Inconsistent sales performance is often a cultural problem where process is not respected. To create consistency, mandate that the sales script is followed verbatim. The process must always be valued above the individual player, with no exceptions for top performers.
Instead of marketing directly to a fragmented customer base (e.g., fitness coaches), sell your platform to the agencies and mentors who already serve them. This leverages their distribution, resulting in a stickier, more profitable customer base with a lower acquisition cost.
Frame a significant valuation increase between funding rounds by identifying the core assumptions of the business model. Then, demonstrate which of those assumptions have been proven true, thereby de-risking the investment and justifying the new, higher valuation.
Businesses that sell equipment should operate with three revenue streams: the initial machine sale, consumables the machine uses, and service/maintenance. The real, long-term profit lies in consumables and service, which function as an annuity after the initial sale.
When a target company's value lies in a few key people and their relationships, it can be more capital-efficient to 'pillage' that talent with massive signing bonuses rather than acquiring the entire business for a much higher valuation. This is a pure capital allocation play.
Never give expensive, company-generated inbound leads to the same team doing cold outbound. Outbound should be the training ground. Only the top outbound performers graduate to the inbound team, ensuring your best closers are on your most valuable leads.
To train presentation or sales skills, avoid abstract feedback like 'have more energy.' Instead, break down charisma into specific, observable behaviors people can execute. Give commands like 'raise your voice,' 'talk faster,' or 'put your shoulders back' to create the desired outcome.
To get statistically significant feedback from a paid ad campaign, you must be willing to spend at least twice your target Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) just on the test. Spending less provides an insufficient feedback cadence, making it impossible to know if the campaign can become efficient.
Your hiring process is the first expression of your company culture. Implement a rigorous, multi-step screening process (e.g., video submissions, group interviews) to test for coachability and work ethic. This not only filters candidates but also sets a high-performance frame from day one.
When discussing compensation, frame equity as providing four things: cash flow, sale bonus, risk, and control. Most employees only want the first two and actively avoid risk and aren't getting control anyway. This simplifies the conversation and allows you to offer profit share and sale bonuses instead of actual shares.