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What does it really take to get to $1M? I’ve had a couple of interesting conversations about this recently–in particular the role of founder-led sales in the journey. Everyone knows the importance of it but that doesn’t mean it comes naturally. It can be more difficult for founders from a non-commercial background to feel comfortable selling but Eoin Hinchy (Tines Co-founder and CEO) had some interesting thoughts on how to turn this into an advantage. Speaking on the most recent episode of The SaaS Revolution show, Eoin shared how he approached founder-led sales on the journey to $1M, how it helped the business grow to where it is today, and how the founder-led sales mentality should extend to, well, founder-led everything in the early days. Here are the key things I took away from the conversation: Deep understanding of buyers > sales experience: Eoin and his co-founder weren't salespeople but they deeply understood their customers and the problems they were facing. This helped them “paper over the cracks” in their sales knowledge and connect with customers on a different level. The importance of authentic connections: They built a product they’d had a need for in other roles. This meant conversations could come from a place of empathy having been in their customers’ shoes themselves. It’s not just closing deals: Hearing real time feedback, seeing what resonates, and listening to objections allows you to reduce feedback latency and act on the insights you collect. Wear all the hats: Eoin advocates for founders doing almost every job in the business for at least a short period. Whether prospecting, writing code, or manning the booth at trade shows, he says it helps you make better decisions because you understand the role and its challenges first hand. Even now at tens of millions in ARR, Eoin is a hands-on founder. While not involved in every deal, he stays close to customers and prospects to understand their challenges and remains available to weigh in on deals if he can add value. You can listen to the podcast now available on all players and also see Eoin in person at SaaStock Europe this October 14-16th where he'll be speaking. #firstmillion #founderledsales #founder #tines #saasrevolutionshow #saastock2024
This: "Deep understanding of buyers > sales experience." This is/was 100% true for me. I've been in the primary closing seat beyond 7 figures. I think this is absolutely critical in the beginning.
Sales Leader | Sales Management Top Voice | Revenue Advisor
5moFounder-led sales, huh? It's like being the coach and the star player at the same time. Tricky, but powerful when done right. That bit about deep understanding trumping sales experience? Gold. It's not about the slick pitch, it's about truly getting your customer's world. In my years leading sales teams, I've seen this firsthand - the best sellers are often those who deeply understand the customer's challenges.