Samantha McKenna

Founder @ #samsales l Sales + Cadences + Executive Branding on LinkedIn l Ex-LinkedIn l Keynote Speaker l 13 Sales Records l Early Stage Investor l Overly Enthusiastic l Swiss Dual Citizen l Creator, Show Me You Know Me®

I had my first exposure to competitive "sales" in sixth grade when my school raised money for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society.  Knocking door to door and delivering a pitch was the start of my education; I still have the portable TV that I won for second place, which fuels my competitive spirit.

I’ve spent my career in sales doing a few things – breaking records, putting others first, creating global sales programs, educating through peer interaction, and going to great lengths to make people feel valued.  I’ve launched new verticals, overseen the GTM strategy for some of the most successful initiatives in company history, and put in processes across businesses that redefine how each company works and succeeds.

As the founder of #samsales, I oversee an all-women team of 14 who believe in a manners-first and buyer-first approach. We:

•	Run sales trainings that cover prospecting via your likely under-utilized LI Sales Nav licenses, how to write great email copy, Show Me You Know Me™, perfect discovery calls, etc. all while being sales methodology agnostic

•	Speak at 100+ annual events - keynoting for SKOs, international conferences, and podcasts alike re: sales, social selling, and women in tech/sales/leadership

•	Write the content you have in Outreach.io, etc using our proprietary techniques + the most up-to-date data on what works to drive opens + replies

•	Teach social selling - as an LI influencer, ambassador of Sales Navigator, and former LI leader, I understand how to use the ecosystem to truly SELL. I've personally trained tens of thousands on the platform, ranging from 10-person teams to Fortune 500 brands. 

•	Build brands for C-Suites on LinkedIn.  If you want to build a brand on LI but don't know what to write, don't understand the algorithm, and don't have the time to manage, our full-service strategy will manage it exclusively like we do for some of the most prominent/highly visible execs you see on LI.

As a founder, I have one goal - to make as much positive impact as we can.  Since our inception, we’ve raised over 120K via personal donations + our annual charity events for incredible causes, and have given away hundreds of our trainings to the military and transitioning teachers, free of charge.

When you hire us, you're not just hiring a team, but rather investing in one who constantly puts good into the world.

Who am I, otherwise - 

Philanthropist, investor, dog lover, die hard competitor, writer, former Nickelodeon game show contestant, extrovert, expert in self-deprecating humor, and willing to walk through fire to make you laugh.

Limited Partner

Sign up for our newsletters, webinars, and all our content here www.samsalesconsulting.com 

Years ago I got a, "Hey, is it appropriate to reach out on LinkedIn to the hiring manager for a job I'm applying for?" question and an unsolicited, "Never reach out to the hiring manager - totally inappropriate." comment.  My take?

The latter is living in the dark ages.

As someone who has hired and helped hire for countless roles, I can tell you that a candidate reaching out to me and others on LI about a job rarely happens and, when done right, is a pro-move to standing out.  

Emphasis on the "done right".  Here's my script:

"Hi Jack - We have yet to be properly introduced, but I recently applied for the open role you have on your team.  I'm hoping my background and performance are enough to stand out amongst the sea of resumes headed your way, but thought my LinkedIn profile might give you a better look into how I might be a great fit for COMPANY.  Simply wanted to say hello, am hopeful we have a chance to meet down the line.”

No ask, no pushy'ness, no typos ;).

Don't get a reply?  Find a way to add value or perspective in another few days via an article, insight, share about the organization, etc. Show them how awesome and smart you are!

Can't find the hiring manager?  Reach out to someone in your same role there and ask if they'd be willing to help point you in the right direction as a hopeful fellow colleague.  

LI profile in bad shape?  Head over to our site for tons of free resources to get it spiffed up.

#samsales

San Fran, I'm headed your way! Couldn't be more honored to be the closing speaker for LinkedIn's Sales Forum, and even more so that they've extended a happy hour for us to say hello thereafter! 

This half-day event will be packed with other wonderful speakers, and is an event I've always looked forward to as an attendee - a pinch-me moment to get to be on the other side of the camera, so to speak.

Come join 200+ other GTM leaders and executives in LinkedIn's gorgeous SF office as we dive into the state of sales, super tactical ideas on how to use LI Sales Navigator, and musings from me on the actionable things your sellers can do to succeed in today's market. 

Note that seating is limited, but you'll find the registration details here - https://lnkd.in/esdrJnuW, and will receive an email once your seat is confirmed. 

Can't wait! 💃 

#samsales

Looking to up your LinkedIn content game? Here's a cheat sheet that's one of many assets with give our LI Executive Branding teams. No gate, no comment needed - download and use :)

#samsales #LIEB

I help SaaS and high-growth companies unlock exponential ARR growth by building partner ecosystems, affiliate programs, and GTM systems that scale.

Unlike most leaders who specialize in either sales or partnerships, I bring both:
	•	Closed 7-figure enterprise deals as an AE.
	•	Built partner programs adding $10M–$40M+ ARR.
	•	Designed affiliate systems activating thousands of high-performing partners.

My approach blends direct sales experience with a playbook for recruiting, activating, and scaling partner ecosystems that deliver measurable revenue impact.

Currently applying this GTM playbook inside Instantly.ai, where I’m documenting the journey in real time — frameworks, wins, and lessons that any GTM leader can adapt to scale faster.

What I do best:
	•	Design & scale high-impact partner programs.
	•	Build integrated GTM systems combining affiliates, agencies, integrations, and brand alliances.
	•	Turn real-world results into repeatable, monetizable frameworks.

I also work with select founders, execs, and investors through consulting, advisory, and JV opportunities — helping them structure partnerships that multiply revenue and create leverage.

📌 Core Competencies:
• Partnership & Affiliate Revenue Growth
• GTM Architecture & Execution
• Enterprise Sales & Negotiation
• Strategic Alliances & Integrations
• Business Process Optimization
• Leadership & Coaching High-Growth Teams

If you’re building a partner-sourced GTM function and want to scale faster, let’s connect.

Marc Gaudett

We just wrapped a global outbound webinar with the team at HubSpot — and the biggest takeaway wasn’t “AI writes better emails.”

It was this:

Cold outreach doesn’t fail because of AI.
It fails because of weak targeting and disconnected systems.

Here’s what actually matters:

1. Targeting > Personalization
Spray-and-pray is dead.
Micro-segmentation, real buying signals, and relevance win.

2. Infrastructure > Volume
If your deliverability is weak, more emails just mean more ignored emails.
1–3% reply rates are normal. Below that? It’s usually ICP, offer, or setup.

3. CRM Connection = Revenue
Outbound gets attention.
Connected systems close deals.

When outreach feeds directly into HubSpot:
• Positive replies create deals
• Closed-lost re-enters nurture
• Buyer intent triggers follow-up
• Nothing falls through the cracks

AI amplifies clarity.
It doesn’t replace strategy.

Big thanks to:
Eoin McGuinness
Hans Dekker
Brandon Charleson
Katey Norris
Fabian Hartmann
Yaroslava Tensina



If you were on the webinar and didn’t grab the special offers from Instantly.ai
 (free month, VIP offer etc.), DM me and I’ll send them over.

What’s your biggest outbound bottleneck right now — targeting, messaging, or pipeline?

Leading the Partnerships Team at Instantly | Building $100M+ Partner-Sourced ARR+ Case Study

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taplio

The Battle

Samantha McKenna

Marc Gaudett

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Samantha McKenna's LinkedIn Performance

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Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreSamantha McKenna's LinkedIn Performance