Asia Leeds, Ph.D.

As a former professor with a passion for education and technology in Africa and the African Diaspora, I offer a distinctive blend of academic, project management, and business development expertise.

I specialize in crafting innovative cold outreach strategies that generate leads and foster robust relationships with decision-makers and C-suite leaders in various industries–including software development, retail, healthcare, and hospitality–as well as governments and NGOs. My decade-long background in higher education, social science research, teaching, and workshop facilitation makes me a unique value add in the B2B SaaS space.

Having designed and completed research projects in Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, and West Africa, I have an acute ability to navigate diverse cultural and multilingual contexts and effectively collaborate with global teams. My experiences living and working in Senegal have deepened my understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities present in the African tech startup landscape. Beyond my professional pursuits, I’ve explored more than 40 countries as a solo traveler, and I enjoy the challenge of navigating new places and cultures.

As a globally-minded lifelong learner with a passion for B2B SaaS, I am enthusiastic about leveraging my skill set and knowledge to contribute to roles in business development, sales, and partnerships. I am determined to play a pivotal role in driving growth and making a positive impact on the African continent and its diasporas.

Selected Work Samples

Business Development & Customer Success

Video Prospecting

Here are two examples of video prospecting, a technique I used to generate interest, build rapport, book discovery calls, and re-engage prospects while working as a BDR at Docebo and YOOBIC. I sent these personalized videos to prospects via LinkedIn or embedded in emails. Approximately 1/3 of my booked meetings were generated from video prospecting.

Competitive Research

Below are slide decks that capture my approach to competitive research. The first compares Greenhouse to its main competitors in the Applicant Tracking Software space and the second is an overview of the EdTech landscape.

Quarterly Business Review

I created the following QBR slides to accompany my final presentation in the Uvaro Customer Success Management course, which I completed in February 2023. See the Quarterly Review Case Study prompt below.

Uvaro Demo Day Competition

The top four students in each Uvaro Tech Sales Foundations cohort are selected to participate in the Demo Day competition. In June 2021, I was amongst the four selected in my cohort. Below is the live video of my demo and my slide deck.

Prospecting Plans

Academic Lectures & Workshops

Lecture: Gender, Garveyism, & the Racial Geographies of Belonging in Costa Rica

Teaching Global Black Studies Workshop Slide Deck

Below is a slide deck from a faculty workshop I led on Globalizing Black Studies in the classroom, which includes the Venn Diagram approach I developed to teach global Black Arts Movements.

Teaching Gender & Sexuality in African Diaspora Studies infographic

I designed and facilitated a faculty workshop aimed at increasing gender and sexuality studies across African Diaspora courses at Spelman College. Below is an infographic I made to capture the workshop’s main takeaways.