Chantel George, founder and CEO at Sistas in Sales

Chantel George is founder and CEO of Sistas in Sales, the first global organization to serve women of color in professional sales careers that now has over 8,000 members.

LinkedIn shows your impressive career timeline. What highlights or challenges on the journey to chief executive officer does LinkedIn not tell us?

The most important change I’ve noticed within myself is how much my scope operates like a magnifying glass, zooming in and out of different aspects of the business each day. As a seller, I focused on a very tight scope — driving revenue. As a CEO, while revenue and profitability are paramount, I am also thinking about intangible things like brand awareness, financial planning and operational excellence. This was originally a challenge for me, but I’ve improved quite a bit.

What’s something you believed early in your career that you now think is wrong?

That I have to change myself to be great at sales. When I first started selling, I developed a persona through code-switching that couldn’t be further from who I was. Now, I am authentic and real — and not only am I received better, but it’s also better for my mental health.

Sistas In Sales is the largest global organization for women of color in sales to connect and help each other advance their careers. Today it has over 8,000 members. What is your proudest moment since starting this incredible organization?

Every day we grow, and members around the world find us. It’s incredible how imperative this organization has become to women of color in sales. I’m so proud of how much value we bring and of the level of responsibility we have.

Black women continue to be sorely underrepresented in sales leadership roles. What do you think is the most significant barrier? What advice would you give to women climbing the ladder? 

I think the most significant barrier is navigating the unspoken rules, and unofficial corporate politics. My advice is to find your tribe; together we are stronger. It’s crucial to seek out support within an organization like SIS, as well as to identify allies that care. One of my favorite and most dedicated allies is Lori Richardson . Keep seeking out support — you are not in this alone.

Previously you gave an interview where you said, “I cannot be of service to my customer without understanding fully what they’re putting on the line to do this. It doesn’t matter if it’s B2B or B2C.” Please tell us more about your sales philosophy. 

Everyone is putting something on the line when they enter a sales process. It might be their credibility, their brand, their reputation — either way, stakes are high. I want to do right by my customer, so I make their journey with us the best they’ve ever experienced.

What's your biggest sales industry pet peeve?

Long LinkedIn posts generated by ChatGPT.

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