Sabrina Sykes-Gelder

Sabrina
Sykes-Gelder

I spent 9+ years inside enterprise SaaS helping businesses get real value from their tech. Now I build practical AI systems for consultants and service businesses, the kind of support I wish existed when I was on the other side of the table.

I have worked closely across Customer Success, commercial, and sales-focused roles, so I understand both the relationship side of business and the reality of what it takes to drive growth. That shapes everything I build.

My focus is simple. Useful AI, better systems, and practical support that helps good businesses move forward.

See it in action → See My Work
SSG Advisory at a Glance
9+
Years in enterprise SaaS Customer Success
8→150+
CS team scaled at The Access Group — from founding cohort to full org
95–97%
Consistent retention rate across all CS roles
100%
Lead qualification automated before Sabrina touches it
AI Employees I Build
AI Sales Rep AI Influencer AI Customer Success AI Audit
About

Why I Built SSG Advisory

For founders and service businesses that are good at what they do, but cannot keep carrying everything themselves.

I built SSG Advisory because I got tired of watching talented founders and service leaders burn out doing work that better systems, and in some cases AI, could take off their plate.

Before starting SSG Advisory, I spent over nine years inside enterprise SaaS, managing strategic accounts, building Customer Success functions from scratch, rescuing at-risk clients, and helping businesses turn expensive software into measurable outcomes.

That career gave me something many AI consultants do not have. I have been on the client side of the table. I know what it feels like to adopt new tech under pressure, defend ROI, and be the person responsible when something does not deliver.

SSG Advisory exists for what I call the Invisible Expert, consultants, coaches, and service businesses whose expertise is clear, but whose visibility, sales, and operations cannot always keep up. Every system I recommend has been tested in my own business first.

AI should feel like practical support, not another bet-the-company decision.

🎯

Practitioner, Not Just Advisor

Every AI system I build for clients runs in SSG Advisory first. No untested recommendations.

🤝

Deep CS Roots

9+ years managing enterprise SaaS accounts means I understand what makes clients actually succeed with new technology.

⚙️

Full-Stack AI Builder

Voice AI, automation workflows, CRM pipelines, content systems — I design and deploy the whole stack.

🏆

Award-Winning Track Record

Field CS Manager of the Year and Customers for Life Award recipient at The Access Group.

Services

AI Employees for Your Business

I design and deploy AI employees that replace specific human roles in your business, scoped and built to deliver a measurable return from day one.

📣

AI Influencer

Consistent LinkedIn content, newsletter, and short-form video — your voice and expertise, without the daily grind. Built and running inside my own business.

Replaces: content writer + social media manager
📞

AI Sales Rep

Inbound lead qualification, objection handling, follow-up, and calendar booking — 24/7, with no human involvement required until the strategy call.

Replaces: SDR / appointment setter
🤝

AI Customer Success

Client onboarding, check-ins, FAQ responses, and communication touchpoints — keeping clients engaged without consuming your calendar.

Complements your CS team to extend reach and scale impact
🔍

AI Audit

A 2–3 hour deep dive into your business to identify where AI can eliminate bottlenecks. Full written report with ROI projections. Audit fee credited toward a full build.

The starting point for most clients

Not sure where to start? See the AI employees in action before booking anything.

See it in action →
Sample Output

What an AI Audit Looks Like

Every AI Audit delivers a written report structured around three sections. Here's a representative high level example of what a client receives.

SSG Advisory · AI Audit Report
Sample Client: Independent Operations Advisor
Report completed
March 2026
Section 1 · Current State & Bottleneck Map
🔴 Lead follow-up
Prospects emailing in with no consistent response time. Est. 6–8 hrs/week lost to manual triage and reply drafting.
🔴 Content creation
LinkedIn posting is ad hoc and drops off during busy client periods. Visibility suffers when revenue is highest.
🟡 Client onboarding
Onboarding relies on the founder's availability. No standard welcome sequence or FAQ coverage between sessions.
Section 2 · AI Opportunity Assessment
Opportunity AI Employee Type Priority Est. Hours Saved/wk
Inbound lead qualification & booking AI Sales Rep High 6–8 hrs
LinkedIn content & newsletter AI Influencer High 4–5 hrs
Client onboarding & FAQ responses AI Customer Success Medium 3–4 hrs
Section 3 · ROI Projections (AI Sales Rep)
Conservative
2×
Return on investment within 12 months
Realistic
3.5×
Return on investment within 12 months
Optimistic
5×
Return on investment within 12 months

* Projections are based on current lead volume, average deal value, and time-to-close benchmarks provided during the audit session. Audit fee of $1,750 CAD is credited toward a full AI Employee build.

Case Studies

What I've Built

Real systems, built and deployed — in my own business and for clients. Each one solves a specific operational bottleneck that was costing time or money.

SSG Advisory · AI Influencer

AI Content & Visibility System

Designed and deployed an AI-powered content engine producing LinkedIn posts, newsletter content, and short-form video 3–4 times per week — in the founder's voice, without daily manual effort. Content managed in Notion, automated through a connected stack of AI and workflow tools.

HeyGen SubMagic BlowTado Notion Relay.app n8n
Key Outcomes
3–4 LinkedIn posts per week, automated
AI avatar video production connected to content calendar
Multi-platform distribution with no manual posting
Zero content writer or social manager required
SSG Advisory · AI Sales Rep

AI Sales System

Built a fully automated inbound-to-booked-call pipeline powered by Isabella, an AI voice agent. Isabella handles the full sales qualification conversation from first contact through to a calendar booking, with no human involvement until the strategy call itself.

Retell AI n8n Apollo OpenAI Lovable Voice AI
Key Outcomes
Full lead journey automated from form submission to booked call
Isabella qualifies and books leads 24/7, handling every inbound call end to end
CRM auto-updated with AI-generated call summaries after every interaction
Zero SDR headcount required
CS Function Design · The Access Group & NuEnergy.ai

Building CS Functions That Scale

At The Access Group, I helped shape the CS function from the ground up — joining a team of 8 where no formal CS practice existed. As the team grew to 150+, inconsistency became the problem: new hires ramped at different speeds, account plans varied by person, and there was no shared standard for reviews or documentation. I stopped the reactive cycle and built one simple structure the whole team could use — a shared success plan template, a standard QBR format, and a clear Salesforce documentation guide, supported by walkthroughs and office hours. New hires ramped faster, handoffs improved, and leadership could trust the data again. Later, at NuEnergy.ai, I built a CS function from scratch as the first CS hire — delivering 100% retention on a $2.2M Government of Canada account.

Salesforce HubSpot Playbook Design QBR Templates Team Enablement Government Accounts
Key Outcomes
CS org scaled from 8 to 150+ with consistent standards and faster ramp times
Shared success plan template, QBR format, and Salesforce guide adopted team-wide
100% retention of $2.2M CAD Government of Canada account at NuEnergy.ai
Reporting improved by 75% via CRM + PM infrastructure
Experience

Career History

2026 – Present

Founder & AI Systems Advisor

SSG Advisory · Gatineau, Quebec
  • Designs and deploys AI employee systems for consultants and service businesses — AI Sales Rep, AI Influencer, and AI Customer Success.
  • Builds and tests all systems in SSG Advisory's own operations before recommending them to clients.
Apr 2026 – Present

Operations Manager

Cobalt Intelligence. USA
  • Building the data sourcing playbook for a real-time business registration API serving banks and alternative lenders.
  • Designing repeatable processes across all 50 state Secretary of State portals, identifying coverage gaps, and turning state-by-state friction into reliable inputs for underwriting and KYB decisions.
Sept 2024 – Feb 2026

Customer Success Lead

NuEnergy.ai · Ottawa, ON
  • Built the CS function from scratch, launching 5 company-wide playbooks and enabling 100% retention of a $2.2M CAD Government of Canada account.
  • Launched CRM and PM infrastructure (HubSpot, ClickUp), improving reporting by 75% and enabling faster forecasting.
  • Owned commercial motions including contract negotiations, renewal strategy, and expansion readiness.
Jul 2023 – Apr 2024

Partner Success Manager

Flexspring · Lévis, QC
  • Standardized Jira workflows and revamped internal enablement materials, boosting project visibility by 25%.
  • Collaborated cross-functionally to improve tracking of partner conversations and clarify external messaging.
Jun 2022 – May 2023

Senior Customer Success Manager

HiBob.io · London, UK
  • Managed a $1.6M book of 8 strategic HR tech accounts, achieving 97% retention and $400K in expansion revenue.
  • Retained a $188K ARR at-risk account by reframing conversations around business outcomes rather than product features.
  • Led executive business reviews with C-level stakeholders; introduced a company-wide success plan template and redesigned the business review and client introduction templates.
  • Coached peers on shifting from reactive support to strategic, business-led conversations with senior client contacts.
Aug 2016 – Feb 2022

Premier Customer Success Manager

The Access Group · London, UK
  • Owned 10 enterprise accounts totaling $3.4M USD across military, health, legal, and education sectors — 95% ARR vs. 85% company average.
  • Rescued a $1.2M ARR account through reset communication strategies and improved cross-team execution.
  • Helped scale the CS org from 8 to 150+ people by building playbooks and mentoring new CSMs.
  • Named Field CS Manager of the Year (2019) and Customers for Life Award recipient (2017).
~2010 – 2016

HR Director

Hospiscare · Exeter, UK
  • Led the HR function as a member of the Senior Management Team for six years.
  • Managed complex HR matters and advised leadership on strategic people decisions.
Recognition & Credentials
🏆

Field CS Manager of the Year

The Access Group · 2019

⭐

Customers for Life Award

The Access Group · 2017

🎓

BA, Human Resources Management

CIPD, United Kingdom

🤖

Microsoft AI Fundamentals

Certification Completed

🧠

AI Employee Certification

Isabella Bedoya / IzzyGPT · 2026

🇨🇦

Government of Canada Reliability Clearance

Active

🇬🇧

UK SC (Security Check) Clearance

Previously held

What People Say

Recommendations

"One of the most dependable and high calibre Customer Success professionals I've worked with. She balances relationship management with commercial awareness exceptionally well, always focused on delivering value while protecting the wider business."

Kieren Milne Professional Services Manager · Enterprise SaaS

"Her external interactions with partners were always highly positive, results driven, well choreographed, and appropriately structured. She has a keen focus in building strong relationships with stakeholders by earning their trust and ensuring mutual success."

Scott Bartos Strategic Alliances and Partnerships

"Sabrina's depth of what CS means goes beyond just delivering a great customer partnership. She epitomises the mindset needed to truly be the customer advocate — understanding their goals, strategies and challenges, and how to demonstrate value continually."

Ian Ellahee EMEA Director, Renewals · Nintex

"Sabrina consistently went above and beyond to understand our unique business needs and proactively addressed any challenges. Her strong analytical skills were instrumental in identifying opportunities for process improvements and optimizing our workflows."

Paul Ioan Albu Head of HR Operations · Ebury (HiBob client)

"The feedback from both her customer portfolio and colleagues was consistently glowing. Sabrina is one of the most diligent, hard working and fun people I've had the pleasure of working with."

Frank Hayes CS Team Manager · The Access Group

"An accomplished HR Director and a digital whiz. She led the HR function and was a member of the Senior Management Team. She is an extremely conscientious person and always went the extra mile to help and support colleagues."

Glynis Atherton CEO · Hospiscare (retired)
Skills & Tools

The Full Stack

From enterprise CRMs to self-hosted AI infrastructure — I work across the full range of tools that modern service businesses need.

AI & Voice

Retell AI OpenAI Claude (Anthropic) Gemini HeyGen AI Prompt Engineering

Automation

n8n (self-hosted) Relay.app Webhook Design API Integration

CRM & Sales Tech

Apollo HubSpot Salesforce ChurnZero Pipeline Design

Content & Visibility

SubMagic BlowTado Notion Canva LinkedIn Strategy

Infrastructure

Linux / Ubuntu VPS Docker Lovable SSL / Domain Management

Customer Success & Advisory

CS Function Build Executive Stakeholder Mgmt ROI Modelling Playbook Design Renewal Strategy

Ready to Meet Your First AI Employee?

Book a 20-minute strategy call. We'll look at your business, identify the highest-leverage place for AI, and I'll tell you exactly what a build would involve — and what it would replace.

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