In this conversation of Coach the Scale, host Matt Benelli sits down with Michael Janes, CRO, investor, and co-founder of Rapid Commercialization Partners, to explore why top sales leaders are shifting their focus upstream. Janes unpacks his core philosophy: Sell to the strategy behind the capital, revealing how understanding a company’s ownership structure, whether private equity, venture-backed, or founder-led, can dramatically reshape how reps position value, influence internal champions, and align with executive priorities.

From myth-busting the idea that activity volume alone drives results to challenging how most one-on-ones miss the mark, Janes offers a grounded yet forward-looking perspective on what it takes to lead high-performance sales organizations. Listeners will walk away with practical insights on coaching beyond the forecast, the dangers of “super rep” management, and why the real leverage often starts at the board level, not the buying committee. If you’re a CRO or sales leader aiming to uplevel your team and shorten the path to influence, this conversation is required listening.

Key Takeaways:
1. Sell to the strategy behind the capital
Don’t just “follow the money”—understand the investor’s goals and align your sales motion to how capital is deployed, managed, and expected to grow.

2. Coaching needs to shift from deal review to skill development
Most one-on-ones are ineffective because they focus on forecasting instead of developing the behaviors that lead to consistent performance.

3. One-on-ones are broken when they lack preparation and structure
Great coaching starts with preparation; otherwise, reps get a therapy session or a pipeline interrogation, not actual development.

4. Sales managers are overwhelmed and under-equipped
FLMs are juggling too many priorities with little training on how to coach or drive rep performance—this gap undermines quota attainment.

5. Activity without purpose is a myth that needs killing
The old-school mindset of “just make more calls” misses the point; consistency only matters if it’s paired with relevance and precision.

6. Start high and cascade down—not the other way around
The most strategic salespeople begin with senior-level conversations, understanding investor priorities, then work downward to shape the internal sale.

7. Internal champions are built through strategic guidance, not feature pitching.
Could you make sure to provide your buyers with the narrative they need to sell internally by aligning your message with capital goals and business outcomes?

8. Overlay roles only work when they add real value
Janes proved that overlays focused on investor relations can be a force multiplier—but only if they help reps access decision-makers and frame deals through a capital lens.

9. Respect the chain of command—but don’t ask permission
When engaging PE or VC boards, it's critical to keep execs in the loop without letting them gatekeep the conversation.

10. Managers need enablement, too—not just reps
The assumption that great reps make great managers is flawed; without systems, training, and coaching support, FLMs can’t scale performance across the team.

Ways to Tune In:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Yb1wPzUxyrfR0Dx35ym1A
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coach2scale-how-modern-leaders-build-a-coaching-culture/id1699901434
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL2NvYWNoMnNjYWxlLWhvdy1tb2Rlcm4tbGVhZGVycy1idWlsZC1hLWNvYWNoaW5nLWN1bHR1cmU
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fd188af6-7c17-4b2e-a0b2-196ecd6fdf77
Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/coach2scale-how-modern-leaders-5419703
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Coach2Scale
CoachEm™ is the first Coaching Execution Platform that integrates deep learning technology to proactively analyze patterns, highlight the "why" behind the data with root causes, and identify the actions that will ultimately improve business results going forward. These practical coaching recommendations for managers will help their teams drive more deals, bigger deals, faster deals, and loyal customers. Built with decades of go-to-market experience, world-renowned data scientists, and advanced causal AI/ML technology, CoachEm™ leverages your existing tech stack to increase rep productivity, increase retention, and replicate best practices across your team.

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