Why did you decide to become a mentor?
Great question! For starters, gratitude. I'm super grateful for the craft of sales and everything sales has done for me. Sales has been really really good to me, and I like to express my gratitude by helping others to experience the same benefits that I've gotten from sales. I also realize that I've been able to acquire some uncommon expertise that's super useful to other reps, but also founders who are coming from backgrounds outside of sales and need to figure out how to build pipeline. It just feels good to be useful.
How did you get your career start?
I actually didn't get into sales until later in life. I was 34 and had been a small business owner for my entire professional life. The housing collapse of 2008 destroyed my business, and I eventually found my way into sales because client acquisition was one of the functions of running that company that I loved most. That first job was cold calling 100+ people a day selling search engine marketing. I was quickly promoted to sales manager, and I parlayed that into an entry level SaaS sales role, and the rest is history.
What do mentees usually come to you for?
Here's who I help: - Founders who need to learn how to acquire clients (I'm looking at you technical founders) - Early-stage startups that need a sales playbook, and guidance as to how to operationalize that playbook - Companies who've hit a growth glass ceiling and need to figure out how to continue to grow - Account Executives and BDRs who want to develop their careers, or pivot out of sales
What's been your favourite mentorship success story so far?
I can't play favorites :-). Anytime one of my reps sees noticeable improvement in an area we've been working on I get a real charge. Same goes for founders when they start to have those initial convos that become pipeline. It seems counterintuitive, but more than anything I like when our engagement ends. That happens when the mentee feels that our work has been accomplished and they're in a strong place. That's success for me.
What are you getting out of being a mentor?
I love having access to the frontlines. To understand what people who are doing this work day-in day-out are up against. It keeps me sharp and definitely helps in my work as a Strategist from 9-5. I also enjoy the exposure to different segments and verticals that I normally don't have the opportunity to work with. The extra money is nice, but more than anything it just feels good to help people get better at something and to achieve success.