3Hats Advisory Services

Sales isn’t a solo mission—it’s a team sport. ?? One of the most impactful strategies I’ve used in my career involves close collaboration with product, marketing, and customer success teams. Aligning sales with other departments helps identify customer pain points early and allows us to adapt the product roadmap to meet market needs. It seems crazy but I have met some folks that don't regularly collaborate with internal teams. Working cross-functionally not only fuels innovation but also drives higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction. Here are 3 examples of what has worked for me: 1. Scheduled alignment meetings with product, marketing, and customer success teams. 2. Shared KPIs and metrics across departments. 3. Cross-departmental training to understand each team’s priorities and challenges. What works for you?

it is a huge misconception if you think as a #startup founder, that founder-led selling ends after early-stage seed funding, especially while still trying to prove out PMF. 2 weeks ago, I brought on a new client, and here is what we are working on: 1. PMF: In the early stages, founders are typically more attuned to finding product-market fit. Hiring a sales team too early can create a disconnect between the product and market needs because sales reps might not have the same depth of understanding or ability to speak outside the box as the founders. 2. Building Authentic Relationships: Founders bring a unique passion and credibility to the sales process that’s hard to replicate. This connection can be a powerful driver for closing early deals and creating strong customer advocates. Iterative Learning and Pivoting: When founders are involved in sales, they can quickly adapt and pivot the strategy if needed. A sales team, however, might be less flexible and slower to implement these changes, as they rely on established playbooks and processes. 3. Early-Stage Costs: This introduces additional costs, and a new sales team might take time to become fully effective. Founders might overestimate the immediate impact of a sales team and underestimate the importance of their own continued involvement during the early sales phase. 4. Investor Expectations and Scaling Pressure: Founders are often under pressure from investors to demonstrate traction and growth. However, founder-led sales allow for a deeper understanding of the customer and can lead to a more sustainable and strategically sound scaling process. 5. Preparing for Sales Team Handover: By leading sales initially, founders can develop a refined sales process and initial playbook that can later be handed over to a sales team. This approach ensures that the sales team inherits a well-tested strategy, making it easier for them to succeed. When founders skip this phase, the sales team may struggle due to a lack of clear direction or understanding of what truly resonates with prospects. While hiring a sales team can help with growth and scalability and increase my fees ?? founder-led sales in the early stages are essential for building strong customer relationships, refining the product, and establishing a solid sales foundation. #startupadvisor #newtech #consultant

Sales managers play a critical role in the success of their teams, but some face challenges in providing effective real-time feedback, development, and coaching to their account executives. Here are five reasons I have found in a few coaching sessions: -> Lack of Training: Many sales managers are promoted for their individual sales success, not their management skills, leading to a lack of formal training in feedback and coaching techniques. -> Time Constraints: The demands of managing a team, meeting sales targets, and handling administrative tasks often leave managers with limited time to provide timely and constructive feedback. -> Fear of Conflict: Some managers avoid giving real-time feedback due to discomfort with potential conflict or fear of demotivating their team members. -> Unclear Expectations: Without clear standards and expectations, managers may struggle to provide specific and actionable feedback that can drive improvement. -> Inadequate Tools and Resources: A lack of access to the right tools and resources for tracking performance and delivering feedback can hinder a manager’s ability to coach effectively in real time. Effective feedback and coaching are essential for the growth and success of a sales team. By addressing these common challenges, sales managers can become better equipped to support their teams and drive outstanding performance. Feel free to book some time to invest in your success. #accountexecutives #startups #salesmanagers

I have been speaking with a few pre-A startups from LinkedIn and RevGenius connections. A few of them have a commonality - skipping the "founder-led" sales stage. Founders, your passion and vision are your startup's strongest sales assets. Here’s why founder-led selling is crucial: ? Authenticity: Nobody knows or believes in your product like you do. Your genuine enthusiasm can turn prospects into loyal customers. ? Feedback Loop: Direct customer interaction provides invaluable insights, helping you refine your product and strategy. ? Relationship Building: Early relationships built by founders set the tone for long-term partnerships and trust. ? Adaptability: As the founder, you can pivot quickly based on real-time feedback and market demands. Don’t delegate your story. Embrace founder-led selling and drive your startup’s success from the front lines! ?? #FounderLedSelling #StartupSuccess #Entrepreneurship #CustomerEngagement #GrowthStrategy 3Hats Advisory and Fractional Services