10 Colorado's most powerful salespeople: top sellers thrive on resourcefulness and follow-through.

• Author: Taylor, Mike

The outlook on the U.S. economy remains checkered, with retail sales improving six straight months (through November) on one hand, but issues such as Europe's debt crisis tempering optimism and even spawning fears of another U.S. recession on the other.

But the mindset of top sellers is the same as when we introduced our "most powerful salespeople" feature in this magazine in January 2009: Show a prospect how to solve a problem or fill a need, and a sale becomes possible.

Back then we looked at the Great Recession, which officially ran from December 2007 to June 2009, and asked ourselves: Who will be at the forefront of an economic recovery, the engine that prods business owners and other consumers to invest in themselves and others again? The answer: those on the front lines selling products and services, building relationships and cementing reputations.

In explaining their work, this year's 10 sales pros tabbed as "most powerful" rare talked about a sale in terms of an isolated transaction. Rather, they talked about the teaching, demonstrating and trust-building that culminate in a sale.

This year's cast of top salespeople were selected from nominations solicited online at www.cobimzag.com, our weekday email newsletter and other write-ins. They represent a diverse line of products and industries: higher-education, IT and business software; protective cases for handheld electronics; house cleaning; auto body repair; office furniture; telecommunications services; sportswear; and yes, medical marijuana. One day, those predicting an economic recovery will finally be right. These 10 salespeople don't appear to be waiting for that announcement.

- Mike Taylor, ColoradoBiz managing editor

Jessica Kalee Schoenther,. 32

Co-tounder/inside sales rep, Kalee's Cleaning, Boulder.

WHAT SHE DOES: In addition to sales, Schoeppler manages every schedule and client relationship she adds to Kalee's Cleaning; a house-cleaning business that serves primarily Boulder County residences.

SALES PRODUCTION: In 2011, Schoeppler added 66 new recurring accounts and 209 new one-time jobs totaling $275,000 in revenue.

BACKGROUND: Schoeppler and Matthew Bower, both California transplants, co-founded Kalee's Cleaning in 2007. Bower had earned his master's degree in business organization and administration, and Schoeppler was nearing completion of a degree in psychology. "I was finishing school and happened to pick up a job when I moved out to Denver cleaning houses," Schoeppler says. "So we kind of just put them together and decided we were going to start a cleaning company." With seven employees, the company last year completed more than 1,800 jobs for 163 households.

SALES ADVICE: "Once you've made that initial contact, it's really important to be upfront and have integrity in everything you say and do -- professionally and personally," Schoeppler says. "People want to know who they're talking with; they want to know they're going to get a quick response to any questions or concerns they have."

INSIDE PRAISE: "The myriad 'interpersonal' challenges Jessica overcomes on a daily basis are enormous," says Kalee's Cleaning co-founder Matthew Bower. "If you have not done sales and scheduling for a residential cleaning company before, this is something that is hard to understand. Finding the balance between meeting the needs of the client and truly serving the company is extremely difficult. Jessica's perseverance in the face of these difficulties has shaped her into to the absolute best inside sales person I have ever seen."

SURVIVING THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN: "I think it (housecleaning) is something that people just really don't want to do," Schoeppler says. "If they're going to cut something out, it's going lo be something else. We've clone really well."

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Tyler Smith, 31

National account manager, OtterBox...