The recent launch of Realize, Taboola’s powerful new performance platform and the electrifying energy of this year’s U.S. Sales Kick-Off (SKO) set the stage for an incredible year. As leaders from across the organization took the stage with hysterical skits, humorous outfits, and motivating speeches to rev the team up about wins, growth, and goals, there was one clear, thought-provoking message to our sales team–being empowered to take ownership of their success. The motto for 2025? Performance. We own it.
The Taboola SKO experience
Sales Kick-Off, or SKO as Taboolars call it, is an annual three-day conference-style event where Taboolars from across North America sales and supporting sales teams gather in New York to celebrate successes and gear up for the year ahead. This year’s theme, ‘Performance: We Own It,’ was brought to life in a quite memorable way. We wanted to show, not just tell, what ‘performance’ means at Taboola. So, our incredibly talented marketing and creative teams turned to AI to create unique and humorous AI-generated images of our Taboolars, each embodying the core values that fuel our performance. Trust. Results. Relationships. Speed. Storytelling. Precision. Partnership. Data. Growth. Value.
These AI-generated visuals, showcasing our team ‘owning’ their performance, perfectly complemented our focus on empowering businesses with high-performing advertising technology beyond search and social. Yes, we’re that committed to helping businesses create and drive awesome ad solutions, part of the impact one will have in joining the Taboola Sales team.
How Taboolars own their performance
The energy at SKO was electric, and it’s a direct reflection of how our team embodies “performance.” 2024 was a year of remarkable achievements: sixteen publisher renewals, significant growth in existing partnerships, exciting new brand acquisitions, and well-earned promotions. Taboolars across functions and teams delivered big.
But behind every successful metric and accomplishment is a story of human connection. While the purpose of SKO is to reflect on wins and opportunities and create a buzzing excitement for the year ahead, as our VP of Sales Davin Power highlighted, SKO’s success was a collective effort, encompassing everything from strategic planning and content creation to IT support and, most importantly, friendship. Throughout the week, Taboolars experienced the kindness and impact of one another, whether that was through offering advice, providing guidance, or showing up in full.
At Taboola, “owning” performance isn’t just about hitting targets; it’s about the collaboration, the support, and the genuine community that make it all possible because we care. This year’s SKO was a powerful reminder that our strength lies in our people and the bonds we share, a common sentiment echoed when you ask what makes Taboola a great place to work.
Celebrating performance – Sales Awards
No SKO is complete without a formal celebration. After a year of hard work and incredible growth, Taboolars gathered at the gorgeous Hall des Lumières in lower Manhattan to celebrate our well-deserved sales awards nominees and winners, followed by laughs, connections, and, of course, dancing.
A huge round of applause and congratulations to all nominees and winners of the U.S. 2025 Sales Awards and Sales Club. You earned it!
Enterprise
Top Advertising Sales Manager: Jessie Wallace
Top Advertising Account Manager: Sara Glick
Top Publisher Account Manager: Juliana Padovani
Top Publisher Sales Manager: Patrick Bain
Rising Star: Austin Golden
Strategic Deal Maker: Jordan Kolsky
Champion of Innovation: Jacob Portugal
Excellence in Team Collaboration: Ming Comey
Driver of Culture: Sam Rothberg
Trailblazing Team Lead: Stephanie Fazio
Growth
Top Advertising Sales Manager: Malik Ward
Top Advertising Account Manager: Stephen Hollinshead
Top Publisher SMB Sales or Account Manager: Yotam Cohen
Excellence in Cross-Functional Collaboration: SMB Delivery Team
Trailblazing Team Lead: Victoria Proença & Nietoe Kelson
Rookie of The Year: Nicole Nieto
Culture Creator: Nedgie Paul
Strategic Partnerships
Strategic Accounts, Iron Man Award: John Stein
Strategic Accounts, Spider Man Award: Justin Kelly
Strategic Accounts, Black Widow Award: Fernanda Sene
Sales Club Winners
To learn more about why we are consistently ranked as a great place to work, check out the Taboola Life blog. Visit our careers page and discover your moment with #TaboolaLife.
