A New Chapter for Phone Works: A Tribute to Sally Duby

In 1986, a talented young Sally Duby came to interview with me for a job as an inside sales rep at Oracle. Sally exemplified the hiring profile for Oracle’s new phone-based selling organization: as VP of sales for a computer hardware company, she was at the pinnacle of her sales career in her industry but saw the opportunity to grow and excel in the growth industry of the time: software. She put her ego aside, donned a headset, logged on to OASIS (Oracle’s internal CRM of the time) and started her entry-level sales job. She was in good company: her office was next to another new inside sales hire, a recent college grad whose ambition was palpable. His name was Marc Benioff (now CEO of salesforce.com.)

Ten years later, after quickly rising to the sales management level first within Oracle and then at Network General and Ingres (Computer Associates), I asked Sally to join Phone Works. I needed a trusted right-hand person to help structure and grow the five-year-old business that I had started after leaving Oracle, in response to the growing market interest in highly-effective, lower cost sales models. I could not ask for a more perfect fit for that role. Throughout the following fifteen years, Sally brought in a team of experts, established our processes and systems, and ran the operations for the business. In large part because of Sally’s reputation for competence, unique knowledge, responsiveness, trust and reliability with so many executives, Phone Works is now a recognizable and respected name in Silicon Valley and beyond.

Today we are in the “Sales 2.0″ era. Those of us who grew up in inside sales environments are reveling in the fact that our skill sets are “hot.” Venture Capitalists are requiring their portfolio companies to implement lead generation groups, inside sales teams, hybrid phone/field selling or simply, sales forces that know how to communicate with today’s customers: via phone and online. Large companies with ineffective inside sales groups or field sales organizations that aren’t automated, measured or integrated with marketing and inside sales are losing opportunities to the competition. There are simply not enough senior people who are experienced and credible in the new way of buying and selling to go around. Forward-thinking companies are putting together attractive offers to recruit a new breed of Sales VP.

Sally is the epitome of that new breed. On April 25, Sally leaves Phone Works to pursue her next opportunity with one of the most promising companies offering a “Sales 2.0″ product; she will be heading up North American SMB (Small and Medium-Size Business) Sales for Skype. Sally will not be “leaving” Phone Works per se. On the same day, she’ll begin her new role with us as a member of the Phone Works Advisory Board.

I interviewed Sally in her final week as Phone Works General Manager, Sales and Service.

Anneke: Sally, the first question I assume will be on people’s minds is “why are you leaving Phone Works after all these years?”

Sally: I am leaving under the best-possible scenario. Last year, in spite of the downturn, we had a stellar year. We increased revenues 50% with even better profit growth. I wasn’t looking to leave, but after fifteen years, I was ready for a new challenge. Phone Works has always encouraged new learning and Skype offered me a unique opportunity to grow a key part of their business. I look forward to applying my skills to that challenge while acting as an influential advisor to Phone Works in my new role.

Anneke: What is the outlook for Phone Works after your departure?

Sally: Phone Works is poised for another record year. The market interest in Sales 2.0, inside sales, sales integration with marketing, social media in sales, sales enablement – all the topics we’ve been helping companies understand for twenty years – has never been higher. I have been inundated with requests from companies who need help with strategy and implementation of innovative sales organizations, testing of phone and Web selling, lead generation or other Sales 2.0 practices, assessing new opportunities for existing sales organizations, and building Playbooks to onboard new hires quickly and create predictable revenue.

Anneke: Who is taking your place?

Sally: Sherry Paterra, who joined the company two years ago to grow our Major Accounts business (now over 50% of our revenues), will be looking after projects with our existing SMB clients, along with our Engagement Managers. Jodi Maxson will be helping in the interim with new opportunities in small and medium-sized businesses. Jodi is part of our Engagement Management team and is well-versed in the Phone Works approach, having been a VP of Sales at multiple startups and also having been our client. Jodi was the first VP of Sales at NetSuite, so she really understands the unique needs of SaaS businesses.

Anneke: Tell me about your new role. What will you be doing at Skype?

Sally: I’ll be defining, developing and implementing the SMB sales strategy for North America. SMB sales is outsourced.

With a combination of excitement and sadness, we wish Sally all the best in her new role. Leave a comment here, expressing your good wishes for Sally!

Saturday, April 23rd, 2011 Sales

11 Comments to A New Chapter for Phone Works: A Tribute to Sally Duby

Anneke, what a beautifully written tribute to Sally.

Sally, you have been a formidable competitor and you have my utmost respect. It has been a pleasure to get to know you. You have laid the groundwork for our organizations to truly cement the relationship as “sister companies”. I know that in your capacity as Advisor to Phone Works we will continue to communicate.

I wish you every success!

trish bertuzzi on April 23rd, 2011

I’m going to miss you at PhoneWorks, Sally! Best of success, and do stay in touch.

Geoff Alexander on April 24th, 2011

Congratulations, Sally! Skype made a very shrewd move!

Dave Green on April 29th, 2011

Thanks for your kind words. I’ve forwarded all comments to Sally.

Anneke on May 1st, 2011

Awesome news and major congratulations to Sally! Sally, give us a call we’ll be one of your early customers.

You all do great work for our industry.

Nate DaPore on May 3rd, 2011

Anneke and Sally,

Wow, end of an era. Having grown up in Oracle DMD, worked with Julie P. at Persistence, and then Sally over the years, its amazing to see how far PhoneWorks has come. Skype is indeed lucky to get any of the PhoneWorks key players. Best wishes to Sally and look forward to tracking PhoneWorks in the future.

Chris

Chris Purpura on May 3rd, 2011

I will miss you more than you will imagine. Comparing notes, discussing openings and candidates, sharing referrals and teasing each other about Purdue and Michigan State football and basketball teams.
I wish you all the luck and success in the world. I promise to call and flirt!!

David Sterenfeld

David Sterenfeld on May 3rd, 2011

Sally,
Congratulations on all your successes; and setting the standard for today’s best sales models. Your work has been inspiring to lots of us who have adopted the new ways you taught us. Good luck and as they say “Onward and Upward”

Joe

Joe Murphy on May 3rd, 2011

Congratualtions Sally!!You are an amazing person and leader and Skype is lucky to land you. I am also to hear that you will still be advising PW. Cheers to the next chapter!!

M.

Michael Williams on May 4th, 2011

Anneke – I love the gutsy move of essentially doing an exit interview on a blog. Talk about transparency! It’s a great practice for the rest of us to consider.

Vorsight on May 4th, 2011

As a brand new client for PhoneWorks, we’ve been delighted with the team of professionals brought together to help us implement an inside sales team, and with Sally’s leadership of that team.
Sally – you will be missed, but we look forward to “making you proud”, with the help of the great team you left behind, with the success of our inside sales initiative!