Her Path to Revenue

In this episode of Her Path to Revenue, Janelle sits down with Rachel Johnson, Founder of MoJo Marketing Consulting and Fractional CMO, who has spent her career scaling SaaS companies, owning revenue outcomes, and helping businesses turn broken go-to-market systems into predictable growth.Rachel has worked across major companies, led marketing for a private equity portfolio of six brands, and spent nearly five years building her own fractional CMO business. Along the way, she’s learned a thing or two about what it really takes to drive revenue, and why not all revenue is worth chasing.But this conversation goes well beyond business growth.Rachel opens up about the moments that forced her to rethink what success looked like, including missing important milestones in her children’s lives and navigating the chaos of motherhood during COVID. She shares how those experiences changed her relationship with work, why she stopped chasing the next title, and how she’s learned to create space for the life she actually wants.We also get into the realities of building a business on your own terms. Rachel shares why setting boundaries with clients is non-negotiable, how she navigates the decision to walk away from the wrong revenue, and why working with people who respect you matters just as much as the financial opportunity.And, of course, we get personal. From building a village and letting go of perfection to embracing who you are and betting on yourself, this episode is about redefining success, trusting yourself, and recognizing that your career is only one part of your life.In this episode, we cover:• Rachel’s journey from scaling SaaS companies to becoming a fractional CMO• What it means to own the revenue number instead of hiding behind leads and MQLs• Why not all revenue is good revenue, and how the wrong clients can cost you more than money• How Rachel’s experience in motherhood changed her definition of success• The moments that forced her to rethink the role work played in her identity• Navigating motherhood during COVID while raising three young children and running a business• Why every woman deserves a village, and how to start building one• How to set boundaries with clients and recognize when it’s time to walk away• Why respect matters just as much as revenue when choosing who you work with• Letting go of perfection and redefining what a win looks like• How Rachel has learned to embrace her authentic self and build confidence• The advice she’d give her younger self: stop chasing the ladder, bet on yourself, and remember that work is not your familyFollow Rachel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-m-johnson/

In this episode of Her Path to Revenue, Janelle sits down with Deidre Hudson, a growth-focused marketing executive and former CMO with more than 20 years of experience scaling FinTech, SaaS, and e-commerce companies.Deidre has built her career around turning marketing from a collection of activities into a predictable revenue system. Her approach? Understand the inputs, define the process, operationalize what you can, and free your brain to focus on the work that actually requires creativity and strategic thinking.But this conversation goes well beyond revenue strategy.Deidre opens up about being in a reflective season of life, navigating major personal and professional changes, questioning what she wants next, and learning to challenge the thoughts and assumptions that have shaped her decisions. She shares how stepping back from the constant pressure to “do it all” ultimately helped her approach her next career move differently.We also get into AI, but not in the usual “you better learn this or you’ll fall behind” conversation. Deidre shares how she’s using AI as a second brain and creative extension rather than handing over her thinking to it—and why keeping yourself in the driver's seat matters.And, of course, we get personal. From her go-to confidence boost of Miley Cyrus's Flowers and ChatGPT to the advice she'd give her younger self about faith, forward momentum, and not waiting for perfect, this episode is about building a career and life that actually moves you forward.In this episode, we cover:• How to turn marketing into a more predictable, operationalized revenue system• Why operationalizing the right things can free your brain for higher-value creative work• The difference between the art and science of marketing• What it means to be in a reflective season and intentionally question where you're headed• How personal and professional transitions can change the way you approach your next move• Why Deidre chose a mindset shift over simply “pounding the pavement” in her job search• How to use AI as an extension of yourself instead of letting it do your thinking for you• The AI tools Deidre is exploring and why she's having fun with them• Why retention should be a priority when deciding between optimizing what you already do and building something new• How to navigate the pressure to constantly keep up with AI and technology• Deidre's go-to confidence boost: Miley Cyrus's Flowers and ChatGPT• The role of faith in navigating uncertainty and major life transitions• Why you don't have to wait for perfect—and how forward momentum creates more momentum• The advice Deidre would give herself 10 years ago: believe it's going to be okay and keep moving forwardFollow Deidre on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deidrehudson/ Deidre is also the author of How the Fuck Did I Get Here? A Candid Exploration of Identity, Power and Reinvention.

In this episode of Her Path to Revenue, Janelle sits down with Tamar Gill, bootstrapped founder, CEO, mom of four, and grandmother, to talk about what it really takes to build a successful company when you don’t have outside funding, a massive marketing budget, or a safety net.Tamar’s journey has been built on hard work, resilience, and a commitment to doing exactly what she says she’s going to do. Over six years, she has grown her company by focusing on something that can be easy to lose sight of in the race for growth: trust.Her philosophy is simple: revenue built on trust lasts longer than revenue built on hype.From being underestimated as a smaller, bootstrapped company competing against larger, VC-backed players to navigating cash flow, hiring, competition, and the pressure of wearing every hat in the business, Tamar shares the lessons she’s learned along the way and why she doesn’t believe you need to win everyone.But this conversation goes beyond revenue and business strategy. Tamar and Janelle also get real about motherhood, entrepreneurship, confidence, being underestimated, and what it means to stop trying to fit into rooms that were never built for you.In this episode, we cover:• Why revenue built on trust lasts longer than revenue built on hype• The importance of setting realistic expectations and overdelivering• What happens when companies promise the world but fail to deliver• Why being bootstrapped can be both an advantage and a challenge• How to compete against larger, VC-backed companies without compromising your values• Why you don’t need to win everyone and how knowing when to walk away can protect your business• The real cost of “cheap” data and why cheap doesn’t always mean cost-effective• What it feels like to be underestimated and how Tamar responds to it• How she balances running a company while raising a family• Why Tamar believes in integrating work and life instead of chasing perfect work-life balance• Her go-to confidence boosters when she needs to remind herself, “You’ve got this”• The advice she would give herself 10 years ago: stop trying to fit into rooms that weren’t built for you and build your ownFollow Tamar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamargill/

After a short break, I'm back bringing you exciting topics. After a four-month maternity leave, I’m officially back with Her Path to Revenue and I couldn’t be more excited to get back to the conversations I love.In this quick comeback episode, I’m sharing a little about why I stepped away, what life looked like during my time off, and what you can expect from the podcast moving forward.Thanks for hanging with me while I took a little break. Now, let’s get back to it!

In this episode of Her Path to Revenue, Janelle sits down with Summer Poletti. A revenue consultant, former corporate leader, and system-building strategist to unpack what it really takes to scale revenue without breaking your team, your pipeline, or yourself.Summer’s journey didn’t follow a straight line. From navigating multiple functions across marketing, customer success, and sales to climbing the corporate ladder while raising her kids, she built her career through grit, adaptability, and a refusal to turn down opportunities to learn. Today, she brings that full-picture perspective to help companies fix what’s actually holding them back from growth.But what stands out most isn’t just her experience—it’s her unapologetic focus on truth: most companies don’t have a pipeline problem… they have a system problem.In this episode, we cover:• Why most companies don’t have a pipeline problem—they have a system problem• The biggest revenue killer: misalignment across marketing, sales, and customer success• How to define what a “good lead” actually looks like (and why it matters)• The real reason sales teams fail to convert—and how to fix it• What founders get wrong when hiring their first salesperson• When (and how) to build systems as you scale• The role of accountability in eliminating team friction and finger-pointing• Why sales is a foundational skill—regardless of your role• The importance of building your personal brand before you need it• Summer’s journey balancing motherhood, leadership, and entrepreneurshipFollow Summer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/summer-poletti-rhymes-with-spaghetti-27207812/Summer's Podcast Link References: Increasing revenue without adding headcount:https://www.theriseofus.com/podcast/episode/1f5b3a41/6-strategies-to-increase-revenue-without-increasing-headcountWhat to have in place before you ire:https://www.theriseofus.com/podcast/episode/1d8500f2/hiring-your-first-salesperson-part-2-how-to-avoid-an-expensive-lesson