Speaker - I help leaders create clarity and make fearless decisions | Demystifying Sales and Organization Enablement 📈 | Featured in Find My Catalyst, Autoklose, The Learning Guild | Speaker (NSA) | Golfer ⛳

I help business leaders and their teams FIND Clarity, STOP Second-Guessing the Work They Do, and identify the Next Logical Step so they can take it.

I have been fortunate to work a combination of F100 and high growth tech companies over the past 30+ years as an individual contributor and leader. A combination of coach, enabler, and a leader who knows that legacy is built through developing better leaders. My work is built on a combination of processes, frameworks, methods, tools, & applied thinking.

I understand and appreciate the importance of defining strategy (the How), and turning that into tactics (the What): it's one thing to know what to do, it's another thing to do it, and know what to do next.

Mike has worked at UPS, SmartForce (acquired by SkillSoft), O'Reilly Media, and with clients such as Intel, Microsoft, MIT, the Walt Disney Company, Full Sail University, and a number of early stage startups & entrepreneurs.

At Catalyst, I've developed a methods based on clarity, culture, integrity, and caring. My approach to sales and leadership prioritizes problem-solving and client needs over aggressive tactics.

As an advisor and coach, I cultivate strong organizational cultures and develop effective leaders using proven processes, frameworks, and innovative thinking. My background spans success in tech companies, transition to advisory roles, and implementation of visual strategies (#WhiteboardWednesday).

Known for straightforward (sometimes colorful) communication, I connect deeply with clients to drive meaningful change. My goal-oriented approach, tempered with empathy, empowers business leaders and entrepreneurs to excel professionally and personally.

Outside work, I am a family man, avid golfer, and a NY Jets and Islanders fan.

Let's connect to elevate your business leadership and organizational effectiveness.

Mike Simmons

Stop using the wrong tool for the wrong purpose.
Start communicating better.
See your team execute.

Meetings can be an effective tool, when applied with skill.

Want to help your team get better at communication and ultimately execution. 

Let's talk.

Thanks to Mike Rizzo & Audrey Harze ✨ for letting me share some tools with the Marketing Ops Community.

I help YOU simplify execution through internal and external customer communication.

FallTech

At FallTech we know that the stakes are high. And, when it comes to worker safety, there are no second chances. Fall Protection is all we do…and we take it seriously.
Advanced technical design and rigorous quality testing are the backbone of FallTech’s
manufacturing process. We train and staff fall protection experts that understand problems,
not just fall protection products and can identify fall safety solutions that save lives.

Responsible for establishing the sales targets to meet the company objectives and developing strategic sales plans based on company goals that will promote higher than industry growth and customer satisfaction for the organization. Ultimately responsible for the direction and management of all sales and channel strategy.
 
- Led the reorganization of the U.S. Sales force, recruiting top flight talent and making sure they have the tools to be successful in a very competitive market. Managed 90% turnover of direct field sales and independent rep agencies that has resulted in 28% CAGR growth since joining the organization. 
- Worked with owner directly to identify gaps within organization and recruit key members of today's executive team. 
- Worked with executive team to create a strategic plan that will drive focus on key markets/products and align efforts across functional departments to meet company objectives. 
- Developed and executed sales strategy focusing on FallTech value proposition, new product sales, end user targets for pull through, and aligning efforts with key channel partners resulting in performance at 5 times industry growth rate. 
-  Worked closely with my sales team to develop sales process, methodology and sales tactics, developing ideal customer criteria and pitch scripts to optimize time and revenue. 
- Worked closely with VP of Operations to develop product mix and inventory levels at our two regional warehouses to support growth and customer need across the country on key products.

Vice President of Sales

Grainger

Mission of the job is to identify, inspire, and mentor a peak performance team with an estimated annual spend of $30 Million within the district. 

- Led Sales Force Expansion initiative within district to hire three new account managers in the first 60 days to gain customer intimacy and align with new vertical market strategy. 

- Responsible for the onboarding of new account managers which included delivery of core value proposition and key initiatives for focus along with introduction to key customers within district

District Sales Manager

Draeger

Responsible for the management and development of a direct sales team for the global leader in safety technology and PPE products including gas detection and respiratory protection. Additional responsibilities include managing a distributor network capable of achieving the sales objectives of the business.

- Responsible for reorganizing U.S. sales organization to better align company resources with vertical market strategy. Terminated underperforming sales representatives and rebuilt Western division with 5 new Regional Sales Manager within first 6 months. 

- Developed and executed division plan that has led to overall sales growth from $6 million to $15 million in 4 years (2010-2013); delivering compounded annual sales growth of over 28%. 

- Led and managed distributor “gap analysis” program that identified the gaps within our distribution network, then developed and executed plan through the sales force to weed out underperformers while targeting and adding new high performance distributors. These new distributors account for over 50% of our sales today in the Western division and include Trinity Safety, Industrial Supply Company, S&S Supplies and Solutions, and LN Curtis & Sons.

- Worked closely with my team to secure major wins within the Oil & Gas vertical with following accounts: Tesoro, AERA Energy, Berry Petroleum, Exxon-Mobil, BP, Haliburton, Brinderson, Phillips 66, Chevron, Occidental Petroleum, PG&E, and Shell. 

- Worked closely with my manager and VP of Sales to identify and select Miller Heiman as our sales methodology for our sales force. This initiative is on-going and has resulted in a transformation in our sales approach, effectiveness and overall professionalism.  

- Worked with Senior Management to create a new distributor “functional” discount program driven not only by sales volume, but criteria we have defined as imperative for our channel partners to perform in the market to increase sales and market share for Draeger Safety.

Division Sales Manager

ORS Nasco

Responsible for the management and development of 9 sales professionals for the nation’s largest wholesaler of Welding, Industrial, Safety, Construction and Oilfield products sold within the region. Value proposition to channel partners focused on our Value of Wholesale (VOW) - which simply removed cost by allowing them to consolidate all of their purchases using the inverse of the 80/20 rule: guiding them to continue to buy direct from those vendors that drive 80% of their business and use ORS Nasco for fill-ins where needed, but to take an in-depth look at purchasing all of the their other products from ORS Nasco that only drive 20% of their business - thus lowering their overall cost of doing business and increasing margins and efficiencies. 

- One of sixteen senior managers along with a private investment equity group that acquired ORS Nasco in late 2005 and sold the company to United Stationers in 12/2007.

- Directed efforts that led to overall sales growth in the Western region from $32 million to $50 million in 2 years (2006-2007); delivering compounded annual sales growth of 25%. CAGR growth over 4 years within division was 15% and $58 million in sales. 

- Developed and executed sales expansion in the Western region from 5 TSM’s to 9 TSM’s that led to closer customer proximity and helped fuel growth and profitability within the organization.

- Worked within a cross-functional team that helped establish product mix and inventory levels within a new DC that supported sales growth across 15 Western states.

- Provided leadership to TSM’s through coaching and counseling while co-traveling and calling on key distributor customer base selling the value of wholesale.

- Worked closely with key safety & welding buying groups (AD, SMG, BIG) and their members educating them on the value of wholesale and program offering, attending key shows and executing plans and strategies that resulted in exponential growth with these key groups.

Regional Sales Director

Honeywell Safety Products/Sperian

Responsible for the management and development of 14 sales professionals across assigned product groups sold within the region. Annual regional sales of $60 million for the market share leader in the personal protective equipment (PPE) industry.

- Reorganized Western region sales organization for Bacou-Dalloz; terminated underperforming sales representatives and recruited and hired 5 new sales representatives; generated $4 million in incremental sales in 2004 and won prestigious Master’s award as region of the year.

- Provided leadership and motivation to territory sales managers by coaching, counseling, training, delegating, giving feedback, and rewarding high level performance.

- Developed and executed the overall regional sales strategy, sales forecast and budget in order to achieve revenue and profit goals for all product groups within region. 

- Cultivated long term relationships with key regional (Industrial Supply, S&S Supplies, Oxarc, Mallory Safety, Shamrock Supply, Stellar Industrial, Norco) & national distributors (Grainger, Airgas, Hagemeyer) and end-user customer base, re-establishing company, products and services, as well as uncovering new customer needs to increase company market share. 

- Worked closely with marketing and product management to introduce and drive new products through key distributors.
 
- Facilitated cross-functional, team-oriented sales methods while establishing positive, can-do expectations and accountability for all regional members.

Responsible for the management and development of 8 sales professionals and 4 sales associates across assigned products sold within the region. Annual sales of $20 million for the market share leader in the fall protection industry.

- Reorganized Eastern region sales organization for Miller Fall Protection; terminated rep agency and recruited and hired 4 new direct salespeople; generated $3 million in incremental sales within the two years (2002/2003).

- Directed selling efforts as lead Key Account Manager to large end-user customers within construction vertical market.

- Assumed leadership role as National Account Manager; identifying and interacting with key decision makers within these accounts to negotiate contracts and present program offerings.

- Coordinated regional sales activities for end-user and multiple branch distributor accounts including GA. Fastener & Safety, Cameron & Barkley, and Wyatt Safety. 

- Designed and implemented sales associate program to help support national distributors at the branch level including Grainger, Fastenal, Whitecap, Fisher Safety, Airgas, and MSC Industrial. 

- Promoted to Regional Sales Director and relocated to Mesa, AZ.

Southeast & Eastern Regional Sales Manager

Led Miller Fall Protection sales penetration efforts within the construction market segment by educating sales and marketing teams to the segment’s opportunities and coordinating those resources to focus on agreed upon priorities.

- Designed and implemented key account program for the construction industry from ground zero; the construction industry now represents over 50% of Miller Fall Protection sales revenue.

- Worked closely with product management in the development of 4 new products specific to the construction industry; generated over $10 million in annual sales with these products over the first 6 years into the premium market segment.

- Built a market segment profile consisting of an end-user database, identified trends & regulations affecting the market, established scorecard of penetration of key opportunities in market segment, and mapped typical purchase process and identified distribution channels of choice to penetrate targeted vertical markets.
 
- Interfaced with field sales force to educate on market segment opportunities within territories, methods to prioritize targets within the segment, apply “how to sell” model, and develop & present overview of market opportunity to regional & national distributors.

- Key accounts included Bechtel, Rust, BE&K, CB&I, Fluor Corp., Kiewit, Clark Group, Hensel Phelps as well as key specialty contractors EMCOR, Henkels & McCoy, Brasfield & Gorrie, Rosendin Electric, and Nooter Construction. 

- Promoted to Regional Sales Manager.

Key Account Manager - Fall Protection

Responsible for communicating the strengths and competitive advantage of the company's products and services to maximize sales through individual efforts and a network of distributor’s within an assigned territory.

- Built maximum acceptance and sales for product lines by calling directly on selected industrial end-users and distributors and by stimulating distributor sales organizations to sell Miller products.  

- Identified end-user and distributor needs, using need satisfaction selling skills to effectively secure the sale.

- Increased sales from $1.5 to $4 million and exceeded sales quota every year during tenure as a TSM.

- Led Eastern Region in sales as a TSM in 1995-1996.

- Promoted to Business Development/Key Account Manager.

Territory Sales Manager

An accomplished sales leader with experience in leading a team of high performance sales professionals to achieve sales, profit, and unit objectives sold through distribution and end-user customers within a geographic area. Core strengths are identifying talent and building teams capable of achieving targets, channel relationship management, sales process and conceptual selling skills.  

- As VP of Sales, directed restructuring of sales force that has delivered 20% CAGR from 2015-2021 while increasing GP by 10% during the same time period.  
- As Western Division Sales Manager, developed and executed plan that has led to overall sales growth from $6M to $16M (2010-2013).
 - As Western Regional Sales Director and Shareholder, directed sales efforts that led to CAGR of 15% over 4 year period (2006-2009), part of overall company growth that led to being acquired in late 2007. 
 - As Western Regional Sales Director, reorganized the sales team and delivered 15% growth in 2004 and won prestigious Master's award for region of the year.  

 Specialties: 

 - People Development/Coaching 
 - Business Development
 - Key Account Management
 - B2B Channel Management
 - Strategic Planning
 - Sales Process
.......................................

In 2008, I started Level Change Wrestling Academy in Arizona which allows me the privilege to work with kids K-6th grade teaching them the fundamentals of folkstyle and freestyle wrestling, as well as teaching them life lessons while competing on the mat in practice and competitive tournaments. Wrestling is a sport that can build strong self-discipline and work ethic, individual composure, foster humility and solid character if a coach seeks to bring out the best in his students in a constructive way. These are the values we need in tomorrow's leaders!

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The Battle

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