Anand S.’s Post

Essentially there are two fundamental roles in startups - build product, sell product. Customer centricity is more impactful than mere lip service. Vision serves as a guide, but without robust execution, it remains just that—a vision. True leadership requires turning that vision into reality, leaving no room for excuses (failed hires, funding, bumps, etc.). #startupgrind #noexcuses #leadbyexample #responsibleleadership #voiceofcustomer #executionmatters

100% agree with Shail Khiyara! Everyone must deliver! Results are measured by true impact otherwise it’s marketing that eventually dies. Operational results are where it matters and is the true proof. Turning a vision into success and reality requires a different breadth of knowledge and experience.

As a Managing Director of a startup, I've learned that sales are the lifeblood of our business. Without a strong sales strategy, even the most innovative ideas and products can fail to gain traction. Sales are not just about generating revenue (although that's crucial too!). They're about understanding our customers' needs, building relationships, and providing value that sets us apart from the competition. In a startup, sales are critical for: 1. Validating our product-market fit 2. Driving growth and revenue 3. Gathering customer feedback to improve our offerings 4. Building a loyal customer base 5. Fueling our marketing and product development efforts As a leader, it's essential to prioritize sales and empower our teams to succeed. This means investing in training, tools, and processes that support our sales strategy. If you're a fellow startup founder or leader, remember that sales are not an afterthought – they're a crucial component of our success. Let's prioritize sales and drive growth together! #modernsleep #Startups #Sales #Growth #Leadership #Revenue #CustomerSuccess #Marketing #ProductDevelopment #BusinessDevelopment #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #SalesStrategy #CustomerFeedback #LoyalCustomers #GrowthMindset

⬇️ my latest tips

First time #startup founders here's a scenario worth thinking about 🧠 You’re in a position where you’ve built out your product, you’ve found PMF, and you’ve also had some success building out your #sales pipeline. Now what? Do you continue running sales calls yourself, or do you contemplate putting together a BizDev team consisting of a possible SDR or AE 🤷🏻♂️ Well, ask yourself this question before making the call 👇🏻 Does this decision provide me the ability of being the last man standing if something goes wrong? If I’m wrong today, I’ll be right tomorrow because I’ll be around tomorrow. Constantly be focused on the end game so that the beginning, and the middle of your growth playbook are both financially and productively balanced. You'll become a better #leader because of it, and you'll be less prone to irrational decision making if #business wobbles. 💪🏻 The point is, don’t look for the perfect answer, because it doesn't exist, but do commit to #habits that are sustainable and directionally correct! Share a comment below if you believe in this approach. #startups #decisionmaking #riskmitigation #businessdevelopment #scaling #growth #scenarioplaying

A great VP of Sales needs to deliver results through People, Process and Pitch (Sales Messaging and Selling). But here is the secret... You don't have to be world-class at everything. Understand where you are great and understand where you should lean on others to fill in the gaps. As a VP you are responsible for the work and outcomes but that doesn't mean you should make all of the decisions or personally own all of the individual work. Your job is to ensure the company succeeds, period, and to do so, sometimes you've got to get out of the way. And you should be deliberate about what work needs to be bespoke and unique to your Startup and what work can be borrowed from best practices. My advice: 1) Set the vision and the goals. 2) Don't try to do everything perfectly but make damn sure your startup does the right stuff right. 3) Own the work where you are world class . 4) Give your team space to shine. #sales #leadership #startups

🎮 Let’s play a game. 2 truths and a lie….. - Sales is Hard 💪🏽 - Starting a business is easy 😌 - Fractional leaders are the secret to scaling efficiently 🏆 I assume everybody will answer this pop quiz correctly. The reality is Fractionals continue to be the buzz with startup companies. A couple weeks ago we had a large conference in our city for startup companies. Next month we have an entire week dedicated to startups and learning. The common theme with these types of events is bringing people together to learn about how to bring their ideas to market and create a successful business. Sales is hard and without a strategy when you first start, it can be very difficult to correct later on. Fractionals are the solution to so many of these challenges. They can act as an advisor and provide guidance during early days. Or they can be hired to design a strategic plan and execute against the strategy. Either way, most startups do not have the funds or ability hire full time in the early days and being creative with your approach will set you up for success. #fractional #leadership #sales #fractionalsalesleadership

Sales is all about finding pain. Understand their pain deeply. Get your prospect to quantify the pain, find out who else at the company is experiencing that pain. If your prospect doesn't have a pain point that you solve for, then cut bait, move that deal out of your pipeline and move on. Agree or disagree? I’m not saying I completely agree with this. But I’m curious what people think. 🤔 #sales #pain #b2bsales #leadership #startups

Your desire to do better each time, will lead you to question yourself several times about: The what? : the value you can add to market. For who? : the customer, hoping that your product will help you solve a market problem. The How?: the tunnel you are going to use not only to communicate about your product but too to get valuable feedback. The do?: the set of key activities you need to do The when?: The best moment to launch your product The with what? : the ressources you will need to deploy ( material, financial, human) The with who?: the partners along the way (direct or indirect partners) The in and out? The cost you will need for projects, operations, launching and the incomes. #startups #skills #value #customers #market #lead

Who should pitch for your startup? Every startup faces the crucial question: Who steps up when it's time to pitch? The CEO?  The CTO? Sales Head? Product Head? However, a tale from my own experience brings clarity to this debate: One of my clients was a CEO with severe stage fright. It was the COO who, with his eloquence, took the stage and pitched. But when they faced seasoned investors, the preference was clear: They wanted to hear from the CEO. After intensive coaching and preparations, the CEO overcame his fear, found his voice, and took to the stage. The transformation was palpable, the connection genuine, and the investment received. Here's the lesson: While the best person to pitch is often the one who can tell the most compelling story and resonate with the audience.. Investors typically expect the CEO at the helm. It symbolizes leadership, commitment, and skin in the game. Remember, being CEO comes with the expectation to lead, even in pitching. Who's your main pitcher? Let me know your stories!