Eddie Reynolds

Union Square Consulting

Union Square Consulting is a GTM Strategy & Operations consulting firm. 

I spend the majority of my time:
1. Managing our Sales and Marketing Team
2. Managing our VPs of GTM Strategy & Operations Consultants
3. Providing GTM Strategy & Operations Consulting to Customers

We work with high-growth companies, primarily B2B SaaS companies to help them in five areas:
1. GTM Strategy and Planning
2. Go To Market Process
3. GTM Metrics and Insights
4. Systems Implementation and Ongoing Optimization
5. User Training and Enablement

We do this to help companies execute their Go To Market Strategy by:
1. Making sure your systems are working
2. Making sure your revenue team is using the systems properly
3. Making sure they are executing the right process to attract and retain customers
4. Analyzing the metrics to see what's working, what's not and what to do about it
5. Creating a strategy and a roadmap for all of the above to actually get it done

CEO and GTM Strategy & Operations Consultant

RevOps Corner

RevOps Corner is a podcast we produce at Union Square Consulting to share best practices for Strategic Revenue Operations. 

We do this by interviewing amazing guests, ranging from Revenue Operations Professionals to Revenue Leaders to Venture Capitalists and many other experts in the B2B SaaS community. 

We also share what we're seeing in the trenches every day in our work as Revenue Operations Consultants here at Union Square Consulting.

Listen to the Podcast on:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1CM3rmelcdtm6gJVL0PtMK?si=00aae750ea7a4937
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/revops-corner/id1619571311

Host

Pavilion

Executive Member

Trumid

Trumid is a Unicorn Fintech Startup that has raised over $650 million in funding to date. 

I joined Trumid right when they had achieved Product Market Fit and relaunched their application. 

My role was to manage all our Revenue Operations:

1. Systems Implementation and Management
 - Sales, Marketing, Service and Data Analytics

2. Enablement
 - Provided training and enablement to the customer facing revenue team

3. Insights
 - Worked directly with the Co-CEOs to provide daily insights on revenue metrics

4. Process Mapping
 - Mapped our sales, marketing and service processes prior to architecting systems and data

5. Strategy and Planning
 - Planned, managed and executed our revenue operations roadmap

VP of Revenue Operations

Salesforce

My role at Salesforce was to work with current and prospective customers to explore opportunities to leverage technology to find more prospects, win more customers, keep more customers and enable their business to scale.

We helped customers accomplish this by improving business processes in marketing, sales, customer service and other departments, centralizing their data in one place and building operational efficiencies. This enables them to grow faster and gives leadership more visibility to make better strategic decisions.

I accomplished this by beginning consultations with the objectives of the business and only then discussing technology. My role was to quarterback a number of resources within Salesforce and the client's team to work together to uncover the best business processes to help them overcome obstacles and reach their goals. Then, we would map out how Salesforce and related technologies could be used to execute those business processes.

Account Executive

CrossBay Capital Partners

CrossBay Capital Partners is a boutique placement agent. We raise capital for established alternative investment managers with a primary focus on private equity.

 - Sourced investments by soliciting private equity firms seeking to raise a fund
 - Distributed investments by building relationships with institutional investors
 - Designed and implemented Salesforce.com to support these efforts for the entire team

Vice President - Institutional Sales

Altvia

Altvia Solutions provides a solution, built on the Salesforce platform, for institutional investors and fund managers to manage investing and fundraising processes.

 - Managed sales process from initial prospecting to negotiation and close for new business
 - Acted as my own sales engineer to provide highly customized and tailored presentations
 - Oversaw marketing efforts by working closely with CEO and our advertising agency
 - Worked closely with implementation team to scope project 
 - Helped implementation team customize solution for each new client

Account Executive - Private Equity Solutions

Yen Capital Management LLC

YEN Capital Management assists operating companies raising capital from private equity investors.

 - Built healthcare platform from inception by growing relationships with private equity investors and healthcare companies
- Closed mandates to raise $25 million and $40 million for two pharmaceutical manufacturers

Head of Advisory Services – Healthcare Banking Team

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo Business Banking provides lending and deposit solutions to small and medium-sized businesses.

- Solicited and built relationships with hundreds of independent businesses across all industries
- Achieved sales production in the top 1% of bankers in the company

Business Banking

Over +20 years in sales, customer success and marketing, I’ve developed a passion for data-driven strategy and process. I’ve always been fascinated by the edge it can give an IC or an entire company. 

Ten years ago, I joined Salesforce as an AE covering high-growth, VC-backed B2B SaaS companies. I met with hundreds of executives and revenue leaders and they all wanted this edge. They wanted to hear how Salesforce and my other customers operated, not how the software worked. 

Our consulting partners, however, were solely focussed on the software, often missing the broader strategy. This inspired me to start a unique consulting firm, merging system implementation with data-driven GTM strategy. 

Since then, I’ve seen some of the deepest ingrained revenue growth problems plaguing B2B SaaS – and we’ve developed a system to solve them.

𝘾𝙍𝙊𝙨, 𝘾𝙈𝙊𝙨, 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙑𝙋𝙨:

Does this sound familiar?

💭“I don’t understand what my data is telling me. I’m not even sure it’s accurate.”
💭“We’re getting tons of leads but they’re not converting enough to outpace churn.”
💭“We’ve spent so much money on tech, marketing, training, etc. – but there’s no ROI.”

Or maybe even…

“I don’t want to end up like those guys ☝️ How do I get in front of this?”

𝙔𝙊𝙐’𝙍𝙀 𝙄𝙉 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙍𝙄𝙂𝙃𝙏 𝙋𝙇𝘼𝘾𝙀

I founded Union Square Consulting to help B2B recurring revenue brands increase profitability by targeting the source of their revenue engine issues (not just the symptoms).

𝙒𝙃𝘼𝙏 𝙒𝙀 𝘿𝙊

Fractional RevOps that delivers both systems implementation and go-to-market strategy.

𝙒𝙃𝙊 𝙒𝙀’𝙑𝙀 𝙃𝙀𝙇𝙋𝙀𝘿

High-growth brands from Series A to C and beyond like Techstars, Luminate, and Federato.

𝙂𝙀𝙏 𝘼 𝙁𝙍𝙀𝙀 𝘾𝙊𝘼𝘾𝙃𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙎𝙀𝙎𝙎𝙄𝙊𝙉

Sit down with one of my Senior Revenue Strategists for a personalized Revenue Operations Coaching Session. Walk away with advice you can use immediately.

👉 CLICK HERE: unionsquareconsulting.com/workshop

𝙎𝙐𝘽𝙎𝘾𝙍𝙄𝘽𝙀 𝙏𝙊 𝙊𝙐𝙍 𝙍𝙀𝙑𝙊𝙋𝙎 𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎𝙇𝙀𝙏𝙏𝙀𝙍

Get actionable and practical tips on optimizing your marketing, sales, and customer success engines.

👉 CLICK HERE: unionsquareconsulting.com/newsletter

Wow! This guy DM'ed me an hour ago and now I have a proposal. 

I got a random connection request this morning.

By pure miracle, this guy is pitching something that is #1 on my priority list this quarter and this morning. 

However, it's still a random guy on LI.

I didn't want a meeting.
He didn't ask. 

I just responded with "how much?"

He responded with 
"Happy to share. Can I ask a couple questions?"

I'm already like....
"Ugh....he's gonna ask for a meeting."

But no, he asked me a few basic questions over DM. 

Then he sent me a full Loom walkthrough of a custom proposal. 

Holy shit!

Okay, this is how I want to buy!

(And no, if you're buying from me, I'm not selling this way. Wish I could.)

But man.....where possible......this is the way!

✌️

CEO | GTM Strategy & Ops for B2B SaaS CROs

"What's the ROI of fixing our GTM Operations?"
I get asked this question constantly.

And every time I hear it, it feels like a slap in the face.

Here's the thing.
- You just told me your GTM is a mess
- Your forecasts are consistently off
- Inbound leads aren't being followed up on
- The pipeline is filled with dead deals
- NRR is slipping because there's no process
- No one has visibility because the systems are broken

But we can’t plug these revenue leaks until we “prove ROI?” 

Warren Buffett said it best: "You don't need to know if a man weighs 300 or 350 pounds to know that he's overweight."

When the problem is obvious, you don't need to overanalyze it.

But here's the real issue.
When your GTM is fundamentally broken, you can't even measure ROI.

Your Close Rate looks like 25%. But it's meaningless.
Some reps create opps after every meeting. Others wait for the verbal.
One group has a 5% Close Rate. The other has 85%.

The blended number tells you nothing.

You can't measure the ROI of fixing your sales process until you've fixed your sales process.

So let's think about this differently.
- What if you improved your Close Rate from 15% to 16%?
- That's $1M in additional ARR on a $25M new business goal.

That single improvement pays for your entire GTM Ops investment.

What if you improved inbound lead conversion from 1.0% to 1.1%?
- That adds $16.7M in pipeline. 
- At a 15% close rate, that's $2.5M in additional revenue.

What if you improved retention from 85% to 86%?
- On a $100M ARR base, that's $1M saved.

These aren't aggressive assumptions.
They're conservative.
And they compound.

Better lead conversion creates more pipeline.
Better close rates turn more pipeline into customers.
Better retention and expansion multiply the impact.

In tomorrow's 📰𝙂𝙏𝙈 𝙎𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙛 📰, I break down the exact math on why any improvement in GTM Ops pays for itself several times over.

But the real question isn't "What's the ROI?"

It's "Can we afford NOT to fix this?"

How much revenue are you leaving on the table with broken GTM processes?

🤔

Get the full breakdown (including the image below) in tomorrow's 📰𝙂𝙏𝙈 𝙎𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙛 📰
Subscribe to get it here: https://bit.ly/49RCm0h

✌️

How do you actually calculate the most important GTM Metrics?

Following the 𝗚𝗧𝗠 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 & 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 we published yesterday, we released a 𝗚𝗧𝗠 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝘅 outlining how to calculate each of these metrics. 

We're coving the following types of metrics:

𝗚𝗧𝗠 𝗘𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗬 𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗦

We ask questions like:
 - How efficient is our overall GTM Engine?
 - What does it cost to acquire customers?
 - What does it cost to grow revenue by $1?
 - What's the lifetime value of our customers?

We answer them with metrics like:
 - CAC
 - CAC Ratio
 - CAC Payback
 - LTV:CAC
 - Magic Number
 - GTM Efficiency Ratio
 - GTM Efficiency Margin

𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗦

We ask questions like:
 - Are we growing fast enough?
 - Are we growing profitably enough?
 - Do we have strong unit economics?
 - Are we producing enough cash flow?
 - Are we spending too much in sales/mktg?

We answer them with metrics like:
 - Rule of 40
 - Growth Rate
 - Gross Margin
 - Net Income
 - Etc.

𝗣𝗜𝗣𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗦

We ask questions like:
 - Are we generating enough pipeline?
 - Are we generating enough inbound leads?
 - Are we logging enough outbound activities?
 - How are leads and activities converting to pipe?

We answer them with metrics like:
 - Lead Generation (MQLs)
 - Pipeline Generation (# and $)
 - Sales Activities, Meetings Booked
 - Conversion Rates

𝗣𝗜𝗣𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗦

We ask questions like:
 - Are we closing deals?
 - Are we chasing the right deals?
 - Do we have real pipeline to close?

In other words, do our reps actually know how to identify real qualified sales opportunities and do they know how to take all the right steps to close them?

We answer them with metrics like:
 - Close Rate
 - ASP
 - Sales Cycle
 - Pipeline Velocity

𝗖𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗨𝗖𝗖𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗦

We ask questions like:
 - Are we retaining customers?
 - Are we expanding customers?
 - Are we onboarding them right?
 - Which customers are healthy?
 - Which can we try to expand?
 - Which are unhealthy?
 - Which are at risk of churn?

We look at metrics like:
 - Gross Retention Rate (GRR)
 - Expansion $ARR
 - Net Revenue Retention (NRR)
 - Customer Health Ratings
 - Onboarding Metrics

More on this in our 𝗚𝗧𝗠 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝘅

Read the Framework and/or get the high-res image in the link in my comment below 👇

Or comment "High Res" below (and send me a connection request if we're not already connected) and I'll DM it to you. 

✌️

𝗚𝗧𝗠 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 & 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 separate Strategic CROs and RevOps Leaders from glorified sales managers and systems admins. 

Getting accurate metrics isn’t easy though. 

Getting real Insights from those metrics is even harder.

We need to:

𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿
Start by identifying the metrics that matter for your unique GTM motion. 

To help, our 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 will have a 𝗚𝗧𝗠 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝘅 outlining the most common metrics in B2B SaaS and how to calculate them. 

𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀
Metrics are only as accurate as the process being executed. 

If our salespeople don’t know how to qualify deals, for example, our Close Rate will tell us nothing. 

We have to clearly define processes, train the team, and drive them to adopt and execute in order to be a data-driven organization. 

𝗨𝗻𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹
It’s not enough to see our Lead Conversion Rate, or Close Rate, across our entire business. 

These numbers are blended together across different types of leads and lead sources, different segments (SMB, MM, ENT), geos, products, etc. 

To see what’s really happening, we have to unblend the funnel. 

More on this in our 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 

𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆
People only execute processes when held accountable. 

To get accurate data, we need to inspect the data regularly to be sure it’s accurate. 

To get real insights into our business, we need to analyze that data regularly to spot trends and take action.

This requires the right person/people with the right skills and uninterrupted time to do “deep work.” 

CROs usually don’t have time to do this well and RevOps can’t if they’re constantly harassed with system admin requests. 

𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴
As we get to this part of the year, finalizing our annual plan, it’s a bit too late. We have dirty data and have to make some BIG assumptions. 

If we’re in this boat, we need fix this for next year.

Additionally, Annual Plans aren’t set in stone. We need to track them and iterate as we hit or miss goals and milestones. 

More on this in our 𝗚𝗧𝗠 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸.

See the Framework and get the high-res version in the link in the comment below. 👇

If you want more breakdowns like this, subscribe to our newsletter at the link to get weekly insights directly in your inbox. 

✌️

The current GTM AI frenzy reminds me of the same shiny object syndrome that drove Predictable Revenue and Outreach and Salesloft. 

It's not that any of it's wrong. 
It's that GTM leaders overlook fundamentals. 

Here's what we all saw last time.
 - Predictable Revenue came out
 - Outreach and Salesloft came out
 - And it felt like a magic easy button
 - Just hire a bunch of outbound SDRs
 - Buy and implement Outreach or Salesloft
 - Slap together some cadences and templates
 - Reps press "Send All" and watch the money roll in

And this worked for some
And this worked for some time
But response rates ended near zero

Why?

Think about the fundamentals:

 - Do we have the right ICP?
 - And the right Buyer Personas?
 - Do we know our outbound capacity?
 - As in the number of prospects we can work?
 - Have we identified the best prospects to target?
 - And have we segmented similar types of buyers?
 - And created sequences for each of those segments?
 - And trained our reps to do actual research before send?
 - And built a reporting and review engine for management?
 - To identify what's working, what's not, and what to iterate?

If yes, this approach and these tools worked very well. 

If not, they didn't, at least not for long. 
 - Not after we burned through the first batch
 - Got a <1% response rate from our best prospects
 - And had to dig for scraps waaaaaaay outside the ICP

AI is not different. 

There's no magic prompt to write the perfect message to be all things to all prospects. 

If we want AI to work, we need to master the fundamentals. 

✌️

I've had 3 back to back calls with major PE firms facing massive pressure to implement AI in GTM. 

One told me "Even if these AI tools don't add value to GTM, they add value to the company."

I had to digest that one. 

What he was telling me is this:
 - If a company implements AI in GTM
 - And it produces zero impact or improvement
 - Just saying "we have AI" increases company value

I was shocked by this!
But I really shouldn't be. 

I've spent the last +20 years working with PE/VC investors and they're just as susceptible to shiny object syndrome as any other humans.

So I get it.

Everyone is facing this pressure. 

But, as we address it, we might as well create some real value too.  

To do this, we need to master the fundamentals:
 - Pipe Gen
 - Closing and Forecasting
 - Renewals and Expansion

Within each of these is a series of basic steps. 
Unique to each market, each product, each GTM team. 

Many have not defined these steps. 
Many don't know what "good looks like"
Making it extremely hard to replicate "good" with AI. 

For those that have mastered these fundamentals. 
It's FAR easier to look through each step for use cases. 

If you need some help, check out our GTM Efficiency Pyramid. 

This will outline the fundamentals for you. 

So you can quickly get to the shiny objects AND see real value. 

Link below in the comments 👇

✌️

Outbound is not dead!
 - It's working for us
 - It's working for our clients
 - What's dead is Spray and Pray
 - It's pressing "Send All" that's dead
 - Sending generic templates to everyone

Relevant/Personalized outbound works
 - Highly targeted messaging
 - To a very narrow niche of prospects

We see this w/ our clients
 - We see the reports
 - We see what's working
 - We see what's not working

Outbound works when reps reach:
 - The right people
 - In the right companies
 - With the right messaging

Here's how to do this "at scale"

𝗜𝗖𝗣/𝗕𝘂𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘀

Most ICP/Persona definitions miss the "ideal" and cast far too wide a net, targeting broad industries and revenue ranges without getting granular enough to define the "ideal" customers. 

𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴

Reps have 2,000 accounts and can only cover 200. 

They're missing 90% of the best accounts and/or doing their own analytics to identify them. This is NOT an efficient use of seller's time. 

Instead, we should carefully analyze capacity and give reps the absolute best accounts they can work. 

𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴

Territories need to match capacity with the best accounts and contacts in our ICP/Personas, within that capacity. 

𝗦𝗲𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀

Break territories into segments so reps can focus on one person in one type of company at a time. 

Reps can share far better messaging in far less time if they're focussed on one avatar with one set of challenges. 

𝗖𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀/𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀

Define the process reps need to execute to maximize conversion rates on this extremely targeted outbound. 

Define where messaging needs to be personalized/tailored and where it can be targeted with highly relevant templates for each segment. 

𝗘𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴

Train the team and use reports to ensure they're targeting the right people with the right messaging and executing the process. 

This requires active effort and ongoing coaching from management. 

𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

With this foundation in place, we can get accurate data and look at what's working, what's not, and where we can optimize the targets, messaging and process. 

Pipeline Council is just one way to do this in a more formal way. 

𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Once things are working, we can scale that foundation with automation, AI, and other advanced motions. 

--------------------------

We broke this down in our 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸

👉  See the link in comments to get it. 👇

𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲? 

Grab it in that same link. 

Or comment "High Res" below 
 - Send a connection request if we're not connected
 - We'll DM it to you

✌️

Improving your CRM won't fix your bad data.
Improving your data won't fix your poor reporting.
Improving your reporting won't fix your poor process.
Improving your process won't fix your poor GTM strategy.
And improving your GTM strategy won't fix your lack of focus.

Your focus is everything.

One buyer
One product
One GTM motion

Just get that right.
Ignore absolutely everything else.

If you're a $1M startup, there shouldn't be anything else.
If you're a $1B public company, you can't fix it all at once.

Your focus will lead to great GTM Strategy
Your focussed strategy will lead to great process
Your focussed process will lead to great reporting
Your focussed reporting will lead to great execution
Your focussed execution will lead to great GTM data
Data will then circle back up to further improve GTM strategy

✌️

I see a lot of CROs set up to fail.
It happens for a lot of reasons, but here's one. 

I met a CRO and CMO a little while back. 

Core Issues:
 - Pipeline mismanaged
 - Inbound leads being ignored
 - Outbound prospecting neglected

Potential customers in their ICP were raising their hands, asking for demos, getting zero response from sales. 

My 1st Reaction:
 - What is the issue?
 - You're the CRO and CMO
 - Just fix the process tomorrow
 - We can help you fix this, and fast

Unfortunately, they had other blockers. 

Second Layer:
 - The CRM is a mess
 - We have 500 custom fields
 - It's a nightmare for our reps

My 2nd Reaction:
 - We can fix this too. What's the issue?

This looked like a tech issue, but it wasn't. 

Third Layer:
 - The CTO built this
 - CRO and CMO are new
 - And CTO says he's got this
 - Except that he's slammed now

My 3rd Reaction:
 - Okay.....
 - The CTO built the CRM
 - And made an enormous mess
 - So much so that sales can't use it
 - Can't follow up with hot inbound leads
 - So you're loosing easy revenue every day
 - We need to get aligned with your CEO on this

What happened next?
 - We couldn't get the CEO into a conversation
 - We spoke with the CTO and ended as you'd expect
 - Leaving the CRO and CMO fighting to swim upstream 

The REAL Core Issue:
 - CEO is not committed to GTM

The CEO is committed to spending money
 - On a competent CRO
 - On a competent CMO
 - On a robust GTM tech stack
 - On marketing spend to drive leads
 - On salespeople to convert those leads

But the CEO isn't committed to understanding it
 - Or making sure it works

As a CEO myself, I get it. 
 - We don't have time to fix every problem

But revenue generation is never something to ignore. 

✌️

There's a good reason salespeople get paid more.
And it's not just that they're closer to revenue. 
It's also not just that it's (in theory) more measurable. 

It's about accountability. 

Think about every other job in a company. 

1. Finance
 - Customers paid late
 - "We followed up. What else can we do?"
 - They still get paid all/most of their comp

2. Product
 - Customers didn't like new features
 - They still get paid all/most of their comp

3. Marketing
 - Leads didn't convert to pipeline
 - We can blame sales for not closing
 - They still get paid all/most of their comp

Etc.

Now, contrast this with sales. 

1. Leads Not Converting
 - Even if they followed up
 - Even if everyone knows leads are bad
 - They lose half their income and/or their job

2. Customers Don't Pay Bills
 - They get clawbacks
 - Sometimes they have to chase them
 - They lose half their income and/or their job

3. Product Features Can't Compete
 - "You need to sell better."
 - "Sell value not features."
 - They lose half their income and/or their job

Sales is one of the few jobs where even when you're right, you can be wrong. 

The one job where no matter what obstacles are thrown in your way you just have to overcome them or deal with the consequences. 

The only job I know of that has more accountability than this....

Bootstrapped Founder/CEO

And sales is one of the best training grounds for it. 

Agree/disagree?

🤔

Most companies define ICP too broadly. 

They look at who they've already sold to.
Pull a report from the CRM.
Filter by company size, industry, revenue.
Call it done.

That's a smart place to start.
But a dangerous place to stop.

Because our easiest wins aren't always our true ideal customers.

We recently had Brady Jensen, CEO of Clear Go-To-Market, on our podcast to talk about how to actually validate ICP.

Not just define it. Validate it.

Here's what he told us:

ICP isn't something we engineer in a conference room.

It's something we discover through direct conversations with the people we're trying to sell to.

Not just our best customers.
Not just the people already in our pipeline.
But the prospects who match our criteria and haven't yet bought.

Brady's process is straightforward:
- Start with a hypothesis based on who buys fastest, expands most, stays longest
- Talk to people who fit that profile
- Test whether they experience the problem
- Test whether they value the solution
- Test whether they would actually buy

You're not just looking for fit.
You're testing for signal.

And here's where most companies fail:

They define ICP once and freeze it.
They don't pressure-test it in the real world.
They don't learn from the "no's."

"You have the ability to learn a ton from people saying 'no'," Brady explains. "Oftentimes, the 'no' is not 'I don't like your product.' It's 'I don't believe I have the problem you say I have.'"

That feedback loop between our ICP hypothesis and the market's response is where high-leverage refinement happens.

But it only works if we're disciplined enough to say no to the wrong customers.

Even when we need the revenue.
Even when the deal is right there.
Even when leadership is pushing for more logos.

"The problem we often see is organizations will just sell to everybody," Brady says. 

"And then they have a bunch of unhappy customers, and they're like, 'I don't know why they're unhappy.' Well, because they were never a good fit."

That lack of discipline trickles down through the entire organization:
- Product builds for the wrong use cases
- CS struggles with misaligned expectations
- Onboarding becomes custom every time
- Renewals suffer
- Team morale tanks

And the biggest thing I've seen from making this mistake myself:

You're less valuable to the right buyers
 - You've underinvested in your real ICP
 - The product isn't as good for them as it could be
 - Nor the marketing materials and sales messaging

Real GTM clarity comes from pairing data with direct customer conversations.

When we understand our buyers really well, we can build a business that serves them really well.

How often are you validating your ICP assumptions with real buyer conversations?

🤔

Read more in tomorrow's 📰 𝙂𝙏𝙈 𝙎𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙛  📰

Or listen to the full episode on the🎙𝙂𝙏𝙈 𝙎𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙋𝙤𝙙𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙩🎙

See comments below for links 👇

✌

What's the first thing I'd do as a new CRO?
I'd hire VAs for every person in GTM

Yep, my first thing would be hiring VAs
 - It wouldn't be AI
 - It wouldn't be fixing the CRM
 - It wouldn't even be the annual plan

All of those things are important. 

But I'd hire a VA for every single person in GTM
 - VAs for every AE
 - VAs for every BDR
 - VAs for every AM/CSM
 - VAs for every marketer
 - VAs for everyone in RevOps

Let's say this costs $10/hr.
That's net, not gross.
No office space.
No benefits or taxes.
Just a straight $10/hr.

Now, imagine the immediate impact.
 - AE has a $1M quota
 - How much time do we need to save?
 - To justify $10/hr for a VA? 
 - AE costs $500/hr in sales quota
 - So a VA needs to save them 1 hour
 - For every 50 hours that VA works for them
 - That's some pretty obvious ROI right there

How about the BDR? 
 - Half that? 25 hours?

How about the AM/CSM?
Or the marketing manager?

Just imagine if the VAs were:
 - Trained in using ZoomInfo/Clay
 - Trained to do basic things in SFDC
 - Trained to do basic things in Hubspot
 - Helping to do manual account research
 - Helping to manually create prospect lists
 - Helping to schedule and confirm meetings

Well I don't have to imagine. 

I've been doing this for ~9 years. 

I've had multiple VAs
I also have a NYC based EA

I cannot even describe the ROI we get. 

And after doing this, I can do the bigger things. 

Knowing what good looks like, we can look at each task and leverage AI. 

But there are always gaps with the AI. We need a "human in the loop."

Do I want that human carrying a $1M quota?

Or do I want someone at $10/hr doing the first pass?

🤔

There's a reason CROs aren't getting what they want from RevOps.

I was on a call like this the other day... 

CRO:
 - RevOps is purely reactive
 - They're not bringing me insights
 - They're not driving revenue growth
 - RevOps doesn't have any North Star

Me:
 - Who do you have on your team

CRO:
 - We have a Salesforce Admin
 - We have a Marketo Admin
 - And we have another admin

Me:
 - Who does RevOps report to?

CRO:
 - They report to this person
 (This person has zero GTM experience)

Me:
 - Asks detailed questions about GTM

CRO:
 - We have poor pipeline hygiene
 - No one trusts it and we can't forecast
 - We're very inconsistent with outbound
 - We don't follow up with inbound leads well
 - We are using over 40 different GTM tools now

Me:
 - I see the issue
 - Unfortunately we're at time
 - I'd like to schedule another call
 - To narrow in on the key priorities here

CRO:
 - Yep!
 - Work with {name} on that.
 - I'm really slammed at the moment. 

Me:
 - The person with zero experience in GTM?

Huh?

🤔

Let me share the real issue here:

1. RevOps has no North Star
 - Because the CRO has no North Star

2. RevOps is purely reactive for a few reasons
 - The CRO isn't investing time with them
 - They also don't have the right experience
 - And reporting to someone with GTM experience

3. There's no prioritization
 - Admins spend all day in tools
 - Because that's what admins do
 - And even if they wanted to stop
 - There's no prioritization to guide them
 - They're flooded w/ requests to update tools
 - With no clear priorities to decide when to say no

4. The GTM Process is broken
 - And none of these folks can fix it
 - Pipeline is a mess bc of the sales process
 - No amount of SFDC config will fix this issue
 - You have to change the process and train people
 - Then you have to drive them to change their actions
 - And I've never once seen an SFDC Admin do this alone

✌️

This guy DM'ed me and I had a full proposal an hour later. 
And I just signed a contract with him.

This was the smoothest buying experience.
 - I get a LI Connection Request with a DM
 - I'm actively searching for this solution
 - I accept it and respond to his DM
 - But I don't know this guy at all
 - I don't want to "jump on a call"

I ask if I can ask questions over DM
 - He says yes
 - So I hit him with questions
 - He asks me some questions too
 - We're essentially into a disco session
 - But then I have to jump into a meeting

When I get back
 - I have another DM
 - With a link to a full proposal
 - With a personalized video walk through

I'm basically sold at this point
 - He understood all my needs
 - The proposal reflected those needs
 - The pricing was very fair and attractive
 - And he shared more details in his video
 - He shared past successes, testimonials, etc
 - He built a lot of credibility in this ~5 min video

So I was sold
 - But I was vetting 3 vendors in total
 - So I took a couple of weeks to evaluate
 - And circled back and signed with him last week

This is how we all want to buy
 - Meet me where I'm at
 - Ask thoughtful questions
 - Answer my questions asap
 - Share details as soon as possible
 - Make it very easy for me to buy from you

✌️

How do you flip a GTM motion from 95% outbound to 95% inbound?

And close deals 4x faster than your competitors while doing it?

We recently had Aviv Canaani, CMO/CRO of Datarails, on our Podcast, to break down how his team built a revenue engine that grew new sales 90% YoY.

Here's what they did:

They engineered speed into every part of the motion.
- Five-minute SLA on demo requests
- Next-day AE availability
- Sales cycles a third of the industry average

They built predictable forecasting systems.
- Every dollar mapped to meetings, opps, revenue
- Conversion rates tied to historical data
- Quarterly targets they could actually hit

They treated GTM like a factory, not separate departments.
- Marketing, sales, RevOps as one machine
- Each team doing their part
- No silos, just coordination

The result?

AEs stopped prospecting. They didn't need to.

The inbound engine was feeding them qualified pipeline.

And their biggest deal in company history?

The lead source was ChatGPT.

This isn't about copying someone else's playbook.

It's about thinking like a systems builder instead of a department head.

When you connect every lever, 
- From inbound to outbound
- From content to conversion
- From SDR to AE...
…you don't just grow faster.

Your revenue becomes more predictable.

How repeatable are your systems today?

🤔

More on this in tomorrow’s 📰𝙂𝙏𝙈 𝙎𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙛 📰
Subscribe to get it here: https://bit.ly/49RCm0h

Listen to the full podcast episode on 📰𝙂𝙏𝙈 𝙎𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 📰 here: https://bit.ly/4agM6Bo

✌️

How do you get an ROI from GTM Ops?
A 0.6% improvement in Close Rate could be enough. 

That's it!

We’re often held back in GTM. 
 - We have broken processes
 - Our team isn’t executing consistently
 - And we don’t have visibility into our GTM

But we can’t get budget to fix it. 
 - Because hiring a sales rep has a “clear ROI” (in theory).
 - And GTM Ops feels harder to measure. 

Let me share a simple way to look at this.

Say we expect to close $25M in new biz w/ a 15% Close Rate.
 - If we improve Close Rate to just 15.6%...
 - We would close an additional $1M in ARR

Here’s the math:

$166.67M of Pipeline
x 15% Close Rate
= $25M Closed Won ARR

$166.67M of Pipeline
x 15.6% Close Rate
= $26M Closed Won ARR

ROI => +$1 million of additional ARR

Now, let’s look at our current situation:
 - Pipeline is very messy
 - Reps chasing unqualified deals
 - Reps are way too busy as a result
 - Reps missing critical steps in sales process
 - We’re not getting access to the right stakeholders
 - We’re not asking the right questions in the journey
 - Mgmt has zero visibility into this in pipeline reports
 - So it’s harder for them to spot these issues in real time 

Could fixing this improve Close Rate by 0.6%?

The answer is pretty obvious.

Now, what about the rest of GTM?
 - Our inbound lead conversion?
 - Our outbound prospecting conversion?
 - Our onboarding, health, and renewal rates?
 - Our generation and closing of expansion opptys?

This is an EXPONENTIAL RETURN
 - More qualified leads
 - More qualified outbound mtgs
 - Higher conversion rates for both of them
 - Means more qualified pipeline for us to close
 - With higher Close Rates, ASPs, and shorter cycles
 - Means more new business this year and the next
 - With higher renewal rates and more expansion opptys
 - Meaning more revenue from each new customer
 - On top of more new customers

It’s all pretty obvious.

And yet, I see GTM teams NOT fix these issues.

Because they’re worried about the ROI…..?

🤔

But I get it.

We get asked this question, because CROs, CEOs, CFOs, get asked this question. So we broke this down in fine detail, with math and visuals, based on EXTREMELY conservative assumptions, to help everyone map out the ROI in GTM Ops. 

Check it out in yesterday’s 📰𝙂𝙏𝙈 𝙎𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙛 📰

Get it here: https://bit.ly/3M6IbQu

✌️

Most CROs are stuck playing Whac-A-Mole.

Pipeline dips. They panic. They spin up new campaigns.

Deals stall. They blame the team. They change the comp plan.

Forecast misses. They scramble. They push harder on the same broken levers.

This is what happens when you lead departments instead of building systems.

We recently had Aviv Canaani, CMO/CRO of Datarails, on our podcast. 

His team grew new sales 90% YoY.

Not because they worked harder.

Because they stopped thinking like department heads.

Here's what that actually means:

They connected the entire revenue chain:
- Marketing didn't just generate leads
- They mapped spend to meetings to pipeline to revenue
- Sales didn't just work opportunities
- They fed insights back to optimize the top of funnel
- RevOps didn't just run reports
- They turned data into capacity planning decisions

When meeting volume spiked, they didn't let it become a bottleneck.
They pushed HR to hire faster.

When demo requests came in, they didn't let them sit.
They built a five-minute SLA and next-day availability.

When forecasting felt like guesswork, they didn't accept it.
They built conversion benchmarks tied to historical data.

Every part worked together.

Like a factory line, not separate departments.

Most revenue leaders are optimizing individual functions:
- Better marketing campaigns
- Better sales training
- Better CS processes

But they're not connecting them into one engine.

So when one part improves, another breaks.

When demand spikes, capacity can't handle it.
When data is needed, it's not trustworthy.

That's the difference between tactics and architecture.

Tactics fix today's problem.
Architecture prevents tomorrow's fire.

Are you building systems or managing departments?

🤔

More on this in our last issue of 📰𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙂𝙏𝙈 𝙎𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙛 📰
Get it here: https://bit.ly/4inXUXG

Listen to the full podcast episode on 📰𝙂𝙏𝙈 𝙎𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 📰 here: https://bit.ly/4rgmRYO

✌️

Nothing feels more meta than consulting in RevOps while operating as CEO and CRO in my own company. 

RevOps
 - We work with CROs and CEOs
 - We try to help them build processes
 - We try to help them get insights from data
 - We try to help them use data to plan better
 - We try to help them build a repeatable machine

CRO
 - I try to practice what I preach
 - We've built all these processes here
 - We have all the data our customers want
 - We review that data in our weekly team mtg
 - We plan carefully based on this data 

CRO (Small Business)
 - I don't have a big team
 - So I'm also selling and marketing
 - And also doing some CS work as well
 - Working on the front lines every single day
 - I'm creating marketing content all by myself
 - And also working with our team to create more
 - And tracking all marketing through to won revenue
 - And taking inbound leads, selling, closing deals myself
 - And outbound prospecting and pipeline mgmt every day
 - And hiring, training and managing our salespeople as well
 - And tracking our NRR and working with my SVP of Delivery

CEO
 - And then I step out of GTM
 - And it's the same types of things
 - How is the rest of the business working?
 - When do I work ON the business, not just IN it?
 - Do we have defined processes and metrics in place?
 - What are we spending and what revenue is it generating?

And ALL of this comes down to just a few things.

In somewhat reverse order of importance:

1. Process
 - Do we have clear process?

2. Execution
 - Are we executing that process?

3. Efficiency
 - Is this profitable?

4. Focus
 - Are we focused on the right things?
 - Or trying to do too many things at once?

Notice I didn't mention strategy. I still don't know what that word means. I think, whatever it is, it comes from focus, from thinking about the same thing day after day after day until you figure it out, or decide to walk away. 

✌️

Your outbound motion isn't working.
Is it a message problem or an audience problem?

Most teams assume it's the message.

So they rewrite the sequences.
Test new subject lines.
A/B test the CTAs.

But the real issue is simpler.

They're targeting the wrong people.

Brady Jensen, CEO of Clear Go-To-Market, puts it this way: "If your outbound motion doesn't work… you either have a message problem or an audience problem."

Here's how to tell the difference.

If you're reaching out to people who:
- Don't believe they have the problem you're solving
- Don't think the problem is worth solving
- Aren't actively looking for a solution

No message will fix that.
You're talking to the wrong audience.

This is why ICP validation matters.

It's not about building the perfect persona deck.
It's about testing your hypothesis against real market resistance.

Brady's approach is straightforward:
- Talk to prospects who match your ICP criteria but haven't bought yet
- Don't pitch. Listen.
- Look for patterns in the "no's"

"You have the ability to learn a ton from people saying 'no'," he explains.

The friction you hear tells you:
- Whether they recognize the problem
- Whether they've tried to solve it before
- What triggers them to evaluate new solutions
- Who inside their org feels the pain most

That feedback loop between your ICP hypothesis and the market's response is where the real refinement happens.

It's how you avoid building strategy around people who look right on paper but aren't ideal customers in practice.

And it's why your outbound motion is actually a discovery tool.

When prospects consistently say no, they're telling you something.
The question is: are you listening?

What's your outbound response rate telling you about your ICP?

🤔

More on this in the latest 📰𝙂𝙏𝙈 𝙎𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙛 📰
Listen to the full podcast episode on 🎙𝙂𝙏𝙈 𝙎𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚🎙

Links below in the comments 👇

✌️

There’s a BIG hidden cost to complex comp plans. 
Reps lose motivation because they don’t understand them. 

Any more than 3 variables loses reps. 

Let me walk through a personal example.

Variable 1:  You earn 10% of all contracts.
 - Simple enough
 - If I close a $100K deal
 - I get paid $10K in commission
 - That hits my bank on February 1
 - And I can book that ski trip if it closes!

This is motivating for a rep.
They can visualize the outcome.

Variable 2: 5% for one-time deals
 - So now it’s….
 - 10% for recurring
 - 5% for one-time deals
 - My deal was $80K SaaS
 - And 20K for implementation
 - So now it’s…
 - Harder to do the math
 - 10% x $80K = $8K
 - 5% x $20K = $1K
 - Total = $9K

Okay, I got there.
The ski trip could still be on!
Let’s close this deal as soon as I can!

Variable 3: 2X boost for multi-year
 - So now it’s….
 - 10% for recurring
 - 5% for one-time deals
 - And another 10% for 3yr deals
 - Okay, so I’ve got that in my deal here
 - 10% x $80K = $8K
 - 5% x $20K = $1K
 - 10% x 80K = $8K
 - Total = $17K

Alright, that was harder to calculate but I’m still here. 

Variable 4: 1.5X boost if Product X is included
 - Okay, I give up.
 - I’m working 15 deals
 - Some have Product X
 - Some have multi-year
 - Some have implementations
 - But I’d need an excel sheet to do this math

I personally experienced this as an AE at Salesforce.
 - We got comped on….
 - Percent of Closed Won $
 - Accelerators at different levels of quota
 - And more accelerators for multi-year deals 
 - And some other stuff that I never remembered

I vividly remember some spiff where I was like….
“I have no idea if focusing on this will make me money or cost me money so I’m just going to ignore it and keep my head down and work the plan I understand.”

And FWIW, I am a math nerd.
But I couldn't justify spending all day in Excel
When I had an extremely difficult quota to hit

This is a common comp failure we see.
 - Companies over-engineer comp plans.

The other common failures?
- No deal reporting standards (every rep records deals differently)
- No commission cutoff process (deals close after payroll runs)
- No formal approval chain (nobody knows who approved what)
- No process documentation (comp rules exist in someone's head)

And all of these stem from that complexity. 
Reps are confused.
Managers are confused.
RevOps is also confused.
Finance is confused as well.

So, instead of motivating reps.
We’re frustrating them and burning valuable time. 

What’s the worst comp plan you’ve seen?

🤔

More on this in yesterday’s 📰 𝙂𝙏𝙈 𝙎𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙛 📰

We broke down the common mistakes companies make building commissions plans and how to fix them.

Get it in the link below in the comments 👇
Or click “View my blog” at the top of this post 👆

✌️

Truliance Consulting

At Truliance, I lead business development efforts across North America, focused on helping construction and manufacturing companies solve complex growth challenges. I work closely with company leaders to uncover opportunities where Truliance’s strategic expertise can drive measurable impact, from revenue growth and market expansion to leadership development and operational efficiency.

My focus includes:

- Building partnerships with forward-thinking industrial and manufacturing firms
- Developing go-to-market strategies and unlocking hidden revenue potential
- Connecting clients with the right experts from the Truliance team to accelerate results

With a background in sales leadership, commercial strategy, and M&A integration, I bring a strategic yet practical approach to growth, one rooted in experience, not theory.

Director of Business Development

Invoiv

Built a SaaS-based platform allowing SMBs to create, track, and automatically follow up on estimates and invoices, while tracking their incoming bills and expenses to help optimize their business cash flow.

Industry: SMB Invoicing, Payments, Saas, Banking

Founder

BNA Ventures

Supporting companies with revenue strategy, business development, and go-to-market execution. Engagements have included:

Zoom Drain (Scarborough, ME / Fort Myers, FL) | Director of Business Development

• Increased inbound call volume to the Fort Myers franchise by 300% in 90 days.
• Implemented CRM system to track leads, jobs, and customer interactions.
• Built outreach sequences targeting plumbers, HOAs, restaurants, and property management firms.

Monite (Berlin, Germany) | Contract Head of Sales

• Helped position the embedded finance startup for North American expansion.
• Built sales processes and messaging for CFO-suite buyers.
• Established early partner pipeline with accounting platforms and fintechs.
• Instituted a new pricing model, refined the sales stage process, and streamlined deal desk approval.
• Created a pipeline of 30+ banks, credit unions, fintechs, and vertical SaaS app providers worth over $1.65M in less than five months.

SBD Technologies (Maine, USA) | Contract CRO

• Built a robust prospect and partner pipeline of over 1,500 contacts from scratch through LinkedIn and membership community outreach, securing new customers, and signing strategic partnerships.
• Prospected angel investors, EPs, and VCs, as well as writing grant responses to assist with fundraising efforts.
• Crafted a comprehensive marketing strategy to amplify brand reach and impact in the EV fleet management landscape.
• Created and optimized sales process, ICP, and CRM implementation, driving revenue growth for SBD Technologies.

Director of Business Development/Head of Sales/CRO

Justt

Recruited by a former WEX colleague to overhaul the sales team, correct forecasting errors, quadruple the sales pipeline, and fix a high-cost commission plan to double sales for this Series B-fund fintech startup quickly.

Grew start-up team of 3 sales professionals to 15 global sales professionals by recruiting "A-players" from the fintech and payment industries.

Led from the front, involved in all aspects of new business development, solution sales, pipeline development, account acquisition, and client relationship building.

Increased CARR by 300%+, ARR by 600%+, and sales funnel of engaged prospects by 500% in the first year, while growing company revenue from $2.3M to $9M. 

Created onboarding platform from scratch with new playbooks and more accurate forecasting, expanding global team by 400%.

Industry: SaaS, Fintech, Payments

Global Vice President – Sales

STARC Systems Inc.

Selected by the board of directors and CEO (after introduction through retained executive search) to turn around a low-performing sales unit, provide more accurate forecasts to help with raw material costs and onboard new talent.

Hired top-of-funnel SDR team, added new sales territories, and separated sales and account management functions to lower “cost to acquire” and position the company for new revenue and profit growth.

Grew YOY sales by 33% in 2020 over 2019 and helped business earn new record for retained cash by year-end 2020 with new pipeline management process to enhance forecasting and pipeline accuracy.

Redesigned sales territories and rewrote job descriptions and comp plans for all sales roles; also created three new sales positions to penetrate existing customer base more with better prospect qualification.

Industry: Construction, Manufacturing, Healthcare

Senior Vice President – Sales 

Asked by company leadership to take on management and rebuilding of 12 person sales and account management teams in WEX corporate payments (AP/AR/Payables/Virtual Card) line of business.

Established new structure to enable forecastable revenue, standardized implementations, and stabilized customer revenue for the Corporate Payments unit.

Effort reduced our cost-to-acquire by 50% YoY, expanded our prospect pipeline by 65%, and increase sales results 87% YoY through better sales/marketing outreach cadences, improved targeted messaging, standardized approach to pipeline management, and restructuring of territories.

Was instrumental in instituting new global sales/forecasting process to improve overall customer experience, while streamlining new customer onboarding across the global team.

Senior Vice President – Sales | Customer Expansion (Corporate Payments)

Personally selected by WEX CEO to be the point person to guide the $1.6B acquisition of EFS (Electronic Funds Source) through FTC review and subsequent second request, testifying on behalf of WEX at the FTC offices in Washington, DC.

Built business plans and revenue models for the two possible scenarios: 1) acquisition is approved (integrations) or 2) acquisition is blocked (resulting in the need for the business to invest in the OTR product to get it on par with our competition).

Upon receiving FTC approval, led a four-person team, running seven strategic work streams through newly created Integration Management Office.

Exceeded $25M synergy and integration target by 18% in under 18 months vs. planned 36 months.

Created a comprehensive blueprint for future integration with standardized work stream project plans, financial reporting, and board update templates – still in use today.

Senior Vice President – Corporate Development (M&A)

Led sales teams of over 150 sales associates and managers for the $650M line of business in North America, encompassing multiple go-to-market channels, brands, and sectors.

Drove 15-18% YoY growth for a line of business that had seen stagnant 3-5% growth for the prior decade.

Succeeded in lowering “cost to acquire” metric by 35% through standardized pipeline management.

Introduced new predictive sales model that empowered managers to individually coach representatives based on their individual performance in prospecting activity, sales meetings booked, new accounts closed, and revenue target achievement. This reduced sales rep turnover by 48%.

Senior Vice President – Customer Acquisition (North America Fleet)

Led and grew a $300M line of business, comprised of 300 employees in field sales, inside sales, channel development, and partner relationships for the company’s “Over the Road” fuel card program. Increased customer acquisition by 38% YOY and size of average account revenue by 42% YOY; also revised go-to-market efforts to transition upmarket, reducing the cost to serve by 40%.

Senior Vice President, General Manager of Partner and OTR

Managed the mid- to large-market line of business, representing $65M in annual revenue with 60 staff involved in all aspects of sales, marketing, account management, customer service, budgeting, and go-to-market strategy. Successfully exceeded sales targets by 22% in year one in this role.

Vice President of Sales and Marketing (Fleetone)

EARLIER EXPERIENCE: 

Vice President of Sales (WEX Fleet)
Director of Sales (Eastern U.S.)
Division Sales Manager (Central Division)
National Account Manager
Senior District Sales Manager (New England)
District Sales Manager (New England)

Led Eastern Division (12 regional sales managers) to 157% of annual sales target.

Recipient of the elite “President’s Club” in 2006 and ranked as “National Account Manager of the Year” in 2005 for outstanding revenue performance, regional growth, and team leadership.

As NAM, achieved 100% retention for 42 “blue chip” accounts while expanding portfolio revenue by 142% in very challenging markets.

Accountable for 20% higher sales quotas as DSM than peer group and elevated to Coach and Mentor status to develop other managers and staff in the sales division.

Various

Enterprise

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
LOCAL CORPORATE ACCOUNT MANAGER (LCAM)
ASSISTANT MANAGER
MANAGEMENT TRAINEE

Recruited by top management as one of the first two LCAMs in company history to identify new market opportunities for “in town” corporate rentals for business travel vs. airport rentals, yielding three new downtown branches. Acquired expertise in branch management, major account deals, staff development, multisite operations, market entry, and overall new business growth.

I am a dynamic Executive Sales Leader who drives top and bottom-line growth through innovative strategies that optimize sales teams, processes, and systems while leading from the front.

Throughout my career, I’ve been sought out and recruited to roles based on my success as a committed leader and coach capable of fostering a culture of excellence, helping individuals reach their full potential while contributing to the organization’s growth and success.

I’m passionate about delivering results, building high-performing sales organizations that consistently exceed aggressive targets, and leveraging critical data and CRM tools to enhance sales effectiveness. 

I have extensive experience launching new solutions and expanding market share in the fintech and payment sectors. 

I’m respected for thriving in turning around underperforming accounts and sales teams to achieve sustainable success. 

Specialties include:

Sales | Business Development | Go-To-Market | Consultative Selling | Partner and Channel Development | Pipeline Development | Relationship Building | Go-To-Market Strategies | Data Analytics | Startup Operations | Strategic Alliances | Mentoring | Coaching | Sales Funnel Analytics | Continuous Process Improvement

Bill Cooper

Territory management isn’t just about drawing lines on a map. It’s about using time and resources wisely.

When reps chase opportunities scattered across too wide an area, travel costs go up, time with customers goes down, and deals take longer to close. A well-structured territory plan fixes that.

Good territory management keeps reps close to their prospects and customers. It clusters accounts in a way that builds relationships faster and reduces the waste that comes from chasing too many directions at once.

It also brings accountability. When a rep truly owns a territory, they know the players, the competitors, and the opportunities inside it. That ownership drives better results with less effort.

The outcome is simple. Lower costs. Stronger coverage. Better sales performance.

#TerritoryManagement #SalesLeadership #SalesStrategy #RevenueGrowth #CommercialExcellence

(2) Feed | LinkedIn

li_at

JSESSIONID

Talks about #sales, #fintech, #chargebacks, #insidesales, and #salesdevelopmentrepresentative

Vice President of Sales at Kooner Fleet Management Solutions | Global Sales Executive | C-Level Sales and Marketing Leader | Business Development | Partnership Development Expertise | Strategic Solutions Generator

The handoff from sales to account management is one of the most important moments in the customer journey. It sets the tone for everything that comes next.

If the transition is rushed or unclear, customers feel it. They start to question who owns what, who to go to for support, and whether the company is as aligned internally as it sounds externally. That uncertainty can undo a lot of the trust the sales process worked hard to build.

A strong transition is intentional. Sales frames the relationship, the goals, and the expectations. Account management steps in with clarity, introduces their plan, and shows the customer they are not starting over; they are building on momentum.

When both teams stay connected after the handoff, the customer sees continuity instead of a gap. They feel supported, understood, and confident in the partnership moving forward.

Great customer experiences are built in moments like this.

#CustomerSuccess #SalesLeadership #AccountManagement #CustomerExperience #RevenueOperations

Accountability is what turns a group of salespeople into a team.

It starts with clarity.

Everyone needs to know what’s expected, how success is measured, and where they stand. But accountability isn’t just about metrics. It’s about mindset.

The best sales cultures make accountability a shared value, not a top-down demand. Reps take ownership because they see their leaders doing the same. They know results matter, but so does how those results are achieved.

When people trust that goals are fair, feedback is consistent, and leadership has their back, accountability becomes empowering. It builds confidence, not fear.

In a culture like that, people push themselves and each other to perform at a higher level. Not because they have to, but because they want to.

#SalesLeadership #Accountability #TeamCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #SalesPerformance

Building a pipeline in a new market starts with accepting that you are starting at zero. No brand recognition, no warm introductions, no shortcuts. Just disciplined activity and a clear plan.

The first wins usually come from conversations, not campaigns. You learn who the real buyers are, what matters in that market, and which problems line up with the strengths of your offering. Those early insights shape everything that follows.

Momentum builds when you focus on quality over volume. A handful of well-qualified prospects teaches you more than a spreadsheet full of names that will never convert. As you refine your message and understand the market’s rhythm, each outreach becomes more targeted and each conversation becomes more productive.

Pipeline creation in new markets is not about brute force. It is about learning fast, adjusting quickly, and staying consistent long enough for the market to take you seriously. When you do that, the early trickle of opportunities turns into something you can scale.

#BusinessDevelopment #MarketExpansion #SalesLeadership #PipelineGeneration #RevenueGrowth

Scaling a sales organization requires more than hiring quickly. It requires hiring intentionally.

The pressure to grow can lead companies to prioritize headcount over fit, assuming more people will automatically mean more revenue. But when hiring outpaces training, the result is churn, inconsistency, and lost momentum.

Growth-ready organizations focus first on the profile of success. They know which traits drive performance in their market, their model, and their culture. They build structured onboarding programs that ramp new hires quickly without overwhelming them. And they train continuously, not just at the start.

The best companies view sales enablement as an investment, not a cost. They create environments where learning never stops, where coaching is part of the rhythm, and where performance is measured not just by numbers, but by progress.

When hiring and training work in sync, growth becomes sustainable. The team doesn’t just expand. It strengthens.

#SalesLeadership #TalentDevelopment #SalesEnablement #HiringStrategy #RevenueGrowth

Kooner Fleet Management Solutions is hiring a mobile diesel technician in Atlanta, GA!

#hiring #mechanic #dieseltechnician #fleetjob #nowhiring

Kooner Fleet Management Solutions

Retention is the clearest reflection of how well a commercial team delivers on its promises.

Every company tracks revenue and new business wins, but too few set real benchmarks for keeping customers. When you don’t measure retention, you can’t manage it.

Benchmarks bring clarity. They define what good looks like, reveal where customers may be at risk, and force teams to think beyond the initial sale. A strong retention goal isn’t just about preventing churn. It’s about deepening relationships, expanding within accounts, and earning the right to renew year after year.

When leaders make retention a visible metric, behavior changes. Account managers stay closer to clients. Sales teams qualify with more care. Service teams feel part of the revenue story.

Growth that comes from both winning new business and keeping existing customers is the most stable kind there is.

#CustomerRetention #SalesLeadership #RevenueOperations #ClientSuccess #CommercialStrategy

I recently had the chance to talk with Fleet Management Weekly about the work we are doing at Kooner Fleet Management Solutions and how we partner with fleets to keep their vehicles on the road and their operations moving forward.

We walk through why on-site and mobile maintenance matters, how fleets can reduce downtime with the right partner, and what it means to deliver maintenance the right way every time.

If you have a moment, check out the interview below.

https://lnkd.in/ggSPZmFN

#FleetManagementWeekly #fleetmanagement #onsitemobilemaintenance #fleetvehicles #fleetoperations #fleetmaintenance #transportationindustry

https://lnkd.in/ggSPZmFN
Bill Cooper at Kooner Fleet Management Solutions:
Kooner Fleet Management Solutions partners with fleets to provide a single source for on-site and mobile maintenance that’s done the right way to ensure vehicle uptime.
#FleetManagementWeekly #fleetmanagement #onsitemobilemaintenance #fleetvehicles
Janice Sutton

Open article: Finding the Right Partner for Onsite & Mobile Maintenance by fleetmanagementweekly.com

Finding the Right Partner for Onsite & Mobile Maintenance

A "can-do" culture is not about blind optimism. It is about creating an environment where people believe progress is always possible.

In revenue organizations, that mindset matters. Targets rise, markets shift, and challenges show up without warning. Teams that succeed are the ones that approach those challenges with confidence instead of hesitation.

Fostering this type of culture starts with leadership. People watch how you respond when things get tough. If you stay steady, look for solutions, and keep the team focused on what they can control, they will follow that example.

It also comes from celebrating effort and resilience, not just results. When people feel supported while they push through setbacks, they develop the belief that they can figure things out. That belief becomes contagious.

A can-do culture does not eliminate obstacles. It gives teams the power to overcome them.

#SalesLeadership #TeamCulture #RevenueOrganization #HighPerformance #LeadershipDevelopment

Predictability in business development doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built through consistency.

Every team wants steady pipeline growth, but most rely too heavily on individual effort. Someone has a great month, another hits a dry spell, and leadership is left guessing what next quarter will look like. That’s not a framework. That’s luck.

A predictable business development system starts with clear activity standards, solid messaging, and a follow-up rhythm everyone can stick to. It’s about defining the process so that great results don’t depend on one or two people crushing it.

When the team knows exactly how to fill the funnel, nurture prospects, and convert opportunities, the business becomes easier to forecast, easier to manage, and easier to scale.

Consistency may not be flashy, but it’s what turns potential into performance.

#BusinessDevelopment #SalesLeadership #PipelineManagement #SalesProcess #RevenueGrowth

Mixed fleets bring a unique set of challenges. Different makes, models, asset types, duty cycles, and usage patterns can create blind spots that make it harder for teams to stay ahead of maintenance needs. What we are seeing now is a turning point. On-board technology and telematics are finally giving fleet leaders the visibility they have needed for years.

This is where platforms like Kooner Fleet Management Solutions' FleetIQ are proving their value. Real time health tracking, route-aware scheduling, and predictive diagnostics give teams the information needed to prevent costly downtime and protect every asset in the fleet.

When managers can see what is happening across their trucks, vans, and pickups in one place, they can move from guessing to knowing.

The fleets that embrace this shift will have a competitive advantage for years to come. The ones that wait will continue to fight the same fires that smart data can now prevent.

Proud to be part of the team bringing intelligence to mixed fleet maintenance.

#FleetManagement #Telematics #MixedFleet #VehicleMaintenance #KoonerFMS #FleetTech #LogisticsSolutions #TelematicsTechnology #VehicleHealthTracking #FleetMaintenance #SmartFleet #PredictiveMaintenance #FleetOptimization #LogisticsTech

View company: Kooner Fleet Management Solutions

🚛 🚙 🛻 Managing a mixed fleet? Telematics and other on-board technologies are changing the game for fleet maintenance.

From real-time engine diagnostics to GPS-based service scheduling, smart tech (like FleetIQ™!) gives fleet managers the tools to reduce downtime, catch issues early, and extend asset life across heavy-duty trucks, cargo vans, and pickups.

🔧 Real-time vehicle health tracking
📍 Route-based maintenance scheduling
📊 Predictive diagnostics & fault code monitoring
🧠 Smarter decisions with driver behavior data

💡 Read how these tools can transform your maintenance strategy here: https://lnkd.in/gduURaSq
 
#FleetManagement #Telematics #MixedFleet #VehicleMaintenance #KoonerFMS #B2B #FleetTech #LogisticsSolutions #TelematicsTechnology #MixedFleetSolutions #VehicleHealthTracking #FleetMaintenance #LogisticsTech #SmartFleet #PredictiveMaintenance #FleetOptimization #B2BLogistics

Open article: How On-Board Technologies Are Transforming Mixed Fleet Maintenance by koonerfms.com

How On-Board Technologies Are Transforming Mixed Fleet Maintenance

When the industry starts paying attention, it usually means one thing. Real change is happening.

Seeing Kooner Fleet Management Solutions’s FleetIQ highlighted across so many respected publications is not a surprise to anyone who has watched fleets struggle with outdated maintenance models. The shift from reactive work to predictive intelligence has been talked about for years, but very few platforms have delivered a practical path forward.

What excites me most is not the coverage. It is the early results our customers are already seeing. Faster response times, fewer unnecessary work orders, and a measurable reduction in downtime are the outcomes every fleet leader wants, and they are happening because FleetIQ gives teams clarity, alignment, and real time decision support.

This is the type of innovation that actually moves the industry. Proud of our team and proud of the partners who are leaning in and proving what is possible.

The future of connected maintenance is here. The data is confirming it and the market is responding.

#FleetIQ #FleetManagement #FleetTech #MaintenanceIntelligence #FleetEfficiency #PredictiveMaintenance #ConnectedFleet #TransportationTech #SmartFleet #MaintenanceSolutions #LogisticsInnovation #KoonerFMS

The industry is buzzing and FleetIQ™ is leading the conversation. 🐝

From Fleet Maintenance magazine to Fleet Equipment Magazine, FleetOwner, CCJ — Commercial Carrier Journal, Work Truck, Supply & Demand Chain Executive, ForConstructionPros, Heavy Duty Trucking, Government Fleet and more, top publications across transportation and logistics are talking about how FleetIQ is redefining maintenance intelligence.

Why? Because early adopters are already seeing:

✅ 40% faster response times
✅ 30% less vehicle downtime
✅ 25% fewer unnecessary work orders

FleetIQ is helping fleets shift from reactive to proactive with predictive maintenance, intelligent dispatching, and real-time communication, all in one platform.

As our COO Michael Quimby puts it: “FleetIQ helps fleets make smarter, faster decisions while keeping teams aligned.”

The future of connected maintenance is here and the industry has taken notice!

#FleetIQ #FleetManagement #FleetTech #PredictiveMaintenance #TransportationTech #SmartFleet #LogisticsInnovation #MaintenanceTech #TransportationIndustry #KoonerFMS #FleetTechnology #TransportationInnovation #SmartFleetSolutions #LogisticsTech #MaintenanceSolutions #ConnectedFleet #FleetEfficiency #MaintenanceIntelligence

Faster conversion rarely comes from working harder. It comes from removing the friction that slows deals down.

Refining a sales process starts with understanding where prospects hesitate. Long response times, unclear next steps, inconsistent messaging, or internal bottlenecks can all add days or weeks to a sales cycle. When teams take the time to study those moments, patterns appear quickly.

The real progress comes from tightening the handoffs, clarifying the milestones, and aligning the team on how each stage should look and feel. Small adjustments like standardizing discovery questions, simplifying proposals, or speeding up approvals can change the entire rhythm of the funnel.

When a process is clear, reps move with more confidence, prospects feel greater momentum, and conversion speeds up naturally. Structure is not the enemy of agility. It is what makes agility possible.

#SalesProcess #SalesLeadership #RevenueOperations #ConversionRateOptimization #CommercialExcellence

Pricing models shape how customers buy and how teams sell. When they’re unclear, everything slows down.

Reps hesitate to quote. Managers get pulled into endless approval loops. Customers lose confidence.

Revenue stalls not because of the market, but because of internal confusion.

Clear contract pricing changes that. It gives salespeople confidence in their proposals and customers confidence in the value they’re getting. It also creates consistency in margins and forecasting, which leadership depends on to make smart decisions.

The key is balance. Pricing needs enough flexibility to fit different deal sizes and situations, but enough structure to keep everyone aligned. When that balance is right, deals close faster, renewals come easier, and your revenue becomes more predictable.

Clarity isn’t just good for operations. It’s good for growth.

#SalesLeadership #PricingStrategy #RevenueOperations #ContractManagement #BusinessGrowth

Say it louder for the people in the back!

The pipeline is the responsibility of sales AND marketing.

When I first started as an sales rep at one company, Joseph Murtha told me his secret:

“Fulfill your quota with your efforts. Then what marketing delivers to you is bonus.”

He went on to win President’s Club and got to take his whole family to Ireland for a two week tour of ancestral towns.

Joe’s recipe will never do you wrong.

Thanks for the reminder, Meguire!

And thanks for the timeless advice, Joseph (aka: Joe)!

Marketing strategies that stick. Growth that scales.

“We need more leads from marketing.” 

“Cool. Say more.” 

“Pipeline isn’t where it needs to be.” 

“I saw that, too. How many outbound calls so far this month?” 

🦗🦗🦗

Every marketer at every startup. 👇

I get it. You only want to call warm leads. I’d love to only market to people who are ready to buy. But that’s not the job. And if we share a pipeline problem, chances are we’ve got 1/ a fuzzy brand message, 2/ an inadequate sales methodology, or 3/ misaligned goals (or likely, a combo of these three). 

The pointing fingers approach is a gag. I’m so bored of it. Sales and marketing is the same team.

Funnel velocity improves when teams stop treating every deal the same and start applying structure to how opportunities move forward.

Stage gate processes create that structure. They define what needs to be true before a deal advances, which prevents optimism from replacing qualification and keeps the pipeline honest. When each stage has clear criteria, reps spend more time on the right opportunities and less time chasing deals that were never real.

The impact is immediate. Leaders get better visibility. Forecasts become more accurate. Reps gain confidence because they know exactly what is required to progress an opportunity. And the overall pace of the funnel increases because there is less friction and fewer surprises.

A strong stage gate process is not bureaucracy. It is discipline. It creates a shared language for evaluating deals and a predictable rhythm for moving them forward. That predictability is what speeds everything up.

#SalesLeadership #RevenueOperations #FunnelManagement #SalesProcess #CommercialExcellence

This recognition matters because it is not just about technology, it is about execution.

Being named a 2025 Top Tech Startup by Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive magazines validates the work happening every day across Kooner Fleet Management Solutions.

FleetIQ did not come to life in a vacuum. It was built by listening to fleets, understanding where downtime truly hurts operations, and then delivering tools that actually solve those problems in the field.

What I am most proud of is how this technology shows up in the real world.

Faster response times.
Fewer vehicles sitting idle.
Better decisions made with real data instead of gut feel. 

That is where innovation earns its keep.

Huge credit to our product partners, our technicians, and our field teams who take ideas and turn them into results for customers who rely on uptime to run their businesses.

Awards are great. What matters more is what we do next. The bar just went up, and that is exactly where we want it heading into 2026.

#FleetIQ #KoonerFMS #FleetManagement #LogisticsTech #SupplyChainInnovation #Leadership #Execution #Transportation

🏆 🚀 BIG news! Kooner Fleet Management Solutions, powered by the launch of FleetIQ™, has been named a 2025 Top Tech Startup by Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive magazines! 

This award recognizes the technologies shaping the future of supply chain and logistics, and we’re proud to be leading the way! 📈

FleetIQ is transforming how fleets operate:

✔️ Faster response times
✔️ Less downtime
✔️ Smarter, data-driven decisions

Huge congratulations to our product partners and field teams who turn innovation into real-world impact every day.

Onward to an even bigger 2026. 💪

#TopTechStartup #FleetIQ #KoonerFMS #LogisticsTech #SupplyChainInnovation #FleetManagement #AI #Transportation #SmartLogistics #TechForTransport #SupplyChainLeaders #FleetSolutions #TransportTech #FoodLogistics

taplio

The Battle

Eddie Reynolds

Bill Cooper

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreEddie Reynolds's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreBill Cooper's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Eddie Reynolds

Bill Cooper

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);}Eddie Reynolds's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreBill Cooper's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreEddie Reynolds's LinkedIn Performance