What if you could accelerate your sales career from SDR to CRO in just five years?


Join host Nicola Anderson on this episode of Scale Sessions as she welcomes Nazma Qurban, Co-Founder of Flooencer, to explore her inspiring rise from cold calling at 15 to becoming a CRO. Nazma shares how mentorship, authentic leadership, and capacity planning shaped her journey, while also unpacking how B2B influencer marketing is transforming sales. Listeners will learn why following proven paths can accelerate growth, how to nurture talent effectively, and why showing up early matters more than you think. Packed with actionable insights, this conversation is a must-listen for aspiring sales leaders and go-to-market innovators.

What you will learn:

• How starting in sales at age 15 laid the foundation for a successful career trajectory
• Why following established career paths can lead to faster progression
• The framework for building predictable revenue through detailed capacity planning 
• How to identify and nurture sales talent through effective hiring practices 
• Why the "water your own garden" principle is crucial for career development 
• The evolution of B2B buying behavior and why influencer marketing is becoming critical 
• How to integrate thought leadership into your go-to-market strategy 
• The importance of authentic leadership and bringing your whole self to work
• Why process creation and letting go are essential skills for scaling leadership roles
• The power of specific, problem-focused approaches when seeking mentorship
  
  

Nazma Qurban is Co-Founder of Flooencer, the B2B influencer platform transforming how brands like Snowflake, Fiverr, and AWS connect with audiences. A former CRO who helped scale Cognism from 0 to $10M ARR, she has delivered 1,000+ LinkedIn influencer campaigns and is recognised as a Top SaaS Leader by Sales Confidence. Known for her intensity and passion for building, Nazma speaks globally at SaaStr and SaaStock, while advising, mentoring, and investing in the tech space.

Scale Sessions offers you straight-talking, unfiltered chats with growth leaders. We bring real-world insights from female revenue leaders on the front lines. Our guests are hands-on change-makers navigating the daily challenges of scaling businesses. Whether you're a CRO, VP of Sales, or a marketing leader, Scale Sessions delivers candid, no-nonsense advice to help you boost revenue and overcome growth roadblocks. Get ready for practical takeaways you can implement immediately for real impact.

Let’s start scaling.

What if the key to growth isn’t more leads, but fixing what’s broken in your funnel?
Join host Nicola Anderson on this episode of Scale Sessions as she welcomes Hannah Ajikawo, founder of Revenue Funnel, to discuss transforming go-to-market strategies through smarter processes, cultural audits, and how to integrate AI with a human touch. From her unique start in criminology to leading high-performance sales transformations, Hannah reveals how understanding human behaviour can solve pipeline problems, align teams, and build inclusive environments that drive real results. Expect actionable insights that challenge conventional sales wisdom and empower revenue leaders to scale with purpose.
What you will learn:

• Why cultural audits are crucial for uncovering hidden organisational challenges 
• How to leverage AI effectively by focusing on creating new possibilities 
• The "Symbiotic Sale" framework for beneficial relationships between buyers and sellers
• Why you need to fix middle-funnel issues before generating more leads at the top
• How to build and leverage a "stealth team" ecosystem of experts for GTM solutions
• How to navigate investor expectations while maintaining realistic growth targets 
• The critical role of clear communication and expectation-setting in successful leadership

Hannah Ajikawo, the CEO and founder of Revenue Funnel, has worked with over 40 B2B go-to-market teams to fix broken sales engines and drive scalable growth. With a proven track record in optimising sales processes, boosting pipeline creation, and closing high-value deals, Hannah equips teams with frameworks that adapt to changing markets. Her approach integrates tightly with the B2B buyer journey, enabling companies to grow faster, reduce risk, and increase revenue, without sky-high acquisition costs.

Scale Sessions offers you straight-talking, unfiltered chats with growth leaders. We bring real-world insights from female revenue leaders on the front lines. Our guests are hands-on change-makers navigating the daily challenges of scaling businesses. Whether you're a CRO, VP of Sales, or a marketing leader, Scale Sessions delivers candid, no-nonsense advice to help you boost revenue and overcome growth roadblocks. Get ready for practical takeaways you can implement immediately for real impact.
Let’s start scaling.

What if you could turn your sales teams into robust growth engines by generating 25% of your pipeline through AI without losing the human touch?
Join host Nicola Anderson on this episode of  Scale Sessions as she welcomes Saima Rashid, SVP of Marketing and Revenue Analytics at 6sense. Together, they discuss how AI is reshaping modern marketing and sales. Saima shares how companies can drive up to 25% of pipeline through AI while enhancing, rather than replacing, human teams. She also shares strategies for balancing brand and demand, integrating AI with SDR workflows, and aligning remote-first teams for success. From selecting first-use AI cases to building diverse leadership, this episode offers actionable insights for marketing and revenue leaders seeking to scale operations without compromising the human touch that drives exceptional customer experiences.
What you will learn:

• How to use AI agents to generate 25% of your pipeline
• Why the modern marketing leader must balance brand building and demand generation 
• How to transition BDR teams to phone-focused roles while automating email with AI
• The framework for selecting and implementing your first AI use cases 
• Why diversity in leadership drives better business outcomes 
• How to build effective go-to-market strategies that influence the 81% of buying decisions made before sales engagement
• The importance of creating integrated customer journeys 
• How to maintain team alignment and drive AI adoption in remote-first organisations 
• Why data-driven decision-making remains crucial for measuring success 

Saima Rashid is a five-time industry award-winning Marketing and RevOps leader with over 20 years of experience across B2B and B2C sectors. Now, SVP of Marketing and Revenue Analytics at 6sense, she brings a data-driven approach to revenue growth and go-to-market strategy. With a background in business and revenue analysis, Saima has analysed over 14,000 companies and is known for driving organisational change through insights and operational excellence. Her leadership blends analytical rigour with a deep understanding of modern marketing dynamics.
Scale Sessions offers you straight-talking, unfiltered chats with growth leaders. We bring real-world insights from female revenue leaders on the front lines. Our guests are hands-on change-makers navigating the daily challenges of scaling businesses. Whether you're a CRO, VP of Sales, or a marketing leader, Scale Sessions delivers candid, no-nonsense advice to help you boost revenue and overcome growth roadblocks. Get ready for practical takeaways you can implement immediately for real impact.
Let’s start scaling.

What if the key to building high-performing sales teams isn’t just strategy, but science?
In this episode of Scale Sessions, hosts Tom Lavery and Nicola Anderson welcome Sim Riordan, Commercial Director at Reward Gateway, who shares a framework for high-performing sales teams by connecting behavioural science with sales strategies. Sim shares how personality assessments and psychometric testing can unlock team potential, drive better decision‑making, and foster psychological safety in high‑pressure environments. Discover the “Social Proof Framework” for trust in B2B sales, strategies for structuring impactful one‑on‑ones, and insights from research on women’s career progression in tech sales. Learn practical tools for inclusive leadership, mission alignment, and navigating challenging conversations, all to strike a balance between commercial success and personal development.
What you will learn:

• How to leverage behavioural science principles to architect better sales processes 
• The "Social Proof Framework" for building trust and reducing risk in B2B sales 
• How to structure one-to-one meetings for maximum impact and psychological safety
• Why personality assessments and psychometric testing can unlock team potential 
• The "Snakes and Ladders" principle of women's career progression in tech sales
• How to create inclusive environments to foster feedback and difficult conversations 
• The importance of mission alignment for sustained sales success and motivation
• Why cognitive dissonance in sales processes can hinder customer decision-making
• How to support returning parents in high-pressure sales environments 

Sim Riordan is a commercial leader, psychologist, and DEI advocate with deep expertise in behavioural science and tech sales. Blending academic insight with frontline sales leadership, she helps B2B teams thrive through purpose-led, inclusive strategies. Her MBA research explored the career journeys of 21 mid-career women in tech sales, uncovering key success factors and barriers. Passionate about unlocking human potential, Sim specialises in psychometric testing, leadership development, and people analytics to build high-performing, human-centred sales cultures where belonging, wellbeing, and recognition flourish.
Scale Sessions offers you straight-talking, unfiltered chats with growth leaders. We bring real-world insights from female revenue leaders on the front lines. Our guests are hands-on change-makers navigating the daily challenges of scaling businesses. Whether you're a CRO, VP of Sales, or a marketing leader, Scale Sessions delivers candid, no-nonsense advice to help you boost revenue and overcome growth roadblocks. Get ready for practical takeaways you can implement immediately for real impact.
Let’s start scaling.

In this episode of Scale Sessions, hosts Tom Lavery and Nicola Anderson speak with Sharon Mahoney, a Strategic Sales and Operations Consultant, about transforming sales data into a revenue-driving force. They explore how to pinpoint slippage in the sales funnel, use AI for call analysis, and align teams through shared metrics. Sharon shares a three-pillar framework, technology, processes, and people for adapting to modern sales challenges. Packed with practical strategies, the conversation empowers business leaders to turn insights into action and drive sustainable growth in today’s evolving marketplace.
What you will learn:

• How to transition from traditional sales roles to data-driven leadership 
• Why examining conversion rates at every stage of the sales funnel is critical
• The three-pillar framework for business evolution: technology, processes, and people
• How to leverage AI for sales call analysis and performance improvement 
• Why incremental improvements across multiple sales stages can compound to significant revenue growth
• The "Data + Human" approach to understanding sales performance
• How to break down silos between sales, marketing, and finance teams 
• Why challenging "good enough" performance metrics can uncover substantial growth 
• The importance of adapting sales processes to changing buyer expectations 
• How to use AI tools strategically while maintaining data security and team confidence

Sharon Mahoney is a results-driven Strategic Sales and Operations Consultant with a proven track record of exceeding commercial, performance, and growth targets. Rising through the ranks thanks to her work ethic and strategic mindset, she brings deep expertise in sales management, HR, compliance, and customer service. Sharon specialises in driving change, developing high-performing teams, and optimising KPIs to boost efficiency and impact. With strong leadership and stakeholder skills, she’s passionate about aligning people, processes, and technology to transform operations and unlock sustainable business growth.
Scale Sessions offers you straight-talking, unfiltered chats with growth leaders. We bring real-world insights from female revenue leaders on the front lines. Our guests are hands-on change-makers navigating the daily challenges of scaling businesses. Whether you're a CRO, VP of Sales, or a marketing leader, Scale Sessions delivers candid, no-nonsense advice to help you boost revenue and overcome growth roadblocks. Get ready for practical takeaways you can implement immediately for real impact.
Let’s start scaling.

In this episode of Scale Sessions, host Nicola Anderson is joined by Shabri Lakhani, Chief Revenue Officer at ScreenCloud, who talks about her evolution from door-to-door sales to scaling global revenue teams. Shabri shares how to build high-performing sales teams using her “Four S’s Framework”s. The conversation dives into restructuring teams, experimenting with AI SDRs, and building thriving enterprise sales functions. With hard-won insights on coaching, market segmentation, and leadership alignment, this episode is a must-listen for revenue leaders navigating the leap from SMB to enterprise sales.
What you will learn:

• How to build effective sales training programs that balance innate and teachable skills
• The "Four S's Framework": skills, structure, strategy, and systems
• Why enterprise sales require a distinct approach and timeline 
• How to restructure sales teams while maintaining morale and performance
• The 12-month timeline required to build and scale an enterprise sales function properly
• Why AI SDRs can improve efficiency in lead qualification and research
• How to evaluate sales talent across different market segments (SMB vs. Enterprise)
• The importance of territory definition and account scoring in outbound sales strategy
• How to manage leadership expectations during major sales organizational changes
• Why coaching remains non-negotiable regardless of experience level

Shabri Lakhani is the Chief Revenue Officer at ScreenCloud and a strategic sales leader known for scaling high-performing revenue teams globally. With experience building teams from 0 to 50+ and advising over 120 SaaS organizations through her consultancy SalesWorks, Shabri brings deep expertise in sales enablement, revenue architecture, and customer-centric growth. A former founder and award-winning thought leader, she blends data-driven strategy with elite coaching frameworks to drive predictable growth and lasting impact in go-to-market organizations across the SaaS ecosystem.

Scale Sessions offers you straight-talking, unfiltered chats with growth leaders. We bring real-world insights from female revenue leaders on the front lines. Our guests are hands-on change-makers navigating the daily challenges of scaling businesses. Whether you're a CRO, VP of Sales, or a marketing leader, Scale Sessions delivers candid, no-nonsense advice to help you boost revenue and overcome growth roadblocks. Get ready for practical takeaways you can implement immediately for real impact.
Let’s start scaling.

In this episode of Scale Sessions, hosts Tom Lavery and Nicola Anderson are joined by Natasha Evans, VP of Customer Success at Hook, to uncover how high-performing CS teams drive both customer value and revenue. Natasha shares her unique path from mathematics to CS leadership and reveals practical strategies for building trust, using AI, hiring effectively, and managing red accounts. Whether you're scaling a team or refining your CS strategy, this episode delivers actionable insights for achieving sustainable growth and balancing business outcomes with strong customer relationships.
What you will learn:

• How to transition customer success from product-led to value-led engagement
• Why CSMs should own revenue targets and balance them with building customer trust
• The framework for turning "red" accounts into "green" through executive alignment 
• How to hire exceptional CSMs by focusing on outcome-driven behaviours 
• The three-part approach to leveraging AI in customer success
• Why perfecting processes before scaling is crucial for long-term CS team success
• How to build effective health scores that drive meaningful customer outcomes
• The "Progress Beats Perfection" principle for advancing CS initiatives 
• Creating clear CS success metrics aligned with customer and business goals
• How to maintain work-life balance as a CS leader 

Natasha Evans is a Customer Success leader and strategic advisor, currently serving as VP of CS at Hook. With a background in mathematics and recruitment, she has built and scaled successful CS teams at industry leaders, including LinkedIn and Salesloft. Known for her value-driven approach to customer success, Natasha has pioneered methodologies that balance revenue targets with customer-centric service delivery. Her expertise in transforming CS from a product-focused to a value-led function, combined with her experience scaling teams across multiple organisations, underscores her success as a CS leader. 
Scale Sessions offers you straight-talking, unfiltered chats with growth leaders. We bring real-world insights from female revenue leaders on the front lines. Our guests are hands-on change-makers navigating the daily challenges of scaling businesses. Whether you're a CRO, VP of Sales, or a marketing leader, Scale Sessions delivers candid, no-nonsense advice to help you boost revenue and overcome growth roadblocks. Get ready for practical takeaways you can implement immediately for real impact.
Let’s start scaling.

In this episode of Scale Sessions, hosts Tom Lavery and Nicola Anderson are joined by Heather Staff, co-founder of Street Group, to explore her journey from family-run roots to revolutionising UK property tech. Heather shares how her success was shaped by bootstrapping, sibling collaboration, and strong values. Learn how to scale while preserving culture, why direct mail still works, and how to juggle leadership with new parenthood. A must-listen for founders navigating growth, investment, and the realities of entrepreneurial life.
What you will learn:

• How bootstrapping enabled Street Group to maximise value before taking investment
• Why direct mail remains a powerful marketing tool, even for tech companies How to effectively co-found a business with family members
• Why trusting your gut instinct during hiring decisions can be crucial
• The value of building professional networks early
• Why transparent consumer-facing technology can enhance professional services businesses
• How to maintain company culture during growth 
• The importance of selecting investors based on relationship building and alignment 

Heather Staff co-founded Street Group, a pioneering property technology company transforming the UK estate agency sector. With a background in accounting from KPMG and deep family roots in real estate, she has successfully led Street Group alongside her brother Tom to serve over 4,000 estate agents. Known for developing innovative solutions, including Spector and Street.co.uk, Heather has revolutionised how estate agents operate through mobile-first technology and consumer-focused applications. After bootstrapping the company for eight years, she secured strategic investment while maintaining majority ownership, demonstrating her expertise in sustainable business growth.
Scale Sessions offers you straight-talking, unfiltered chats with growth leaders. We bring real-world insights from female revenue leaders on the front lines. Our guests are hands-on change-makers navigating the daily challenges of scaling businesses. Whether you're a CRO, VP of Sales, or a marketing leader, Scale Sessions delivers candid, no-nonsense advice to help you boost revenue and overcome growth roadblocks. Get ready for practical takeaways you can implement immediately for real impact.
Let’s start scaling.

In this episode of Scale Sessions, hosts Tom Lavery and Nicola Anderson are joined by Sophie Carter, Founder of Tractioners and fractional CRO, to discuss transforming sales culture. They explore the shift from traditional sales management to coaching-focused leadership, strategies for attracting more women into sales leadership, and how to build a high-performing, inclusive sales team. Sophie shares actionable insights on leadership development, healthy competition, and redefining sales as a profession. Tune in for expert advice on scaling a thriving sales organization.
What you will learn:

• The Role of a Fractional Leader: Making Impact & Exit Strategy
• Breaking Down the Gender Gap in Sales Leadership
• Reframing Sales as a Creative & Strategic Career
• The Art of Sales Coaching: Beyond Numbers & Targets
• Building a Healthy Sales Culture Through Co-Creation
• Future of Tractioners & Personal Growth in Sales Leadership

Scale Sessions offers you straight-talking, unfiltered chats with growth leaders. We bring real-world insights from female revenue leaders on the front lines. Our guests are hands-on change-makers navigating the daily challenges of scaling businesses. Whether you're a CRO, VP of Sales, or a marketing leader, Scale Sessions delivers candid, no-nonsense advice to help you boost revenue and overcome growth roadblocks. Get ready for practical takeaways you can implement immediately for real impact.
Sophie Carter is a seasoned revenue leader, and founder of Tractioners, a consultancy that helps scaling businesses optimize their commercial operations. With over a decade of experience from corporate roles at Microsoft and Sony to working with startups and tech giants like Meta, Sophie specializes in coaching sales leaders and designing effective go-to-market strategies. After starting her career at NFO World Group (now Kantar) and recognizing her natural affinity for sales, she boldly transitioned from corporate life to entrepreneurship. She now splits her time between consulting, coaching, and teaching sales skills workshops through True North. 
Welcome to Scale Sessions: straight-talking, unfiltered chats with growth leaders. We bring real-world insights from female revenue leaders on the front lines. Our guests are hands-on change-makers navigating the daily challenges of scaling businesses. Whether you're a CRO, VP of Sales, or a marketing leader, Scale Sessions delivers candid, no-nonsense advice to help you boost revenue and overcome growth roadblocks. Get ready for practical takeaways you can implement immediately for real impact.
Let’s start scaling.

In this episode of Scale Sessions, host Nicola Anderson leads a discussion with revenue leaders Hannah Ajikawo, CEO and Founder of Revenue Funnel, Penny Orme, Director at Revintis, and Aly Read, CCO at Seed Legal. Together, they explore the transformative power of feedback, sharing strategies for fostering psychologically safe environments where feedback drives growth. The conversation covers effective mentorship, adapting feedback styles, and the role of diversity in leadership development. Listeners will gain practical tips for strengthening feedback cultures, building meaningful mentor relationships, and accelerating career progression. 
Hannah Ajikawo is the CEO and Founder of Revenue Funnel, a B2B go-to-market consulting firm launched in 2021. With 17 years of sales experience across various roles, she helps tech companies and scale-ups simplify their go-to-market strategies. Her expertise in revenue optimization and team development offers valuable perspectives on creating inclusive feedback cultures.
Penny Orme is a veteran sales leader with 30 years of experience. She most recently served as Chief Customer Revenue Officer before transitioning to advisory roles. She works with executives and boards through Revelesco while running her own business. As co-author of "The Female Sales Leader," she brings deep insights on mentorship and leadership development in sales.
As Chief Commercial Officer at Seed Legal, Aly Read oversees sales, marketing, growth, partnerships, and international expansion. With 11 years of sales leadership experience, including 7.5 years managing teams of 10-60+ people at Funding Circle, she provides practical strategies for creating effective feedback environments and developing sales talent.