In this short segment of the Revenue Builders Podcast, John McMahon, John Kaplan and Sunil Dhaliwal, founder and general partner at Amplify Partners, explore the board’s perspective on sales leadership. Sunil shares critical insights on selling in the early stages of a startup, knowing when to walk away from a deal, and the importance of transparency in sales forecasting. The conversation dives into the competencies that separate exceptional sales leaders from the rest—honesty, market assessment, and adaptability. If you’re leading sales at a high-growth company or thinking about joining a startup, this episode is packed with must-know strategies.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

[00:00:47] The Pressure of Startup Sales – Why every deal feels like life or death
[00:01:27] The "Man on an Island" Feeling – The loneliness of sales leadership in startups
[00:02:29] The Risk of Overpromising – How inaccurate forecasts hurt the whole company
[00:03:16] The Cost of Poor Sales Leadership – When inaccurate reporting sets a company back quarters
[00:04:09] The Most Critical Competency – Why great sales leaders must accurately assess the battlefield
[00:05:38] Market Awareness & Adaptability – Understanding product fit vs. chasing deals
[00:06:02] The Power of Asking the Right Questions – Why startups need more than just "closing" skills
[00:08:00] Honest Forecasting – How sales leaders should communicate realistic expectations

QUOTES

[00:00:47] "A lot of people have a hard time backing away from a deal, but sometimes the right move is to walk away."
[00:01:27] "Good sales leaders in startups embrace that lonely moment and are honest about what's going on."
[00:03:16] "The worst thing you can do is overpromise. You're not just hurting yourself—you’re setting the company back quarters."
[00:04:09] "Great sales leaders must be able to accurately orient themselves on the battlefield and communicate what’s happening."
[00:05:01] "At a startup, the product won’t work the way you want it to. It’s not us vs. them—it’s about understanding what the product can and should do."
[00:06:36] "Startup sales isn’t just about closing—it’s about figuring out whether you should even be in this deal at all."

Listen to the full conversation through the link below.
https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/a-board-members-perspective-on-sales-leadership-with-sunildhaliwal

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Check out John McMahon’s book here:
Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4

Check out Force Management’s Ascender platform here:
https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/

Force Management is hiring for a Sales Director. Apply here: https://hubs.li/Q02Zb8WG0

Read Force Management's eBook: https://www.forcemanagement.com/roi-of-sales-messaging

In this episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan are joined by John Donnelly, Chief Revenue Officer at Qumulo. The discussion dives into John's extensive career in sales, his lessons learned, and the evolution of selling enterprise software. Key points include the importance of listening, selling value over features, and the critical role of discovery in the sales process. The conversation also covers the impact of AI on sales operations, specifically in automating BDR functions and optimizing sales activities. They highlight the shift towards AI-driven tools to enhance productivity, personalize customer interactions, and gain real-time insights. The episode wraps up with insights into John's current role at Qumulo and their innovative approach to handling unstructured data in the cloud.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Learn more about John Donnelly and his company through the links below.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jkdhale/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/qumulo/

Enjoying the podcast? Sign up to receive new episodes straight to your inbox: https://hubs.li/Q02R10xN0

Check out John McMahon’s book, The Qualified Sales Leader: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064/

HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT

[00:01:43] Lessons from Early Career Experiences
[00:06:10] The Importance of Listening in Sales
[00:06:49] Challenges in Selling Enterprise Software
[00:08:06] Balancing Features and Value in Sales
[00:08:51] Building Strong Champions in Sales
[00:11:35] Effective Sales Presentations and Discovery
[00:22:15] Creating Urgency in the Sales Process
[00:33:02] Understanding Human Behavior in Sales
[00:34:46] The Importance of Knowledge and Skills
[00:38:05] Identifying and Targeting Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs)
[00:47:25] The Role of AI in Modern Sales
[00:51:02] The Future of Sales and AI Integration
[00:58:59] New Opportunities and Challenges in Storage Solutions

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

[00:12:14] "Sales is not a box-checking process."
[00:19:21] "Make it outside in, no matter where you are in the sales process. You have to first make it all about the person you're presenting to before you earn the right to make it all about you."
[00:30:46] "People rarely argue with their own conclusions."
[00:57:59] "If you're a seller, embrace the technology that's coming at you."
[00:58:36] "The power of a personal relationship is going to become even greater in the future."
[01:02:26] "If you follow the playbook, you will make money. You will get rich off of this.

In this episode of The Revenue Builders Podcast hosted by John McMahon and John Kaplan, Anne Gary, Managing Director at Force Management, dive into the crucial topic of identifying and understanding champions in the sales process. They explore the differences between business champions and technical champions, the significance of the power chart, and the role of coaches. Discover how to distinguish between these key players, the indicators to look for when meeting potential champions, and the importance of aligning with individuals who have both authority and influence within an organization.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

[00:01:21] Start with an organization chart to understand the hierarchy, reporting structure, and positional authority within an organization.
[00:02:33] Identify not only positional authority but also influence within the organization, as influence plays a crucial role in decision-making.
[00:03:44] Just because someone holds a position in the organization doesn't guarantee their influence in the sales process, especially with the economic buyer.
[00:04:30] Look for change agents on the "power chart" who have a track record of making a positive impact on the organization.
[00:06:02] Influence and authority are independent of hierarchy; influential champions can be found at various organizational levels.
[00:07:23] Business champions focus on articulating positive business outcomes, while technical champions possess deep domain expertise.
[00:10:10] Champions provide access to the economic buyer's power, which is essential for controlling the decision process.
[00:12:26] Coaches offer valuable insights and guidance but may lack the authority and influence to access the economic buyer.
[00:13:40] Continuously test conversations to identify whether you're developing a technical champion or a champion with the necessary business acumen.
[00:15:11] Business champions address substantial business problems "above the noise" and speak in terms of business outcomes.

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

[00:03:44] "Just because somebody has positional authority in a company, we can't automatically conclude that they have power in the organization over a potential decision to buy our software."
[00:04:30] "Start by looking for change agents on the 'power chart,' individuals who have made a positive impact on the organization in the past."
[00:07:23] "Business champions focus on articulating positive business outcomes, while technical champions possess deep domain expertise."
[00:10:10] "You really know you're in control when you have a champion that's selling on your behalf, helping you control the decision criteria in terms of influence."
[00:15:11] "Business champions address substantial business problems 'above the noise' and speak in terms of business outcomes."

Listen to the full episode with Anne Gary in this link:
https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/finding-your-champion-with-anne-gary

Listen to the episode we did with Anne Gary on Economic Buyers here:

https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/getting-to-the-economic-buyer-with-anne-gary

Check out John McMahon’s book here:

Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4

Check out Force Management’s Ascender Platform: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/