Renee Ross
Ladera Ranch,CA
Summary
Global sales leader with 15+ years scaling revenue in high-growth SaaS and marketplace businesses. Excel at growing sales teams from the ground up. Joined Houzz as their first Account Executive and helped scale the business from a 10-person team to over one thousand employees - while building and leading international sales organizations, developing SMB and mid-market sales strategies, driving new business pipelines, and delivering outsized revenue growth and retention for 45k+ small businesses and professionals. Passionate about applying deep platform expertise to generative AI solutions.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Director of Sales, Global Client Success
Houzz
Remote
03.2023 - 09.2024
- Led global sales strategy for a department of 250+ reps and 17 managers supporting 45k+ SMB and mid-market customers in media, advertising, and retail verticals across the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines.
- Oversaw a diverse sales organization including SDRs, growth/retention reps, client success managers, onboarding, product support, and account recovery teams.
- Built and managed a robust global sales pipeline using data analytics and CRM; redesigned pricing, policy, and compensation plans that cut false sales by 96% in 120 days while accelerating new business and contract expansions.
- Drove cross-functional alignment with Marketing, Product, and Customer Success teams to identify market trends, incorporate customer feedback, and ensure high customer loyalty and long-term revenue growth.
- Recruited, mentored, and coached high-performing sales teams; set clear goals, metrics, and territory assignments that produced best-ever SDR performance in a high-growth startup environment.
Director of Sales, Client Success & Engagement
Houzz
Irvine, CA
10.2017 - 02.2023
- Directed recurring revenue and growth efforts across the US and Canada for SaaS and advertising clients, consistently exceeding revenue retention, upsell, and pipeline targets for SMB and mid-market customers.
- Built and led a 175-person team (including 13 managers), implementing sales strategy, pipeline discipline, and performance analytics that drove consistent quota attainment and revenue growth.
- Partnered closely with Marketing and Product teams to develop targeted campaigns, sales enablement materials, and product enhancements based on real-time customer insights.
Director of Sales, New Business & Client Success
Houzz
Irvine, CA
09.2015 - 09.2017
- Scaled new business and sales operations in a high-growth SaaS marketplace, directing 200+ AEs, CSMs, and support reps across multiple offices while serving as Acting VP of Sales reporting directly to the CEO.
- Opened and scaled two new sales offices from the ground up; recruited, hired, trained, and developed top-tier sales talent, delivering consistent overachievement of revenue and growth targets for SMB and mid-market customers.
Regional Sales Manager, San Diego
Houzz
San Diego, CA
08.2014 - 08.2015
- Opened Houzz’s first remote sales office and scaled it from the ground up; hired, trained, and developed 150+ team members while leading 13 managers and consistently outperforming company revenue targets in SMB and mid-market segments.
Department Manager, Client Success
Houzz
Irvine, CA
09.2013 - 07.2014
- Launched and led the Client Success Management channel in a high-growth startup environment, hiring, training, and developing a team of 70+ CSMs.
- Established all foundational processes and business practices for recurring revenue, including renewals, upsells, and cancellations, creating the blueprint for scalable sales and retention operations.
Various Sales Leadership Roles
Early Career at Houzz
10.2012 - 08.2013
- Promoted three times from Account Executive to Sales Manager in under one year; recognized as the top-performing AE and AE sales leader in the company during rapid scaling from a 10-person team.
Sales Associate
Taskstream
New York, NY
07.2011 - 07.2012
- Managed lead pre-qualification and follow-up to determine sales-readiness and pipeline stage.
- Supported lead management, invoicing, and accurate CRM data tracking to improve team efficiency.
- Oversaw Salesforce–QuickBooks integration and delivered daily performance reports to senior leadership.
First Grade Teacher
Teach For America
Colorado Springs, CO
05.2009 - 06.2011
- Designed and implemented data-driven instruction, driving significant academic growth in underserved schools.
- Customized curriculum to meet diverse learning needs and tracked student progress through regular assessments.
- Collaborated on district-level initiatives, serving on the Gifted & Talented Council and contributing to strategic planning.
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration -
University of San Diego
01.2009
Skills
- Global Sales Strategy
- Sales Pipeline Management
- CRM & Sales Analytics (Salesforce)
- Cross-Functional Leadership (Marketing, Product, Customer Success)
- Team Recruiting, Mentorship & Coaching
- Revenue Forecasting & Quota Attainment
- High-Growth Startup Sales Team Scaling & Leadership
- New Business Development & Customer Acquisition
Timeline
Senior Director of Sales, Global Client Success
Houzz
03.2023 - 09.2024
Director of Sales, Client Success & Engagement
Houzz
10.2017 - 02.2023
Director of Sales, New Business & Client Success
Houzz
09.2015 - 09.2017
Regional Sales Manager, San Diego
Houzz
08.2014 - 08.2015
Department Manager, Client Success
Houzz
09.2013 - 07.2014
Various Sales Leadership Roles
Early Career at Houzz
10.2012 - 08.2013
Sales Associate
Taskstream
07.2011 - 07.2012
First Grade Teacher
Teach For America
05.2009 - 06.2011
Bachelor of Business Administration -
University of San Diego