry, non-profit organizations, food sales and digital commodities. She was invited to help launch two new companies (one domestic and one internationally) over the past five years and successfully built teams within those entities. In addition to client relations and business development, Jill held a long-standing career in direct sales where she was in the top 1% of sales representatives.

Jill has an extensive background in public speaking as well. Taking the stage for leadership and youth organizations both locally and nationally addressing topics that surround training, strategy and motivation.

“I have a passion for seeking out the best in people and an even bigger passion for being a connector and an influencer. I love helping businesses and teams within their business reach their goals and see success. I  build-in motivation, excitement and spark into everything that I do.”

Specialisation Areas

Client relations, prospecting, new business development, sales process, sales team management, account management, new business, public speaking and networking.

Sector Experience

Agriculture, leadership, food, digital commodities, non-profit.

Geographies

Jill has experience working throughout the United States and Canada

United States
Maggie Zwierko SalesStar
Maggie Zweirko
Practice Partner

Maggie is an enthusiastic and inspirational executive with experience collaboratively leading in organizations of all sizes. She brings simplicity, focus, and clarity for corporations and growing start-ups alike. Maggie has 18 years of experience in the Biotech industry working in sales, medical affairs, and management. Maggie has guided start-ups across multiple industries. Her manifold experiences and high performance has established her professional acumen as an award-winning sales professional, sales manager, director and results-focused leader.

Maggie holds a PhD in Public health, a Masters in Kinesiology, and is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Her diverse education at advanced levels in academia coupled with her professional experience and motivational drive as a former collegiate athlete and collegiate strength coach, she offers a unique combination of skills. She efficiently and objectively uncovers the shortest path to success, has proven success executing objectives to meet goals, and now helps foster the same in professionals, leaders and companies to accomplish theirs.

Maggie lives in North Carolina with her husband and three children.

“As a Division 1 basketball athlete, captain, and scholarship recipient, I have always been driven to be the best and help others be their best.”

United States
Steve Schaefer
Steve Schaefer
Practice Partner

Steve Schaefer is a seasoned creative sales and business leader who has a passion to coach and develop individuals and teams of people by setting them up to WIN at what they do! Steve has an extensive sales and leadership background developed over 30 years. During his career, he has had the privilege to lead high powered sales teams who achieved record breaking results. Over his corporate career, he has held positions as a salesperson, sales manager, Director/(G.M.), VP of Sales and President of companies ranging from small private companies to Fortune 500 corporations. Early in Steve’s career he served in the U.S. Navy Reserves for 12 years. Additionally, he studied, lived and has done business in Germany.

Specialization Areas

Over the last two years, he has owned his own business and sales coaching business, Set Up 2 Win. Primary focus areas include B2B Sales, Sales Leadership, Strategic Planning, Business Leadership and Executive Coaching.

Sector Experience

His focus industries have been in manufacturing and services businesses.

Geographies

Steve grew up in the St. Louis area, lived in Chicagoland for nine years and has resided in the Milwaukee Wisconsin area for just over 20 years. He and his wife Heather have three awesome daughters!

United States
Keith Davis US Georgia
Keith Davis
Practice Partner

Keith is a seasoned professional who has built his career on the principles of Strength-Based Leadership and Radical Candor. A Navy veteran, Keith brings a strong belief that people are the mission, you grow sales by growing people.

Throughout his nearly three-decade career, Keith has consistently led teams that surpass sales targets and drive growth. He has a track record of increasing revenue by a range of 35 to 120
percent. He has led teams across various industries including insurance, SaaS, and telecom. Keith’s proficiency in sales processes, comprehensive understanding of sales methodologies and analytical skills give him an understanding of the science of sales.

Keith possesses exceptional speaking abilities, captivating audiences as he shares his insights on motivation, strategy, and goal setting. Keith’s commitment to mentoring demonstrates his dedication to helping others succeed.

“I’m at my best when I get to pour into someone else, that’s where I get fed. There’s nothing like imparting a skill to someone that will serve them for the rest of their life. Even better is knowing that they will pass that skill along to someone else. That’s what life is about, making an impact that will ripple through a million lives.

Specialization Areas

Sales planning, sales process, sales team management, account management, new business, sales strategy and public speaking.

Sector Experience

Telecommunications, internet service, technology sales, professional services, field sales

Geographies

Keith has experience working throughout the United States

United States
Tom Starck
Tom Starck
Practice Partner
With over 20 years of experience, Tom Starck has seamlessly blended his background in team athletics and coaching with early sales success, propelling him to consistent advancement in sales leadership and operational endeavors. His journey has seen him lead within private organizations, private equity and Forture 250 conglomerates, across a wide revenue spectrum, ranging from $5M to nearly $400M, This diverse exposure has equipped Tom with a keen awareness of the internal and external pressures that challenge organizations on a daily basis.
Tom’s ability to lead and support teams of varying sizes, from two individual contributors to 65 sales and customer service professionals, has honed his capacity to relate to businesses of almost any scale. His experience in navigating businesses through recessions and periods of unprecedented growth underscores his understanding of the value of intentional investment in personnel development, irrespective of macro market conditions. Tom firmly believes that share gains can be achieved and retained in any environment through a steadfast commitment
to team and individual development.
“As a student of Sales and Leadership, I’ve witnessed the frustration when leaders become mired in firefighting or trapped in their ‘whirlwind.’ SalesStar affords me the opportunity to ensure that growth-minded executives prioritize team and individual development as a cornerstone of their year-over-year growth strategies. More efficient and productive leaders and salespeople not only deliver superior results for their companies but also foster greater engagement and loyalty, compounding the ROI beyond revenue growth.”

Specialization Areas

  • Servant Leadership
  • Coaching
  • Business Development
  • Account Management
  • Team Building
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Operations

Sector Experience

Automotive and Powersports, Manufacturing, Capital Equipment
 
United States
Tracey Stroeh
Tracey Stroeh
Practice Partner

Tracey Stroeh has been leveraging her strategic and creative thinking, writing and interpersonal communication skills in sales, marketing and communication roles for more than 30 years. Some of the nation’s largest real estate, healthcare, and senior living companies as well as not-for-profits and local government she served have benefited as a result.

Tracey’s sales expertise has consistently put her on the leaderboard by increasing occupancy and revenue across a variety of settings throughout the U.S., working with teams numbering from 7 – 30. Her ability to help coach others to surpass goals has inspired dozens of sales professionals to grow their careers within their companies and beyond.

Tracey’s volunteer associations also demonstrate her skills and desire to ‘give back’ to her community and profession by helping organizations strategize and evolve to expand their mission. “My strong desire to win — by helping others win! — has been my entire career’s guiding principle.

Helping CEOs, owners and other leaders understand ‘What’s your why,’ and then forging pathways together to elevate their success brings me the greatest satisfaction. Sometimes this growth involves challenging individuals to step outside their comfort zone, but when you help others see power within themselves they hadn’t envisioned, it’s compelling.”

“SalesStar’s proven tools and resources, delivered by truly compassionate and skilled experts, makes year-over-year growth possible for our clients, and I’m honored to be a part of it.”

Specialization Areas

Strategic Planning, Sales Management, Servant Leadership, Coaching, Business Development, Account Management, Team Building, Marketing and Communications.

Geographies

Based in the Midwest, Tracey has experience serving clients throughout the United States.

United States
Kevin Zwierko SalesStar US
Kevin Zwierko
Practice Manager
Kevin has over 20+ years’ experience in both military and commercial aviation. He has served in leadership roles in combat, as a subject matter expert in strategic operational planning, and as a flight instructor in the classroom as well as in the air. His technical expertise and high pressure leadership experiences have developed his abilities to accurately comprehend the “big picture” and execute the boldest of organizational visions.
Kevin’s ability to swiftly analyze stakeholder needs and steadily condense the most complex of materials into easily-understandable lessons is his biggest asset when developing leaders and organizations from good to great.

Kevin has spent his career helping others to grow personally and professionally and is excited to bring
that experience to businesses in partnering with them to facilitate growth and success.

Apart from his clients, Kevin enjoys his primary vocation as a husband and father and devotes his free
time to helping his church and community.

Specialization Areas

Executive coaching, strategic planning, instruction & training, operations, project management, leadership culture, team-building, process improvement, risk management, public speaking and networking.

Sector Experience

Aviation, military, leadership, non-profit.

Geographies

Kevin has experience working in 21 countries over five continents.
United States
Stephanie Elsaesser
Stephanie Elsaesser
Client Success Manager

Stephanie has over 15-years experience in B2B and B2C Client Success. She started her career as a primary school educator and after raising her family returned to the workplace in the marketing and non-profit field. In her most recent role she was responsible for the growth of a national nonprofit organization. She grew in the company from a Local Coordinator, to a Field Manager and then to a Regional Manager overseeing staff and operations in several states in the Southwest USA. She has a passion for people and leadership mentoring. Her skills in conflict resolution, attention to detail and adherence to process allow her to provide the best client experience for Salesstar clients.

In her spare time, Stephanie spends time with her family, camping, volunteering with the Boy Scouts and High School exchange programs.

Specialisation Areas

Client relations, mediation, recruiting, training, philanthrophy, account management, and networking.

Sector Experience

Education, Non-profit, Marketing & Communications

Geographies

Stephanie has experience partnering with clients in the United States, Europe, Mexico, South America and Asia.

United States
Ilse Urizar SalesStar USA
Ilse Urizar
Client Success & Operations Coordinator

Ilse has over 15 years of experience specializing in the financial sector. She worked at Citibank as a credit analyst then became part of the sales team prospecting.

In 2008, she joined GE Capital in the Customer Service area. She specialized in quality and implemented campaigns focusing on Customer Centricity. She developed and led the first customer call center for the company.

Her accomplishments in sales include reactivating 20% of the lost portfolio, winning the first distribution fleet contract, and closing the 2 most important Corporate Clients in the business, generating more than $10M USD of revenue.

United States
David Mullins SalesStar
David Mullins
High Performance Coach

I have developed my passion to help people be the best they can through many years in many different industries. I spent 10 years in full time ministry in churches and then as a Director of camp and retreat center in central Ohio. Continuing in the non profit sector, I was Director of Guest Services at a large Museum in Akron, Ohio.

In these roles, I learned not only sales strategy, implementation and customer service, but how to lead and coach large teams of both employees and volunteers. Since entering corporate America, I have been privileged to lead sales teams in two different Fortune 200 companies, winning numerous awards, but more importantly, coaching many sales professionals to great success.

My greatest professional joy is coaching people to join the right mindset, skillset and process to exceed their largest stretch goals.

To really understand me best, you have to know the best part about me. I am the most blessed man in the world! I have been married to my lovely wife (way better than I deserve) for over 25 years now and we have 7 beautiful children. We love to travel, explore and serve our community and church family together.

Specialization Areas

Sales Leadership, B2B Sales, Strategic Development, Executive Leadership Coaching, Process Development, Pipeline Management, Personal Motivation and Goal Setting.

Sector Experience

Insurance and Financial Services, Technology, Education, Restaurant and Hospitality, Manufacturing and Fabrication.

Geographies

David has experience working in the USA – Midwest, California & New England.

United States
Shawn Lacagnina SalesStar Coach
Shawn Lacagnina
High Performance Coach

With nearly four decades of business experience, Shawn specialises in growing organizations through developing high performance sales leaders, sales teams and sales strategy. Shawn works to improve clients’ lives and, through the ripple effect, change the world.  Drawing from a 35+ year background as a business owner, sales leader, executive recruiter, public speaker, and as someone that never got out of the day to day activities that grow business, he remains very focused on helping clients gain clarity in their situation and become more effective and efficient. Clients experience tremendous growth both personally and professionally leading to a better culture for their employees, family, friends, associates… and yes, the world.

Shawn is a Certified Business Coach and Sales Trainer. As a Distinguished Toastmaster, Shawn speaks regularly on subjects of interest to small business.

“I get great satisfaction from watching people and their companies grow. When I see their sales climbing, when I see them becoming more successful as a result, when I see managers transform into leaders and grow their teams, then I know why I get up every morning.  And nothing compares to the feeling of having people come back to me years later to say I changed their lives. It’s gratifying to be able to provide cutting edge sales and sales leadership learning programmes, diagnostics and business advice that helps individuals grow personally and professionally- and that sees clients reach and exceed their sales goals.”

Shawn is a husband, a father of three beautiful girls, a business geek, and driven to find improvement in just about everything.  He was raised in Houston, Texas mostly by a single mom who taught him to give 100% or don’t do it at all. He brings that work ethic to every client, every day.

 

Specialisation Areas

Sales planning and operations, sales process, sales stories, sales coaching and sales team management, pipeline management, relationship/account management, channel management, sales strategy, value proposition.

Sector Experience

Printing, promotional products, graphic design, marketing, energy, building and construction, education, engineering/electrical services, health, industrial equipment, tech services, trade show programs, recruiting, banking.

United States
Nicole Babel SalesStar
Nicole Babel
High Performance Coach

With over 20 years’ experience in sales and sales leadership, Nicole specializes in helping organizations reach their growth targets by developing high-performance sales teams and leaders.

As a former sales leader, Nicole has an impressive track record of turning around struggling teams and creating a high-performance sales culture.  Her commercial experience includes selling IT Infrastructure hardware and services, ERP and analytics software and consulting, office and janitorial products and SaaS in the finance and human resources space.  She has sold into the enterprise and SMB space, while working for small and Fortune 500 companies.  As a Strategic Account Manager, she sold software and consulting services to manufacturing clients headquartered all over the world.  Her clients have included businesses in non-profit, local/state government, manufacturing, health care, and professional services.

“I love developing people and watching them achieve their goals.  Ultimately, the growth in human capital is what creates value within the organizations and facilitates revenue growth.  It is very satisfying to see people reach their full potential and the impact it has on their organizations and their families.  I am thrilled to be able to offer cutting edge programs and advice to organizations ready to take their sales organization to the next level.”

Specialization Areas:

Sales Process, Leadership Development, coaching and sales team development, pipeline management, value proposition, strategic account management, new business development

Sector Experience:

Non-profit, professional services, manufacturing, health, technology, banking, building and construction, engineering, and state/local government

Geographies:

Nicole has worked with companies in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.  Nicole currently focuses on North America and is currently based in Columbus, OH.

In her free time, Nicole uses her coaching skills to volunteer as a Financial Coach for various non-profit organizations in the US.

United States
Don Clewell
Don Clewell
High Performance Coach

Don Clewell, a seasoned sales and go-to-market professional with over 25 years of experience in sales leadership, has successfully led both direct and indirect sales with teams ranging in size from 6 to over 400 sales professionals. The majority of his career has been dedicated to fostering growth and success within two organizations, Experian and LexisNexis Risk Solutions. At LexisNexis, he was a key part of the management team that launched the Risk Solutions business in 2003 and led transformative sales growth that enabled the business to grow both domestically and internationally and achieve well over $3b in annual revenue during his tenure.

Don’s passion lies in developing salespeople to reach their full potential and achieve both their personal and professional aspirations. His authentic and engaged leadership approach has enabled him to coach and mentor hundreds of high-performing sales and sales leadership professionals. Adept at identifying and implementing the most effective tools and processes to enable highly effective sales teams, Don has leveraged an operational mindset to establish best-practice sales operations and enablement frameworks to support growth in both small and large organizations.

The Financial Services segment has been a key area of focus throughout much of Don’s sales leadership career, enabling him to gain a deep understanding of the industry and leverage data and analytics solutions to help organizations achieve their objectives. Don’s experience also includes leading sales and go-to-market teams in consumer package goods data and analytics and pre-employment background screening. With an unwavering commitment to excellence, he has garnered a reputation as a sales and growth expert, continuously driving businesses to unprecedented success.

Residing in Taos, NM, Don enjoys the outdoor experiences found in the high desert of Northern New Mexico including skiing and hiking. He is avid fan of the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA team, foodie and lover of all things Italian.

Specialization Areas:

Go-to-market strategy, sales strategy, sales leadership and management coaching, sales operations/enablement, sales process, account management, team building

Sector Experience:

Financial Services, fintech, regtech, information services, employment background screening

Geographies:

Don’s experience includes working with customers throughout the US and Canada.

United States
Deena Pitzele
Deena Pitzele
High Performance Coach

With nearly three decades of Private Brands business and commercial leadership experience, Deena Pitzele is a former Chief Commercial Officer turned Strategic Growth Consultant. She has helped several Private Brands Manufacturers scale and grow exponentially as both a commercial leader and consultant.

She has subject matter expertise working with manufacturers and contract packers in the Private Brands industry. Her expansive career includes senior sales leadership positions with companies including General Mills, Supervalu, George Weston Limited, and Glencoe Capital.

Between 2012 and 2022, Deena worked in Private Equity as the sales and commercial lead for middle market consumer food and ingredient companies. In these organizations, she was part of senior management teams and actively engaged in M&A. In her most recent commercial role, she developed and implemented a strategic plan that delivered revenue growth of +28.5% and EBITDA growth of +60%.

Starting in 2022, she was named as Partner with The Partnering Group in Customer Development Practice for Private Brands. This led to joining Salesstar in late 2023 working with growth minded CEO and leadership teams on transforming their customer acquisition performance by unlocking a strategic sales process.

Deena is known as a thought leader with the unique ability to understand clients’ business challenges, analyse market conditions and partner with clients to build the tools necessary for the successful activation of growth initiatives.

Specialization Areas:

Customer acquisition, channel strategy, strategic sales process, target market, strategic messaging, talent assessment

Sector Experience:

Private brand food and beverage manufacturers; Private brand health and beauty manufacturers, industrial food and beverage ingredient manufacturers; consumer goods contract manufacturers.

Geographies:

Deena has experience working throughout North America and is currently based in Miami, Florida.

United States
Maryanne Hewitt High Performance Sales Coach
Maryanne Hewitt
High Performance Coach

Maryanne Hewitt is a high-performance coach with 30+ years of experience in business development, architectural design marketing, commercial interior design and project management. Maryanne specializes in growing organizations through developing high-performance sales leaders, sales teams and sales strategies.

Maryanne has extensive experience in manufacturer-dealership businesses having worked in both dealerships and on manufacturer teams in commercial flooring and furniture. She understands the complexities of manufacturer dealership dynamics, challenges and go-to-market strategies. In the early 2000’s she developed a successful marketing program for a Starnet Commercial Flooring Dealership in North Florida. Upon relocation to Dallas, TX Maryanne developed key accounts and dealership relationships for Milliken. In the furniture segment, Maryanne has been a designer for a Herman Miller dealership (St. Petersburg, FL) and a dealer business manager for Steelcase in Dallas, TX. In her regional sales manager role for Steelcase, Maryanne’s team was responsible for $60-$80 million dollars in business year over year. Maryanne was responsible for the hiring and development of sales talent on her team who managed high-profile client accounts including Hilton, Southwest Airlines, First Horizon Bank, Wells Fargo and Top Golf. She led business alignment meetings with leaders of top-performing dealerships creating sales strategies, implementing business development training and implementation, employee onboarding, new product training, client engagement activities and workplace transformation workshops.

Maryanne’s background also includes design and leadership experience in architecture firms. Working with HOK Tampa, FL and RS&H Dallas, TX she was on design teams for projects in the banking and financial industry, specialty medical facility design including CT and LINAC facilities, and high-profile clients such as Universal Studios and Outback Steakhouse. Maryanne owned her own award-winning firm in Jacksonville, FL receiving 2 USGBC awards and an AIA Honor Award for The Jacksonville Humane Society and Belcher Residence projects. In 2004 she was President of the Florida Chapter of the International Interior Design Association and has served on multiple professional organization boards and Councils. Maryanne holds active Interior Design licenses in the State of Florida and the State of Texas.

Specialization Areas:

Sales Planning and operations, sales process, sales coaching and sales team management, pipeline management, relationship/account management, channel management, sales strategy, value proposition.

Sector Experience:

Commercial Design and Construction, Commercial Flooring, Commercial Furniture

Geographies:

Maryanne has experience working in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Tennessee. Maryanne currently serves markets across the United States.

United States
Joe Friedman - SalesStar
Joe Friedman
High Performance Coach

With over three decades of sales and sales leadership experience, Joe specializes in helping businesses achieve significant increases in revenue through enhancing sales strategy, improving sales structure, streamlining sales processes, leveraging resources for talent acquisition/development, and building sales operations functions that support high-velocity
growth. As a former Sales Center Vice President for AT&T Business and a Vice President of Sales for a software company, Joe has successfully built new sales organizations, turned around struggling sales teams leading to 150% YoY growth, and grown existing teams with more than $250M in revenue.

“I am passionate about helping business leaders and salespeople accomplish results they did not think were possible through listening, building personal relationships, strategic planning, and meaningful performance coaching. The most satisfying aspect of my sales career has been witnessing the growth and development of the many salespeople and sales directors that I have supported. Knowing I played a meaningful role in their advancement has been extremely rewarding.”

Specialization Areas

  • Business and Sales Strategy
  • Sales Structure and Resources
  • Sales Process
  • Talent (Recruitment, Development & Performance Coaching)
  • Sales Operations

Sector Experience

Manufacturing, Software as a Service (SaaS), Technology, and B2B Service companies

Geographies

Joe has experience working throughout the United States and Canada.

United States
James Lakes
James Lakes
High Performance Coach

With over 25 years of experience, James’ journey from being a sports athlete to a business athlete has been an incredibly energizing, enlightening, and empowering one!

Combining the skills and learnings from countless hours in the gym, classroom, and various training sessions really lit up his passion for learning. Learning is growing, growing is a big part of life, and bringing value to others makes it all worthwhile. The words Change and Transformation are often used interchangeably but he’s adopted the following after reading The Primes, “Change fixes the past. Transformation creates the future.”

They are not mutually exclusive and depending on what your focus is, you need to adopt different game plans and schemes to be successful with either. Anyone who knows James knows that TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More) is not just a slogan but a way of life. Building strong teams and developing environments where they can perform at consistently high levels is my fuel. Having purposeful goals, being mindful of consistency, providing clarity, and building positive energy are all core attributes of strong teams. It takes practice.

James has led teams in sales, strategy, and operations at some of the largest and most successful companies in the world such as Microsoft (16 years) VMware (3 years), Salesforce (2 years), and has been an advisor at multiple early stage health tech/high tech companies over the years. James has led teams and businesses from $10M/10 people to $1B/400+ people. James is focused on Growth which he breaks down as (1) Growth of our people and teams to be world-class value creators for their customers, (2) Growing an organizations impact and brand across their chosen ecosystem, and (3) growing revenue and business using #1 and #2 as the fuel.

Every Partnership, like every relationship, is an imperfect union and orchestrating them like any good Point Guard, is daily work for James. James works feverishly to score points that Change and Transform what can be accomplished by focusing on doing the Right Thing, the Right Way, Every Single Day.

Specialization Areas:

Sales Strategy, Sales Process, GTM Assessments/Development, Sales Coaching, Sales Team Leadership, Channel Development/Management, Value Proposition, Public Speaking

Sector Experience:

Healthcare, Health Tech, High Tech, Professional Services, Retail, Manufacturing, Financial Services

Geographies:

Based in Nashville, with experience working across the USA, Canada, and Europe.

United States
Jeff Lowe
Jeff Lowe
High Performance Coach

With over 30 years of experience coaching and leading, Jeff has had the privilege of guiding individuals—both young people and professionals—toward personal growth and peak performance. Through a compassionate and joyful approach, Jeff has mentored and coached across diverse settings, assessing unique skills and talents to unlock potential, while fostering an environment of support and development in both personal and professional arenas.

With a wide range of roles throughout his career from camp counselor to Regional Vice President, Jeff has had the opportunity to lead and coach in various environments, each offering valuable lessons in leadership and strategy. Through these experiences, Jeff has developed a deep understanding of effective frameworks that drive impact and growth, both personally and professionally. By applying these strategies, Jeff has consistently guided teams and individuals to achieve their highest potential while navigating complex business challenges with clarity and purpose.

Throughout Jeff’s career at leading technology companies including NetApp, Microsoft, VMware, Salesforce, and Google, Jeff has consistently overachieved on sales quotas—surpassing targets by 101%, 115%, 123%, and 128%. In addition to delivering exceptional performance, Jeff grew an underperforming region from $18MM to $58MM in just 20 months. Jeff also has a proven track record of revitalizing underperforming territories and helping struggling team members turn their results around, demonstrating his ability to drive both individual and team success.

Jeff lives the action-packed life of a dad, a traveler, and a storyteller. He is an adept communicator with a penchant for relationship and partnership management and boasts a robust academic background with a Bachelor of Arts in French and International Business from North Central College, Naperville, IL.

Specialization Areas:

Sales Strategy, Sales Process, Sales Coaching, Prospecting, Alliance Planning & Readiness, Sales Team Leadership, Channel Development/Management, Value Proposition, Public Speaking

Sector Experience:

Healthcare, Health Tech, High Tech, Professional Services, and Automotive

Geographies:

United States, UK, France

United States
Barry Timmins
Barry Timmins
High Performance Coach

Barry specializes in helping business owners and executives grow their company’s revenues and profits  through improving their sales strategies, activities and capabilities. With 30 years of experience in sales,  leadership, and business ownership, he has a proven track record of driving growth in sales teams across  diverse industries. Outside of work, Barry enjoys cycling, playing pickleball and spending time with family  and friends.

Specialization Areas:

Sales Team Diagnosis: As a Certified Assessor with Objective Management Group (OMG), Barry uses  OMG’s Sales Team Evaluation to provide business owners and executives with valuable insight into the  best areas and ways to improve their sales team’s performance. This comprehensive evaluation: a)  calculates sales role fits and growth potential, b) measures activities, mindsets, and skills, and c) uncovers  barriers to growth that need to be understood and addressed. 

System Performance: Barry helps clients achieve measurable, predictable, and more profitable revenues  by integrating and coaching SalesStar’s high-performance sales processes into their sales system. With  extensive experience implementing new sales processes and technologies with sales teams and having  helped many companies improve their ISO processes and results, Barry knows how to implement better  processes to achieve better results. 

Sales Training: With experience as a Corporate Sales Trainer, Barry has successfully trained hundreds of  salespeople and numerous Sales Managers in selling and coaching methodologies. He leverages this  experience to design and implement coaching and training programs that sales professionals find  engaging and applicable to improve their sales mindsets, skills and performance. 

Sales Recruiting: With extensive experience hiring salespeople across various industries, Barry  understands the significant benefits that hiring top performers provide to revenue growth and team  morale, as well as the challenges of sourcing and hiring these elite salespeople. That’s why he is excited to  help Hiring Managers integrate SalesStar’s high-performance sales recruiting processes and technologies  into their recruiting programs, to hire top performers while reducing their hiring timelines, costs and risks.  

Sector Experience:

Natural gas producers and energy utilities, Industrial companies and government agencies and  Organizations implementing various ISO Management Systems and Training

Geographies:

Barry has sold in most US States and Canadian Provinces and has lived in South Carolina, Texas and  Nova Scotia. 

United States
Tanya Thirlwall-Diaz
Tanya Thirlwall-Diaz
Business Development Manager

Tanya is a seasoned sales and operations leader, known for driving organizational growth through a  focus on process optimization and a growth-oriented mindset. As a former sales trainer and Director  of People Operations, she has successfully enhanced organizational effectiveness by up to 40%.  With experience in commercial and residential construction, accounting, and insurance, Tanya has a  comprehensive understanding of business from both the employee and employer perspectives, with  strong financial acumen.

In addition to her professional expertise, Tanya is passionate about research and writing on higher  education and cultural differences. Her well-rounded insights benefit all stakeholders. In 2020, she  received global recognition from the Institute of Managerial Accountants as their Exemplary Young  Professional, followed by a 2021 “Best of the Best” award from her local leadership community.  Bilingual in English and Spanish, Tanya is deeply committed to developing people and organizations  to their full potential, saying, “I find great fulfillment in seeing growth occur when results shift toward  a more positive and uplifting direction.” 

Specialization Areas:

Sales planning and operations, people operations, sales process, sales coaching and sales team  management, pipeline management, relationship/account management, channel management, sales  strategy, value proposition.

Sector Experience:

Accounting Firms, Building and Construction, Education, Health, HVAC, Industrial Equipment

Geographies:

Tanya has experience working within US markets, specifically in the South and along the Texas Mexico border.

United States
Jason Rigolli
Jason Rigolli
Business Development Manager

With over 20 years in revenue generation, Jason has grown from a salesperson to Chief  Revenue Officer. With this experience, Leaders looking to maximize their company’s potential and drive sustainable growth rely on Jason.

Jason started his career co-founding two small businesses, that he scaled and sold; Jason understands the founder’s journey and it equips him with a unique perspective. 

Specialization Areas:

Aligning Marketing, Sales, and CS into an effective and cohesive Revenue Engine. Revenue  Operations. Optimizing sales strategy, process, and execution; transforming the companies’  sales culture, implementing new sales processes, and instilling best practices.

Sector Experience:

B2B software, services, and SaaS 

Geographies:

Jason worked in Montreal and Toronto, Canada with overall accountability for National  growth. Jason has been responsible for global teams in 13 countries. For the past 5  years, Jason has worked in Austin, Texas leading revenue growth for SaaS companies and more  recently consulting. 

United States
SalesStar Triangle
Global Head Office Team
Paul O’Donohue
CEO
  • First ten years of working career as an industrial electrician (Diploma of Electrical Engineering) – realised most tradespeople were poor at sales and wanted to learn more
  • Sales Engineer for PDL Electronics
  • Key Account Manager, Tyco Electronics
  • Moved to Recruitment Industry – strong interest in assessment tools that could help identify the traits of a successful salesperson
  • Post Grad Diploma of Business Administration
  • Owner of Business Consultant franchise (2003)
  • Founded SalesStar (2005)
  • Member of EO (The Entrepreneurs’ Association) and board member for New Zealand for the past four years

I have always been passionate about making a difference, helping to grow people in order to grow sales. I particularly enjoy helping entrepreneurs develop the sales strategy and disciplines they require to maximise their growth. We literally give CEOs the clarity to help “engineer sales success”. Over the years we’ve been instrumental in aiding our clients to grow their markets, putting the science behind sales success so they could grow by as much as 146%. I gain great satisfaction out of using my unique blend of skills and experience to pragmatically solve complex sales challenges and help companies map out a clear path to grow. I’m a strong advocate for three things: for setting goals that stretch, for lifelong learning and for developing a supportive mindset for success. I live by the philosophy “If you’re not getting out of your comfort zone, you are not growing.”

Australia, New Zealand, United States, Sweden, United Kingdom, Mexico
Kat Davey
Kat Davey
Chief Operating Officer
  • Bachelor of Commerce in Administration – Double major: Psychology and Marketing
  • Post-graduate diploma in Banking
  • HR role at ANZ – formulated policies around internal job advertising and implemented a new performance review process – and first learned sales techniques by having to “sell” these to executives, management and staff
  • Sales Territory Rep – EFTPOS business at ANZ Bank (when you still needed to explain what it was!)
  • Sales Manager – EFTPOS business at ANZ Bank
  • Account Manager – SoftEd (a software development training company)
  • National Sales Manager –SoftEd
  • Commission-only Sales Rep – Angela Stott Photography
  • Start-up business – Time for Kids

I consider my role to be like that of an orchestra conductor – making sure all the moving parts come together in harmony for best effect. I love the fact that what we do at SalesStar is like throwing a stone in a pond; the ripples that emanate have such positive consequences for the well-being of both businesses and individual lives. The knowledge that I play a definitive role in how well this happens brings me great satisfaction. Part of this is getting the right people in place, and establishing the right culture so we can provide the right customer experience. Furthermore, I love helping my clients achieve the same result. This is something that is easy to say but more difficult to achieve. I am privileged to be able to combine the expertise I’ve gained on my journey, with my innate curiosity about people and how they work, to best advantage. I also love being able to use my specialist knowledge in Objective Management Group tools to help businesses gain much-needed clarity around their issues and to assist them to find the top-performers they need to grow their businesses even further.

Global Team
Alex Chan SalesStar
Alex Chan
Global Director of Learning
  • Sales background in stationery, printing, business equipment, capital equipment, professional services and diamonds. Smallest sale – $5. Biggest sale- $15,000,000
  • Leader of sales teams as a sales manager, contract sales manager and RFP project leader. Responsible for budgets between $2m – $100m.
  • Assisted clients to grow their sales between 20-300% – in one case played a key role in doubling sales from $50m to $100m

I get great satisfaction from watching people and their companies grow. When I see their sales climbing, when I see them becoming more successful as a result, when I see managers transform into leaders and grow their teams, then I know why I get up every morning. And nothing compares to the feeling of having people come back to me years later to say I changed their lives. It’s gratifying to be able to provide cutting edge sales and sales leadership learning programmes, diagnostics and business advice that helps individuals grow personally and professionally- and that sees clients reach and exceed their sales goals.

Global Team
Leigh Parker SalesStar
Leigh Parker
Head of Capability & Performance

Leigh is an experienced professional with a strong background in business and capability development.

He has over 25 years of business management, sales and capability development experience both domestically and internationally.

From 16 years with McDonald’s, Leigh understands the value of systems having learnt the business from the ground up. His roles included managing Franchising and Training for McDonald’s New Zealand, to becoming a Franchisee.

From there Leigh has held senior Sales, Account Management and Learning & Development roles for companies such as Fonterra. Adding some years consulting in the area of Sales & Leadership development, Leigh has facilitated & coached sales teams directly while also training coaches to do the same.

Leigh is known for his genuine passion for people development, business acumen and making a difference.

Global Team
Lisa Carter SalesStar
Lisa Carter
VP Global Partnerships

15 years in Senior Leadership roles working in the SaaS, Management Consultancy and Investment Banking Industries. I’ve been involved in deploying three different operating models, converted a consulting business to a SaaS model, and have solid business acumen on the operational aspects of running a business. I developed and delivered a global services operating model to deliver a concierge Client Experience to our customers, ready to scale.

Personal Achievements:

2018 | Finalist in the Top Women in Leadership – SaaS (3,460 nominations, I had over 80 Nominations)
2018 | Multiplier of the Year Nominee ( The MOY Award is an international contest to recognize leaders who amplify the intelligence of those around them )

Global Team
Grant Holland SalesStar
Grant Holland
Franchise Business Manager & Executive Coach
  • Past National Sales, Head of Sales, Director of Sales and CEO roles
  • Former sales director of Wormald, taking the company from $50 million to $100 million inside three years to number one in the Tyco group worldwide
  • Headhunted by Westpac to become head of Westpac High Performance for commercial and agri. 800 sales staff reporting via 35 managers. Tripled market share
  • Instrumental in growing SalesStar by over 60% in 2016

If I had to summarise what motivates my life, it’s all encapsulated in SalesStar’s vision: “To become absolutely integral in the economic growth of Australia and New Zealand. Values led and purpose driven, we challenge, we stretch, we grow. We started from humble beginnings and we will leave as better ancestors…” I am a great believer in stretching people’s aspirations so they become the best versions of themselves and in doing so, make our countries stronger. I am deeply motivated by the idea of creating a legacy and sharing with people all I have – and the best from the world – almost as if it were the last chance to do so.

Global Team
Roberta O'Donohue
Roberta O’Donohue
Administrator
Global Team
Lauren Davey SalesStar
Lauren Davey
Finance Manger
  • Certificate in Bookkeeping
  • Diploma in Xero
  • Fathom Certified Advisor
I do the day to day bookkeeping in the SalesStar Australasia Practice and SalesStar Global Head Office. I also help onboard and train new SalesStar Practices on our processes so our financial reporting is consistent and accurate.
I also work closely with Michelle Horn in Client Services for SalesStar Australasia’s large and special client projects.
Global Team
Victor Montalvo
Victor Montalvo
Chief Marketing Officer

Victor joined SalesStar as a Fractional CMO in February 2024.

Global Team
Oliver Eaton
Oliver Eaton
Marketing Manager

Oliver is part of the SalesStar Head Office and is responsible for global marketing efforts, data analysis, content creation and is SalesStar’s Social Media Manager.  Oliver also specialises in organic lead generation, social media strategies and marketing integrations within SaleStar.

Based in the UK, Oliver graduated from the University of Huddersfield in Broadcast Journalism and has been the media manager of Huddersfield Town Women FC and Marsden FC. He joined SalesStar in 2021 as part of the UK government’s kickstarter scheme which provides entry level roles into the industry.

In his spare time, Oliver can be found either walking throughout the beautiful Yorkshire countryside, playing video games or watching football at his local football club, Huddersfield Town.

“I am really excited to be at SalesStar. The ability to learn, develop and practice my skills is unlike any other companies I have worked for before. At SalesStar we pride ourselves on making excellent relationships between clients, and that is mirrored between all my colleagues.”

Global Team
Name
Practice (multi tick: eg New Zealand, Australia)
Position

Biography

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