Bill Brakeman

612-***-**** ad1f2e@r.postjobfree.com linkedin.com/in/brakeman

Sales Leadership

Accomplished sales professional that always brings an entrepreneurial spirit. Highly versatile and collaborative with a proven track record of success. Natural leader with the ability to guide and motivate teams towards achieving business goals. Excels at building productive relationships and leveraging strong interpersonal and communication skills to drive excellence and ensure smooth functioning. History of achieving set goals and delivering optimal results. Verifiable leadership abilities and a knack for articulating ideas effectively. Key skills include:

Sales Forecasting

Staffing & Recruiting

Contract Negotiations

P & L Responsibility

Sales Growth & Strategy

Profit Optimization

Sales Performance

CRM Implementation

Product Performance

Evaluate Customer Needs

Client Relationship Management

B2B & C-level

Manufacturing

Custom Pricing

Communication

Pipeline Development & Forecasting

KPI Development

Technical Skills: Salesforce, Zendesk, HubSpot, Gong, Microsoft Suite, Slack

Other Soft Skills: Cross-Functional Communication, Key Account Development, Team Feedback & Mentoring

Career Highlights

Improved revenue and attracted clients by developing effective processes and procedures, resulting in a 325% increase in revenues (MRR & ACV) over 2 years and two consecutive MN Fast 50 awards.

Successfully embraced a philosophy of constant rebuilding and reinvented approaches in all departments, resulting in impressive organic growth from $500K/year to $43M/year + over 8 years and achieving MN Fast 50 recognition 5 times.

Designed and implemented a scalable model for accommodating aggressive company growth by creating free-standing verticals for sales, marketing, and target markets, resulting in 35% YoY growth in sales/revenue. The new approach also enabled the company to better match employees' skills and experience with the relevant disciplines.

Professional Experience

Independent Consulting (2021-Present)

Implemented structure and disciplines to make organizations more effective going to market. Established and executed KPIs for a startup company to monitor team performance and effectiveness. Developed targeted marketing strategies aimed at specific audiences. Contributed to the creation of a podcast that served as a valuable marketing tool to engage with audience. Developed sales initiatives to increase prospect interactions, further shape messaging, and create more specific objectives that supported a clearer path to the overall goal.

Key engagements:

I4 MARKETPLACE

●Advised on operational improvements.

●Orchestrated innovative sales compensation plans.

●Identified goals and business needs.

TITLE PIPE

●Created and implemented KPIs and assessed performance.

●Implemented novel sales compensation structures.

●Provided consultation on enhancing operations.

●Determined business needs and established objectives.

Fjorge, LLC, Minneapolis, MN (2018 – 2021)

VP of Client Acquisition & Retention

Implemented aggressive sales model and used specific goals and KPIs that differentiated leading and lagging indicators. Achieved exceptional results, with sales revenue of $2.9M in 2018, $4.1M in 2019, and $6.3M in 2020, representing a remarkable 117% growth.

●Recognized for achieving the Minnesota Fast 50 honor every year, reserved for the fastest-growing privately owned companies.

●Lead sales and marketing initiatives to accelerate overall business revenue growth.

●Implemented KPIs, assessed performance, and initiated corrective action plans to drive disciplined approaches, achieving growth rates.

●Created innovative sales compensation plans, promoting a culture of performance excellence.

Avionte, LLC, Eagan, MN (2016 – 2018)

Director of Alliances

In two years, improved partner program by working with select companies which resulted in an ACV increase from $800K to $3.4M. Directed team that reduced service implementation time from 40 days to 5 days.

●Increased adoption rate of existing partner services from 15% to 40% within two years.

●Introduced a client utilization analysis, generating $1.3M in partnership revenue.

●Forged strategic alliances with partners, negotiating and securing major contracts for optimal client experience and incremental revenue.

●Optimized revenue share models by maximizing cross-sale opportunities.

●Created and implemented annual sales plans, monitoring performance and devising innovative solutions to achieve goals.

POD/RESPEC, LLC, Albuquerque, NM (2015 – 2016)

Midwest Business Manager

Researched the market thoroughly to identify and pursue potential acquisition prospects. In addition, secured a vital contract with the Minnesota State government to provide IT resources to various state agencies, which led to increased business volume.

●Led integration of RESPEC Inc. and POD Inc. by providing leadership in all marketing and sales communications initiatives.

●Strengthened strategic partnerships to achieve mission and made inroads into the State of MN to provide more opportunities.

Sharpline Consulting, Inc., MN (2013-2015)

Owner/Founder/Principal

●Streamlined partner program initiatives by acquiring a key partner (Maximus Corp.) for Avionte.

●Collaborated with a diverse range of clients, including FrandFund Inc., CMIT Inc., IN2IT Nutrition and Fitness Inc., Pro Martial Arts Inc., Benetrends Inc., POD, and Title Pipe, to assess their needs and deliver customized solutions that fostered productive relationships.

The Nerdery, MN (2005 – 2013)

VP of Sales & Marketing

Implemented organic growth strategies that accelerated business growth from $500k to $43M in eight years. Boosted account director production from under $100k to over $2M annually with creative and enhancing key account programs.

●Created and executed new business development program to maintain a competitive position in a challenging market.

●Instituted sales/marketing strategies, led sales teams, and executed results-driven compensation program to achieve strategic goals.

●Managed portfolio of high-profile accounts including Best Buy, Medtronic, General Mills, 3M, and Lifetime Fitness.

Professional Development & Credentials

B.S., Business Administration, Management and Economics, Lewis Clark State College (Lewiston, ID)

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