Making Space for Accountability

Written by Camille Acha

Camille Acha is a 3rd year Business Administration major at the University of Florida currently interning at The Selling Factory. Camille is from Bamenda, Cameroon but grew up all over the continent of Africa and she has a passion for the advancement of the continent.

 

Photo by Content Pixie from Pexels

With quarantine in full effect and daily responsibilities either canceled or relocated to work from home, we all seem to have a lot more time on our hands. As a student sales development representative, moving from in-person to a remote work culture offered excess time, which can make it easy to come up with excuses to not make cold calls. The pandemic is the best excuse in the world.

Excuses, no matter how good they are, are detrimental to one’s sales productivity. Measuring sales productivity is the only way to remain in control because even though this is a time of drastic change, life is ever-changing. There are many reasons to remain accountable during this time, especially as in making cold calls as a sales development representative, when COVID-19 seems to have paused the world. The main reason being that no matter the circumstance you are the only person accountable for your actions and their consequences.

Sales productivity during this period has been particularly difficult for me because of how I define home. My home is a carefully curated space-optimized to achieve relaxation. For that reason, I usually do not study, fulfill any potentially stressful obligations, or do my outbound sales team work from home. As a college student, I call home the room I rent in a 4×4 apartment. That room is a space for loud music, face masks, painting, leisure reading, and rest. I consider my room to be my sanctuary and happy place. It is a place I can escape to and completely unwind after a long day of classes, on-campus involvement, working, interning, socializing, and studying. 

The confinement in this haven I’ve created has disguised this quarantine as my free time. The first week of quarantine was easily the least productive of my college career. I noticed a drastic decline in my usual productivity, especially with my job on an outsourced sales team, because I was restricted to a place that was not designed for duties and deadlines. Once I noticed my lack of cold calls and its source, I made the decision to redefine my space and recondition my mind. Since I could not go to the libraries and my favorite study spots, I would bring them to me. 

I cleared my desk of its usual leisurely décor and added books. I added table plants to remind me of the many trees I gazed at on campus. I erased the funny notes left by my friends and created a to-do list board. I turned the corner of my room into a place that I could feel motivated to make cold calls and to complete tasks. Despite this change, the rest of my room remained the same. The last thing I wanted to do during this stressful time was to eliminate a space that gave me peace of mind. Taking the steps to transform the corner of my room long has produced a rebound in my sales productivity. This transition helped me increase the number of cold calls I made as part of an outsourced sales team, and imprinted upon me how unexpected circumstances are an opportunity to adapt and evolve, not an excuse to slack off. 

 

Victoria Zamitalo

Campaign Manager

Victoria received a BA in History and Economics from the University of Florida in May 2023. She is a driven sales professional with over 5 years combined experience in customer service, consumer relations and outbound sales, and is deeply passionate about fostering close relationships between consumers and sellers. She aims to train the next generation of sales professionals in not only the tricks of the trade, but also interpersonal skills that make sales the exciting and ever-changing industry that it is.

victoria@thesellingfactory.com

Mia Semel

Campaign Manager

Before graduating with a B.A. in Sustainability Studies, Mia took on multiple roles while interning at The Selling Factory, including sales development, recruiting, and leading campaigns. She is an active listener and effective communicator, specializing in fostering genuine connections and finding common ground among differing perspectives. She aims to find practical, creative solutions regarding sustainable development, biodiversity and the climate crisis.

mia.semel@thesellingfactory.com

Kira Grieve

Senior Campaign Manager

Kira graduated from the University of Florida and received her Master of Science in Entrepreneurship. She is passionate about helping businesses grow and connecting with new people. Some of her hobbies include traveling and hiking. She hopes to visit all of the National Parks one day!

kira@thesellingfactory.com

Jared Glosser

Vice President

After graduating from UF in 2014 with a B.A. in history, Jared started his professional career Fundraising for a non-partisan political lobby in South Florida. In 2016, Jared moved back to Gainesville to work for a non-profit, recruit students for international travel opportunities, and pursue his MBA at UF. Jared has been with The Selling Factory since 2019 focusing on operations, client onboarding, and client success.

jared@thesellingfactory.com

Ian Massenburg

Chief Operating Officer

A graduate of University of Florida (B.A. 2001), Ian Massenburg brings over 18 years of sales executive and sales management experience to The Selling Factory. Before coming on-board, Ian worked alongside Brad at Infinite Energy, and then spent his next 3 years as VP of Partnerships selling SaaS products B2B. Ian brings his vast knowledge and experience to the team and to our partner companies served.

ian@thesellingfactory.com

Damien Paulk

Campaign Manager

Damien is a University of Florida graduate that recently joined the team full time after working as a Sales Development Intern for one year. As a Campaign Manager, Damien looks forward to contributing to the growth and success of The Selling Factory. When Damien is not at work he enjoys exploring Gainesville with his girlfriend and dog or watching the Gators dominate college football.

damien@thesellingfactory.com

Brendan Viehman

Campaign Manager

Brendan graduated from Liberty University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Project Management. For the past 5 years, he has enjoyed working with blockchain technology and cryptocurrency development. In his free time, he surfs and makes personal finance videos for his YouTube channel.

brendan@thesellingfactory.com

Savannah Howard

Campaign Manager

A graduate from the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications, Savannah obtained her Bachelor of Science in public relations with a concentration in French. After almost two years as a sales development intern for The Selling Factory, she joined the leadership team in 2021 taking on the role of Campaign Manager. In her free time, Savannah enjoys going to concerts and festivals and cooking for her friends and family.

savannah@thesellingfactory.com

Zack Kampf

Campaign Manager

Zack is a creative technologist with experience in advertising, event planning, and game design. He started as an SDR in 2018 and has been with TSF ever since. Upon graduating UF in 2019 he became a campaign manager and is currently seeking a master's degree from NYU. In his spare time, you can find him at the intersection of Art & Technology!

zack@thesellingfactory.com

Josiah Blakemore

Growth Manager

Josiah has over 10 years of sales experience, worked with Brad and Ian at Infinite Energy, and also spent time selling SaaS as Director of Partnerships at SharpSpring. He’s always been very competitive and has a love for sports and games. He enjoys solving problems and coaching team members to do the same!

josiah@thesellingfactory.com

Sue-Ming Frauenhofer

Marketing Manager

Sue-Ming received both her B.S. in Psychology and M.S. in Management from The University of Florida. As a student, she took on multiple roles while interning at The Selling Factory, including sales development, marketing, and recruiting, eventually leading to her current role as Marketing Manager. She enjoys refining her taste in music and visual art, engaging in mindfulness and meditative practices, and frolicking outside with her sidekick pup.

sueming@thesellingfactory.com

Adam Grossman

Chief Development Officer

Adam is an ordained rabbi, who has founded multiple ventures focused on workforce development. Hired as CEO by a failing non-profit, in over 5 years, his ingenuity saved the organization, which led Slingshotfund.org to recognize it as one of North America’s most innovative Jewish non-profits. His expertise to identify, cultivate, and on-board talent ensures our student teams meet our partners’ needs.

adam@thesellingfactory.com

Brad Gamble

Chief Executive Officer

After graduating from UF in 1999 with a B.S.B.A, Brad Gamble has dedicated himself to sales management, branding, coaching, and building companies. He served as the VP of Sales & Marketing for Infinite Energy until 2014, when he founded The Selling Factory. He has dedicated himself to teaching critical skills to tomorrow’s leaders, and helping companies achieve sales success and revenue growth.

brad@thesellingfactory.com