Posts in Start-up
Moving Beyond the Founder – Making Sales the Key Catalyst to Growth

As a start-up gears up for a Series A investment, early-phase scaling becomes imperative to secure funding. In the absence of a foolproof playbook, the path forward is far from clear-cut or universally acknowledged. The typical playbook often suggests hiring a VP of Sales, a move fraught with challenges:

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What is the role of the CRO, really?

Most CRO’s are really focused primarily on New Logo Sales. Often, the CRO has a peer called the Chief Marketing Officer who is goaled on metrics related to Reputation and Demand Gen (leads).  There is another peer, the Chief Customer Officer or Head of Customer Success who is goaled on Adoption, Renewals, and sometimes Expansion.

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Building a Business and Conquering a Marathon -- Parallels

I recently ran the NYC Marathon, crossing the finish line in seven hours after a 26.2 mile run through that world-class city. I'm still riding the "high" of this exhilarating experience, and thinking a lot about the analogies of a marathon and lessons in other parts of our lives -- like business building. 

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What's the Right Time to Hire a Sales Leader?

"We will wait to hire a sales leader until we have more customers."  While it may seem like a prudent approach to save resources, this strategy can have both advantages and disadvantages. Here's some thoughts as we explore what might be behind this statement and whether it's a wise decision for a growing company.

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Scaling Through Sales: How Sales Leaders Drive Business Growth

In the exhilarating universe of startups and glamorous founders, Sales Leaders are often unsung heroes, guiding businesses through the tumultuous journey of hyper-growth. Their innovative strategies, customer focus, process-centric approach, adaptability, and team leadership form the backbone of a startup's success story.

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The Commitment of a Fractional Executive

Their future work relies upon referrals and a successful track record. Interim and Fractional Executives are paid on the understanding of goals and objectives being performed and delivered, and not merely based on attendance.

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Ultimate Success Requires Alignment Between Product and Sales

Sales-led growth and product-led growth are distinct strategies, each with its own set of priorities and approaches. And successful growth strategies always require an alignment between sales and product. And that also means aligning the investment.

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A Blast from the Past: The Commission-Only Sales Rep

A salesperson not accepting a commission-only sales role does not mean that they aren’t “hungry and motivated” or “they don’t believe in themselves.” It means they are smart.

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What is "Senior Sales Leadership" for a Startup?

When it comes to hiring a senior sales leader, there are two main types of candidates to consider: those with big company experience and those with entrepreneurial experience. Each has its pros and cons, and the decision criteria for choosing the right candidate for your business will depend on several factors. 

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Turning Great Mousetraps Into Revenue

Every company on the planet is the same in their two most fundamental processes: making stuff and selling stuff.  All other processes should be in support of these two facets of the raison d'être of a company. The corner bakery and the world's largest industrial conglomerates are the same at this level. 

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