Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 17, 2013

One of the questions I’m most often asked by CEOs is how to hire sales people. I’ve written a lot about recruiting and hiring at startups including my controversial post on whom not to hire and my rapid response to the flame war. Call high, and get passed down or; B. Clearly in an enterprise customer this is unlikely.

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Sales Technical Review Organization Case Study 375

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 3, 2014

Specifically what is often not in the DNA of founders are sales skills. The result is a lack of knowledge of the process and of sales people themselves. I had never had any sales training so everything we did for the first couple of years was instinctual. I boil it down to this: sales people are sales people.

Sales 382

Sales Help Startup Pricing 382

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

Yet in this age when customers have a thousand alternatives, and are overwhelmed by a multitude of messages, sales efforts can make or break a business. In fact, I believe modern entrepreneurs need to be super sales people, in the most positive sense, to their team as well as customers. No pain usually means no sales.

Sales 139

Sales Training Startup Customer 139

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 13, 2013

Like most startup entrepreneurs, when I began my first company in 1999 I had no formal sales experience. And when you achieve product / market fit your company often ramps revenue very fast and you need to build an organization to address it from demand generation (aka marketing) to sales discovery to implementation and after-sales support.

Sales 393

Sales Startup Resource Customer 393

TechCrunch LA

AUGUST 12, 2022

In January 2020, the company was in discussions with Whole Foods about launching a pilot of its meals in a few stores. The company also has a proprietary “Monte Carlo Simulation” to plug in point-of-sale data to manage its inventory levels at stores and reduce food waste. However, there was a silver lining for Positive Food.

Invest 175

Invest Los Angeles Startup Funding 175

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 17, 2013

In my first enterprise software company we developed a methodology for sales that we called PUCCKA. This post is about the “P” or pain. Having a methodology instead of just going on random sales visits helped force a bit of rigor and honesty amongst team members about how well or not we thought we were doing.

Sales 367

Sales Slides Startup Customer 367

socalTECH

MAY 16, 2019

For our interview this morning, we caught up with Isaac Garcia , a serial entrepreneur who previously founded and sold his last company, Central Desktop, and now is working on a new startup, Sales Insider. What is Sales Insider? Isaac Garcia: Sales Insider is a talent marketplace for hiring software sales reps.

Sales 133

Sales Startup Software Marketing 133

Berkonomics

JANUARY 24, 2019

Rules about non-compete agreements . So, what are the rules about those pesky non-compete agreements signed upon your discharge, or upon the sale of your previous company? Some of these entrepreneurs starting a new company are alumni from companies that would be a competitor to the enterprise being created or joined.

Company 120

Company Companies News Startup 120

Berkonomics

JANUARY 24, 2019

Rules about non-compete agreements . So, what are the rules about those pesky non-compete agreements signed upon your discharge, or upon the sale of your previous company? Some of these entrepreneurs starting a new company are alumni from companies that would be a competitor to the enterprise being created or joined.

Company 120

Company Companies News Startup 120

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 11, 2016

Gregg Johnson, CEO of Invoca For the first 5 years or so after I became a VC I didn’t talk much about what I thought a VC should be excellent at since frankly I wasn’t sure. It’s easy to think the role of a VC is to have strong opinions about markets, trends, tech dynamics and so forth. I don’t think this is the job.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Capital CTO Coach Startup 150

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

Our interview today is with Amos Schwartzfarb , the author of Sell More Faster: The Ultimate Sales Playbook for Start-Ups , which comes out tomorrow, Wednesday. We caught up with Amos to learn about his new book, and to gain some tips for startup entrepreneurs on how to figure out when you're actually ready to scale your sales team.

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Sales Startup Custom Development Framework 113

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 23, 2013

Every sales organization with more than a handful of reps or that is across multiple offices or time zones would benefit from having a sales methodology. The second post was about the “U” or Unique Selling Proposition , which in industry terms is often called a USP. The first post covered the topic of “P” or pain.

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Sales Customer Custom Examples 328

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 15, 2013

For much of 2013 I watched the press write articles about how the YouTube “MCNs” (multi-channel networks) were doomed and tried to square that with the data I was watching at the one I invested in, Maker Studios, who has had one hell of a year. I agree with YouTube (that they provide more (hosting, ad sales, etc.)

Networking 366

Networking Media Content Customer 366

TechCrunch LA

OCTOBER 27, 2020

That could have an impact on retail sales that were already projected to be dismal. decline in total US retail sales this year, and a 14.0% drop in brick-and-mortar sales… even before the second wave of the pandemic began surging in the U.S. decline in total US retail sales this year, and a 14.0% earlier this month.

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Sales Los Angeles Beverly Hills Demand 249

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 3, 2010

I’d like to talk about Crocodile Salesmen in 3 scenarios: 1) when YOU are selling (or someone on your team), 2) when you are trying to recruit a sales person. You learn much more about how other people think when you’re asking. But how to apply “listening&# in a sales meeting? Nobody likes that.

Sales 314

Sales Startup Venture Capital Customer 314

Berkonomics

NOVEMBER 15, 2018

And yet, as I recall the greatest thrills, the memorable events, the best of memories, almost none are about the money. But your most satisfying life journey will never be about the money. The rewards of angel investing. Have you ever spent enough time with your family? Can you ever spend enough? Isn’t it time to try?

Coach 120

Coach Startup Organization Invest 120

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 31, 2010

This is part of my ongoing Sales & Marketing Series. In the first part of this post I talked about how sales in a startup is often evangelical , requires as consultative sale and needs constant adjustments based on customer feedback. We had 4 or 5 sales reps that had been around since the early days.

Sales 286

Sales Newsletter Technical Review Activity 286

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 16, 2015

recently wrote a post talking about how some VCs meddle in operating company decisions or some executive teams are too reliant on VCs to jump in and make hard calls for them. At times I wanted the engineering team to produce features to support our sales efforts to I occasionally leaned on them a bit. I did this. ” PR.

Startup 150

Startup Sales CTO Coach Course 150

Tech.Co

APRIL 20, 2020

Wix has announced a limited-time half price sale on its website builder plans, with a 50% off deal beginning today and ending on Wednesday. The half price sale is open to new users and anyone currently using Wix's free plan. About our links. The post Wix Announces Half Price Flash Sale appeared first on Tech.co.

Pricing 139

Pricing Sales Template Technical Review 139

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 2, 2010

This is part of a series on sales & marketing. I previously covered how early phase sales teams should be “evangelical&# and consultative in nature. The first post on scaling sales dealt with “aiming&# your sales teams – making sure they were focused on the right opportunities.

Sales 289

Sales Startup Training Pricing 289

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 30, 2013

This is part of a series that describes a sales methodology for technology companies or frankly many other types of companies, too. This post is about finding your “champion.” This post is about the second “C” or Champion. Is she managing a P&L and wants to reduce costs or improve sales?

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Sales Help Organization Product 322

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 22, 2021

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of talking to Samir Kaji on the Venture Unlocked podcast about a wide range of topics that we as venture capitalists think about everyday, including: How to build a generational firm?—?retaining And again, just like in enterprise sales, this is all about differentiation ?—?what

Sales 375

Sales Startup Invest Funding 375

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 5, 2011

Specifically what is often not in the DNA of founders are sales skills. The result is a lack of knowledge of the process and of sales people themselves. I had never had any sales training so everything we did for the first couple of years was instinctual. I boil it down to this: sales people are sales people.

Sales 316

Sales Startup Pricing Customer 316

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

Now, I’m pretty on the record that being an entrepreneur is about being great at The Do. I’ve talked in the past about how I manage my own creative process. I zone out and think about how things could be different. This is one of the positive signs of ADHD that nobody ever talks about. Startups Are for Doers.

Venture Capital 400

Venture Capital Conference Ideas Entrepreneur 400

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 4, 2013

This is part of a series that describes a sales methodology for technology companies or frankly many other types of companies, too. This post talks about the “K” or Key Players involved in a buying decision. ” But many people get secure in their sales process with just meeting / talking to the people who are the nicest to you.

Sales 321

Sales Organization Startup Resource 321

socalTECH

JULY 24, 2014

We spoke with Nikolaus Kimla , the CEO of Pipeliner CRM, to learn more about the company, its move here, and its software. Tell us about Pipeliner CRM? The people we spoke with told us that CRM sucks, and sales people have to use this software, but don''t like to use it. That''s what it''s all about.

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Sales Startup Software Customer 229

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 14, 2014

All the data actually suggests with the growth of mobile, inbound sales calls will double from 30 billion to 60 billion in 3 years (source: Kelsey). In the US alone there are 30 billion inbound sales calls every year. Calls are changing but not dying. We love to streamline and text people. But let me start with some data.

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Email SaaS Venture Capital Google 339

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 12, 2010

A while back I wrote a bunch of posts on Sales & Marketing and have been meaning to get back to that theme for a while. Even if you don’t have “direct&# sales I would tell you that “everything is a sale&# including fund raising, hiring, getting press and doing business development. You learn by asking.

Sales 346

Sales Startup Technical Review Customer 346

Technology Council

JANUARY 1, 2014

I have the opportunity to work with a large number of sales teams and to see what makes for highly successful ones and ones that struggle. In my experience the #1 determining factor in sales team success is whether the company has the right sales people on board or not. The software sells for $50,000 to $400,000 per instance.

Sales 113

Sales Training Software Email 113

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 20, 2015

If one entered between 2009-2015 he or she is no doubt in the “hazard” phase where one need to be careful about thinking he know more about the industry than perhaps he do. No – I’m not talking about YOU – everybody is doing it. I know we spoke about it this week. 10 is the new 3.

Funding 150

Funding Venture Capital Startup Marketing 150

InfoChachkie

JULY 7, 2016

When investors do interject, demos typically become even more pedantic, as Founders feel compelled to speak expansively about specific features in an attempt address the investor’s concerns. Sales Mode – Demos intrinsically cause Founders to launch into sales mode. You can follow John on Twitter: @johngreathouse.

Venture Capital 176

Venture Capital Product Software Review Technical Review 176

Technology Council

JANUARY 1, 2014

I have the opportunity to work with a large number of sales teams and to see what makes for highly successful ones and ones that struggle. In my experience the #1 determining factor in sales team success is whether the company has the right sales people on board or not. The software sells for $50,000 to $400,000 per instance.

Sales 100

Sales Training Software Email 100

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 14, 2011

I agreed to do the interview because the story was about what other companies can learn rather than about airbnb in particular. If you have information about a situation that has gone terribly wrong don’t cover it up. ’ You’re being talked about for the wrong thing. Make the story be about your market.

Startup 329

Startup Press Training Media 329

Berkonomics

NOVEMBER 17, 2016

Everyone who manages a company or its sales force wants to write as many new deals as possible, and is usually warry about doing anything that might threaten the positive outcome of a pending sale. Deadlines are an important sales tool. The most powerful tool you have in a sales environment is a deadline.

Sales 120

Sales Tool Writing Customer 120

Berkonomics

AUGUST 10, 2023

From the moment such an investor looks seriously at your company, the investor or VC partner is thinking of the end game, the ultimate sale of the company or even of an eventual initial public offering. There is no middle ground. Resetting your priorities Taking money from these sources involves resetting priorities over time.

Venture Capital 292

Venture Capital Sales Invest Class 292

SoCal CTO

FEBRUARY 2, 2011

There's a lot out there around Customer Development - read Steve Blank : Entrepreneurship as a Science – The Business Model/Customer Development Stack - Steve Blank , October 25, 2010 Checklists for Chaos, The Path to Success - Steve Blank , October 28, 2010 and reading about Lean, MVPs, etc. is a requirement. Not sure why.

Startup 198

Startup Custom Development Sales Writing 198

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 14, 2013

If you have your eyes and ears open, you can discover sales lessons in unexpected places, including the cable TV show, Say Yes To The Dress. There are a number of solid sales techniques on display by the Say Yes team. Throughout the sales process, they continually probe and modify their sales approach, based on the bride's feedback.

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Sales Startup Activity RSS 251