Despite their insights on buyers, markets and growth, CSOs rarely become CEOs. In this episode, hosts Billy Luckey and Betsy Gregory-Hosler sit down with Heather Combs, a former CSO turned CEO, to discuss her experiences and recommendations for sales leaders who aspire to do the same.

Heather Combs, an accomplished leader in the technology sector, is beginning her second turn in the CEO seat, having just taken the helm at Ripple Operations, a newly formed provider of maritime logistics solutions. Previously, Heather served as CEO of StraighterLine, where her visionary leadership transformed the company into a premier provider of online courses. Under her guidance, StraighterLine pioneered innovative partnerships and streamlined operations, resulting in significant growth and enhanced student success. With a proven track record of scaling high-growth companies, Heather’s strategic acumen and dedication to innovation continue to make a positive impact in the tech industry and beyond. Recognized as a Power Woman of DC Tech and a champion for women in leadership, Heather’s influence extends to empowering girls in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields through the STEM for Her Advisory Council and to supporting entrepreneurs through the Mindshare board and Techstars Mentor Program.

Sales expert Lori Richardson joins Betsy and Billy to discuss the state of women in B2B sales, including the opportunities a sales career offers, the barriers women face and the actions you can take to attract and retain top women in the field.

Lori Richardson is a top B2B sales influencer and a champion for getting more women into sales and sales leadership in B2B roles. In addition, she has run the data-backed sales strategy firm Score More Sales since 2002, after a career in sales and leadership. Lori is the author of “She Sells” — a book to help company leaders and sales leaders find, recruit, retain and promote more women into sales and leadership roles. She also hosts the award-winning podcast “Conversations with Women in Sales” and is a sales coach for Harvard Business School’s MBA program.

As your organization’s growth strategy evolves, is your go-to-market strategy keeping up? In this episode of the Gartner Sales Podcast, co-hosts Betsy Gregory-Hosler and Billy Luckey speak with Gartner expert Rachael Buchler to discuss the four types of go-to-market strategies, the symptoms of misalignment, and how sales leaders should approach the challenge.

Rachael Buchler is a senior director analyst in Gartner's Sales practice. Rachael has more than 25 years experience in B2B retail energy sales where she led strategic initiatives and operational teams to drive customer growth and deliver cross-functional efficiencies. She has developed and executed go-to-market sales strategies for both existing and emerging markets and integrated B2B sales teams as part of merger and acquisition activities. She is a qualified coach and a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF).