The myth of the founder-as-superseller has done real damage to early-stage companies. We have romanticized the image of the charismatic CEO who can close any room, and as a result we have pressured technical, product-obsessed, or operationally minded founders into roles they are temperamentally and skill-wise unsuited for.
Read MoreSomeone asked me recently — with genuine curiosity and perhaps a touch of concern — how I manage to keep all the plates spinning. They rattled off my activities one by one. By the time they finished, even I had to pause.
Read MoreAs a startup founder, you wear many hats, including the sales hat. In the early days of your company, you are the first salesperson. Your startup mentors at the Accelerator and your investors have told you, whether you have the experience or not, to be out there selling.
Read MoreRaise your hand if you’ve heard about the early-stage CEO/Founder who listed their #1 concern about reaching scale was boiled down to simply “getting my marketing and sales teams aligned”.
Read MoreBut there are no shortcuts in sales. What produces success in sales is: Working hard and smart. Following a process. Using data. Being persistent. Win fast, lose faster. Multiple channels. A lot of blocking and tackling.
Read MoreImagine you are the founder, owner, or CEO of a young, ambitious company. You have developed a great new product. You have taken it to some potential clients. And some of those clients were so impressed by the product that they purchased from you. You are now ready to go to market.
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