As Chief Sales Officer, Vanessa Bosnich is an integral part of the Spotlight Reporting machine. She’s in charge of driving new revenue, managing and mentoring the global sales team, and strategising for better business processes and outcomes.
Having started with us in 2020 as our Enterprise Business Development Manager, her responsibilities have changed a lot over the past two years. Despite this, her favourite part of the job remains the same.
“I’ve absolutely loved the new role—I’m bounding out of bed every day!” says Vanessa. “I love collaborating with our awesome people, and flying the Spotlight Reporting flag for new business opportunities globally.”
Vanessa brings a lot of energy to the everyday, which serves her well as an active mother of three. In her spare time, she’s involved in all kinds of group sports and activities like hiking, golfing, rollerblading, rock climbing, and skiing. She’s even the leader of her local Girl Guides group.
“I love being around people, and bringing them on the journey,” says Vanessa, and across all areas of her life, this is exactly what she does.
A Bright Beginning
Vanessa started her working life straight out of high school, with a position in Toshiba’s Sales Team, selling facsimiles on Sydney’s North Shore. From there, she moved into a role with a well respected investment bank called Bankers Trust—her start in the finance world.
“I was delighted to get that job,” says Vanessa, “That’s where my passion for finance really started.”
A few years and a few jobs in the industry later, Vanessa began working at Spotlight in 2016. Long-standing clients might remember her from her work during this period as our Senior Account Manager for NSW and ACT.
“Give people the opportunity to share their product and business model with you—the more you understand about them or the wider industry, the better you’ll be at your own job.”
“It was one of the best jobs I’ve ever had,” she says. “I'd do five in-house appointments a day, around three or four days a week, all over the state, and I really enjoyed it! It was just so thrilling for me to empower these firms by presenting our software, and really bringing it to life. Many firms had never seen reports like ours.”
After a few years with us, Vanessa decided it was time for her to make a move to a different SaaS company, to take on a new challenge, but she never forgot her experiences working with the Spotlight family. She initially rejoined us as an Enterprise Business Development Manager, but her dedication soon elevated her to the position of Chief Sales Officer.
“I’ve always said that your vibe attracts your tribe, so if you're a good operator, you attract good employees,” says Vanessa. “I knew Richard would only have the best people working for him, and I’m proud to be one of them.”
Back in the Spotlight
Like other businesses around the world, Spotlight Reporting learned to work remotely through the pandemic. Initially this was something of a challenge for Vanessa, who is very much a people person—but it didn’t take her long to master the virtual transition.
“I’m getting pretty good at building rapport and connections on Zoom,” she laughs. “I was thrilled to have the opportunity to run our advisory forum in Sydney last year, which saw 60 people attend, and I’m looking forward to the upcoming Xero Roadshows, and many other events we’re holding across Australia in the upcoming months.”
Meeting face-to-face is where Vanessa truly shines. “It’s a space where you can build accelerated connections”, she says, “and really get to know what our customers need”.
To this end, she has a fantastic list of tips for getting the most out of these interactions:
“Introduce yourself to anyone and everyone,” she says. “Give people the opportunity to share their product and business model with you—the more you understand about them or the wider industry, the better you’ll be at your own job."
For anyone wanting to join her team, there are key things she looks for in a candidate: a dynamic and tenacious personality, and a willingness to learn new things. As Spotlight Reporting continues to grow and expand rapidly, it’s these traits that keep our Sales Team ahead of the curve.
“I’m feeling really positive about our recent newcomers, and excited about more newcomers starting with us,” says Vanessa. “It’s been a fun challenge, keeping up with the fast pace of the overall industry. I’m excited about where our team is now, and what our awesome Sales Team will look like and what we can achieve in the near future.”
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The Adventurous Leader
Outside of work, Vanessa keeps herself busy with a range of outdoor activities, which often combine her love of adventure, with her love for people. She’s always on the go, and doesn’t like putting off till tomorrow what can be done today.
Procrastination is the thief of time, Vanessa believes. “I like to make swift and thoughtful decisions, and then follow through with conviction”.
“I’ve always said that your vibe attracts your tribe, so if you're a good operator, you attract good employees.”
A perfect example of this was the way Vanessa started up a local Girl Guides group when her daughter had a desire to join.
“Our local guiding group had shut down years ago due to a lack of leaders, so without hesitation, I jumped into action, and started up a new group for my daughter and other like-minded girls”
That’s what Vanessa is passionate about doing in her spare time, running a team of 24 girls each week, plus launching a new group for older girls to join next year. Giving back to the community, raising money for charity, and inspiring the next generation of leaders is what motivates her.
