The ultimate guide to founder-led sales | Jen Abel (co-founder of JJELLYFISH)

Jen’s background (0s)

• Jen Abel is the co-founder of JJELLYFISH, a company that helps early-stage founders learn how to sell, do early customer discovery, and set up a repeatable sales motion (1m11s).
• Prior to JJELLYFISH, Jen was an Enterprise sales director at The Muse and at General Assembly (1m23s).
• Jen is obsessed with helping founders in the 0 to 1 stage of their journey (1m29s).
• Founder-led sales is not about revenue on day one, but about learning as fast as humanly possible to get to the pulse of the market and earn the right to sell (58s).
• To get someone to want to talk and be open to learning about a product, the messaging should focus on something with shock value or counterintuitive (25s).
• When a problem is truly being felt by the market, people will get on a call and respond (33s).
• To engage further with potential customers, founders need to be vulnerable and open about their early-stage status and willingness to learn (44s).
• Founders should ask for insight into how the problem is manifesting on the customer's side and be honest about their own limitations (50s).

The importance of founder-led sales (2m20s)

• Founder-led sales refers to the first milestone a startup goes through on the commercial side, which is getting the first few customers, often described as going from zero to one, or getting the first million or first 10 customers (3m27s).
• Founder-led sales is crucial in the early days of a startup when there is no brand equity, no marketing engine, and limited to no reference ability, as the founder is the product and a subject matter expert on something highly specific (3m51s).
• The founder's novel insight and vision are what get the market excited, even before the product is shown, and founder-led sales is about bringing this vision into the world and aligning it with market reality (4m45s).
• In founder-led sales, the founder is responsible for having sales conversations, finding leads, and closing deals, which is a key aspect of setting up go-to-market motions and scaling team sales teams (2m31s).
• Founder-led sales is important because it allows the founder to understand what part of the market accepts their vision and what part of that vision is being accepted, which is essential for the growth and success of the startup (4m50s).
• Vanta is a trust management platform that helps companies assess risk, secure customer trust, automate compliance, and continuously monitor compliance alongside reporting and tracking risk, with features such as completing security questionnaires with Vanta AI, and it offers a $1,000 discount when signing up through a specific link (6m5s).
• Many founders hope to hire a salesperson to handle sales, but this approach is counterproductive, as founder-led sales is a competitive advantage that allows founders to speak to their vision and build relationships with customers (6m49s).
• Founder-led sales has three specific advantages: the founder is the visionary and can speak to their vision in a way that no salesperson can, the founder is the highest authority in the startup hierarchy, and the founder can identify budding moments in conversations that a salesperson may miss (7m11s).
• The founder's day one market vision is often not the same as the vision that takes them to product-market fit, and it's the little budding moments in conversations that help refine the sales approach (8m4s).
• Founders should be doing sales for a long time, as it allows them to build relationships, refine their vision, and identify opportunities that a salesperson may not see (7m4s).

The steps of a sales cycle (8m24s)

• Founders can gain valuable insights by being involved in sales conversations, as it allows them to see firsthand what customers like and dislike, and understand why they may not be buying despite expressing interest (8m24s).
• When founders are not involved in sales conversations, it can lead to a "game of telephone" where the salesperson's feedback may not accurately represent the customer's needs, and it's easier for the founder to blame the salesperson rather than taking accountability (8m49s).
• The sales cycle is similar to product building, where the initial idea is just the starting point, and it's the subsequent steps of building, testing, and customer feedback that turn the idea into a product that people want (9m10s).
• Many founders struggle with sales because they have no prior experience and are often product or design-focused, making it a challenging but necessary skill to develop (9m41s).
• A framework for improving sales skills is to break down the sales cycle into key steps and learn tactics for each step (10m4s).
• The traditional sales stages include an intro call, a second call (which may include a demo), a third call to discuss a proposal and scope of work, a fourth call to get feedback and co-author the scope of work, a fifth call to introduce procurement, and post-procurement steps to get a signature (10m25s).
• Each call has a traditional goal, such as demo, proposal, co-authoring, procurement, and post-procurement, and understanding these steps is crucial for effective sales (11m24s).
• The sales cycle is also influenced by the customer's buying process, and mature buyers may guide the salesperson through their established process (11m41s).

Tactics for effective cold outreach (12m1s)

• Effective cold outreach starts with getting someone's attention, and this is where many people struggle, as they are constantly being emailed about various products, making it hard to stand out (12m2s).
• When a founder reaches out, it carries more weight, and people are more likely to pay attention because they are interested in hearing from the founder directly (12m23s).
• A novel insight, technical insight, or business model insight that is counterintuitive or has shock value can inspire people and make them want to learn more (12m47s).
• It's essential to focus on something that has a bit of shock value or is counterintuitive, rather than just saying something is "better," as this can be hard to define and means different things to different people (12m56s).
• The first key component of effective cold outreach is relevancy, which matters more than personalization, as personalization can come across as insincere or stressed (13m21s).
• The second key component is getting to a level of differentiation or counterintuitive nature, making the recipient say "what" or "I've never thought about it that way" (13m47s).
• The most important piece is getting the message across concisely, ideally in three to four sentences, so the recipient doesn't have to scroll on their mobile phone (14m20s).
• The message should leave the recipient wanting more, without saying everything or talking about the solution, but rather focusing on the problem that needs to be solved and why it's not good enough today (14m33s).
• The four main components of effective cold outreach are relevancy, counterintuitive approach, focusing on a problem, and being concise (14m45s).
• Cold outreach can be done through various channels, including email, LinkedIn, and cold calling, with cold calling having higher interest rates than email in many cases (15m14s).
• An example of an effective cold email is one that starts with a counterintuitive statement, such as "0 to 1 sales Talent does not exist," and then ties it to the recipient's specific situation, making it relevant and sparking their interest (15m53s).

Conversion rate vs. win rate (16m47s)

• Conversion rate is an interesting metric, but it's not the only factor to focus on, especially once a business has some wins, as win rate is also crucial in determining success (16m47s).
• Win rate refers to the percentage of successful sales conversions out of the total number of leads that go through the sales process, for example, signing one customer out of 10 leads is a 10% win rate (17m5s).
• A high win rate, such as 30 or 40%, means that a lower conversion rate on outbound sales efforts can still be effective, but a low win rate requires a much higher conversion rate to compensate (17m20s).
• The ideal conversion rate from outbound sales efforts can vary, but a healthy range is typically around 5 to 7%, although it can be as low as 2 to 3% or as high as 8 to 15% in certain cases (18m24s).
• The conversion rate is also influenced by the problem the founder is trying to solve and their insight into that problem, as well as the level of interest and need in the market (18m42s).
• When a problem is truly being felt by the market, people are more likely to respond to sales efforts, regardless of the channel used, such as email or LinkedIn (19m5s).
• The difference in conversion rates between two companies can be attributed to the founder's insight into the market and the level of product-market fit, rather than the sales strategy itself (19m25s).
• Many businesses focus on technical sales problems, but often the issue is that the problem being solved is not widely felt or the perspective needs refinement, resulting in low conversion rates (20m6s).

The time it takes to find product-market fit (20m20s)

• Founders often struggle to determine whether their product is not what people want or if they are not doing a good job of selling it, and this can be a difficult question to answer quickly (20m26s).
• A chart showing the length of time it took for top 25 startups to achieve product-market fit reveals that some companies, such as GitHub, achieved it relatively quickly, while others, like Airtable and Figma, took longer (20m44s).
• Companies that achieved product-market fit quickly, such as GitHub and Vanta, started with a market problem and then built the product, whereas companies like Airtable and Figma started with a technical insight and then tried to find their market (21m29s).
• Starting with the market first can accelerate product-market fit, but it may also cap the upside, whereas starting with a technical insight can be riskier but has uncapped upside (22m4s).
• Christina, the co-founder of a company, started by searching for a pain point in the market and then built a solution, demonstrating the importance of starting with the market (21m50s).
• The approach to achieving product-market fit can be influenced by whether the company is solving a horizontal problem or a very specific problem (23m3s).

Identifying and engaging prospects (23m6s)

• Founders should focus on manually finding 30 people they want to spend time writing a solid note to, rather than relying on tools, to start the sales process (23m52s).
• Before buying any tools, founders should determine if they can manually find 30 people they are deeply excited to learn from and willing to invest time in writing a thoughtful note (23m55s).
• Founders should ask themselves questions such as: Are the desired people discoverable, what commonalities do they share, and what parameters can be collected about them (24m11s).
• By sending out 30 notes and tracking responses, founders can determine if their messaging is effective and if they need to make changes or target a different role (24m53s).
• If the response rate is low, founders should consider changing their messaging or targeting a different group before investing time in tools and campaigns (25m17s).
• Founders should focus on quality over volume, even if selling to down-market, mid-market, or enterprise customers, and only scale up once they have identified the right parameters (26m1s).
• Enrichment tools and sales tools will only be effective if founders are asking the right questions and targeting the right people (26m15s).
• Before starting a sales call, founders need to ensure they are asking the right questions and messaging the right people (26m30s).
• Truncating the sales process to focus on a small group of people can help founders refine their approach and increase their chances of success (26m46s).
• When experimenting with founder-led sales, it's essential to consider the scalability of the process, as finding and reaching out to hundreds or thousands of potential prospects can be challenging if it's hard to find 30 (26m55s).
• Identifying high net worth individuals as a target segment can be difficult, as this information is often not publicly available, and it may require getting on a call to determine if they are a good fit, which can impact conversion rates (27m15s).
• To quickly recap, key things to consider when trying to figure out who to reach out to include making a list of 30 potential prospects that are good fits, spending 15-30 minutes writing each an email, and keeping the emails short (27m57s).
• A great tactical test for email effectiveness is to highlight the message in Gmail and have it replayed back from an audio perspective to ensure it doesn't sound passive-aggressive (28m16s).
• The structure for reaching out to folks includes starting with something relevant to the prospect, mentioning something unexpected or surprising, keeping it short, and focusing on the problem rather than the solution (28m53s).
• When reaching out to prospects, it's essential to avoid using "this is better" as a pitch and instead focus on providing novel insights and solutions to problems the prospect is facing (29m56s).
• The American market provides an advantage in that people tend to complain about things that don't feel right, and this can be used to gather valuable intel and improve sales strategies (29m49s).
• A procurement leader at a massive organization mentioned that one of the worst things someone can say to them is "we're better than x product" because it prompts them to ask for a definition and measurement of that claim, and consider whether the company should be given another year to improve before making a huge transition (30m16s).
• When things are "good enough," it's challenging to get people to care about or invest in something better, as they often prioritize dealing with existing solutions rather than seeking the best possible product (30m42s).
• People tend to settle for "good enough" solutions when their current situation is satisfactory, and they have other priorities to attend to, making it difficult for startups to gain traction and investment (30m50s).

Nailing the first phone call (30m58s)

• When on the phone with a potential customer, it's essential to be vulnerable and open about being an early-stage startup, as this can help gain honest feedback and insight into the customer's perception of the problem (31m15s).
• Assuming the buyer is highly educated and knows more than you do can help set the right perception and avoid getting caught off guard (31m25s).
• Being open and honest about the startup's stage and the problem it's trying to solve can help gain the customer's trust and encourage them to open up about their perspective (31m44s).
• Asking for the customer's insight into how the problem is manifesting on their side can provide valuable Intel and help the startup better understand the customer's needs (31m58s).
• Being vulnerable and admitting that the product is not fully built yet can actually lead to more raw and honest feedback from the customer (32m37s).
• Suggesting that the product is further along than it actually is can hamstring the startup's ability to gain valuable Intel and feedback from the customer (32m55s).

Buying vs. selling (34m14s)

• The concept of buying vs. selling is discussed, with the idea that buying is just as hard, if not harder, than selling, especially in the context of early-stage sales, because buyers are hesitant to make mistakes and go through switching costs (35m22s).
• The initial sales experience of founder-led sales is not just about selling as much as possible, but also about learning what people want and gathering feedback (35m39s).
• Founder-led sales is more about learning and gathering research than generating revenue on day one, with the goal of earning the right to sell (35m51s).
• There is a distinction between founder-led sales for research and sales for revenue, with the former being the initial stage and the latter being the post-founder-led sales stage (36m5s).
• The milestone for transitioning out of founder-led sales is debated, with some suggesting around $500,000 in annual recurring revenue (ARR) and others suggesting $1 million ARR (36m16s).
• The velocity at which a company reaches this milestone is also an important factor in determining when to transition out of founder-led sales (36m32s).
• Examples of successful startups, such as Sprig and Zip, are cited as having focused on founder-led sales and learning from customers before hiring salespeople (36m50s).
• The idea is proposed that maybe companies shouldn't hire salespeople until Series A, as seed stage is about experimentation and Series A is about exploiting that learning (37m39s).
• Early-stage sales hiring is considered counterintuitive, with the odds being against success, and it's suggested that companies should focus on founder-led sales and learning from customers instead (37m54s).

Testing the questions to ask (38m8s)

• When engaging with a prospect, be honest and vulnerable about the early stage of the company and the problem being solved, and ask for their feedback on the approach (38m16s).
• The goal is to find the "aha" moment for the prospect, where they start visualizing the solution in their head, and to understand their perspective on the problem (38m46s).
• Ask open-ended questions like "How does this look in your head?" or "Walk me through what's living in your head right now" to gain insight into their thought process (39m5s).
• Pay attention to signs that the prospect is excited about the solution, such as mentioning previous attempts to solve the problem or expressing a willingness to pay for a solution (39m48s).
• Look for growing and widening problems that are a priority for the prospect, rather than fixed problems that are no longer a priority (40m4s).
• Ask questions like "What is the implication of this problem?" and "Are you measuring or managing this problem today?" to gauge the prospect's level of concern (40m19s).
• Understand how the prospect has tried to solve the problem in the past, whether through hiring someone, using a tool, or leaving it as an open gap (40m42s).
• By asking these questions, the prospect is psychologically flipped into a buyer mindset, where they start to see the value in the solution and want to move forward (41m14s).
• A good sign of momentum is when the prospect wants to bring in other colleagues, such as potential users or executives, to discuss the solution further (41m47s).

Avoiding common sales questions and securing the second call (41m57s)

• When trying to secure a second call, it's essential to avoid asking common sales questions like "what keeps you up at night" or "what are your pain points today," as the answers to these questions can change daily (42m6s).
• Instead, focus on booking the second call by pulling up calendars and discussing who else should be invited, making it a natural evolution of the call (42m25s).
• If the prospect says they will email instead of scheduling a call, it can be a leading indicator that they are not interested, and it's recommended to try to avoid getting off the call without a scheduled next step (42m40s).
• If the prospect is unwilling to give time on their calendar, it's possible to say that they can email instead, but in most cases, this is a polite way of saying they are not interested (42m52s).
• It's challenging for prospects to tell salespeople that they are not interested, so it's crucial to be prepared for this possibility and have a plan in place (43m2s).

Co-authoring with customers (43m8s)

• Co-authoring with customers is a crucial step in the early days of a business, as it helps get customers excited by making them feel like the product is being built specifically for them, leveraging the power of specificity and focus (43m8s).
• By asking customers to co-author the scope of work, businesses can turn customers into guides and gain a deeper understanding of their buyer maturity (43m32s).
• Co-authorship is important for two reasons: it helps understand where customers are in their buyer maturity, and it allows businesses to educate customers and sell them a service if they are not yet ready to buy a technological solution (43m41s).
• If customers do not have an existing process or strategy to solve a problem, they cannot buy a technological solution, and businesses need to sell them a service to educate them and show intent (43m51s).
• Selling a service can provide non-recurring revenue, which may not be ideal, but it shows intent, allows businesses to call the customer a customer, and enables them to use their logo (44m6s).
• Founders may face resistance from investors who prefer recurring revenue, but co-authoring with customers and selling services can provide a way to educate customers and get paid for it, setting the mindset for future technological solutions (44m15s).
• Many AI startups have used services contracts to set the mindset with buyers and get paid to educate them, which is where the power lies in co-authoring with customers (44m53s).

Time-boxing service contracts (45m6s)

• Time-boxing service contracts is recommended, with a suggested timeframe of 90 days, to avoid locking oneself into a long-term commitment that may not be feasible due to changing circumstances (45m15s).
• This approach allows for scoping out what is needed within a specific timeframe and reassessing after 90 days, as everything is subject to change (45m20s).
• A specific example of time-boxing service contracts involved a founder working with a traditional industry that was not used to working with startups or new technologies, where the founder was paid a nominal amount to explain their workflow and integration process (45m31s).
• In this example, the founder was able to set the stage for how the industry thought about the technology and eventually won the technology contract (46m20s).
• Many companies, especially those in B2B SaaS, need to sell some form of service before they can sell a technology, with around 40-50% of companies having to do so (47m26s).
• Examples of services offered by companies include helping to pitch a design to a boss, building a sales pitch, or providing consulting services to help solve a problem and acquire a product (47m52s).
• These services can involve providing context on the business, helping to sell the technology, or mapping out implementation processes (48m20s).
• The goal of these services is to help the customer solve a problem and acquire the product, rather than providing one-off consulting services (48m49s).
• By offering these services, companies can demonstrate their value and increase the chances of selling their technology (48m55s).

Why you should avoid demos on the first call (49m20s)

• The fundamental belief is that a demo should not be done on the first call, as it is one of the few things that can be controlled in the sales process, and once the customer sees it, they may lose interest or become less invested. (49m34s)
• The goal is to leave the customer wanting more, and doing a demo too early can prevent this, so it's recommended to save the demo for a second call and make the customer invest more time in the process. (49m59s)
• This approach is particularly important for high-value sales, such as those involving hundreds of thousands of dollars, where slowing down the sales process can help ensure that all the right people are involved and invested in the decision. (50m29s)
• In contrast, for lower-value sales, such as a $3,000 tool, it's often better to demo as quickly as possible, as it's a high-volume game. (50m23s)
• The goal is to make the sale feel like a group decision, rather than just one person's, to prevent it from being easily dismissed or stalled. (50m44s)

Dealing with procurement (51m5s)

• When selling to a large market, the next step after getting a potential customer excited is to get them past the finish line, which involves dealing with procurement, a group of professional buyers responsible for the purchasing process (51m5s).
• To successfully navigate procurement, it's essential to sell to them as well, making the product or service sound uncomplicated and easy to understand, avoiding jargon, and differentiating it from other similar products or services (51m34s).
• Procurement buyers are smart and experienced, and it's easier for them to suggest using a preferred vendor, so it's crucial to make the product or service stand out and feel different from others (51m52s).
• When dealing with procurement, it's necessary to do all the work and make their job easy, as they often handle large deals and may sideline smaller purchases (52m21s).
• Providing all necessary information and filling out forms can help streamline the process and prevent deals from dying due to lack of effort (52m40s).
• Clearly explaining what the product or service does and doesn't do is vital to avoid being classified as high-risk and to simplify the contracting process (52m55s).
• Truncating contracts into technology and service contracts can help incentivize the procurement process and prevent deals from dying (53m48s).
• Being creative and knowing how to make the procurement process as easy as possible is crucial, as buying can be just as challenging as selling (54m10s).

The power of enterprise sales (54m22s)

• Enterprise sales can be a complex and time-consuming process, but once a company is established as a preferred vendor, it can lead to significant growth and opportunities, including the ability to cross over into other business units and gain a competitive advantage (54m37s).
• To succeed in Enterprise sales, it's essential to project manage the process, make accountability, and prove value, which can lead to increased deal sizes and accelerated growth (55m23s).
• The benefits of Enterprise sales include a temporary moat that beats out competitors, access to exclusive information and conversations, and the ability to join meetings and ask for introductions (55m45s).
• Enterprise sales typically involve companies with 500 to 10,000 employees, where the user and buyer are often different, and procurement processes are more complex (56m35s).
• In contrast, small business sales typically involve companies with fewer employees, where the user and buyer are often the same person, and procurement processes are more straightforward (56m53s).
• Mid-market sales can be a challenging space, as companies may be anchoring towards either the lower end of mid-market or the lower end of Enterprise, requiring different sales strategies (57m1s).
• Small business sales can be faster, but companies need to focus on product-market fit and be aware of the higher churn rate and risk of businesses going out of business (58m1s).

Getting a signature (58m14s)

• When entering the procurement stage, it is essential to know who will be signing the deal, as this information can be used to tailor the approach and ensure the signer has everything they need to review and sign the agreement (58m19s).
• Examples of signers include the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Legal Officer, business unit head, and head of procurement (58m30s).
• Knowing who the signer is allows for a more personalized approach, enabling the salesperson to provide the necessary information and address any concerns the signer may have (58m40s).
• Failing to understand the signer's needs and concerns can lead to delays and even loss of the deal, as seen in the example of a pharmaceutical company where the CFO was the signer and had to be provided with additional information to understand the agreement (59m14s).
• In this example, the salesperson had to put together bullets to address the CFO's concerns, which caused anxiety and delayed the process by another month (59m34s).
• It is crucial to plan ahead and understand the signer's needs to avoid such delays and ensure a smooth signing process (59m57s).

Choosing a focus and overcoming sales challenges (1h0m15s)

• When working with clients, it's essential to note that payment is only made after approval by finance and procurement, and a signature on the contract is required, so it's crucial not to start work or rely on payment until this step is complete (1h0m17s).
• Discounting should not be used as a strategy to get a deal done, unless there's a valid reason, such as working with small businesses that may need a buffer, and even then, it's essential to leave room for negotiation (1h0m51s).
• When considering discounts, it's crucial to ask the client to defend their request and ensure that the discount is justified, such as removing a corresponding percentage of value from the deal (1h1m1s).
• Discounts can be a good strategy if the client is offering something in return, such as being a design partner, providing a reference, or giving something of value beyond just using the technology (1h1m33s).
• Once a signature is obtained on the contract, it's essential to celebrate this milestone, as it marks the completion of the sales process (1h1m57s).

General timelines (1h2m19s)

• The general timeline for a sales process is influenced by three factors: the founder's project management skills, the complexity of the organization, and the presence of a budget. (1h2m26s)
• The founder's ability to project manage the sales process efficiently can shorten the sales cycle by keeping calls as tight as possible. (1h2m42s)
• The complexity of the organization, particularly in highly regulated industries, can elongate the sales cycle by 20 to 30%, resulting in a sales cycle of 9 to 12 months. (1h2m52s)
• The presence of a budget can also impact the sales cycle, with deals taking longer to close if a budget needs to be created. (1h3m7s)
• The level of seniority of the person being spoken to can also affect the sales cycle, with more senior individuals being better equipped to navigate the sales process. (1h3m18s)
• Enterprise deals can close in as little as 90 days, but typically take anywhere between six and 12 months to close. (1h3m41s)
• The effort required to get through an Enterprise's system can be more expensive than the technology itself, which is why Enterprises are willing to spend more. (1h3m57s)
• Founders should understand the value they are delivering and not negotiate with themselves, but also be realistic when pricing their product or service. (1h4m15s)

Final thoughts and advice (1h4m27s)

• When dealing with Enterprise contracts, be aware that some may have clauses limiting the deal size to a percentage of the existing revenue, and it's essential to ask if this is a hard line or negotiable (1h4m27s).
• Enterprise deals can have a significant payoff, with the potential to grow exponentially, as seen in an example where a deal went from $60,000 to $280,000 in four months (1h5m3s).
• A good Average Contract Value (ACV) to start with when selling to Enterprise is between $50,000 to $200,000, depending on the business unit being sold to (1h5m24s).
• For initial contracts, a more realistic ACV is likely between $50,000 to $100,000, but this can vary depending on the problem being solved and the budget of the decision-maker (1h5m43s).
• If a startup is unable to sell their product at a high price, it's crucial to consider whether the product is designed for Enterprise or small businesses, as these require different sales strategies (1h6m6s).
• Small businesses are a marketing-intensive, high-velocity, and high-volume game, whereas Enterprise sales are a different game, and founders should decide which game they want to play (1h6m20s).
• Mid-market is a challenging space to start in, as it requires straddling two different go-to markets, and companies often lack the resources for heavy integration, leading to reliance on third-party consulting firms (1h6m53s).
• When deciding which market to focus on, consider factors such as the problem being solved, the resources required, and the storyline to be told to investors, and be aware that there is no one-size-fits-all approach (1h6m44s).
• If a startup receives initial validation from both small/medium businesses and Enterprise, there is no counterargument against starting with SMB and going up-market over time, as some companies have successfully done this (1h7m44s).
• Founders should consider what type of customers they want to build their business for, whether it's enterprises or small companies, and think about the life they're creating for themselves and their team, as this decision will impact their business for the next 10 years (1h7m58s).
• It's essential to consider what type of sales experience the founder has, as this will influence the type of customers they should target, and it's crucial to double down on what they know best (1h8m37s).
• When it comes to slow response and momentum from customers, it could be due to various reasons, such as the buyer needing to sell the idea to their boss, not understanding the executive value, or not framing the problem well (1h9m0s).
• Founders often struggle to receive hard feedback on their sales process, but it's essential to let the actions speak louder than words and make necessary changes (1h9m56s).
• The most significant opportunity to improve conversion in sales is often found in the qualification process, as spending time on the wrong leads can equate to zero results (1h10m19s).
• Many founders believe they have a bottom-of-funnel problem, but it's often a top-of-funnel problem, which is a symptom of not reaching out to the right person, not having the right messaging, or not solving the right problem (1h10m42s).
• The biggest pitfall people fall into is talking to the wrong people, using the wrong message, or pitching something they can't deliver, and sales should feel fun for the buyer (1h11m4s).
• Sales should be an invigorating experience for the buyer, and founders should strive to make it feel fun for them (1h11m28s).
• To effectively sell as a founder, one needs to bring passion and energy to the sales process, as this is felt by the market and can be an outlet for people in boring jobs (1h11m52s).
• Founders should focus on selling solutions to problems they truly believe in, as it is hard to sell something one doesn't believe in, and it's essential to be honest about the problem the solution can solve (1h12m15s).
• It's crucial to ensure that the solution being sold will truly solve the customer's problem and not just be a short-term sale that may lead to churn in a few months (1h12m47s).
• Being honest with potential customers about whether the solution is the right fit for them can establish trust, which is the number one currency in sales (1h13m7s).
• Trust is essential in sales, as trusted salespeople and founders will receive recommendations and word-of-mouth leads from their market (1h13m17s).
• Founders should not try to sell something just to prove a point to investors, as this can be quickly seen through by the other side and may lead to negative consequences (1h13m29s).

Working with Jen (1h13m32s)

• Jen Abel helps companies, specifically founders, navigate enterprise and mid-market sales to reach their first million or 500k in annual recurring revenue (AR) through her work at JJELLYFISH (1h13m47s).
• She is passionate about sales and believes in embedding with the team rather than outsourcing, allowing founders to engage directly with their market and learn from it (1h14m25s).
• Jen's approach involves driving execution alongside the founder, ensuring they are at the forefront of engaging with their market and learning from it (1h14m30s).
• Her service is similar to a coach or consultant, helping founders learn to do sales, which is a common thread among companies that successfully started selling early on (1h14m50s).
• Jen values the "Pay It Forward" model in the technology space, where people help each other out, and encourages listeners to continue this model (1h15m18s).
• She is open to listeners being useful to her and helping each other out, as she has been helped by many people in her career (1h15m5s).