In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re highlighting the fierce women of Swrve: leaders who are breaking barriers, sparking change, and setting new standards every single day. In this blog series, we’re sharing who they are, a quick look at what makes them fierce, and their advice to young women today.
We’re continuing this series with Sarah Nels, Senior Director of Sales Operations at Swrve. Based in Chattanooga, TN, Sarah leads a strong foundation of key sales processes for rapid and sustainable growth. She’s a treasured source of connectivity and empowerment at Swrve, working across our internal teams to enable operational efficiency; leading sales training, enablement, and performance management, helping to keep our teams on track of goals.
Get to know Sarah, a fierce female leader at Swrve:
JW: What does being a leader mean to you?
SN: Leadership is being in the service of those around you. That service can manifest as rallying a company around a mission, driving a team to complete a stretch goal, or actively supporting and coaching an individual to perform their best.
JW: What's your professional superpower, and how did you discover it?
SN: One of my very first post-collegiate coworkers was a woman named Judie, who had a Ferris wheel of a Rolodex on her desk. I would watch her spin that Rolodex, call a card, and make magic happen. She never asked for more than she would give in return, always remembering the favors extended to her and returning them tenfold when she could. As soon as I saw that Rolodex, I thought, “that’s what I want to do!”
It seemed so powerful: connecting people and resources within a network. So, with every professional and personal contact I made, I began to do what Judie did—be friendly, ask for help, and give more than you get. I think that has finally become my superpower. I've amassed a great network of friends, colleagues, and resources that I leverage for myself and others all the time. This team makes me better at my job and I hope has helped others get to where they need to go.
JW: What's your advice to young women today?
SN: Ask for lots of advice from all kinds of people! Advice is the one thing people are always willing to give freely—take as much as you can! Be authentic, be vulnerable, and ask for specific things you need and share why. People will respond more generously than you can possibly imagine. I have made the most gains in my career by asking for and listening to the advice of others. These conversations have allowed me to formulate ideas, check my perspectives and biases, and ultimately take an informed step forward toward my goals.
Support the strong women that make this world a better place. Join us in supporting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation today.
