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Sarah Herstad
Sales Strategy & Operations @ Pinterest
Professional Background
Sarah Herstad is a seasoned professional in sales strategy and operations, with extensive experience in the digital marketing landscape. Currently serving as the Head of Sales Strategy & Operations for Global SMB at Pinterest, Sarah has developed a robust and diverse career that positions her as a leader in driving growth and strategic initiatives within the tech industry. Her journey is marked by notable contributions to organizations where innovation and creativity intersect with data-driven decision-making.
Prior to her current role at Pinterest, Sarah held various positions within the company that helped her hone her skills in sales strategy, operations, and management. Starting as an Account Manager for North America Mid-Market, she quickly demonstrated her capability to meet and exceed client expectations, ultimately moving up to the role of Sales Strategy & Operations Manager for the same market segment. Her strategic insights and operational acumen were further recognized when she transitioned to a Senior Sales Strategy & Operations Manager, where she developed initiatives that enhanced the overall efficiency and effectiveness of sales processes.
Before joining Pinterest, Sarah worked as a Marketing Manager at Move Loot, Inc., where she was instrumental in shaping the company's marketing strategies and enhancing their brand presence in a competitive marketplace. Her career commenced in the digital marketing realm at iCrossing, where she served as a Media Manager, focusing on Paid Search (SEM) and Paid Social. This foundational experience not only deepened her understanding of digital marketing tactics but also contributed to her ability to analyze campaign performances and optimize for better outcomes.
Sarah's versatile background has equipped her with a unique skill set that marries the psychological principles of consumer behavior gleaned from her academic pursuits with the practical applications of sales and marketing strategies in the tech world.
Education and Achievements
Sarah obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a concentration in Neuroscience from Stanford University, graduating with honors. Her academic background in psychology provides her with strong insights into human behavior, which is a vital asset in crafting effective sales strategies and understanding customer needs. Alongside her major, she also completed a minor in Human Biology, further enriching her understanding of the cognitive and physiological aspects that influence human decision-making.
The rigorous education she received at Stanford helped her lay a solid groundwork for her career, nurturing her analytical thinking and innovative problem-solving capabilities. It's these skills that Sarah has continuously leveraged throughout her professional journey, contributing to her ability to devise effective sales strategies and operations at Pinterest.
Achievements
In her roles at Pinterest, Sarah has achieved significant milestones that demonstrate her ability to lead and innovate. As the Head of Sales Strategy & Operations for Global SMB, she has successfully implemented strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing productivity and efficiency across various teams. Her leadership has facilitated improved communication and collaboration among sales and marketing functions, which has led to measurable growth in key performance indicators.
Sarah's analytical mindset enables her to dissect complex problems and devise actionable solutions, a quality that has set her apart in the fast-paced world of digital marketing and sales operations. Moreover, her tenure at Pinterest has seen her advocate for data-driven marketing strategies, thereby influencing the company's approach to customer engagement and retention.
In addition to her professional achievements, Sarah's commitment to continuous learning and personal development speaks volumes about her dedication to her field. She actively engages in industry events and workshops, ensuring that she stays at the forefront of digital marketing trends and technology advancements. Her aptitude for adapting to changes and shifts in the digital landscape positions her as a forward-thinking professional in her arena.
Through her academic education and impressive career trajectory, Sarah Herstad exemplifies the intersection of psychology, sales strategy, and digital marketing. Her contributions to the tech industry, particularly at Pinterest, are a testament to her dedication, innovation, and expertise in leading successful operations and strategies.
Conclusion
With a wealth of experience under her belt, Sarah Herstad stands out as a leader in sales strategy and operations within the tech landscape. Her academic background in psychology and neuroscience complements her practical expertise in digital marketing and sales, equipping her with the tools necessary to navigate and excel in an ever-evolving industry. Sarah's journey serves as an inspiration to aspiring professionals looking to make their mark in the digital age.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Clay offers several powerful features including:
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- Nexus AI: An AI navigator that helps you derive insights from your network, such as finding contacts who have been to specific places or work at particular companies
Clay is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Clay is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Clay is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
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Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Clay's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Clay has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Clay a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
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