Wilma Eriksson, co-founder of VloxQ, has taken an inspiring and unconventional career path. From her start as a professional equestrian and personal trainer to her role as a successful SaaS entrepreneur and new mom, Wilma’s story is full of valuable insights for aspiring business and sales professionals. Here’s how her experiences can apply to the field of sales operations.
1. Embrace the thrill of the chase and stay goal-oriented
Wilma’s love for sales was fueled by her passion for results, much like her background in sports. “I’m addicted to the thrill you get when you book a meeting or close a deal,” she explains. In sales operations, this goal-driven mindset is essential. Sales ops teams can adopt this spirit by setting clear, measurable goals for pipeline growth, data accuracy, and sales enablement. Like Wilma, the focus is on consistent improvement. Every success can be a step towards greater achievements.
2. Maintain control by keeping data up to date
A valuable lesson from Wilma’s sales days is the importance of staying on top of your numbers. “Why don’t you just update your pipeline every Friday? It takes 5-10 minutes,” she says, emphasising that consistent updates bring control and clarity. For sales operations, data cleanliness is the backbone of efficient processes and forecasting. Regular CRM updates and data hygiene practices enable better decision-making and a clearer view of where improvements are needed.
3. Want success in sales and entrepreneurship? Learn from each customer interaction
Wilma found joy in the constant learning that comes with sales, especially from diverse interactions. “You have so many dialogues with different people,” she says, which keeps her job dynamic and insightful. In sales ops, this translates to understanding the feedback loop between sales teams and customers. Analyse patterns in sales conversations to optimise outreach strategies, address common objections, and refine customer segments. Customer insights help sales ops better equip sales teams and improve the customer experience.
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4. Be cautious and balanced when starting a business
Wilma shares a key piece of advice for entrepreneurs: “Ensure that your cap table is in balance.” She learned that even small imbalances in ownership or responsibilities can impact day-to-day operations and morale. For sales operations professionals who manage CRM permissions, territory alignments, or commission structures, equity and balance are equally essential. By aligning resources fairly across teams, sales ops can create a balanced environment that encourages collaboration and trust.
5. Succeeding in sales: Celebrate wins along the way
One of Wilma’s favorite career memories is celebrating successes, big or small. “Everything that could be celebrated should be,” she says. This positive reinforcement can be a motivating factor in sales ops as well, where it’s easy to get lost in data and processes. Recognise milestones like a clean CRM audit, a successful tool rollout, or a high-impact data report. By celebrating these achievements, sales ops can boost team morale and highlight the tangible impact of their work on sales success.
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6. Embrace automation to free up time for high-value tasks
Wilma is particularly excited about AI trends in sales, seeing them as tools to make life easier by reducing repetitive work. “We can see when someone opens something; we can have a full email script just when we end the meeting,” she explains. For sales operations, automation in tasks like lead scoring, data entry, and sales tracking helps reps focus on what they do best: building relationships and closing deals. Embracing automation is key to scaling operations effectively and maximising productivity.
Conclusion
Wilma Eriksson’s journey leaves us with lessons on persistence, balance, and constant improvement. Her insights resonate well with the goals of sales operations, where organisation, control, and continuous learning are paramount. As sales operations continue to evolve, incorporating these principles can help teams optimise their strategies, maintain accurate data, and create a supportive, dynamic environment that drives success.
