“We talked about going to prison.”
“I started getting a little wigged out about going to prison.”
“I’ve been [to prison] a few times and loved it.”
You start to wonder who are these women hosting this podcast and how on earth did they get their hands on podcast equipment in a federal penitentiary? If you keep listening however, you’ll quickly learn that hosts Rachel Tipton and Gina Trimarco and their guest, Lauren Bailey have not actually served time. They haven’t made toilet wine and none of their business trades involved a pack of smokes, at least that we know of. So how did these women end up in the correctional system?
Enter Televerde.
Televerde, based in Phoenix, AZ, helps B2B organizations accelerate sales through strategic data solutions, marketing technology and highly skilled sales professionals. A portion of those sales professionals just so happen to be “highly trained, intelligent incarcerated women, who are eager to learn and hone business skills.” Lauren and Gina have both visited Televerde’s prison-based contact centers on training initiatives that would both empower these women and help them develop a foundation in sales.
According to Forbes, “women represent 39% of the workforce in sales.” Unfortunately, this has only increased by 3% over the last decade and “the percentage decreases as seniority increases” with only 21% of VP’s in sales being women. Lauren states that “sales people are only a step above politicians with only 3% of people trusting them” so it’s no wonder that women have preconceived notions about the sales industry. Televerde and their socially responsible mission have set out to change this. Want confirmation? A quarter of the women they employ in orange jumpsuits will maintain careers with Televerde even after release.
If you’re thinking that the only way to a successful career in sales is through a criminal conviction, think again.
Fortunately, Televerde isn’t the only company who understands the need for women in the sales workforce. Tired of having to answer why females are under-represented in sales leadership, Lauren Bailey founded #GirlsClub, a training regimen specifically designed to change the face of sales by building confidence and emphasizing community amongst women and men looking to develop their leadership qualities. The six-month virtual training program offers “self-paced learning, live sessions with peers, live and recorded sessions with thought leaders, & on-the-job activities” all focused on developing those front-line sales management skills while building confidence and promoting networking. You don’t even need a ski mask.
To learn more about Lauren Bailey’s #GirlsClub and her experience behind bars, check out episode 49 or visit WeAreGirlsClub.com. Aspiring for management or new to sales? A new training program commences on January 15th, 2020 and they are now accepting applications.
Additional information about Televerde, their business model and their work with the Perryville-Arizona State Prison Complex can be found at Televerde.com.
