Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
The podcast focuses on fiercely empowering women in business, as entrepreneurs and women in male-dominated industries, featuring guests who embody strength, resilience, competence, and a touch of sass as they navigate business and life.
Looking for guests who are willing to bring a wealth of experience and knowledge but also possess the strength, resilience, and sass that align with the tone of my podcast.
I want their stories and insights to provide immense value to my audience, helping me to establish a powerful podcast as a must-listen for women looking to empower themselves in business. The goal is to build competence and discover how brave women can be in business.
Welcome to Superheroes in Heels, the podcast where powerful women rise, lead, and own the room. I'm Kimberley Borgans, your host, fellow trailblazer, and unapologetic advocate for women in the world of business. With over thirty years of experience building success in a male dominant industry, I'm here to empower you to do the same. Each week, you'll hear bold conversations with inspiring guests who embody strength, resilience, a little dash of sass, and a little bit of grace. Together, we'll challenge the status quo, break through barriers, unlock your confidence, and unleash your inner superhero.
Kimberley Borgens:You ready? Let's go. Hello, and welcome to Superheroes in Heels, the podcast that fiercely empowers women to step into command presence, own their role, and lead like the strong capable women that they are. I'm your host, Kimberley Borgans. And today, I'm joined by a woman who's bringing great value into the industry of sales.
Kimberley Borgens:She is not afraid to share real talk about what it takes to be a successful woman in business, especially in the realm of sales. Now, if you've ever felt like you've had to prove yourself twice as hard as anybody else, this episode is definitely for you around sales because we all know we don't like sales. Right? But this powerhouse absolutely does. So I'd like to introduce my guest.
Kimberley Borgens:My guest is Julie Thomas, and, Julie is the owner of, value selling. Right? She amazing powerhouse. She was a customer of value selling. She did train the trainer with value selling.
Kimberley Borgens:She became a certified partner, became friends with the founder, and she's gonna tell us so much more about that. Look. She has clients right now from Google, Adobe, plus software, fleet clients. Oh, you know, so many of the top industry leaders out in the world that you know that you have used. Right?
Kimberley Borgens:These are her clients, and they're killing it out in the world. She's award winning. She has American Business Awards both in podcasting as well as her book on value selling. So she is definitely gonna be the superhero that I'm looking up to today. So, why is she a superhero?
Kimberley Borgens:Look. She's a powerhouse. I don't know about you, but I love good, strong powerhouse women. She's no nonsense, especially when it comes to sales. Like, she's just not out there, you know, selling to others.
Kimberley Borgens:She's teaching sales to those of us who come on. You know. Most of us hate it, and she's teaching us how to love it, teaching us how to to do something different. And I am so excited to have her here with us. So how did I get to know Julie?
Kimberley Borgens:Let me just tell you a quick little story. Look. I met her networking. Right? I was at a networking event with a a membership program that I belong to, and I just loved her energy.
Kimberley Borgens:You know, like I've said in my previous podcast is, like, I'm a no nonsense kinda gal. I'll just tell you like it is, and so is Julie. And I just love women who are like that. She has an attitude about business that is forward moving all the time. You know, she just is really just she could be the best friend, but she'll tell you when you're not doing it right.
Kimberley Borgens:She will stand strong in that as well. Look. She's been working with her company, value selling, and created a a version for those of us who are out in the smaller entrepreneur space called Growest. I've masterminded with her. I have traveled with her.
Kimberley Borgens:Like, just have had an amazing time, and I am so excited to have Julie on our show today. So, Julie, I am so excited. Welcome to our show. Thanks, Kimberley. It's awesome to be here today.
Julie Thomas:Thank you for the opportunity to meet your audience and spend some time talking with you.
Kimberley Borgens:Yeah. We're gonna they're gonna walk away with some key tools around sales today. Right?
Julie Thomas:I hope so. Let's let's go.
Kimberley Borgens:Okay. So first off, Julie, why don't you share with us for a quick moment about, you know, how it is that you got into this journey?
Julie Thomas:You know, it's interesting. As I mentioned to you earlier, I'm a little bit of what I would call an accidental entrepreneur. I had a job in corporate sales. I worked in technology sales and was going through my career progressing. When I was introduced to a sales training program, the founder of the company came into our company and trained me, called value selling.
Julie Thomas:And at the time, it this is gonna sound corny, but it's really the truth. It it changed my life. It was the first training program that I had gone through that I thought, wow. I can do this because it's practical. I've been through a lot of training programs where, like, it was, you know, fill out this form or do this.
Julie Thomas:Well, I've I've never made a sale because I had good paperwork. This was all about how to better communicate and have deeper, more deliberate, intentional conversations, so it really resonated with me. Fast forward, I was promoted very quickly after becoming a high performer, and then promoted again and was one of the youngest vice presidents in my company, a vice president of sales, and I became a disciple of value selling. I ultimately was promoted into a sales training role for the organization. We were gonna hire about 500 new hires over the next couple of years, and they wanted somebody who had managed teams to lead that onboarding initiative for all those people.
Julie Thomas:So I became certified in value selling at that time and was working for that corporation in the technology space. Lo and behold, it became time for me to leave that corporation. I was given an opportunity to either relocate or sever from the company, and I chose the severance because my husband and I weren't gonna leave Southern California, which is where we were living at the time. And so what was I gonna do? I show I approached the founder of Value Selling and said, okay.
Julie Thomas:I'm already certified to be a trainer. Let me just come work for you. Nice. He said, I have a better idea. And at the time, he was in his mid sixties, and his goal was to play more golf.
Julie Thomas:And so he was trying to find his exit strategy and landed on me. And my husband and I did a little bit of soul searching, and and lo and behold, we decided let's go for it. So we put a plan in place and acquired the company from him. I've been running it ever since. That was 02/2003.
Kimberley Borgens:Oh my goodness.
Julie Thomas:Running the business ever since with my husband's support, but my husband's not involved in the business. And after four years, completed that purchase, and we were off to the races. So value selling framework is our core program, and we work with business to business sales organizations that are trying to improve sales productivity and results. And sales is hard.
Kimberley Borgens:Yeah.
Julie Thomas:Sales is hard. Even for the best companies, sales is hard. And and that's what we've been doing, and we do it through training and software software and consulting services and work with some of the biggest, well, most well known brands around the globe.
Kimberley Borgens:Well, I I think that's amazing that if you really stop and think about it for just a quick minute is that, you know, you were a customer of the company. And then you you you dug in a little bit more so that you could be really good at the company that you were working with through their products. And then to get to the point where now you took over and you bought and own this business, especially in a male dominant space? Because this really is sales is really a male dominant space. You know?
Kimberley Borgens:How is it for you? Because first off, over twenty years, Julie, I just wanna congratulate you on that because that's amazing. And, you know, how have you been able to navigate as a strong woman in sales in this male dominant space?
Julie Thomas:So it's it's kinda interesting. I never really thought of it that way until one day it kinda dawned on me. Hey. All my customers are men. Most of my employees are men.
Julie Thomas:I guess maybe I am an anomaly. In my space, there is not another competitor that has a female CEO in the top 10 companies that we compete against. We are clearly a, you know, a little bit of a unicorn in our little space. So I think part of it, Kimberley, is I didn't know what I didn't know, and I did bifurcate the world into male and female and and all of that. I just didn't think of it.
Julie Thomas:It it it was what it it was. But I think being a woman in a male dominated space and getting a seat at that table has been helpful for me because I don't have the ego that maybe some of my male counterparts have. Mhmm. I think women are naturally better often at the relationship side of things and focusing on the customer and their needs as opposed to focusing on, you know, what I need in business. And because I'm focused on the customer, I'm in a better position to serve them, add value to them, and ultimately win a customer for life.
Kimberley Borgens:Yeah. That's very
Julie Thomas:It it's just kind of probably my own naivety and not really even understanding that's what was going on half the time.
Kimberley Borgens:You know, I think I'm just like you. For the first twenty years, like, I didn't realize it was an issue. Right? You just get it there. You put your head down.
Kimberley Borgens:You go to work. You just get it done. And then all of a sudden, it's like, yeah, Kimberley. You realize you're in a male dominant space? I'm like, well, yeah.
Kimberley Borgens:Like, it's all it's I'm surrounded by men. But at the same time, like, it was just given and just you just get in there and put your head down.
Julie Thomas:It's been my whole career. I mean, even starting out in sales, I don't know, maybe 20% of the sales reps were female. When I first became a first line manager, I think there were twelve first line managers across The US, and two of us were women. And then the other one went on maternity leave. So half the time, I was the only woman at a management or leadership meeting.
Kimberley Borgens:Got it.
Julie Thomas:Became a regional vice president again. I think there was I think I was the I know I was the only one. I mean and I it it just was what it was. I never thought about it other than I knew I was just as capable as them, but I had to work harder, I think, sometimes to prove myself.
Kimberley Borgens:Yeah. I think that's a key point is that a lot of times women as women in male dominant spaces, we do have to work a little bit harder.
Julie Thomas:We have to work a little bit harder, and and there were points in my career where I I was single. So I was willing to do things that maybe other people weren't. I relocated three or four times early in my career. I was willing to we need somebody in Chicago. I'll go.
Julie Thomas:We need somebody here. I'll go. So I relocated to take advantage of opportunities that I don't think had as much to do with my gender, but it did have I wasn't married, so I didn't have, you know, another career or anybody else to take into account.
Kimberley Borgens:But but you're open to taking taking on those opportunities.
Julie Thomas:Absolutely. I was Yeah. I was I welcomed them with open arms. Yeah. You know, I'd load up my car and off I'd go.
Kimberley Borgens:So was there a point, like, a moment that stands out for you where you just knew, like, kinda like, I belong in this space. I belong in this room.
Julie Thomas:I think there's a couple of of places that happened. First in my corporate career, I think it happened there was a sales meeting that we were doing, and and I won a number of awards and was recognized as a top performer in a number of different categories. And it it I had some of my friends, like, almost joking with me, like, oh, there's Julie going up to the stage again to pick up another, you know, $500 check and a little plaque. I don't know why people thought we all wanted plaques, but we had plaques. They they ended up in a in a landfill somewhere along one of my boobs.
Julie Thomas:But all you know, so I think that was at the corporate level. But So the second place when I recognized that I had a seat at the table was when I came into my own company. At first, I didn't know what I didn't know. I knew how to sell, and I knew the product well because I've been a customer of using it, as you had mentioned. But I didn't know marketing.
Julie Thomas:I didn't know legal contracts. Somebody else did that when I worked for a corporation. I didn't know how to protect IP. I mean, knew how to manage people, but I didn't know how to put HR processes in place. I just followed processes that somebody else put in place when I worked for a corporation.
Julie Thomas:So it became really humbling to know what I didn't know and figure all that out early on, but I think I really felt like I had a seat at the table at a couple of industry events when I was put on panels, again, only woman on a panel, and I could contribute. As a matter of fact, not only could I contribute, I could contribute valuable insight point of view that some of the other people didn't have, and it really gave me a level of confidence. Because I don't know about you, Kimberley. Every once in a while that impostor syndrome comes in, and I'm like, is this gonna be the day they're gonna figure out? I
Kimberley Borgens:know that sneaky little bugger just pops right in every now and again.
Kimberley Borgens:And is this the new day that this is this gonna be the
Julie Thomas:client that this methodology doesn't work for? Yeah. And so far in twenty two years, we we haven't found that scenario, so feel free.
Kimberley Borgens:Yay. So tell me, you know, what are some of the challenges that you're you have your bigger clients. You know, what is some of the challenges or the pain points that they have right now?
Julie Thomas:So clients come to us when they have a business to business direct sales team, and they are not optimizing their selling results. And that could be a result of a couple of things. Let's face it, companies have a lot of competitive options ahead of them. And therefore, it's very difficult sometimes for a client to differentiate what they sell and add value to hold a premium price. So they come to us for that.
Julie Thomas:Yeah. Maybe it's difficult for the customer to get to the right buyer. So they're not selling the breadth of the product line. But they come to us to optimize their sales productivity and results, and we give them skills, tools, and a process approach to how they can better create qualifying advance those opportunities Mhmm. And compete on value, not price.
Kimberley Borgens:Okay.
Julie Thomas:And we hear you know, it's all different types of challenges from clients, but the biggest one from a VP of sales is I'm not gonna make my number. If I don't make my number, guess what? I get fired.
Kimberley Borgens:Right.
Julie Thomas:Especially if they're a publicly held company.
Kimberley Borgens:Absolutely. So okay. So let's break this down because the reality is those aren't necessarily the people listening to this podcast. What do you do for the small business entrepreneur, the small businesswoman who's working her way into that c suite space?
Julie Thomas:So, you know, it's it's that's a great question, Kimberley. So in the past year, I took all of the programs that we sell to corporations and turned it into a program that is targeted to the solopreneur or the individual business person who might be a great virtual assistant, but is also the chief revenue officer for her own business that she's gotta go out and find customers and close them. And guess what? Entrepreneurs have likely never gone through any sales training. They're great subject matter or discipline experts in their space, but they're not great at creating opportunities to sell their stuff.
Julie Thomas:And many, especially women, feel like sales is a four letter word and it's very uncomfortable for them because they have come to the conclusion that the stereotypical slick, sleazy, pushy, used car salesman is what they have to be to be a successful salesperson, and nothing could be further from the truth.
Kimberley Borgens:Yeah. It's not in our DNA. So I think that's huge. And I know that I'm a I I use Growest, your your your newer entrepreneur space, because I was never taught sales. You know, I've been in business for thirty three years, and I still don't know sales very well.
Kimberley Borgens:You know, I'm still learning that. Pardon me. And so, you know, I I have this as a product. I love your book. And and so I I'm I got really excited.
Kimberley Borgens:As you know, my husband, both of us, got really excited when you launched this program for entrepreneurs and, you know, small businesses. So I know that I'm gonna tell you here more at the more, like, you can go to valueselling.com, grow it you know, slash growit/home, and you can learn more about that as the small business entrepreneur. And I think that all of us need to get in on that because sales is you know, you can look at sales as a four letter word, but you can look at it as l o v e. Love it. Right?
Kimberley Borgens:Is shift that mindset.
Julie Thomas:Absolutely. Selling is just solving real problems that your customers or potential customers have with your offering.
Kimberley Borgens:Yeah.
Julie Thomas:So stop pushing your offering, which is what many people feel like I have to I have to tell you all about my product and push it on you Yeah. As opposed to creating pull for your product. So, you know, you and Lawrence are in the business you're in because you both have expertise in history in security and all of that. And so you can either show up and tell people about how unique your security offering is in that space, or you can go in and say, tell me about how you manage risk in your facilities. Absolutely.
Julie Thomas:And ask questions to uncover opportunities and create them together as opposed to just push your solution on somebody. And that's really what we have broken down in the Growest solution, and plus it includes all kinds of job aids and tools and checklists. How do I find the right customer? How do I handle objections? How do I renew them?
Julie Thomas:That whole life cycle of customer.
Kimberley Borgens:Yes. Yes. And so many key tools there. So if you're listening and you wanna learn more about it, make sure that you connect at valueselling.com/growest/home. So that's a key thing.
Kimberley Borgens:Okay. So let me ask you some some rapid fire questions. Alright. Some of these are fun. Heels or sneakers?
Kimberley Borgens:Sneakers. Sneakers.
Julie Thomas:I'm done with heels. I'm done with heels. And I know I'm talking to a heels girl, but I'm done with that. I'm done with that.
Kimberley Borgens:Yeah. I have my I have my sneaker moments too. Don't you worry. Okay. How about alright.
Kimberley Borgens:What's your go to lazy dinner?
Julie Thomas:My go to lazy dinner is probably, like, a snack charcuterie type thing. Like, just a couple slices of ham or turkey, some cheese, and some crackers. I can't do that when my meat and potatoes husband is around, but that would fill me up just fine.
Kimberley Borgens:Got it. I love it. Let's see. Favorite power move before a big meeting?
Julie Thomas:Probably deep breath, reapply lip lipstick, and just a few minutes of meditation and deep breathing to to center myself and and stay focused.
Kimberley Borgens:I like it. I like it. Big deep breath. Get yourself get your head in the game.
Julie Thomas:Yeah. And the lipstick. We
Kimberley Borgens:can't forget
Julie Thomas:the lipstick.
Kimberley Borgens:Lipstick on, the good power lipstick. Got it. Got it. What advice would you give women today who want to break into your industry and thrive? If they're looking to thrive in sales, what advice could you give them?
Julie Thomas:Well, I'd say the the first thing I would tell them to do is find a methodology or a process that you can execute on. Value selling framework was that process for me. And then figure out what you're selling and why someone would buy. Focus on the buyer. One way to define sales is I'm just facilitating buying.
Julie Thomas:And if you focus on the buyer, know your customer, know the problems that you solve and the impact you can have, that's what makes for a powerful sales professional.
Kimberley Borgens:Nice. I love that. I think if you really take that and listen to it over, you know, several times, you'll find the key pieces in that because that is great advice, Julie. I appreciate that. Anything else that you'd like to share?
Julie Thomas:Just I think as you as these listeners listen to this, all of us come to our businesses with certain strengths and certain biases in terms of what we're good at and what we're not good at. Mhmm. And my experience has been especially working with a group of of entrepreneurs, both men and women in our sales training program, is that we all have biases about selling. Some of us think it's uncomfortable. Some of us don't like it because we don't know how to do it, but we know we have to do it.
Julie Thomas:And find a way to approach it from a neutral point of view, and the best salespeople are the people that truly believe that their products and services make a positive difference for their customers. And focus on that outcome.
Kimberley Borgens:Yeah. I think that's powerful. Thank you so much for sharing that. Now, Julie, I do just wanna say thank you so much for joining me today, glitches and all. You know, just, you know, sharing your wisdom, imparting this this sales.
Kimberley Borgens:You know, I think that, like you like you said, it's like anybody can sell if they really want to. There's tools out there like your program. There's tools out there to teach us how to sell, and we need to get past that love hate relationship with I want the money, but I can't sell and shift that to I love to sell, that four letter word instead. And, and, you know, I know that you've said this before, you know, selling isn't telling. It's not telling people, what it what they need from you.
Kimberley Borgens:It's really investing the time in that person to find out what it is that they need that you can offer them. And I think that's that's huge, you know, when we can stop and go, this has to be more about what the customer needs and really listening and be, you know, in my world, be an investigator with those people to find out exactly what it is that they want. And Absolutely. Yeah. A huge value.
Kimberley Borgens:Look. If you wanna connect with Julie, I've already told you go to valueselling.com/growus/home so you can learn about the entrepreneur version of value selling. She's got some great things on YouTube as well. They have a podcast that you wanna get on and listen to that podcast. Of course, you can connect Julie on Facebook and in LinkedIn.
Kimberley Borgens:Just go find Julie Thomas and, and connect with her and, you know, give a shout out. If you say, hey. I heard you on Kimberley's podcast. She'll know. Look.
Kimberley Borgens:We are super women in heels and sneakers sometimes. Right? Like, we we are the women out there, you know, feet on the ground doing the work and helping to pave the way for for women for the future. So make sure that you subscribe to our podcast. You know, give us a review.
Kimberley Borgens:You know, I could mention you in future episodes. You never know. And then join us for our next episode where we're gonna be, sharing with another powerhouse woman, and I I don't wanna give it away. So just come and join us at on our next episode. So thank you so much, Julie, for joining us.
Kimberley Borgens:I'm so glad to have you as part of my superheroes in heels tribe. So have a wonderful day, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you, Julie. Thanks. Thank you, Kimberley.
Kimberley Borgens:Love the opportunity. Alright. Bye bye.
Kimberley Borgens:Thanks for tuning in to Superheroes in Heels with Kimberley Borgans. If you're walking away feeling a little braver, a little bolder, and a whole lot more powerful, mission accomplished. Be sure to subscribe to the show and leave a review. It helps us to reach more women who are ready to unleash their power and lead with confidence. And if you do leave a review, you might just hear your name in an upcoming episode.
Kimberley Borgens:If today's conversation lit a fire in you, share it with your network and join us inside the hive society at KimberleyBorgans.com, where powerful women gather to break barriers and rise together. Until next time, keep showing up, standing strong, and heels or not, keep embracing your inner superhero.