Carol Malakasis

Market Pull Group

"Startups strive for market pull. We help you find it" 

Hi there! At Market Pull, we help early stage founders and sales teams (Seed - A) predictably scale to their first $1M in ARR and beyond. 

But let's take a step back. You already know that 90% of early startups fail. 

And you probably know that's due to lack of product market fit (not enough traction), poor or no sales execution (no playbook), bad founding hires (wrong candidate / wrong stage), burning through your runway (is the business even viable?)

But...is it you? Do you lack sales ability / hate selling OR is it time for a product pivot?

You're losing sleep over: 

🔵 Selling to the right ICP

🔵 Transitioning from inbound to outbound sales

🔵 Successfully qualifying and closing deals

🔵 Finding the right pricing model

🔵 Selling without being 'salesy'

🔵 When to hire and train a sales team

🔵 Executing a repeatable sales motion. 

That's where we come in. 

We audit your processes, custom build your GTM strategy, teach you how to sell (founder-led selling), and help you hire, onboard, and train your first sales team. 

Our clients are able to get to their first $1M ARR and beyond, in a predictable, scalable way, and use the processes we build together for the lifecycle of their business. 

When you hire me, I am a part of your team. I am known for my directness, dedication, and aversion to BS.

If you'd like to work with me, DM me. I look forward to meeting you!

CEO & founder

SOSA

Startup Mentor

Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator

Starta VC

Sales mentor for the Spring & Fall 2023 Cohorts

Techstars

Rampd

WHO GETS RESULTS WORKING WITH RAMPD:

Founders of early stage startups at the Seed to Series A stage, who want a predictable sales system to grow their revenue operations consistently as they scale their organization.

WHAT WE DO:

There are 5 chapters to an inside sales playbook — Building, Hiring, Training, Managing and Measuring. I walk you through a systematized process on how to execute each step flawlessly over the course of an accelerator program. With me you get a Trainer, Consultant, Coach and Mentor all in one.

Managing Partner | Head of Training 

WeWork

Seated

Senior Key Accounts Partner (Series B)

- Promoted in this position to handle our top tier, key accounts.
- Consistently closed over 100% to goal
- Launched Boston, Atlanta, and Chicago market

Senior Key Accounts Associate

- Second salesperson to be hired in the team (Seed stage)
- Helped built initial script and outreach materials
- Consistently closed over 100% to goal

Senior Account Executive 

Trendy Pal

Trendy Pal is a two-way app connecting local retail shops with influencers, in order to acquire new clients and promote retention via built-in loyalty program.

- Built GTM strategy
- Trained sales team
- Recruited VP of Sales

Sales Consultant

Munch Ado

All-in-one digital solution for restaurants providing social media and e-commerce design and management, driving growth and revenue online.

Director of Account Management

When I got hired at my first sales role, selling goat cheese door to door, I did not know what “revenue” meant. Fast forward 15 years later, I am an expert at scaling revenue for Seed - Series A startups. 

I am a NY sales vet who spent the last 15 years in startup sales. 

After my brief stint selling cheese, I co-founded a CPG brand (acquired) selling handmade Horchata to local markets and Wholefoods. 

I pivoted in tech in 2012 and found my passion in building SMB startups. I’ve been part of the founding GTM team in three high growth startups (2 exits). 

I’ve made over half a million cold calls, trained sales teams, hired and onboarded hundreds of reps, and sold over $2M in revenue. 

Since 2020, I am a GTM consultant, trainer, and coach for B2B SaaS companies. I’ve helped over 100 YC companies get to their first $1M in revenue and beyond. 

.........................................................................................

The first five years of a startup's life are the most crucial. 

During this time 90% of startups fail. 

Top reasons include lack of product market fit, poor or no sales execution, bad founding hires, burning through your runway. 

I de-risk all of the above and provide you with the tools and systems to predictably scale to Series A and beyond. 

When traction isn’t there, is it really your product or…is it you? Do you struggle with selling, lack a repeatable sales process, or need a product pivot? 

You're losing sleep over: 

🔵 Selling to the right ICP

🔵 Transitioning from inbound to outbound sales

🔵 Successfully qualifying and closing deals

🔵 Finding the right pricing model

🔵 Selling without being 'salesy'

🔵 When to hire and train a sales team

🔵 Executing a repeatable sales motion. 

That's where I come in. I audit your processes, custom build your GTM strategy, teach you how to sell (founder-led selling), and help you hire, onboard, and train your first sales team. 

My clients are able to get to their first $1M ARR and beyond, in a predictable, scalable way, and use the processes we build together for the lifecycle of their business. 

When you hire me, I am a part of your team. I am known for my directness, dedication, and aversion to BS. 


If you want to work with me, DM me. You can also book a call at https://calendly.com/malakasis ☎️

Envoy

Pavilion is powered by an international community of revenue leaders from the world’s fastest growing companies. Together, we teach new skills, forge meaningful connections, and help our companies grow. 

As an Event Host, I host Executive Salon Dinners for Pavilion and drive insightful, confidential dialogues on trending topics, growth opportunities, and strategies for overcoming challenges. 

Unlock your professional potential and level up with community-powered learning for CEOs, GTM leaders, and teams. Join today at joinpavilion.com/apply-now.

Who I Help & How

If you're a sales professional, leader, or entrepreneur looking to:
✔ Exceed your targets consistently
✔ Close larger deals, faster
✔ Shift from transactional selling to becoming a trusted advisor
✔ Build resilience and long-term success in sales

I think we should talk.

With 30+ years of experience across four countries, I’ve helped struggling sales teams achieve 15-25%+ performance growth, increase individual earnings by $250K+ over five years, and build sustainable sales careers.

B2B Sales Mastery Defined

🏆 B2B Sales Mastery = (🔥 Mindset + 🛠 Skillset + ⚙️ Process) × 🎯 Execution

✅ Mindset – Confidence, resilience, emotional intelligence, and the ability to handle rejection.
✅ Skillset – Prospecting, consultative selling, negotiation, and closing strategies.
✅ Process – A repeatable, scalable framework that optimizes sales execution.
✅ Execution – Turning knowledge into action, adapting, and delivering results under pressure.

What Makes My Approach Different?

✅Personalized Roadmap – Using DISC & FinxS Sales Competency Assessments, we identify strengths & blind spots for tailored coaching.
✅Sales Psychology & Behavioral Adaptability – Master influence, connect with diverse buyers, and handle objections like a pro.
✅Resilience for Longevity – Sales is a marathon, not a sprint. I help you thrive under pressure and maximize career earnings.
✅Proven Results – From sales professionals at Fortune 100s to SaaS leaders, my coaching delivers measurable growth.

Real Transformations
✅Senior IT Sales Consultant → Promoted to VP within a year.
✅Fortune 100 Sales Pro → 20% salary boost & better role after four months.
✅SaaS Sales Leader → Fast-tracked learning & given ownership of a major account in five months.
✅Strategic Advisor to early-stage Founder-led organizations → Focus, mind-set, road-map validation and GTM strategy. Equity participation in a few organizations for long-term support and engagement.
✅Reduced Sales Friction → Process engineering and Sales Playbook alignment to return 18% time to the Enterprise sales team and improve win-rate by 4%.

The noble profession of sales rewards those who take action. If you're ready to break through barriers and achieve results, let’s connect.

📩 Direct Message me to schedule a consultation or use the 'book an appointment' button above. 

Your next breakthrough is one conversation away.

Deepak Bhootra

Episode #3 of the RISEUP@work Newsletter is now out. 

This is a special treat for my Hindi-speaking followers. This episode summarizes my podcast with Nilesh Kataria and Pranay Bhootra, where we discuss the book and its background, specifically for Hindi audiences.
 🎥 Watch the full Hindi episode: https://lnkd.in/gEUr6xcY
 📘 India eBook (₹300): https://amzn.in/d/fBbN0XT

मेरे हिंदी-भाषी दर्शकों के लिए विशेष पेशकश: यह कड़ी निलेश कटारिया के साथ हुई पॉडकास्ट का सार है, जहाँ हमने पुस्तक और उसके संदर्भों पर विशेष रूप से हिंदी श्रोताओं के लिए चर्चा की।

#RISEUP #RISEUPatWork #Hindi #BookLaunch #CareerGrowth

Subscribe to RISEUP@work Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/grKXxQn2

विशेष प्रस्तुति: “RISEUP: Your Career Reclaimed” (हिंदी संस्करण) होस्ट: निलेश कटारिया | अतिथि: डॉ. दीपक भूथरा, प्रणय भूथरा भूमिका यह कड़ी भारतीय/एशिया

Open article: # 3: SPECIAL FEATURE: "RISEUP: Your Career Reclaimed" Book Launch (For HINDI Speaking Audience Only) by Deepak Bhootra • 4 min read

# 3: SPECIAL FEATURE: "RISEUP: Your Career Reclaimed" Book Launch (For HINDI Speaking Audience Only)

Yes, Gamma is a unicorn.
Yes, they’ve been in the news for all the right reasons.
But this episode of the "Sales Uncharted" podcast and newsletter wasn’t about headlines.

I wanted to explore something less visible and very instructive.

A conversation with Amanda Rothbard (Community Manager Gamma) unpacked an "uncharted" truth:

Sales and community are two sides of the same coin.
One drives momentum.
The other builds belief.

What we explored:
• Why community creates trust before sales shows up
• How CX surfaces signal revenue teams never see
• The difference between decorative communities and real ones
• Why AI makes human connection more valuable, not less
• How Gamma turns feedback into forward motion

Two lines that define this episode:
“Sales earns attention. Community earns belief.”
“AI scales answers. Community scales confidence.”

This is the Gamma story you don’t see in press releases.
📖 Read and absorb the newsletter
🎧 Watch the full podcast

Feel free to repost and follow me but do subscribe to the "Sales Uncharted" newsletter: 👉 https://lnkd.in/dJj68wn7

#SalesUncharted #B2BSales #SalesLeadership #CommunityLedGrowth #CustomerExperience #SaaS #StartupGrowth #BuildInPublic #Gamma #GammaApp

A Conversation with Amanda Rothbard, Community Manager at Gamma You Don’t Have a Sales Problem. You Have a Trust Problem. Most sales teams are chasing

Open article: # 17: Community Is the New Sales Engine by Deepak Bhootra • 5 min read

Your career doesn’t need a restart. It needs a rise.

I’m looking forward to joining Nilesh Kataria on Wednesday, Nov 26, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM CST for a live session on RISEUP: Your Career Reclaimed. 

If you’ve been feeling stuck, under-recognized, or sensing that you’re capable of more but unsure where to begin, this conversation is for you.

We’ll unpack the real patterns that silently stall careers: overcommitment, hidden self-doubt, unclear direction, and the quiet exhaustion ambitious professionals carry. More importantly, we’ll talk about how to rise differently--- with clarity, grounded confidence, and strategies you can use the same day.

One of my favorite early reviews came from Isaac Asendele, Founder & CEO of Lexasens, who said: “If I could go back in time, this would be the career guide I would read. It would have saved me many sleepless nights.” That’s precisely the kind of shift we hope this conversation gives you.

Join us live. Bring a notebook. Bring your questions. Bring the part of you that’s ready for your next chapter.

Business Consultant | Personal Branding Expert | Helped 1500+ Job Seekers & Entrepreneurs Grow | Specialist in Lead Generation & Marketing Strategy

Your career doesn’t need a restart it needs a rise.

I’m excited to share that Deepak Bhootra and Nilesh Kataria are coming together for a powerful live session titled “RISEUP YOUR CAREER RECLAIMED.”

This session is designed for professionals who feel stuck, under-valued or simply ready for the next chapter in their career.

 Expect insights, clarity, and real strategies you can start using immediately.

If you’re ready to grow, this session is for you.

#session #riseup #LinkedIn

Most sales teams are obsessed with the wrong 5 percent.
 The scripts. The KPIs. The dashboards.

But in my conversation with Dr. Javier A. Carlin this afternoon for the next episode of the "Sales Uncharted" podcast, which comes out next week, something became painfully apparent.

The real game is happening where most sellers never look.
 Inside the 95 percent, which alludes to the subconscious patterns that quietly shape our identity, emotional state, and behaviors long before we ever enter a sales conversation.

And as we enter Thanksgiving week, many B2B sellers will pause, reflect on family, and quietly calculate where they stand as the calendar year draws to a close.

That pause is powerful.
 Because it exposes truths we don’t usually say out loud.

In our discussion, Javier and I dug into three truths that every seller and every sales leader needs to hear:
  1. Your identity always shows up before your pitch does
  2. Your emotional state explains your inconsistency better than any metric
  3. And your “performance problem” is often just an unresolved internal belief you never knew was running the show.

It’s basic
 Yet barely understood across the entire B2B landscape.

This upcoming episode (and this teaser warms you up for it) shows what happens when you stop “fixing” your tactics and start understanding the machinery that drives them.

If you want the full conversation, the moment it drops
 And if you want weekly, timely, thought-provoking angles that live up to the "Sales Uncharted" name, then subscribe to the Sales Uncharted Newsletter:
https://lnkd.in/dnaMRaSK

#salesuncharted #b2bsales #sandler #hiddenrevenue

Sales Uncharted is where we ditch traditional sales playbooks, scripts, and dive deep into ideas that help you sell!

This post is not for people who want conventional sales advice ❌
  It is not for anyone satisfied with recycled tactics and predictable playbooks ❌
  It is not for sellers who wish to stay inside the lines ❌
It is for the small group pushing the edges of what B2B selling can become.

That is what the 'Sales Uncharted Podcast' 🎙️ was built for.
 This is where the real conversations happen. Raw, honest, unscripted dialogues with founders, sellers, operators, educators, and builders.

And the 'Sales Uncharted Newsletter' is where I distill those conversations into clean 700-to-900-word write-ups and pair them with the episode itself.
Together they create a unique combination, a straightforward way to capture big ideas in both written and visual form, easy to access, easy to absorb, and built for people who want to think deeply about B2B selling✨.

A small taste from recent conversations
 • Turning adversity into personal and commercial strength
 • Rethinking GTM through genuine human relationships
 • How people learn and why sellers communicate poorly
 • The mental pressure behind selling, building, and staying in the game

If you want that thinking in your feed, you can subscribe here:
🔗 https://lnkd.in/dnaMRaSK

And if you have a story worth telling. If a story intersects with B2B selling in an honest, unusual, or deeply human way, I want to hear from you.   
Specially, founders, entrepreneurs, coaches, anyone with something tangible to teach about products, people, or the soft underbelly of selling.

And remember, I can help filter and sharpen your story, so it lands with power and connects it back to b2b sales.

And if you know someone who would bring fire and chemistry to the 'Sales Uncharted Podcast,' tag them in a comment 🔥.

If they accept the invitation to join the Podcast, I will gift you a Kindle ebook of my new book 'RISEUP: Your Career Reclaimed' 🎁
More on the book here: https://a.co/d/at8JMKR

Happy selling 🚀

#salesuncharted #b2bsales #b2bselling #riseupcareerstudio

Sales Uncharted (Podcast) is where we ditch the playbooks, sales scripts, and dive deep into ideas to help you sell!

🚨 I spent 18 months trying to “win” LinkedIn.
What I learned is why most people never will.

I tried to understand LinkedIn the way people tell you to.
- Publish consistently.
- Stay visible.
- Keep feeding the algorithm.

Posts are inherently TL;DR. Even when the ideas matter, and that matters more than we admit.

The LinkedIn feed is optimized for speed, not depth.
- For reaction, not retrieval.
- For scrolling, not thinking.

If someone wants to find an idea later, revisit it, respond thoughtfully, or build on it then feeds are terrible at that. The save feature won't save you!

My hot take: Newsletters and communities (not LinkedIn groups) are better designed for how people actually learn, reflect, and interact. Sustainably!
That’s not a creator problem. It’s a format problem.

Like any medium, LinkedIn runs on energy ⚡
And energy is finite.

Sustaining visibility in the feed also takes a tremendous amount of effort. The people who do it successfully over long periods almost always rely on automation, AI, teams, or backing resources 🤖

That’s not a criticism. It’s reality.

As LinkedIn grows, the algorithm will do more of that work for you.

It took me 18 months to accept this: about 90% of my thinking here was being mediated by an algorithm that was increasingly deciding who saw what, when, and why, on my behalf.

So, I’m changing how I use LinkedIn.

I’ll still be here. I’ll still share. But I’m no longer treating the feed as the primary place for ideas meant to last.

My energy is now focused on two things:
• A dedicated Sales Community for practitioners who want depth, dialogue, and durable thinking 🤝
• RISEUP Career Studio, a forum backing a do-good initiative for early- and mid-career professionals, that is focused not on career guidance, but on career progression 🚀

I’d rather build places designed for retrieval, context, and conversation than fight a feed designed to keep us scrolling.

If you want to stay aligned with where my thinking is going, and have a clean pathway into those spaces, then subscribe to the following two newsletters. That’s where the signal lives now 📡

Sales Uncharted: https://lnkd.in/dJj68wn7

RISEUP@work: https://lnkd.in/grKXxQn2

AI can transcribe every word of your sales call.
But it missed the 3 moments that actually killed the deal.

AI gives you a perfect transcript. 10,000 words. Zero context.
It captured what was said. Not what was meant.
It logged the conversation. Not the conviction.

I've reviewed hundreds of call recordings with transcripts.
The deals that died? The warning signs were never in the words.

They were in the spaces between words.

Moment 1: The Loaded Pause
When you said "$50K annually," they went quiet for 3 seconds.
AI transcript: "[pause]"
Reality: They're calculating political capital, not ROI.

Moment 2: The Energy Dip
When the implementation timeline came up and their voice flattened.
AI transcript: "That timeline works for us."
Reality: They're already exhausted from the last failed rollout.

Moment 3: The False Agreement
When they said "makes total sense," but their tone said otherwise.
AI transcript: "Makes total sense."
Reality: They're being polite while mentally checking out.

These aren't random reactions. They're neurological responses AI can't decode.

Micro-expressions flash across their face for 1/25th of a second. Their pupils dilate slightly when stressed. Studies show we make trust decisions in under 200 milliseconds—faster than any AI can process context.

Mirror neurons in your brain pick up their emotional state before you consciously process it. And even more heightened in seasoned sellers!

Judgment calls are made in milliseconds that no algorithm can replicate.
This is Augmented Intelligence at its best. 

"Real-time insight is always with the seller" -- These aren't transcript problems. They're human problems.

The most expensive deals I've lost weren't because I missed what was said.
They died because I missed what wasn't.

The sharp intake of breath before a concern.
The enthusiasm disappeared after bringing in the CFO.
The momentum stalled when we shifted from vision to logistics.

Train your human sensors for what the transcript will never capture.
Because deals don't die in words, my experience says they die in the moments between them.

And until AI can transcribe doubt, exhaustion, and unspoken resistance?
Your augmented intelligence, which is human insight enhanced by AI data, remains your most valuable sales tool. 🎯

What subtle signal has saved (or killed) your biggest deal? Do you have anything to share?

#B2BSales #SalesLeadership #AugmentedIntelligence #SalesCalls #HumanConnection

Please feel free to follow and repost if this resonates with you.

Most new B2B sellers do not fail because of product gaps, pricing, or competitors.

They fail because they are taught to sell in a way that does not actually help buyers buy.

Buyers do not need more demos.

They do not need more decks.

They do not need more “just checking in” emails.

They need help navigating their own internal chaos. Misaligned teams. Unclear priorities. Nervous executives. Confusing internal processes. No guidance on how to build a compelling case for change.

So I built a carousel with 20 tactical ideas I wish every new seller learned on day one.

No theory.

No fluffy inspiration.

Only clear actions and clear reasons those actions work.

If you are early in your sales career or leading someone, this is the playbook I wish had existed when I started.

Here is the truth.

Top sellers do not close better.

Top sellers guide better.

Top sellers make buying feel easier.

Top sellers help buyers win internal battles.

If you want to grow faster in B2B sales, this carousel is your shortcut.

👇 Dive into the 20 tactical ideas in the slides below.

20 Ideas Every New B2B Seller Wish They Knew Upfront

🚨 The number of “Open to Work” posts I’m seeing is not normal
In the past week alone, I have seen fifteen.
 I have reshared five.

Account Executives. Sales Managers. Sales Leaders.
 Talented people. Now between chapters.

Maybe my feed is off.
 Or maybe something real has shifted.
 AI disruption. Tariffs. End-of-year blues.
 Whatever it is, it feels heavier than usual.

Each “open to work” post hits hard because I have been there. Twice.
 No need to read between lines.
 Each post carries a real story.
 I see shame, fear, nervousness, hope, and requests for access, advice, and connection.

A LinkedIn image consultant told me to stop resharing job-seeker posts because it “messes up your LinkedIn wall.”
 My answer was simple. I do not care.

When someone is struggling, your brand can wait.
 Helping another human being comes first.

Fifteen months ago, after coaching a few clients through job loss and career transition, I began to see a pattern.
 People needed structure, not slogans.

So I created one.
It became the REBUILD Framework. A practical guide to rise again with clarity and calm.

R stands for Reflect. Learn from what happened. Take the lesson, not the guilt.

E stands for Evaluate. Redefine what truly matters before chasing what is next.

B stands for Build. Find your people. Community is oxygen during transition.

U stands for Update. Refresh your story and show the market who you are becoming.

I stands for Invest. Use this time to strengthen skills that shape your future.

L stands for Launch. Treat your search as a focused campaign, not a reaction.

D stands for Develop. Resilience is the final piece. The comeback is built one day at a time.

If you are in transition, please remember this.
 You are not starting over.
 You are starting from experience.

I am sharing the REBUILD Playbook again with this post and offering my time to anyone who wants feedback on their resume, LinkedIn profile, or interview approach. No strings attached.

No hesitation. No judgment.
 Just a thoughtful conversation with someone who can help you distill, focus, and rebuild.

Besides my "Sales Uncharted Newsletter," I am also launching a free community on Circle for B2B sales professionals who want support, structure, and momentum.

If you would like to join as a founding member, comment JOIN below, and I will add you personally.

We rise faster when we rebuild together.
 Let’s do that.

#b2bsales #jobsearch #salesleaders #salesjobs #careertransition #rebuild

taplio

The Battle

Carol Malakasis

Deepak Bhootra

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreDeepak Bhootra's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Carol Malakasis

Deepak Bhootra

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Deepak Bhootra's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreDeepak Bhootra's LinkedIn Performance