James Bawden — Sales Executive

I’ve been in sales since 2008—so long that my first job (shoutout to RadioShack) doesn’t even exist anymore. That’s where I cut my teeth helping people find the right batteries, cords, or whatever else they walked in for—and left with. From 2008 to 2015, I worked in retail sales, then moved into inside sales and recruiting for a bit. At 29—“old” for a first-time SDR—I broke into the BDR world and haven’t looked back since. In 2019, after time as a founding enterprise BDR at a couple of data analytics firms, I joined the outsourced appointment-setting space. I’ve worked with hundreds of clients and coached just as many SDRs, both at agencies and through freelance coaching. My thing is helping reps build confidence, systems, and messaging that actually lands. Outside of sales, I’ve always had side projects going. Since 2018, I’ve run a podcast and video editing business on the side. And in 2023, I became a Certified Shamanic Practitioner. Through my practice, Blue Jaguar Energy Healing, I work with clients using energy healing, breathwork, and meditation to help reduce stress and reconnect with purpose. Sales, coaching, creativity, healing—it's all about transformation. Let’s connect if you’re into outbound, enabling reps, exploring mindset work, or just trying to do meaningful work in a noisy world. "Be Here Now” - Ram Dass

Stackforce AI infers this person is a Sales Development Expert with a focus on Healthcare and Mindfulness Coaching.

Experience: 16 yrs 6 mos

Skills

Sales Management
Client Relations
Sales Effectiveness
Sales Strategy
Mindfulness Coaching
Content Production
Sales Development

Career Highlights

Proven track record in sales and client relations.
Expert in coaching and enabling sales development representatives.
Innovative approach to mindfulness and stress reduction.

Work Experience

Smartlinx

Account Executive (0 mo)

Enterprise Sales Development Specialist (3 mos)

Sales Development Specialist (6 mos)

Outboundless

Client Management Advisor (10 mos)

OutboundView

Sales Development Director (1 yr 2 mos)

Freelance SDR coaching

Sales Development Coach (4 mos)

Stillpoint Coaching

Meditation and Mindfulness Coach (2 yrs 9 mos)

Leadium

Sales Development Director (6 mos)

SalesGig

VP of Sales Development (2 yrs 7 mos)

OutboundView

Sales Development Director (11 mos)

The Sales Developers

Sales Development Director (1 mo)

SDR Manager (6 mos)

Cognetik

Account Executive (9 mos)

Enterprise Business Development Representative (5 mos)

Lunch Break Media

Content Producer (8 yrs 5 mos)

Evalueserve

Enterprise Sales Development Lead (1 yr 10 mos)

Weatherby Healthcare

Account Executive (9 mos)

R&R Office Solutions (Acquired by W.B. Mason)

Inside Sales Manager (1 yr 2 mos)

Prime Communications

Lead Sales Consultant (1 yr 5 mos)

A Wireless - Verizon Wireless Premium Retailer

Lead Sales Consultant (3 yrs)

RadioShack

Retail Sales Associate (1 yr)

Education

Digital Audio Production Certification at Living Arts College

Music at Appalachian State University

James Bawden

Sales Executive

United States16 yrs 6 mos experience

Key Highlights

Proven track record in sales and client relations.
Expert in coaching and enabling sales development representatives.
Innovative approach to mindfulness and stress reduction.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a Sales Development Expert with a focus on Healthcare and Mindfulness Coaching.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

Sales ManagementClient RelationsSales EffectivenessSales StrategyMindfulness CoachingContent ProductionSales Development

Other Skills

SalesSales ProcessCRM DatabasesConsultingLead GenerationCold CallingCampaign OptimizationStress ReductionCorporate WorkshopsVideo EditingPodcast ProductionClient ManagementOutbound StrategyMarketing StrategyTime Management

About

Experience

16 yrs 6 mos

Total Experience

1 yr 3 mos

Average Tenure

9 mos

Current Experience

Smartlinx

3 roles

Account Executive

Promoted

Jun 2026 – Present · 0 mo

As a Mid-Market Account Executive at Smartlinx, I partner with long-term care, senior living, and post-acute healthcare organizations to modernize workforce management and improve operational efficiency. I work closely with HR, Operations, Payroll, and Executive leadership teams to identify staffing challenges and deliver technology solutions that streamline scheduling, time and attendance, compliance, payroll, and workforce analytics.
Key Responsibilities:
Manage the full sales cycle from discovery through contract execution for mid-market healthcare organizations.
Consult with C-suite executives, HR leaders, administrators, and operational stakeholders to understand workforce challenges and business objectives.
Develop and execute strategic account plans to drive pipeline growth and revenue generation.
Deliver tailored demonstrations of the Smartlinx Workforce Management platform, highlighting measurable business outcomes.
Collaborate with Sales Development Representatives, Solutions Consultants, Marketing, and Customer Success teams to create a seamless buyer experience.
Navigate complex buying committees and multi-stakeholder sales processes.
Maintain accurate forecasting and pipeline management through CRM best practices.
Stay informed on industry trends, labor regulations, staffing challenges, and workforce technology innovations impacting healthcare providers.
Key Achievements:
Drive new business growth within the mid-market segment.
Help healthcare organizations reduce labor costs, improve workforce visibility, increase compliance, and optimize staffing operations.
Build trusted advisor relationships with healthcare leaders across the long-term care and senior living sectors.

SalesClient RelationsSales ProcessSales ManagementCRM Databases

Enterprise Sales Development Specialist

Mar 2026 – Jun 2026 · 3 mos

Prospect into enterprise-level organizations to generate qualified sales opportunities for clients across industries including SaaS, HR technology, employee benefits, and professional services.
Conduct high-volume outbound outreach through cold calling, email, and LinkedIn to engage VP-, Director-, and C-level decision-makers.
Research target accounts to identify key stakeholders, business initiatives, and pain points aligned with each client’s ideal customer profile.
Qualify prospects using consultative discovery techniques to uncover challenges, priorities, and buying timelines.
Schedule meetings and demos for Account Executives, ensuring opportunities meet qualification criteria and are sales-ready.
Manage and maintain CRM data accuracy, including contact records, activity tracking, and opportunity notes.
Collaborate with sales leadership to refine messaging, objection handling, and account targeting strategies.
Consistently meet and exceed KPIs related to call activity, meetings booked, and pipeline generated.
Participate in ongoing sales training focused on enterprise prospecting, objection handling, and consultative selling methodologies.

Lead GenerationCold CallingSales EffectivenessCRM Databases

Sales Development Specialist

Sep 2025 – Mar 2026 · 6 mos

At Smartlinx, I’m responsible for driving new business opportunities through targeted outbound outreach to mid-market and enterprise organizations. Smartlinx helps companies in healthcare, senior living, and other workforce-driven industries simplify workforce management through a unified platform for scheduling, time tracking, compliance, and analytics.
Key Responsibilities:
Conduct high-volume outbound prospecting via phone, email, and LinkedIn to identify and engage potential decision-makers.
Qualify leads and schedule discovery meetings for the sales team within target accounts.
Research accounts to personalize outreach and uncover workforce management challenges.
Manage and track all outreach activity within the CRM, ensuring clean data and accurate pipeline reporting.
Collaborate with marketing and sales leadership to refine messaging and optimize campaign performance.
Highlights:
Engage both mid-market and enterprise-level prospects across multiple industries.
Develop talk tracks and outreach strategies tailored to different buyer personas and organizational structures.
Contribute feedback from live conversations to continuously improve Smartlinx’s outbound motion and messaging.

Lead GenerationCold CallingCRM DatabasesSales Effectiveness

Outboundless

Client Management Advisor

Aug 2025 – Present · 10 mos · Remote

Outboundless is a cold calling–focused lead generation agency built by former lead gen professionals who’ve seen the inside of the industry — what works, and what clients can’t stand. We’re rebuilding the agency model from the ground up to deliver transparent, performance-driven outbound programs that clients actually enjoy partnering with.
As a Strategic Advisor, I help shape our approach to outbound strategy, messaging, and operations so that every campaign reflects our commitment to doing things differently — and doing them right.
Key Responsibilities:
Advise on outbound sales strategy, cold calling frameworks, and campaign optimization.
Collaborate with leadership to refine service delivery and ensure consistent client success.
Support SDR enablement and training, ensuring our reps bring authentic, human conversations to every call.
Contribute to process design and operational improvements that align with our “anti-agency” ethos.
Provide guidance on positioning, talk tracks, and performance metrics across client campaigns.
Our Difference:
We’ve been in the trenches — we know how frustrating traditional lead gen agencies can be. Outboundless was built to be the agency we always wished we could work for: transparent, data-informed, and focused on quality over vanity metrics.

Client RelationsSales StrategyCampaign Optimization

Outboundview

Sales Development Director

Jun 2024 – Aug 2025 · 1 yr 2 mos · Raleigh, North Carolina, United States

I split my time at OutboundView between Client Management and SDR Coaching.
Working with our clients to develop effective outbound strategies, and then collaborating with our talented SDR team to execute the plan!

Sales DevelopmentClient ManagementOutbound Strategy

Freelance sdr coaching

Sales Development Coach

Feb 2024 – Jun 2024 · 4 mos

Stillpoint coaching

Meditation and Mindfulness Coach

Sep 2023 – Present · 2 yrs 9 mos · Raleigh, North Carolina, United States

Helping professionals find calm, clarity, and focus through mindfulness.
At Stillpoint Coaching, we help stressed professionals, corporate teams, and spiritual seekers reconnect with presence through practical mindfulness and meditation coaching.
Our approach blends ancient wisdom with modern neuroscience to help you manage stress, improve focus, and cultivate a deeper sense of balance — both at work and in life.
Through 1:1 coaching, group programs, and corporate workshops, we teach simple, evidence-based practices that reduce reactivity, enhance emotional intelligence, and create lasting mental clarity.
What we offer:
Mindfulness and meditation coaching for individuals and teams
Corporate workshops on stress reduction and resilience
Guided meditations and ongoing accountability programs
When you find your stillpoint — that quiet center beneath the noise — you don’t just handle stress better. You transform how you meet your work, your relationships, and yourself.

Mindfulness CoachingStress ReductionCorporate Workshops

Leadium

Sales Development Director

Aug 2023 – Feb 2024 · 6 mos · Raleigh, North Carolina, United States

I split my time between Client Management and SDR Coaching.
Working with our clients to develop effective outbound strategies, and then collaborating with our talented SDR team to execute the plan!

Sales DevelopmentClient Management

Salesgig

VP of Sales Development

Jan 2021 – Aug 2023 · 2 yrs 7 mos · Raleigh, North Carolina, United States

I am a member of the Executive Leadership Team here at SalesGig, tasked with enabling, training and coaching our team of Sales Development Professionals.

Sales DevelopmentClient Management

Outboundview

Sales Development Director

Feb 2020 – Jan 2021 · 11 mos · Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Area

I split my time at OutboundView between Client Management and SDR Coaching.
Working with our clients to develop effective outbound strategies, and then collaborating with our talented SDR team to execute the plan!

Sales DevelopmentClient Management

The sales developers

2 roles

Sales Development Director

Promoted

Jan 2020 – Feb 2020 · 1 mo

Sales DevelopmentClient Management

SDR Manager

Jul 2019 – Jan 2020 · 6 mos

Sales DevelopmentClient Management

Cognetik

2 roles

Account Executive

Oct 2018 – Jul 2019 · 9 mos

Sales DevelopmentClient Management

Enterprise Business Development Representative

Aug 2018 – Jan 2019 · 5 mos

Sales DevelopmentClient Management

Lunch break media

Content Producer

Jan 2018 – Present · 8 yrs 5 mos · Raleigh, North Carolina, United States

As the owner and content producer at Lunch Break Media, I lead a small, creative team that helps small business owners amplify their voices through high-quality podcast and video content. We specialize in transforming raw recordings into engaging, professional media that drives brand awareness and audience growth.
Key Responsibilities:
Oversee the full production cycle for podcasts and video content — from concept to final edit.
Edit and produce short- and long-form video and audio optimized for platforms like YouTube, LinkedIn, and Spotify.
Collaborate directly with business owners to refine messaging, tone, and visual style.
Manage client projects, timelines, and content calendars to ensure consistent delivery and quality.
Develop and implement content strategies to help clients repurpose and maximize their media assets across social channels.
Key Outcomes:
Helped clients increase engagement and visibility through consistent, high-quality content.
Streamlined editing workflows for faster turnaround times and better scalability.
Built strong relationships with entrepreneurs who trust us to bring their stories and expertise to life.
At its core, Lunch Break Media exists to make content creation simple, authentic, and sustainable for small business owners who want to grow their influence without burning out.

Content ProductionVideo EditingPodcast Production

Evalueserve

Enterprise Sales Development Lead

Oct 2016 – Aug 2018 · 1 yr 10 mos · Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area

As an Inside Sales and Business Development representative, I was focused on finding new clients that will benefit from the services Evalueserve offers.
From the first contact to project kick off, I served as a conduit between my client and the talented experts I worked with, to ensure that all aspects of the engagement ran smoothly.
My focus on the front end of the sales cycle allowed me to focus solely on connecting with potential clients for the first time, gauging fit for our services and their needs, and organizing the proper resources (people and technology) to begin the engagement.
I worked closely with a handful of key accounts to provide Customer Success support, as well as working to introduce Evalueserve to other parts of their organizations.

Sales DevelopmentClient Management

Weatherby healthcare

Account Executive

Jan 2016 – Oct 2016 · 9 mos · Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area

Negotiated the recruitment, interviewing, hiring and assignment of physicians for placement with client job assignments. Handle the coordination of placement of physician according to skill level of the assignment as well as coordinate travel arrangements, the processing of licenses, preferences, board status, credentials, professional certifications and designations as applicable per state and federal regulations.
Prospected, networked and developed relationships with clients as well as contract negotiation and account management. Manage credentialing and privileging process to ensure that providers are ready to start assignments on-time.
Arranged interviews between physicians and clients and negotiate contract terms and extend offers as well as maintain database to track status of all candidates.
Monitored assignments to ensure completeness of related tasks including travel, housing, payroll, licensing and credentialing, privileging, etc.
Established and maintained communication and report with providers to encourage a long-term working relationship.
Met production goals and weekly call volumes set by management and handle other duties assigned by management.

Sales DevelopmentClient Management

R&r office solutions (acquired by w.b. mason)

Inside Sales Manager

Nov 2014 – Jan 2016 · 1 yr 2 mos · Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area

Managed and facilitated the growth of an Inside Sales Team. Developed and executed a new hire training course designed for optimal success based on the existing sales process.
Monitored representative progress through trend analysis, statistical reporting and year over year gross profit growth. Motivated staff to exceed company objectives in all metrics.

Sales DevelopmentClient Management