This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone feeling the slowdown in sales and looking for real strategies to keep deals moving.

As we wrap up summer, this felt like the perfect episode to revisit. Uncertainty is high, job numbers are down, and people are being extra cautious with how they spend their money. If you're feeling the pressure, you're not alone.

In this replay, I’m sharing how we spotted the slowdown early and still managed to have one of our best quarters in a while. I cover six actionable ways to speed up your sales cycle, earn trust during the process, and help buyers feel confident saying yes—even when times are tough.

📚 Here’s the book I mention in the episode: Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade https://www.amazon.com/Pre-Suasion-Revolutionary-Way-Influence-Persuade-ebook/dp/B01C36E2YS

• Building and growing in a down economy w/ Mike Peregudov, Co-Founder and CEO of Whizz
• Dear companies everywhere, sales and marketing are not about you
• Marketing & sales strategies to fill your pipeline in Q1

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who’s navigating the challenges of raising money, growing a startup, or balancing ambition with real life.

My guest today is Vicky Boudreau, the CEO and co-founder of Heylist, an influencer marketing SaaS platform. Vicky and I discuss her journey from PR agency owner to tech founder, what she saw in the influencer space that led to building Heylist, and how she raised an oversubscribed funding round—despite the tough climate for fundraising (especially for women).

Make sure you tune in for a refreshingly candid look at fundraising dynamics, parenting while scaling, and what it means to protect your energy and confidence as a founder.

Vicky Boudreau is the co-founder and CEO of Heylist, a tech-driven platform transforming how brands collaborate with creators. With over 15 years of leadership in communications and entrepreneurship with her first company the PR & Marketing firm bicom, she is recognized for bridging innovation, influence, and impact. A dynamic speaker and passionate advocate for women in business, Vicky brings strategic vision and deep industry insight to every project she leads.

Website: heylist.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/vicky-boudreau-14762b14/

Instagram: @vicky_boudreau

• Podcast: Choosing a billion-dollar mindset w/ Suneera Madhani, Founder & CEO of Worth AI
• Podcast: Getting in front of investors + funding underrepresented founders w/ Alex Chompff, angel investor and serial entrepreneur
• Podcast: Is work-life balance really a thing?

✨ This podcast is produced in partnership with Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

If you're ready to level up your B2B marketing, check us out.

→ accelitymarketing.com

🎧 Catch up on past episodes, submit topic ideas, and learn more

jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐ Love what you hear? Please leave a 5-star rating on Spotify and on Apple Podcasts to help more entrepreneurs find the show.

📲 Let’s connect!

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thejackiehermes/

Instagram: @thejackiehermes

TikTok: @jackie.hermes

Website:

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for any leader still trying to drag their team back into the office—or manage remote work like it’s a surveillance state.

I share the policies that work for my agency, what we’ve tried (and ditched), and how leaning into trust, autonomy and clarity has led to a 4.6-year average retention rate—more than double the agency standard.

Tune in to rethink what work can, and should, look like when you build a culture of trust over control.

✨ This podcast is produced in partnership with Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

If you're ready to level up your B2B marketing, check us out.

→ accelitymarketing.com

🎧 Catch up on past episodes, submit topic ideas, and learn more

jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐ Love what you hear? Please leave a 5-star rating on Spotify and on Apple Podcasts to help more entrepreneurs find the show.

📲 Let’s connect!

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thejackiehermes/

Instagram: @thejackiehermes

TikTok: @jackie.hermes

Website: jackiehermes.com