Our team

At Straightahead UK, our team is your team. Experienced, knowledgeable and dedicated, we put people at the centre of everything we do.

Vicki Smedley - Founder and CEO

Straightahead UK was founded by Vicki in 2009 with a simple belief: successful lead generation isn't about scripts, pressure, or sales tricks. It's about having genuine business conversations with the right people.

With more than 35 years of sales and telephone prospecting experience, Vicki has spent her career helping businesses create opportunities, build relationships, and generate revenue through professional outbound calling. Her sales career began in the late 1980s selling advertising space before progressing into sales management roles, where she led successful teams and developed the consultative approach that remains at the heart of Straightahead UK today.

Unlike many agency owners and sales trainers, Vicki still spends time on the telephone speaking directly with decision-makers. She continues to work on client campaigns, listens to calls, supports the team, and remains actively involved in the day-to-day delivery of projects. This hands-on approach ensures that every campaign benefits from real-world experience rather than theory.

Over the years, Vicki and her team have supported organisations across a wide range of sectors including publishing, technology, manufacturing, hospitality, healthcare, transport, professional services, automotive, and fleet. While industries may differ, the fundamentals remain the same: understanding people's challenges, identifying opportunities, and creating meaningful business conversations.

Vicki is also the founder of Straight Talking Sales Coaching, where she works directly with business owners, salespeople, and telephone-based teams to improve confidence, increase conversations, and achieve better results. Her coaching is based on practical experience gained from thousands of conversations with decision-makers rather than classroom theory or scripted techniques.

At the heart of everything Vicki does is a commitment to honesty, transparency, and delivering genuine value. Clients work with Straightahead UK because they know exactly what is being done, who is being contacted, and what outcomes are being achieved. Every campaign is built on trust, professionalism, and a determination to represent clients in the right way.

More than sixteen years after founding Straightahead UK, Vicki remains as passionate about helping businesses grow as she was on day one.

Andrew Milbourn, CEO of Kiss the Fish

"Vicki is, without doubt, the best Telephone Sales Manager and exponent of the craft I have ever worked with or come across. She is results-driven and you can work with Vicki knowing that she is reliable and trustworthy. I have no hesitation in recommending Vicki and Straightahead to anyone who is seeking results through telesales. Great results and great value."

Oakley Culverhouse - Director

Oakley has been an integral part of Straightahead UK for more than seven years and plays a key role in the day-to-day operation of the business.

Working closely alongside Vicki, Oakley oversees many of the operational functions that keep the business running smoothly, including campaign administration, reporting, data management, and a wide range of activities that help keep campaigns running efficiently ensuring that both clients and the team receive the support they need. Clients receive regular activity reports and have full visibility of campaign progress.

As a Director, Oakley is also actively involved in business planning, process improvement, and strategic decision-making. He works closely with clients and team members alike, helping to resolve challenges, answer questions, and ensure campaigns are delivered to the high standards that Straightahead UK is known for.

Perhaps most importantly, Oakley helps maintain the positive, supportive culture that sits at the heart of the business, encouraging teamwork, celebrating success, and ensuring that Straightahead remains an enjoyable place to work.

Kobe - Head of Security

Every successful business needs someone responsible for security, wellbeing and team morale. At Straightahead UK, that responsibility falls to Kobe.

Having worked his way up from family pet to Head of Security, Kobe takes his role extremely seriously. His duties include greeting visitors, supervising office activity from strategic locations, carrying out regular patrols of the premises, and ensuring that no biscuit goes unaccounted for.

When not undertaking these important responsibilities, Kobe can usually be found asleep under Vicki's desk, quietly monitoring proceedings and providing moral support to the team.

Whilst his contribution to lead generation remains unproven, his impact on office morale is beyond question.

Our team - Relationship Builders

At the heart of Straightahead UK is our team of relationship builders.

We deliberately recruit people for their attitude, communication skills, and values rather than previous lead generation experience. This allows us to train and develop individuals using the proven approach and standards that have helped our clients generate opportunities since 2009.

Our team members are supported through continuous coaching, training, and development to ensure they are confident, knowledgeable, and capable of holding meaningful business conversations with decision-makers.

We believe that people perform best in a positive environment, which is why our team is made up of employed, salaried staff who are rewarded for teamwork, collaboration, and delivering quality outcomes rather than simply booking appointments.

To provide continuity and resilience, a minimum of two team members are trained on every campaign. This ensures consistent delivery, cover for unexpected absences, and the benefit of multiple perspectives and experiences throughout the life of a project.