If you’ve ever felt like your career path looks scattered on paper or questioned whether your experience “adds up,” this episode will change how you see your career story.

In this episode, Heather sits down with Alexa Dannels, Territory Account Manager in pharmaceutical sales, to explore what it really looks like to navigate a non-linear path in science and sales. From patient-facing healthcare during COVID to genomics and now pharma, Alexa shares how uncertainty and misalignment became turning points toward clarity.

Together, they unpack what’s often missing in career transitions, not experience, but the ability to connect and communicate it.

This episode also offers a candid look at the emotional side of job searching, from repeated layoffs and uncertainty to the moment things start to click. If you’re feeling stuck, scattered, or unsure how your experience fits together, this conversation will help you reframe your path, and show you how to communicate it with confidence.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why a non-linear path can be your advantage
• How to clarify and communicate your “why”
• The shift from responsibilities to impact
• How to approach interviews as alignment
• Why confidence comes from clarity

Meet the Guest

Alexa Dannels is a Territory Account Manager in pharmaceutical sales with a background in patient care and genomics sales. She began as a medical assistant during COVID, later moved into genomics, and now works in pharma after refining her professional story and positioning. She is passionate about helping others trust their path and grow with clarity and confidence.

Follow Alexa Dannels on LinkedIn.

If this episode sparked a desire for more clarity or confidence in your career, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Heather offers a Sales Career Strategy Call for women who want to refine their story, strengthen how they show up in interviews, and move forward with direction.

For those ready for deeper support, her 1:1 Reset & Rise coaching program helps you rebuild confidence, align your life and career, and create sustainable momentum from the inside out.

You can start by booking an intro call. You’ll be surprised by what one call with Heather can do!

Follow Heather online:

• LinkedIn: Heather J.
• Instagram: BeAboutItCoach
• Website: Beaboutithealth.com
• If you’re eager to start a rewarding sales career but don’t know where to begin, Heather’s Sales Job Finder video is exactly what you need.
• Subscribe to her Newsletter if you’re looking for strategies, tools, and tips to help you feel energized, peaceful, and aligned.

Additional resources from Heather:

• Resume Revamp Course
• Sales Skills Checklist
• The first 90-day survival guide
• Sales Career Strategy Consultation Call

You can be fully capable and still struggle to explain why you belong in the room. In this episode, Heather shares a raw moment from her first global commercial meeting and unpacks what it revealed about imposter syndrome, storytelling, and the hidden gap holding so many women back in their careers.

From applications that sound polished but hollow to resumes that miss the real value beneath the surface, this conversation explores why your story isn’t an extra detail in your career; it’s the strategy. Through real client transformations, Heather reveals what actually shifts when confidence meets clarity.

What You’ll Learn

• Why “sounding impressive” can quietly sabotage your opportunities
• The subtle signals hiring leaders notice immediately
• How to translate non-traditional experience into revenue-driving value
• The difference between skill sets and self-advocacy
• Why sales rewards emotional intelligence
• The mindset shift that turns capability into opportunity

And if you’re ready to articulate your story with more clarity and confidence, whether you’re transitioning into sales or growing within it, Heather offers 1:1 coaching. These sessions focus on helping you translate your experience, own your impact, and move forward with intention instead of comparison.

If you’re ready to feel grounded, aligned, and in control of your path again, you can apply or book a free 20-minute 1:1 Intro Call with Heather.

Check out Heather's The Reset & Rise Starter Kit.

Book a Sales Career Strategy Consultation Call With Heather: Sales Career Strategy Consultation Call.

Follow Heather online:

• LinkedIn: Heather J.
• Instagram: BeAboutItCoach
• Website: Beaboutithealth.com
• If you’re eager to start a rewarding sales career but don’t know where to begin, Heather’s Sales Job Finder video is exactly what you need.
• Subscribe to her Newsletter if you’re looking for strategies, tools, and tips to help you feel energized, peaceful, and aligned.

Additional resources from Heather:

• Resume Revamp Course
• Sales Skills Checklist
• The first 90-day survival guide
• Sales Career Strategy Consultation Call

The question of whether to pursue a master’s degree often surfaces during sales and career transitions. Is it a purposeful next step, or a response to pressure and comparison?

In this episode, Heather brings together professionals at different career stages for an honest conversation about what drives the decision to pursue advanced education. They explore how confidence and credibility are built through experience and aligned action, not just degrees.

The discussion also touches on self-worth, imposter syndrome, debt, and opportunity cost, offering perspective on when a master’s supports growth and when it may simply add pressure.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Purpose versus pressure when considering a master’s
• How experience builds confidence and momentum
• The hidden costs of advanced degrees
• Redefining success on your own terms

Heather closes the episode with clarity checkpoints to help you decide the right next step for you, not what simply looks impressive.

Meet the Guests

Valerie Simonsen
A life sciences sales leader with nearly 20 years of experience in biotech and genomics, Valerie leads NGS sales across Western North America and Latin America, known for building high-performing teams and driving growth.
LinkedIn

Cheryl Zarate
Cheryl is the Head of Sales in the Americas for a top Human Resources Company, with leadership experience at LinkedIn, Salesforce, and Intercom, and brings a resilient perspective shaped by her immigration journey and motherhood.
LinkedIn

Anna Mendelson
Anna is a Senior Manager at EntreCORPS, supporting startups with go-to-market strategy and growth, and represents the next generation of values-driven women in sales.
LinkedIn

Suji Goetzke
Suji is the Head of GTM at Trellus, leading full-funnel strategies rooted in social selling and authentic communication while mentoring others in sales.
LinkedIn

If this episode sparked questions about your next move or the pressure to prove yourself, Heather offers Reset & Rise 1:1 coaching and Sales Career Strategy Consultation for those in sales or considering a pivot. These sessions support clarity, confidence, and aligned decision-making.

Follow Heather online:

• LinkedIn: Heather J.
• Instagram: BeAboutItCoach
• Website: Beaboutithealth.com
• If you’re eager to start a rewarding sales career but don’t know where to begin, Heather’s Sales Job Finder video is exactly what you need.
• Subscribe to her Newsletter if you’re looking for strategies, tools, and tips to help you feel energized, peaceful, and aligned.

Additional resources from Heather:

• Resume Revamp Course
• Sales Skills Checklist
• The first 90-day survival guide
• Sales Career Strategy Consultation Call