Podcast
Episode 14: Why relationship building is key to RevOps success
Unlock the power of relationship building, open-mindedness, and resilience with Shriya Ravikumar, Business Strategy and Development at Spruce Health.
Welcome to another episode of the RevOps Co-op podcast! Today, we're diving into the role of relationship building in Revenue Operations with our guest, Shriya Ravikumar, Vice President of Business Strategy & Development at Spruce Health.
In this episode, Shriya shares her journey from consulting to RevOps, emphasizing the importance of open-mindedness and resilience. She discusses managing relationships, offers strategies for involving stakeholders in collaborative planning, and reflects on the importance of seeking environments that foster growth.
Shriya began her professional journey as a generalist in consulting, building charts on tools like Visio. This gave her a solid foundation for understanding operational considerations and the setups required to run day-to-day business activities. Her next consulting role taught her about big strategic questions like: How do we launch a new product? Or, how do we run a cost-benefit analysis?
Ultimately, consulting kept her at arm’s length from the action, so she started looking for other opportunities. She joined Twitter as a regional Sales Ops Manager, a nascent RevOps role that was hard to define but covered strategy, process, and operations.
“I joined Twitter really not knowing what sales ops was about. At the time, it's possible that many folks didn’t know what sales ops was about.” - Shriya Ravikumar
Jump to the clip to hear about the reasons Shriya moved out of consulting and into sales ops.
Shriya emphasized the value of saying "yes" to new opportunities. When a colleague on the enablement team went on maternity leave, she was quick to offer to help. This allowed her to explore her interests outside of sales ops and gave her the experience she needed later in life when she started running all of GTM ops.
Stepping into a new role isn’t easy, but working hard at the processes builds a skill set around resilience. This has served Shriya well in the world of operations which constantly changes priorities and switches between big picture and detailed execution work.
Jump to the clip for advice about taking on new roles, even when your imposter syndrome is strong.
Shriya hinges her success on organic relationship building with peers and leaders who worked alongside her. This required gaining trust and credibility and being a partner beyond just the work environment. Joining professional communities can also help you meet people with similar challenges. If you’re an introvert, this is a great way to network while staying within your comfort zone.
“The truth is, I really don't enjoy forced networking, like making small talk with people that I don't know. I hinge a lot of my success on relationship building.” - Shriya Ravikumar
Jump to the clip to hear how Shriya tackled networking while attending her first conference as a vendor.
In her approach to annual planning, Shriya involves key stakeholders early in the process to ensure alignment and buy-in. She encourages having leaders present their portions of the plan, which promotes ownership and accountability. This collaborative approach ensures that all voices are heard and that the plan reflects collective goals.
“Make sure that the key players, who influence outcomes or are directly accountable for the outcomes, are involved and involved early.” - Shriya Ravikumar
Jump to the clip for tips on how to talk about the big picture with key influencers and decision-makers.
Shriya discusses how challenges with data often stem from managing perceptions and expectations rather than issues of data accuracy. She emphasizes the importance of setting clear expectations and communicating effectively about what the data represents. This helps stakeholders understand the context and mitigates misunderstandings.
Jump to the clip for Camela’s advice on why context is important when it comes to data.
Reflecting on her experiences, Shriya advises that when feeling stuck or unfulfilled, it's important to consider changing your environment rather than doubting your abilities. This resonates with many RevOps professionals who may face challenges due to company culture or leadership styles that don't support their growth. Seeking environments that align with your values and support your development is crucial for long-term success in RevOps.
“Don't waste time dwelling in places or with people who can't nurture you in the way that you need to be nurtured.” - Shriya Ravikumar
Jump to the clip for Shriya’s advice on finding nurturing environments for career growth and development.
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