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Meet the Author
Amanda Downs ​

Amanda Downs

Sales Leadership Expert

Amanda is passionate about helping sales leaders recognise, drive and amplify the value they bring to their customers. Whether they are new in role or veterans in commercial leadership, her knowledge of sales strategies, dependencies and team dynamics makes her a valuable coach and mentor.

Drawing on decades of experience and highly practical expertise, she uses her mindset, skillset and a vast set of tool developed over many years.  With these she helps sales teams strengthen their internal collaboration and deepen their customer relationships.

Her client roster spans many industries, ranging from publishing and fintech to biscuits and baby food, encompassing banking, healthcare, construction, fine art, and everything in between.

Whether working with multinational brands, SME business owners, or the UK’s National Health Service, Amanda delivers commercial strategy facilitation, leadership coaching, and sales capability training that drives real results.

Her career began in sales and marketing, where she rose to board director positions in both the UK and Ireland. Since 2006, she has specialised in commercial leadership and team development, bringing decades of frontline experience to her work.

Today, Amanda serves as Director of Commercial Leadership at The Uspire Group and is the Founding Director of her successful private sales coaching practice, Sales Growth Expert.

She also hosts the Sales Leader Secrets podcast, interviewing some of the world’s top-performing sales leaders as they share their insights and learnings.

At home, Amanda is married to a drummer and their two daughters fill their lives with singing and dancing.

When she’s not growing sales leaders, she’s growing plants – and is still on her quest for the perfect tomato.

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Endorsements

What stands out most about this book is its clarity and practicality. Rather than speaking in theory, it focuses on the how - how to create a compelling vision and purpose that people believe in, how to build a strategy that aligns ambition with execution, and how to establish the ways of working that turn plans into performance.It reminds us that leadership is about people, that success in sales comes not just from process and targets, but from mentoring, coaching, and developing the talent around you. This book is the sales leader’s coach on your desk!
Shaun Smith | General Manager UK & ROI Nomad Foods
"Amanda takes sales as a subject and communicates with crystal clarity the power of leadership and how the two are inextricably linked to success. She provides a practical, seamless roadmap for sales leaders based on her own proven experience. One of the very few books on this subject where I have nodded my head in agreement constantly whilst reading it. Ignore this book at your peril."
John Graham | Founder and Managing Director at ADCreative
"I couldn’t put this book down. For three decades Amanda has stood with me in the commercial arena. This guidebook crystallizes that hard-won experience for your sales leadership journey."
Mark Francis | Author: The Captaincy and Founding Director, The Uspire Partnership
"Drawing from Amanda’s extensive experience, Step Up To Sales Leader contains some great ways to plan for growth and navigate through many situations I’ve been familiar with over the years. Whether you’re moving up the ladder in sales or have been at a senior level for a number of years, it’s an invaluable read."
Paul Brigden | Sales Director, Viridian Nutrition
"Amanda is not just a talented salesperson; she is a proven sales leader and an exceptional trainer. This book is filled with valuable insights and powerful training techniques designed to help you become the sales leader that your teams and your company needs."
George Swift | Founding Director at Bigger Brighter Bolder
"This guidebook crystallizes three decades of hard-won sales leadership experience. Put it into practice now, to accelerate your own journey’."
Mark Francis | Author: The Captaincy and global leadership coach, The Uspire Partnership
"At the tender age of 32 I became Sales Director for a £300m turnover food business. You’d be surprised how quickly self-confidence turns to self-doubt when you are constantly assailed by tricky new experiences. I absolutely wish I’d had the chance to read and reflect on the practical advice in Amanda’s book before I started my sales leadership journey. I could have saved myself quite a few hard-learned lessons!"
Matthew Huffer - UK Market Director at Taylors of Harrogate
"Imagine a kitbag packed with effective, engaging tools that enable you and your team to develop a common purpose, language and desire to win. This book will transform your approach to leading your sales team and lift the entire organisation, supporting you every step with sensitivity and challenging you to be the best version of yourself. I loved it!"
Zoe Elleray | Head of Sales, Cafea International

A stellar sales career

Amanda has walked in your shoes in field sales, business development, account management, brand and customer marketing, and board level commercial leadership.

She is an accomplished sales leadership coach, sales trainer, team facilitator and mentor.

She is also an accredited practitioner in a set of carefully-chosen leadership tools.

   Insights Discovery
   Motivational Maps
   The Liberator

The wisdom and practical advice in Step Up To Sales Leader is the culmination of a proud career in sales, the lifeblood of all of our businesses.

If you are thinking about how to lead sales growth right now and and would like a chat with Amanda, you can contact her directly at amanda@salesgrowthexpert.co.uk

Step Up to Sales Leader​

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