CRO/CCO at Curinos I Helping PE backed sales and success leaders build predictable GTM motions I Board Member I Speaker I Student of Stoicism, Muay Thai I Mom I
Non-sellers always think they can do sales better than sales teams. This is a growth death sentence. I’ve worked at 5 orgs as a seller, sales leader, commercial leader, and now CRO, and on day one, the culture from non-sales execs is always the same: “Sales is easy” “Sales isn’t the smartest group” “We don’t need sales. Our products are good enough that they will sell themselves.” My response? Great! You don’t need me then. (Of course, you do, because you hired me since you have a growth problem.) We need to shift the way we think about sales in our organizations. This mindset is not only outdated but is also a significant barrier to our potential success. Sales isn’t just a department—it’s the lifeblood of our business. It’s the direct link between our innovative solutions and the customers who need them. Without sales, even the most revolutionary product can languish in obscurity. When sales is treated as an afterthought: -We miss crucial opportunities to understand our customers’ needs from the ground up. -We overlook the chance to tailor our solutions to real-world demands -We fail to build the strong, trust-based relationships that drive repeat business and brand loyalty. Let’s revolutionize our approach. Let’s elevate sales to its rightful place at the heart of our strategy. Let’s invest in our sales team, provide them with the tools and training they need, and recognize their critical role in our success. Or, don’t listen to me, and don’t grow 😜
100% Accurate!
Early in my career I had the CEO of the company tell a prospective client that sales is a necessary evil, but had to have them. That was over 30 years ago and I still remember it.