SaaSLeads Academy is a wonderful platform to fast-track your learning

Dec 31, 2020

To find out how the SaaSLeads Academy can take your sales career in a new direction, we talked to our new Onboarding Manager—introducing Trevyn Rayner-Canham.

Trevyn Rayner-Canham

SaaSLeads Academy Graduate

Trevyn Rayner-Canham is a SaaSLeads Academy graduate with a difference. As well as being an excellent SDR, she is also our SDR Onboarding Manager. We sat down with Trevyn to talk about her experiences at the Academy and how it has helped her in life and business.

Starting out

Hi Trevyn. Thanks for talking to us today. Let’s talk a little bit about your role at SaaSLeads. What is it and how did it come about?

Like everyone else at SaaSLeads, I started as an SDR, selling for a tech company. However, when we took on a new client in the cybersecurity sector, Will (Will Koning, SaaSLeads Founder and CEO) asked me to take charge of onboarding two new SDRs into their business. 

I created an onboarding playbook to help these two new SDRs get to know the company and get their heads around the role. I can’t tell you how long it was, but I tried to make it nice and simple! I also helped them set up their SalesLoft accounts and liaised with the client to make sure they had email accounts – tasks like that. 

Will was really impressed and promoted me to SDR Onboarding Manager, which I was thrilled about. I still sell, but a lot of my day is now spent on onboarding.

Joining up

What made you apply for the SaaSLeads Academy? Was tech sales always something you wanted to do?

I’d just finished the dissertation for my Masters, in industrial design! I knew I wanted a job, but I wasn’t sure what. I wanted to try something new and I knew tech was booming, so it would be an excellent strategic move to try something in tech.

Then, I saw Will’s ad for SaaSLeads. I had never considered sales before, but the more I thought about it, the more I liked it. I knew I’d learn a lot and I would get a great foundation in business. After all, nothing happens until someone sells something!

The interview process was rigorous, with two interviews and an activity where I had to write a sales email and record a video. It was a great moment when Will told me I had got the job!

The Academy

What was SaaSLeads Academy like? Be honest!

Honestly, it was a really steep learning curve. I had no experience of sales at all, but Will and Brian (Brian Meta, Head of Sales) showed me everything I needed to know. The first two weeks were theory-based, 1-2-1s and group sessions, how to write emails, what to say on a call etc. 

Then, they threw me in at the deep end, calling and emailing for one of our tech clients. Will and Brian were always around to help though. We still had training every day. It was continuous learning.

I loved the psychology of it all. You have to put yourself in a consultant’s mentality, helping the prospect uncover issues, but making them understand what they need to do themselves. Sales is a much more ‘giving’ job than I expected.

I also learned to bounce back when things go wrong, as they do all the time in sales. Bad calls can take a toll on your confidence, but I learned pretty quickly to stop taking it personally. It’s a great life skill!

And you did all of this remotely?

Yes, although I have met almost everyone at SaaSLeads in real life now. 

It was quite difficult working remotely. Sales can be tough on your emotions and you need people around you to keep you motivated. But, SaaSLeads is a tight community and we support each other. I would be on video call with Torron (Torron Iveson, fellow Academy graduate) throughout the day. We’d share silly videos to keep our spirits up!

The future

What does the future hold for you?

Well, I want to make a success of the opportunity that I have here. Further down the line, I want to start my own company in the design sector. I know the skills that I’m learning in tech sales will help me push that company forward.

Thanks Trevyn. Final question. What was the best part of your SaaSLeads Academy experience?

SaaSLeads has made me so much more confident. I feel like I’ve learned new social skills, but in a corporate context, that I wouldn’t have learned any other way.

Will and Brian provide a wonderful platform to fast-track your learning. I’d recommend it to anyone looking to begin a career in sales.

Will Koning

He has worked in some of the UK’s most successful start-ups in the UK over the last 10 years.

He is passionate about Sales and disruptive Technology. In particular, elevating the Sales development industry in the UK to new levels.

Outside of work, Will spends his time split between London and Folkestone in Kent where you’re likely to find him sampling English beers and walking his dog by the sea,

Follow him on LinkedIn here

Ready to talk? Get in touch today