If you’re not hustling, are you even trying?  For decades now, sales leaders have been conditioned to believe that in order to be at your peak performance in the sales industry, you have to be relentless in your pursuit of that next sale, sleep cycle be damned. It’s all about the hustle if you want to succeed in the SaaS industry… right?  Well, no. Just because money may never sleep, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t either.  In this solo pod, Alex explains why the best thing you can do for your performance is to optimize your time and energy. He reveals his own experience with severe burnout, and how, through a process of internal time audits and effective prioritization of tasks, he managed to keep his energy in check to sustain his career as one of SaaS’s biggest sales leaders. Find out the key components to evaluating your own time management and find out why the key to long-term, sustainable success is avoiding burning out bright, hard, and fast.  Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out https://www.youtube.com/@On-Target for even more exclusive insider content! Alex is a Workweek friend.

This week, Alex is flying solo to tackle some of the top questions regarding sales leadership in the SaaS industry.  What is the greatest challenge to SaaS professionals? How do you motivate and incentivize an increasingly remote sales force? How has the sales process for SaaS evolved over the past five years? And which verticals should we be paying the most attention to going into 2024?  Alex explores the best ways to motivate your remote sales teams, how to leverage AI and automation to boost productivity, how to attract and retain top sales talent, and the best ways to adjust your sales strategies in the face of economic challenges. He also explains why having a clear vision and being ROI-centric in the sales process is critical to your leadership success.  Tune in to gain valuable insights and strategies for navigating the evolving landscape of SaaS sales!   00:00:23 - Challenges and Solutions for SaaS Sales Leaders 00:02:06 - Top SaaS Sales Metrics for 2024 00:03:40 - Sales Leaders' Role in Customer Success and Retention 00:05:19 - Strategies for Attracting Top Sales Talent in a Competitive Market 00:07:07 - AI: The Biggest Growth Opportunities in SaaS 00:07:52 - How to Build Customer Loyalty in SaaS Sales   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@On-Target   And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out https://www.youtube.com/@On-Target for even more exclusive insider content!   And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/   Alex is a Workweek friend.

In this live virtual event, Alex Alleyne, former VP of Sales at Braze and founder of On Target, is joined by Bill Rufo, Chief Revenue Officer at Upper Edge, and Josh Weisman, Chief Revenue Officer at Betts, to discuss the power of decisive leadership.  They explore key principles that all leaders should adopt, the importance of accountability and communication, and strategies for motivating and inspiring teams.   The panel also addresses questions from the audience, providing valuable insights and advice for emerging leaders. For valuable insights into effective leadership and decision-making, this is an absolute must-listen episode!   00:01:57 - Key Leadership Principles for Success 00:03:59 - Building Accountability Through Effective Communication 00:06:33 - The Power of Listening in Marketing 00:09:29 - Aligning Your Team with Leadership Principles 00:11:58 - Leading by Example: Crucial Leadership Principles 00:13:40 - Balancing Personal Principles and Company Mission 00:21:50 - Testing Candidate Attributes in the Hiring Process 00:24:47 - Improving Performance Through Situational Analysis 00:26:35 - Developing Leadership Principles for Emerging Leaders 00:31:25 - Strategies to Motivate a Falling Team 00:36:38 - The Importance of Selfless Leadership 00:40:04 - Q&A Session with Josh and Bill   Follow Josh:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-weisman/   Follow Bill:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billrufo/   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex   And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/   Alex is a Workweek friend.

In this special solo miniseries, Alex introduces his new format dedicated to his Primed Pod Excellence framework, diving headfirst into his first topic: Pipeline Excellence, which tackles the ins and outs of how to hire the best talent possible for your team.  He emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the employee over the client or customer and explains the value of embracing diversity of perspective and experience in the hiring process.  Join Alex to discover how you can utilize talent to drive powerful results and uncover the best strategies for building a high-performing team.    00:00:00 - Exploring the Primed Pod Excellence Framework 00:00:43 - The Importance of Hiring Top Talent 00:06:34 - Embracing Diversity in Hiring Practices 00:08:13 - Next Week: Sourcing Talent Strategies   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex   And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/   Alex is a Workweek friend.

In this special episode, Alex speaks with Peter, a leader focused on achieving ambitious targets and driving revenue on a live sales call. They discuss the key priorities for Peter's team and the importance of operational leadership. Alex encourages Peter to establish a proven quantification criteria and standards of excellence to guide his team’s execution, while Peter shares his grand vision, emphasizing the importance of working hard and making strategic moves. Tune in to learn more about Peter's approach to leadership and his commitment to growth and progress.   00:00:00 - Meeting Peter and Offering Help 00:00:13 - Key Priorities for Q3 Revenue 00:02:27 - How to Identify Potential Deals 00:03:13 - Ensuring Team Synergy and Consistency 00:05:01 - Level Up Your Leadership Skills 00:09:26 - Keys to Career Success: Vision, Hard Work, and Timing   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex   And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/   Alex is a Workweek friend.

In this episode of On Target, Alex Alleyne is answering the community’s hottest questions on tactical strategies and habits for operational excellence.  He shares insights on building resilience by putting yourself in uncomfortable situations, ensuring you gather maximum intel before a demonstration for enterprise accounts, and creating effective routines for yourself and your team. Alex also addresses the key differences between first and second-line management, emphasizing the shift from being in the trenches to zooming out and taking a broader perspective.  Tune in to gain valuable insights and practical tips for improving mindset, decision-making, and operational excellence. And don't forget to share your thoughts on the episode with Alex on LinkedIn! 00:00:00 - On Target's New Community Q&A Format 00:00:38 - Maximizing Information and Decision Makers for Enterprise Sales 00:03:19 - The Key Difference in Management Levels 00:06:36 - Creating Effective Routines for Success 00:08:56 - The Benefits of Consistency in Routine 00:11:17 - Building Resilience: Conditioning Your Mindset 00:12:50 - Answering LinkedIn Questions on Future Episode Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/ Alex is a Workweek friend.

This week, Alex is joined by Scott Bond, Vice President at Property Finder, as he discusses the importance of developing and nurturing leadership talent. Scott shares his insights on hiring the right leaders, finding the balance between empowerment and performance, and the value of mentorship in career growth. In this episode, Scott reflects on his own career journey and the lessons he has learned along the way. He emphasizes the significance of understanding people and customers, fostering a collective approach, and being transparent about organizational values. Discover how Scott's leadership style focuses on supporting and developing people, and how he believes that great organizations are built on the strength of their people. Tune in to gain valuable insights on leadership development and talent management. 00:00:19 - How To Develop and Nurture Leadership Talent 00:00:55 - In 30 Seconds: Your Elevator Pitch 00:01:47 - How a mentor changed my career path 00:04:07 - Exploring Your Passion in Life 00:06:24 - In the Elevator of Developing Talent 00:10:53 - A First Time Leader's Fear of Mistakes 00:11:58 - The Balance of Developing Talent and Expecting Performances 00:13:22 - The Right People in the Right Places 00:17:28 - Identifying the Right Talent 00:22:48 - Hiring Leaders: The Right Mix 00:32:33 - Real Estate Moguls: Moving to Dubai 00:38:36 - Scott Byrnes on Opportunities in His Career 00:44:01 - Getting the Board and Stakeholders to Buy In 00:47:55 - Steve Jobs: Don't Be Afraid to Sit in the Fire 00:50:37 - Scott on This Week's Episodes Follow Scott: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottbond1/ Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex  And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/   Alex is a Workweek friend.

In this week’s pod, Alex sits down with Mike Barclay, a seasoned SaaS leader and strategic advisor. With 17 years at Yell (formerly Yellow Pages) under his belt, and having led the AMEA division for Hootsuite, Mike's journey is a compelling exploration of tenacity and adaptability.   In their conversation, they delve into Mike's experience as the youngest and only black sales leader at Yellow Pages, and what experiencing the dawn of SaaS was like. Mike also reveals his core pillars for constructing world-class sales teams and shares why he believes curiosity, great storytelling, and discipline are at the forefront of any great sales hire. Tune in as Mike shares insights on the best hires he has made and reveals the keys to structuring a productive week, motivating managers, and closing unforgettable deals. And don’t miss Alex and Mike’s revealing discussion about why it’s better to have attrition than nurture in those critical first three months of hire.   Follow Mike:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelabarclay/details/experience/   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex   And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/   Alex is a Workweek friend.    

In this live virtual event, Alex chats with Louis Kwakye (EMEA Sales Lead for Reward Gateway) and Diana Dalsgaard Johansen (Director of Account Management at Braze) about the top mistakes they believe contribute to employee burnout.  The trio discusses the best ways to minimize burnout and divulges their top tips for preventing employee burnout, including setting up a routine that will help retain a degree of mastery over your own time.   Then, Alex, Louis, and Diana answer a round of listener questions, including how to reframe situations in a more positive light, how to set boundaries when working from home, and how to remain motivated without feeling burnt out.    Follow Louis:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-james-kwakye-5ab63034/?originalSubdomain=uk   Follow Diana:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianadalsgaard/   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex   And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/   Alex is a Workweek friend.  

In part two of this highlight clip series, Alex further delves into some of the most valuable pieces of advice, strategy, and tactics from the over 40+ interviews he's conducted with some of sales’ most elite players. Don't miss out on this short yet powerful episode that covers a range of topics, such as how to build a unified work culture, the best ways to avoid workplace burnout, effective communication tactics, and the value of personal development.  You won’t want to miss out on this influential advice from the most forward-thinking sales leaders of today.    Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex   And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/   Alex is a Workweek friend.

After interviewing over 40 of sales’ most elite players, Alex is reairing some of the most valuable advice, strategies, and tactics from his show so that you can implement them into your sales playbook today.   Don't miss out on this short yet powerful episode that covers a range of topics such as the paramount importance of trust in attaining your first significant sales goal, embracing a discovery-oriented mindset for a thriving business strategy, and the profound influence of an exceptional value proposition.    Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex   And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/   Alex is a Workweek friend.

In this special episode, Alex is fielding all of the questions you’re dying to know— from explaining his own background working for companies like Twilio and Amazon to sharing his best advice for those looking to start their own career in sales, in this solo edition, you’ll learn more about your favorite host and what he thinks are the core pillars to advancing up the career ladder.  Why did Alex choose to leave behind a full scholarship to corporate law to pursue a career in SaaS? What were some of his biggest lessons, deals, and challenges in his career? And what advice does he have to give to anyone looking to pursue or advance their career in sales?  Plus, stay tuned to find out Alex’s favorite resources for future sales leaders.                                                                                                                           Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/ Alex is a Workweek friend.

Don’t let the data overwhelm you. With so many metrics out there, it’s easy to get lost in the landslide of numbers and data points. So what can leaders do to make the most of their time and push the needle forward when tracking the numbers? Alex is going solo and breaking down a few quick and dirty tricks, and explaining why focusing on three to five core metrics is the key to transforming the way your team performs and closing transformational deals.   Tune in to learn how to streamline your sales approach and take your software sales success to the next level. Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out https://www.youtube.com/@On-Target for even more exclusive insider content! Alex is a Workweek friend.

In this live virtual event, Alex and a panel of expert sales leaders discuss everything sales— from the most valuable lessons they’ve learned throughout their careers to tips on increasing operational excellence.  The panel imparts their own personal wisdom on how to create a winning business strategy, be it rallying your sales team around greater pipeline generation, improving operational excellence, or increasing team trust throughout their development journey.  Then stay tuned as they answer a rapid-fire round of audience questions. Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex   And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/   Alex is a Workweek friend.

Mohy Shams is lucky to be alive.  After a near-fatal jet ski collision left him in critical condition for days, the Regional VP of Gartner awoke humbled by life and eager to set off on a journey of self-understanding.   Mohy shares his unique outlook on life with Alex, and explains how his near-death experience helped him to become a lifelong learner in all aspects of life— not just sales. He also chats about the things he wishes he would have known early in his career growth— like being resourceful and scrappy to get to where he wanted to be.  Then, Mohy shares why being prepared and playing a politician are two of the most beneficial things you can do to slide up the career ladder.    Follow Mohy: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohyshams/   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex *Any opinions expressed on the podcast represent Mohy Sham’s personal opinions only and do not reflect the opinions of Gartner. And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/   Alex is a Workweek friend.

What are the core hiring principles an ex-Amazon Sales Leader looks for when developing future leaders?  Jim MacDonald divulges the common qualities great sellers share in common, including the lessons he’s learned working for 25+ years in the tech industry. He also talks with Alex about the importance of hiring someone who is customer obsessed. Plus, find out the differences in the hiring mindset when it comes to startup companies and bigger organizations and how enthusiasm, self-confidence, and resilience are invaluable qualities in new hires.   Follow Jim:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-macdonald-7172551/   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex   And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/   Alex is a Workweek friend.

Can being more direct with customers fuel higher sales? Bill Rufo drops by the studio to chat with Alex about his customer-centric approach to pipeline generation.  As the CRO for the IT sourcing firm, UpperEdge, Bill has a unique perspective on building and maintaining a more effective sales team. He talks about the human aspect of building pipeline, the important role of curiosity in prospecting, and why articulating a vision ahead of time is a crucial part of ensuring scalability.    Follow Bill: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billrufo/   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex   And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/   Alex is a Workweek friend.

  What does a CRO who’s helped scale multiple startups into 40 million-dollar-plus businesses have to say about building a best-in-class sales team?    With decades’ worth of experience establishing the process, playbook, and infrastructure for several companies, Josh Weisman believes building the perfect dream team boils down to a few core pillars.   He and Alex discuss the integral role that hiring, training, and onboarding play in creating an excellent workforce. Josh also explains why having difficult conversations with employees and dispensing feedback in digestible doses is critical to overall success.   Plus, find out why Josh thinks you should always be asking yourself if you’re happy with what you’re doing.   Follow Josh:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-weisman/   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex   And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/   Alex is a Workweek friend.    

According to Chris Reilly, the sales team is the “cash register” of the business. Get ready to elevate your sales strategy as Alex sits down with Chris, the VP of Sales at Hum Capital, for expert insights on the most efficient and transparent path to growth for companies and insider tips on successful leadership in the world of sales. Together, they discuss team priorities, burnout in the industry, habits for building success and winning business, and much more. Follow Chris:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-reilly-01056086/    Follow Alex:    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex   And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/   Alex is a Workweek friend.  

What separates an okay seller from an elite-level one?   According to GTM exec and master strategist to companies like Twilio, Cisco, and Oracle, Chetan Chaudhary, having a chip on your shoulder and being able to navigate a direct route to market is any high-potential sales leader’s best weapon in the battle for SaaS leadership supremacy.    He and Alex take a deep dive into the technical specs of what characteristics make a great sales leader, the core ingredients any successful go-to-market plan must have, and why having a killer value proposition can make or break your sales pitch.    Follow Chetan:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chetanc12/   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex   And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/   Alex is a Workweek friend. 0:00 Intro 3:47 The Value Proposition of Software 8:10 What Makes a Great Sales Leader? 14:37 The DNA of High-Potential Sales Leaders  20:28 Core Ingredients of a Go-to-Market Plan 23:55 Where Sales Leaders Fall Short 26:32 Being a Data-Driven Leader 30:57 The Importance of a Good Deep Dive 35:50 Time Management 38:57 Staying Healthy 42:02 Winning Business Principles 44:20 A Million Dollar Deal 46:35 Best Piece of Advice 48:38 Wrapping it Up

Are coachability, empathy, work ethic, and collaboration innate— or can these characteristics be developed over time?   Alex chats with veteran and current VP of Sales at Dandy, Kyle Peterson, about what characteristics successful leaders in SaaS have in common and why mentorship efforts are the key to fostering professional development.   Kyle also explains why trust should always be the primary consideration in building a successful team foundation, how clear expectations can make or break sales goals, and why constructive feedback is critical to fueling individual and team growth.    Plus, find out why having a great discovery mindset can place you in the top 20% of sellers.     Follow Kyle:   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylepetersenco/   Follow Alex:    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex   And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/   Alex is a Workweek friend.

How does a self-confessed fintech-nerd think about creating an elite sales team? Matt Hicks is the VP on a mission to build culture that fosters success. Matt is the VP of Global Sales at Vertice, the purchasing platform that helps clients manage their SaaS stack. Alex and Matt get into why Matt still makes time to prospect every day, why blame culture is so destructive, and how great habits outside sales lead to great habits inside sales. Follow Matt: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthicks85/ Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/ Alex is a Workweek friend.

How do you set your team up for success? You make pipeline their number one priority. Tony Jackson is here to open the playbook on how. Tony is a Senior Advisor at the Sales Impact Academy but he’s got deep roots in some of the biggest software companies out there, including MongoDB and Snowflake, which became one of the largest software IPOs in history. Alex and Tony dive into why pipeline is everyone’s concern - not just your sales team, how to leverage LinkedIn in your sales strategy, and why you should be hyper-focused on how you spend your time to prioritize what’s really important. Follow Tony:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyjackson1/ Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/ Alex is a Workweek friend.

It’s almost the New Year and Alex is diving into another Q&A session, but this time around, he’s tackling all of your greatest questions about the future of sales.   What’s the potential impact of emerging technologies like AI on traditional software sales processes in the coming year? Will there be a rise in the use of email as a communication channel? How can you better utilize creative nurture outreach strategies to reach elusive enterprise buyers? Alex is covering all of your hottest questions about leveraging automation and AI to predict future sales outcomes, and later, explaining his forecast for what companies should be prioritizing as the market bounces back to full health in 2024.  To learn what sales strategies will optimize your leadership position in the coming year, tune in to this jam-packed Q&A!   00:00:00 - 2024 Q&A: Exploring Special Topics and Themes 00:00:24 - Adapting Sales Strategies for 2024 00:01:26 - AI's Disruption of Traditional Software Sales 00:02:36 - How Software Sales Leaders Stay Ahead in a Volatile Economy 00:04:47 - Driving Growth in 2024: Recession-Proof Industries 00:05:57 - Creative Strategies to Reach Enterprise Buyers 00:07:35 - Predicting Global Software Consumption in 2024 00:08:41 - Leveraging Automation and AI in Software Sales   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex   And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/   Alex is a Workweek friend.

There’s never been more pressure on SaaS sales leaders to land deals. And if you’re struggling to fill the top of that funnel, this is the podcast you need. On Target is the all signal, all action show deep diving into the minds of sales professionals and giving you TWO actionable insights you can put into practice right away. I’m your host, Alex Alleyne, an award-winning SaaS Sales Leader, Founder of Elite Level and Area Vice President, SMB Sales EMEA at Braze. I’m going to show you how you can scale your performance from good - to elite. You’ll hear interviews with some of the most successful senior sales leaders in the business, sharing their playbooks through the lens of my unique framework for success: Pipeline, Operational Excellence, Deal. Every week I’ll talk with an elite performer digging into their daily operating rhythm and exploring the tactics they use to find and close deals. Season 1 drops soon with new episodes every week. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Checking his life’s goals one at a time, Meshach Amuah-Fuster didn’t realize he was building monumental success in his life. An exemplary sales leader and now the Managing Director of EMEA at Allbound Inc., Meshach joins the Elite Level podcast to reveal everything that went behind the making of his successful career so that you can benefit from it too.  Looking back at the 20+ years of his experience in sales, Meshach shares that nothing would’ve been possible without consistency, a good system, and quality mentorship. Meshach, who discusses having five mentors in his life, stresses that the best professionals utilize quality mentorship and that it transforms your unsteady, uninformed journey into a pleasantly informed one. Meshach also gets into the time sales representatives had nothing but traditional sources like the telephone to connect with people. Now that the internet has become the norm, a sales professional’s job has become better assisted.  Further into the conversation, you might think: what about the uncomfortable, vulnerable times in your sales career when you need someone to lend you some time to listen to them? What about the up-and-down journey that sales often takes because of the lack of surety? Meshach talks about it all in this episode! Key Talking Points: ●      Technology and sales ●      Consistency in sales ●      Getting on the journey to mastery ●      The lesser-known realities of the glamorous sales job  Meet The Guest! Meshach is the Managing Director EMEA at Allbound Inc., a software firm based in Georgia.Connect with Meshach!   ●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/meshachamuah-fuster/ Connect with Alex! ●      Website: www.elitelevel.co| https://www.alexalleyne.com ●      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elitelevelalex ●      Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex ●      YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/elitelevelpodcast ●      Learn with Alex: https://www.elitelevel.co

You might’ve known before that not all stress is bad stress. Some amount is helpful and might cause you to progress in your career quicker! Stress is a good thing if it helps you to push yourself forward in your career. It’s also one of the secrets to the success of our guest for today’s episode, Parker Ashley, a senior sales professional currently serving as the VP of Americas at Darktrace. Recounting his journey to sales, Parker shares it hadn’t been easy for him. He started in university wanting to be a surgeon, pursuing courses in certain branches of medicine, and was dead focused on that goal, even scoring 98 percentile in the MCAT, the admissions test for medical school in the US. Parker was determined to find a job soon after med school after spending almost all his life in the library among books (studying for a goal now totally irrelevant). But after graduation, he started working at his friend’s startup to fund himself till he got a medical job. That’s where all his calculations started to fall apart – when he began falling out of love with medicine and the healthcare industry as a whole. He realized he couldn’t spend a significant part of his life doing something he did not enjoy. So while interviewing for medical jobs, he also worked wholeheartedly as an SDR. Even when he got the job he had been preparing for, for what felt like a lifetime, he knew he couldn’t accept it, and it came as a shock to his whole family, that was expecting him to be a doctor. He needed time to assess if the medical field was for him, and he happened to have done well. The newfound interest in sales + its rewarding potential got into Parker completely. So when Darktrace found him, he was more than ready to take up the challenge. Today, Parker is not only an experienced sales representative but a leader and mentor who helps others find and succeed in their career in the industry. Sit back and listen to this episode to learn about Parker’s impressive journey and the secrets and motivations behind his outstanding success! Key Talking Points:   ●      Using stress to your advantage ●      What the stoic philosophy teaches you about work and stress ●      How to drive forward in your career with freedom of choice ●      Cultivating grit  Connect with Parker!   ●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/winstonparkerashley Connect with Alex! ●      Website: www.elitelevel.co| https://www.alexalleyne.com ●      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elitelevelalex ●      Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex ●      YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/elitelevelpodcast ●      Learn with Alex: https://www.elitelevel.co  

Sign up for monday.com for FREE by visiting: https://monday.com/crm?utm_medium=influencers&utm_source=influencers&utm_campaign=multi-en-lead_gen-workos-crm-alex_q3Being your best for your company has much more about it than personal progress. Being the best in any company is about being an ASSET to them, and an irreplaceable one at that. So, how do you do that? Today’s guest, Eduardo Ynaty, would teach you how he amassed promising success in his career as a sales professional by being an invaluable asset to his startup firm despite his love-hate relationship with sales while starting. What’s most interesting about his career is that he started on this journey as a karate master – so technically, not a sales or tech role. But there was some sales he had to do there too – selling memberships. Though he had no idea he was going to become a top sales professional, later on, the experience did offer some start to his sales journey. Eduardo started with tech sales as an SDR and worked tremendously hard in the role, with the desire to become a full-cycle rep soon. And he did. He then moved into account management before being introduced to a soon-to-be winning startup monday.com. Meeting the monday.com team was a game-changer in his life because 4 years later, he still loves learning, growing, and developing himself through new roles and responsibilities at the company.  Eduardo has time and time again proved his ability and talent to his company, being exceptional in sales, managing salespeople, quota carrying, and even helping with his fair tech knowledge. He currently manages the solutions engineering team there and has hired, managed, and trained many in the firm over the years. He discusses all about his role, his changing goals and objectives after becoming a leader from a representative, career objectives, and driving forces in this episode. He also gives valuable tips for becoming an exceptional sales representative and leader. Not giving in to desperation and having the confidence and passion for succeeding are some of the most crucial takeaways from this episode. Tune in for more!   Key Talking Points:   ●      The journey to becoming a full sales representative from SDR ●      The importance of confidence, grit, and tenacity for a sales professional ●      How to know if a company is good for you ●      Becoming an asset for the company you work forConnect with Eduardo!   ●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eynaty/ Connect with Alex! ●      Website: www.elitelevel.co| https://www.alexalleyne.com ●      Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex ●      YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/elitelevelpodcast ●      Learn with Alex: https://www.elitelevel.co

Learn from the top 1% of sales leaders in 5 minutes per week through the Elite Level Newsletter: https://www.elitelevel.co 🚀What would you do in a moment of self-pity? Would you instead go along with the pity party or steer yourself away and focus on something else?  Most people would pick the latter option, but there lay our twist. Our guest for today's episode, an amazingly talented manager and leader and the GM/ Managing Director at Currys Business, however, chose the former. In her spectacular career, which included 7 years of working with the e-commerce giant Amazon, Molly Dobson decided to stick with the former option and allowed herself to feel pity whenever things went downhill. For her, accepting herself for everything she is and everything she will be, was and is incredibly important.  In today's episode, she breaks down the amazing professional journey she's had, not stumbling over challenges, choosing to continually improve her skills, and sticking with her ambition even during the most tiring of times.  Molly talks about her interest in analytical learning and curiosity about people's behaviors since she was young and how it matched well into a career and life in retail and fashion. She also gets into the secrets to her inspiring leadership skills, including creating a safe space for your teammates to talk to you and share their concerns with you, the lessons from her tough times and what (if any) about her journey she would go back and change if she could.  A valuable point Molly shared in this conversation that also explains her fantastic choice of companies is the importance of researching the company you are preparing to work with. She shares that if you are in a position to connect with different organizations and have the flexibility of choice, you must first research the companies thoroughly. Upfront research always helps find a workplace that works the best for you. Remember, "you're interviewing a company as much as they're interviewing you."  Key talking points: ●  The importance of continuous self-improvement ●  The traits of an elite-level leader ●  The importance of researching the company you’re planning to work with ●  The importance of acknowledging your emotions Meet The Guest! Molly Dobson is the GM/ Managing Director at Currys Business.  Connect with Molly  ● LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollydobson/?originalSubdomain=uk  Connect with Alex ●  Website: https://www.alexalleyne.com ●  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mralexalleyne/ ●  Twitter: https://twitter.com/mralexalleyne ●  YouTube: http://youtube.com/c/alexAlleyne ●  Learn with Alex: https://www.elitelevel.co 

As most of the Elite Level podcast guests have repeatedly mentioned, hard work is an unbeatably essential ingredient to sales success. Agreeing to it further is Gavin Dimmock, now a trailblazing sales leader with over 27 years of experience and our guest for today’s podcast episode. Starting as a software engineer (a pretty good one at that), Gavin was pursuing his passion for complex problem-solving until, some time into his career, he came across the amazing life of the sales professionals at the company he then worked in. Interestingly, everything about their careers: their lifestyle, salary, job, sounded amazing to him, prompting him to eventually take a huge leap of faith in his professional career towards sales – a decision he’s clearly never frowned at. In conversation with Alex, Gavin unpacks the lessons from his terrific professional journey, including working at the American multinational computer technology corporation Oracle for over a decade. His relentless effort, tenacity, curiosity, and zest to learn have led him to the mammoth success he enjoys today, and he’s dedicated to imparting this knowledge and skills to anyone who desires to be developed. Listen up as he narrates his first days as a sales representative learning the nuances of the game to making a million pounds in commission and leading huge corporate teams. His hunger to help people and tenacity to succeed despite the odds are your keys to take away. Gavin also talks about his decision to go on a sabbatical and take better care of his health and happiness.   Tune in now! Until next time! Key Talking Points:  ●      What switching careers feels like ●      Why hard work is a key ingredient to success of any kind ●      Life as an SDR starting out ●      The importance of a people development mindset for leaders ●      What differentiates elite leaders from good ones?   Meet The Guest! Gavin Dimmock is an experienced GTM leader with expertise in building and growing enterprise software businesses. He currently serves as the Senior Vice-President & GM EMEA at Terminus, an AMB platform provider based in Atlanta, Georgia.   Connect with Gavin!   ●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-dimmock-27416b2    Connect with Alex!   ●      Website: www.elitelevel.co | https://www.alexalleyne.com ●      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elitelevelalex ●      Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex ●      YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/elitelevelpodcast ●      Learn with Alex: https://www.elitelevel.co        

Learn from the top 1% of sales leaders in 5 minutes per week through the Elite Level Newsletter: https://www.elitelevel.co 🚀If you’ve been listening to the Elite Level Podcast all this far, you probably have realized how many immensely successful folks have had humble career beginnings. Our guest for today’s episode, Grant Coleman, is a stellar example. Grant started his career as a dealer at a local Mercedes Benz showroom for five years. (This is after quitting university in three months to find a proper job.) Managing 20-25 customers daily, handling their expectations – some very demanding ones, and dealing with team mechanics- were all the tiny heavy stuff he had done there. Little would he have known how he would grow to become the successful sales leader he is today! When Grant realized the massive debt he had built up all these years, he decided to quit Mercedes Benz and find a job to help him get out of debt. And this time, rather than working for the cash machine, he decided to take up a job in sales. To his delight, he saw an advert in the newspaper about a sales job with an earning potential of 20,000 pounds a month. He knew that was it. It was an investment property sales role in Dubai, the company that paved the way for his sales career. Though challenging, demanding, and heavily disciplined, the job introduced him to the real world of sales – where competition was tough, metrics were constantly looked at, and ethics and behavior were highly valued. Further in his career, Grant moved into real estate too, and the company he joined proved to be an incredibly rewarding experience – he worked 18 hours a day there, but this time, it wasn’t because someone asked him to, but because the work genuinely got into him!  Listen to this episode of the Elite Level Podcast to hear first-hand about the massive progress Grant made in his career – from a dealer to a sales representative and now a leader managing huge sales teams!  Key Talking Points: ●      Cultivating the willingness to take up new responsibilities ●      Deciding if you’re fit to be a manager ●      Relationship-building for success in sales ●      The role of a mentor in your career Meet The Guest! Grant Coleman is the Senior Vice President & General Manager Customer Experience (CX), EMEA North at SAP. He was promoted from Emarsys to own the full SAP CX suite within EMEA North.   Connect with Grant! ●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grantcoleman1  Connect with Alex! ●      Website: www.elitelevel.co| https://www.alexalleyne.com ●      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elitelevelalex ●      Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex ●      YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/elitelevelpodcast ●      Learn with Alex: https://www.elitelevel.co

Learn from the top 1% of sales professionals in 5 minutes per week through the Elite Level Newsletter: https://www.elitelevel.co 🚀“Respect is earned. And it's earned over a period of time. It's not a one-off event. It's about consistency. It's about doing the right thing, without hesitation, without fear, without favor.” That’s one of the things Andy, our guest for today’s episode, revealed when asked about his success mantra. Leaving behind his life in the military to begin on a new path, Andy chose sales and succeeded pleasantly in it. With more than 2 decades' worth of sales experience, Andy has amassed a wealth of understanding of the industry. As the Vice President & General Manager of Highspot, Andy has served as the Sales Director at multiple companies, achieving commendable success on the professional front.  In this episode, he talks about his life so far to Alex, getting into the challenges and success clues from his career. He shares the times making tough decisions, the practice and effort that went into it, and the effort it took to continue growing and developing his career. Coupled with his army background, Andy’s inherent skills and the willingness to continually grow and never settle, he reveals, have taken him to greater heights.  This episode is your crash course on trust, hard work, accountability, a conviction for success in any career and the power of humility and compassion in leadership. Andy discusses the importance of being prepared to take the tough decisions as a leader, which includes walking the line between having a good level of camaraderie with your team but not getting too close. A little distance could, in fact, be useful for you.  Before we part for the day, remember to keep challenging yourself. Don’t get comfortable in what you do because as soon as you stop, others will overtake you. Make sure to tune in to this episode for more! Key talking points: ●      The importance of trust at work ●      Making the tough decisions and holding by them ●      The characteristics of an elite-level leader ●      The importance of continuing to challenge yourself professionally   Meet The Guest! Andy is the Vice President & General Manager of Highspot, a sales enablement platform based in the US.Connect with Andy & Alex  ●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ ●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andychampion

Learn from the top 1% of sales professionals in 5 minutes per week through the Elite Level Newsletter: https://www.elitelevel.co 🚀Want living, breathing evidence of the phrase ‘success follows you’? The guest for today’s episode of the Elite Level Podcast is Ashley Brinsford, a brilliant sales leader with over two decades of experience. That level of experience also means he’s handled everything about sales – ​​from data entry, SDR work, field work to running a 120-person organization across Europe, he’s done it all phenomenally well. Starting his career with door-to-door medical equipment sales, Ashley gradually upped his skills to become the #1 sales professional at Symantec, crushing profit targets greater than 200%, making his mark felt at the company.  Aside from sales, Ashley is interested in sports and has a sporting background. He’s played cricket for a large part of his life and imbibes valuable life skills from the sport. When asked about it, he reveals that teamwork, camaraderie, competition, winning and losing are all lessons that stay with him to date. Additionally, the friendships that he made when in the sport helped in his sales career significantly.  His hard work, tenacity, willingness to learn and the ability to learn from his mistakes proved game-changing in his career. So much so that he left the others immensely impressed. His success spoke so loud that people at ALL levels in his company – the senior-level professionals, leaders, and teammates alike wanted to be involved in the work he did. Success followed him because he let his work speak for itself. He was only invested in growth – both his and his company’s and outlived any targets, proving his worth every step of the way. In today’s conversation, sit back with Alex to learn about the sales maestro and the ingredients to elite-level success – it has everything worth writing a whole book about! Key Talking Points: ●      The early days of your career could be tough, but the hard work you put in then really matters for the rest of your career. ●      The importance of focussing on keeping your growth curve upwards ●      Why not be afraid of failure ●      How a mentor can level you up in your career  ●      How to get success to follow you Meet The Guest! Ashley Brinsford is the Head of EMEA Sales at Island, UK. He has over two decades worth of experience in sales, working with the software development organization Symantec for over a decade.Connect with Alex & Ashley!●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ ●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-brinsford-%F0%9F%8F%9D%EF%B8%8F-9b6a5410

Learn from the top 1% of sales professionals in 5 minutes per week through the Elite Level Newsletter: https://www.elitelevel.co 🚀Twenty years down the line, Anup Khera’s sales career is as inspiring as you could ever imagine it getting. Starting his sales career as a part-time professional and circling back to it after leaving behind an Engineering degree in Computer Science, Anup chose to confidently pursue the job he fell in love with.  It all began when Anup unknowingly landed his electrical retailer employer a customer while working as a cashier. Sales came naturally to him. He could understand and communicate customer needs clearly and efficiently align their needs with available options. His employer, who discovered this, offered him to hop into a sales role -- and the rest is history! Today, Anup works as the General Manager and Vice President at Attentive, managing all its revenue growth outside North America.  Today, on the Elite Level Podcast, get to know Anup and his insightful journey into becoming a global sales leader. Learn about his humble journey, mentality, passion, and skills that led him to where he is today. Breaking down his understanding of the most important skills needed to succeed in sales, Anup says three things:  >> Get to know the people >> Get to know the product >> Get to know the process  Though simple, it is these three P’s that determine your career trajectory in sales. Grow in them. Further in the conversation, Anup also reveals why leadership skills outweigh technical expertise, even for sales leaders. Though domain knowledge is critical, being able to empower your team comes first. Listen up for a better understanding of all of this and more! Key Talking Points: ●      How to empower your team as a leader ●      The importance of self-awareness in your career ●      The importance of a learning mindset ●      How a mentor can level you up in your career  ●      The importance of being unafraid to fail  Meet The Guest! Anup is a veteran sales leader with over 20 years of experience in the industry. He currently serves as the General Manager and Vice President at Attentive, managing all its revenue growth outside North America.Connect with Alex Alleyne● Website: www.elitelevelpod.com | www.alexalleyne.com● LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/● Instagram + TikTok @EliteLevelAlex

Do you want to be at the top of your sales game? Then it’s time to understand two vital mistakes that prevent aspiring sales leaders from rising to the top. In this special solo pod, Alex is dishing out the top two biggest errors he sees sales leaders fall victim to, and he’s not holding back from revealing the dirty truth.  From weeding out the low execution, low-performance team members to spotting the early warning signs of pipeline generation gaps before they snowball into much larger problems, you don’t want to miss Alex’s expert advice. Tune in to gain valuable insights on effective sales leadership strategies and how to optimize team performance.   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex   And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/   Alex is a Workweek friend.

Learn from the top 1% of sales professionals in 5 minutes per week through the Elite Level Newsletter: https://www.elitelevel.co 🚀"Life is about happiness. And if you concentrate on your happiness (and not the other things, then you'll realize that) happiness is the journey, not the actual destination."  Success in sales definitely requires unbeatable talent and resilience. But above them all comes the ability to work in a team, fit into the organizational culture, and work in a role or position that brings you joy, says Ollie Sharpe, our guest in today's heart-warming episode of the Elite Level Podcast. In his decades-long career, Ollie shares, he's faced countless ups and downs – both personally and professionally – including his wife's battle with cancer seven years ago. Among the many things he's learned is learning to prioritize yourself. In his words, "I am not LinkedIn, I am not SalesLoft (both are companies he's worked in). It's a vehicle for me to provide money for me, to provide opportunity for my family and my priorities." As a leader, Ollie intentionally accounts for the happiness of his employees. He believes the role, among other things, should focus on putting your people first, providing them with a reason to work for you. Happy minds are powerful. If your work brings you happiness, success inadvertently follows. How do leaders assess potential employees on the happiness and cultural aspect? Ollie's organization assesses how a person gets along with others. Even an A player can annoy everyone else in the team. That makes for a bad cultural fit. Besides the people aspect, Ollie also touches on the more technical assessments he carries out in his organization – including experience metrics, curiosity, self-development, learning mindset, and intelligence. Tune in to this conversation for a wholesome understanding of leveling up your sales career! Key Talking Points:   ●      Understanding how sales recruitment works ●      Why one must look for happiness at work ●      The importance of prioritizing yourself over anything else ●      The foundations to a great company culture   Meet The Guest!  Ollie Sharpe is an experienced business leader in the B2B marketplace and has managed teams. He has helped take SaaS (Software as a Service) solutions and professional services to EMEA's corporate/ enterprise and staffing markets. With 11 years of experience in the recruitment industry, starting his career at CD Recruitment to working close to 10 years at LinkedIn as a sales leader, Ollie has extensive industry experience we can all lean on to.Connect with Alex ●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne Connect with Ollie ●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olliesharpe

Learn from the top 1% of sales professionals in 5 minutes per week through the Elite Level Newsletter: https://www.elitelevel.co 🚀From reluctance to confidence, Luke Moore’s path into sales is inspiring for anyone who sees possibilities in the profession but is afraid to venture into it due to a lack of clarity.  Sales to him was something that was done by a ‘certain type of person with a certain mindset’. He saw the profession as a limiting one and believed that the people who achieved success in it were of older ages. But all those negatives which stemmed from a lack of information flipped for the better with his growing interest in technology. His growing interest in exploring technology unknown to most people, and his love for customer interaction and account management brought him closer to sales, and he's ever since grown in it to a massive extent. Today’s episode features Luke Moore and his journey to becoming a passionate sales leader. From discipline, consistency, self-learning, to hunger to do more, you’ll get to all the different skills that would take you to elite-level salesmanship. According to him, developing efficiency is one thing, but cultivating the discipline to use that skill responsibly and consistently comes above everything else. There are precious insights you can take away from today’s episode. But let’s part with one – be open to identifying better ways of doing things. Come out of the traditional mindset, and find innovative ways of accomplishing tasks – those are the keys to building an absolutely sustainable sales career! Key talking points:  ●      The mindset of a successful sales professional ●      Is discipline built or, is it innate? ●      The process of self-learning – learning without a mentor ●      Waiting for the opportunity vs creating it   Meet The Guest! Luke Moore is the Chief Revenue Officer at Chattermill, UK.Connect with Luke   ●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moorius   Connect with Alex   ●      Website:  https://www.alexalleyne.com ●      YouTube: http://youtube.com/c/alexAlleyne●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/

Learn from the top 1% of sales professionals in 5 minutes per week through the Elite Level Newsletter: https://www.elitelevel.co 🚀What do you do when life knocks you down multiple times in your career? How do you overcome some of the adversity of being told that you can’t do something, that you aren’t good enough to want something?Working medium-hard wouldn’t get you very far in your career in that state. It takes immeasurable hard work, grit, and determination to achieve something, dropping any plan ‘B’ before the thoughts of it even occur to you.As our guest on the Elite Level Podcast, Laura Bartkiewicz concludes, “it does take a bit of rejection to make you want it more.”In today’s episode, Alex interviews Laura Bartkiewicz, a recruiter turned sales leader from Boston. Struggling to find a recruiting job starting off, Laura moved to multiple countries in her career, from recruitment to sales to management, before settling finally in the UK as an established leader. Today, she leads a team of nine AEs and is having a super-fun time doing it. Laura explains the sequence of events and experiences that led her to become the leader she is today, including the mindset and skill training she adopted for the same. Of the many important nuggets she shares is the importance of being comfortable with you because no matter what happens, you and only you will be there with you always. It is also immensely beneficial for your personal development. Key talking points:  ●      Are grit and willpower innate skills? ●      How to grow past challenges and failures ●      What emotional resilience looks like ●      How to determine if the managerial role is for you (and if you’re ready for it) Meet The Guest!  Laura Bartkiewicz is a professional recruiter turned sales leader based out of the Boston Area. She currently works at Figma, a design-based organization in the UK. Connect with Laura ●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurabartkiewicz/ Connect with Alex●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/    

Learn from the top 1% of sales professionals in 5 minutes per week through the Elite Level Newsletter: https://www.elitelevel.co 🚀We have hit a milestone of 20 episodes with amazing guests, insights, lessons and learnings throughout, to help SaaS Sellers to realise their potential.We have put together a compilation blending together several core insights from our first 20 episodes that will help each of you to gain some wisdom through bitesized clips from each of our guests.Connect with Alex  ●      Website:  https://www.alexalleyne.com   ●      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elitelevelalex   ●      Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex   ●      YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/elitelevelpodcast 

Learn from the top 1% of sales professionals in 5 minutes per week through the Elite Level Newsletter: https://www.elitelevel.co 🚀Sometimes, you don’t know when the path you’ve taken isn’t right for you – and that’s okay. The key is to unapologetically follow your dreams when they open themselves to you, as our guest for today’s episode, Elliott Boll, did. When Elliott was told a sales career suited his skills better than a technical role, he was shocked. For a person with a tech background and coming from a family of teachers, walking into the sales role was totally unanticipated. But however unexpected the start was, the journey proved to be immensely rewarding for him. And despite the unnerving first six months, Elliott became the top performer in his organization in the initial month itself.  Today’s episode reveals how a desire to win in life got Elliott to become a powerful sales leader in the UK. He speaks with Alex about the professional journey, his infectious enthusiasm about sales, the things to do and the lessons to learn to carve an influential sales career. He shares everything from knocking on the customers’ doors or picking up the phone to the importance of preparation, goal-setting, planning and messaging in sales. High on energy phone calls, activity, and high-volume calling, backed by the preparation of the accounts he shares, are the fundamental keys to his success. Elliott also talks about the irreplaceable importance of mentorship, upskilling, and relationship-building. To succeed in the profession, you have to work hard to learn the nuances of your trade from the people who’re already experts at it. Listen to this episode to better prepare yourself for a successful career in sales.  Key talking points: ●      The power of a winning mindset ●      The importance of hard work in achieving growth and success ●      The first six months in sales ●      Mastering discovery calls   Meet The Guest! Elliott Boll is the Strategic Account Executive at Sales Impact Academy, UK.   Connect with Elliott   ●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliottboll   Connect with Alex   ●      Website: www.elitelevelacademy.com | https://www.alexalleyne.com   ●      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elitelevelalex   ●      Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex   ●      YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/elitelevelpodcast   

Learn from the top 1% of sales professionals in 5 minutes per week through the Elite Level Newsletter: https://www.elitelevel.co 🚀What happens when you realize that the career you worked so ridiculously hard for is no longer for you? Starting over is never easy, but the anguish ends when you finally do. Just when Louis James Kwakye was eyeing an impressive career in athletics, his physical health faced an unimaginable low. The battle with a damaged Achilles tendon was a life-changing pivot that had Louis leave the sport forever. Little did he know then that the lessons learned from his time in it would impact the rest of his life. As a sales director at Reward Gateway now, Louis realizes the commendable strength, grit, and determination the sport taught him and how it has made him unwaveringly successful as a sales professional.  Today’s episode features Louis’ story in his words. Joining Alex in this episode of Elite Level, he shares how he rose from plummeting mental health and had to trade in his monumental chances of victory as an athlete for an unforeseen career in sales.  Throughout his life’s journey, Louis learned fairly well how hard work, grit, and honesty helped you find your North Star even when you’re blindly lost. When starting a career in sales, Louis put in the reps to know the trade well and worked ridiculously hard, never compromising the basics. Thanks to his efforts, Louis rose steadily into leadership roles and learned over time the importance of developing your team. Most importantly, he let his work speak for itself and never let the color of his skin or other differences come in the way of his success. Listen to the legendary Sales Leader as he narrates his story of triumph and gives away invaluable lessons that would help you become an elite-level sales leader!  Key talking points: ●      The power of grit ●      Pivoting to a new career after a downfall ●      Creating a sales machine in your organization ●      Speaking with yourself to achieve clarity of mind    Meet The Guest! Louis James is the Sales Director at Reward Gateway, an HR Tech SaaS company based in the UK. Connect with Louis ●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-james-kwakye-5ab63034 Connect with Alex ●      Website: www.elitelevelacademy.com | https://www.alexalleyne.com  ●      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elitelevelalex ●      Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex ●      YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/elitelevelpodcast

Learn from the top 1% of sales professionals in 5 minutes per week through the Elite Level Newsletter: https://www.elitelevel.co 🚀As the Co-Founder and Chief Customer Officer at Filtered, Vinit Patel built a winning business that's also uniquely inspiring. Without ANY external investment, Vinit grew his business from square one, scaling it successfully over the years, proving that you don't have to follow every other advice while setting foot on your entrepreneurial journey -- you can choose what works for you and build on it. 'Filtered' started as a business that sold online Excel training courses and gradually scaled to help large enterprise businesses, becoming a full-on learning tech company based in the UK today.  Vinit’s entrepreneurial journey had interesting plots of its kind. Working a few different jobs post graduation, Vinit could save some money before venturing into founding a business - an experience that provided him with a safety blanket to dive into it completely. Elaborating on that, Vinit adds that having the opportunity to take the risk of not earning money and still surviving gave him room to break into his business venture completely. He explains that if you could have a job and work on your passion as a side hustle for some time before turning it into a full-time thing, it gives you a lot of cover-up.  A major lesson he provides in this conversation is learning to get into your customer's shoes. He explains that as an entrepreneur, you must know how it feels to be "sold to". See the world from your customers' point of view rather than yours.   In his words, "If you're in a retail environment, get yourself behind the customer service desk, if you're in a tech sales environment, get yourself into the customer success team for a bit – see and feel those, those pain points and those stories, because you can then use that in your selling mode to convince and like credibly explain what they're going to get after the deal is closed."  4 Prospecting tips from Vinit: Keep it brief. Gather relevant reference points. Make it easy for the prospect to say 'no'. If you find a compelling story, testimonial, or case study that fixes or helps with your customer's issue, push that in.  Being elite in any profession requires a ton of self-improvement efforts. Vinit shares that the intrinsic motivation to do more, become better, receive and appreciate feedback, and live up to your expectations helped him grow a business that's respected internationally today. Tune in to this episode for more!  Key talking points: ●      Developing the ability to constantly learn and improve ●      The importance of personalization ●      Why outbound prospecting is the hardest thing for businesses to do ●      Learning from the past but not dwelling on itConnect with Vinit   ●      LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/vinitrpatel   Connect with Alex   ●      Website: www.elitelevelacademy.com | https://www.alexalleyne.com   ●      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elitelevelalex   ●      Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex   ●      YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/elitelevelpodcast

Learn from the top 1% of sales professionals in 5 minutes per week through the Elite Level Newsletter: https://www.elitelevel.co 🚀What does it take to break into sales after a 5-year + gap? How do you spring back after reaching rock bottom for the second time? Today's episode of the Elite Level Podcast features Alan Singhavara, Sales Leader at Patsnap, a leading connection innovation intelligence platform based in Singapore. In a career that saw him move from sales to Chinese medicine and then again back to sales, Alan learned valuable lessons on not just becoming an exceptional sales professional, but a true leader in life. Born to immigrant parents and being raised by a single mother for a significant part of his life (who worked two jobs to care for her family), Alan knew the importance and power of hard work in transforming your life. True to this, he worked exceptionally hard to succeed in his career and kept himself occupied in the sales grind until, one day, he realized he needed balance and that he couldn't miss out on the other essential life aspects. Alan spent the next phase of his life learning Chinese medicine, seeking healing and personal development lessons. As also a martial arts instructor, the period taught him emotional, physical, and psychological balance. He learned to be more self-aware. Over 5 years down the line, Alan ventured into sales once again – this time more informed of what he wanted and how he could help people and companies with his skills. He knew he would have to start as a sales representative again, and he did. He worked relentlessly hard, updating himself on the most recent business developments, and focused on growing in value, so he could also add value to the others in his organization. In this episode of the Elite Level podcast, you'll learn why sales and sales leadership is more than the numbers: leadership, especially, is about helping your team grow; it's about providing others with the resources and guidance necessary for success. And if you ever face rock bottom again, know that you could spring back: what matters is how much you're willing to do for it.  Key talking points: ●      The power of self-awareness ●      Humility and hard work as the keys to success ●      The mindset of a leader ●      Not waiting for role assignment to start learning about it   Meet The Guest! Alan Singhavara is the Head of Sales, EMEA at PatSnap, a leading connection innovation intelligence platform based in Singapore.Connect with Alan   ●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alansinghavara/   Connect with Alex   ●      Website: www.elitelevelacademy.com | https://www.alexalleyne.com ●      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elitelevelalex ●      Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex ●      YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/elitelevelpodcast

Learn from the top 1% of sales professionals in 5 minutes per week through the Elite Level Newsletter: https://www.elitelevel.co 🚀Those who’ve been in sales for long enough know that more than anything else, sales is art. It’s a combination of firm intelligence and life skills, mastery of which requires an indomitable zest to improve and learn. In today’s episode, Alex interviews the brilliant CRO of Braze, London, Daniel Head. With a Manufacturing Systems Engineering degree from the elite Coventry University, switching to a blazingly different career path wasn’t planned. Working at the helpdesk for an ERP system post graduation, Dan got interested in learning more about the systems and processes that ran businesses. Add his fascination for the sales profession, and he knew that sales was his calling.  Daniel shares many valuable lessons from his decades-long career, including the common mistakes made and how to keep away from them. He shares that the greatest competitive threat salespeople face is the lack of time; that the best salespersons can manage their time effectively.  Moving from an individual role to a leadership role taught Daniel the importance of management skills. He fundamentally disagrees that management is a destination people must try to get to early on in their careers because it takes tremendous patience, skills, and competitiveness to do justice to it. At the highest point in your career, there’s no place to go other than the bottom. Staying there takes fierce competitiveness and self-growth. To part with, Daniel adds that elite-level salespersons take ownership of their actions; they curate their careers with intention. Key talking points: ●      Time-management in sales ●      Why the management ladder isn’t an easy climb ●      Taking ownership of your career ●      Sales success is a product of intelligence and soft skills       Meet The Guest! Daniel Head is the Chief Revenue Officer at Braze, a comprehensive customer engagement platform based in the UK. He comes with over 25 years of experience in Enterprise IT and digital marketing tech sales leadership.Connect with Alex● Website: www.elitelevelacademy.com | https://www.alexalleyne.com● Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elitelevelalex● Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex● YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/elitelevelpodcast

Learn from the top 1% of sales professionals in 5 minutes per week through the Elite Level Newsletter: https://www.elitelevel.co 🚀Sales is not a profession for timid souls. It takes tenacity, courage, and defiance to be a successful salesperson. You have to have an abundance mentality and be relentless in pursuing your passion!  Today’s episode of The Elite Level podcast features a successful sales professional who built and sustained an incredible career in the industry out of sheer tenacity, courage, and defiance, venturing into it when she was just 18. Despite the industry’s abundant male-dominated nature, Carmen Osman climbed greater levels to grow, succeed, and lead inspiringly well. Carmen joins Alex on the show today to give away the lessons from her 14-year+ long career in sales, which taught her not only the skills to thrive as a sales professional but to cultivate unbeatable resilience. They discuss building emotional resilience to face rejections, growth and leadership in sales, and the importance of being intentional, brave, and tenacious in sales. Interestingly, Carmen switched from her role as a sales leader to an individual contributor over the years. Despite being a passionate leader. She did this to invest more time into growing herself first. This brings us to another essential takeaway from this conversation: continuous growth and learning. The secret to a successful career in sales, like in other careers, is investing in personal development. Carmen has a ton of valuable insight to offer on the same. Do not forget to tune in! Key talking points: ●      How to build emotional resilience to face rejections ●      The importance of self-development ●      Making your way into + succeeding in a male-dominated industry ●      The importance of setting goals  Meet The Guest! Carmen Osman has over 14 years of experience in B2B sales & management within the managed print sector. She also recently moved into the SaaS new business and corporate growth space.Watch The Elite Level Podcast on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/EliteLevelPodcastVisit Elite Level Academy:https://www.elitelevelacademy.com/

In this special episode, Alex is peeling back the coaching curtain to give you an exclusive insider look into his one-on-one consulting sessions. He talks to various callers seeking game-changing advice for leveling up their sales and career journeys, dispensing actionable tips and tricks to accelerate their business goals.  Delve into the intricacies of launching a high-ticket sales business, learn to master the art of SaaS sales and streamline your recruitment process for scalability, and unpack how to turn data-driven consulting into industry-leading gold. From discussing the importance of setting the stage for discovery meetings to exploring ways to create a more scalable sales process, Alex shares some of his most valuable insights and strategies for success with a variety of callers.  Tune in to gain practical tips on sales techniques, career development, and optimizing your schedule for maximum productivity. 0:00:00 – I’m Quitting High Ticket SMMA for This Secret Industry 0:11:29 - I Want Generational Wealth But I Don't Know How 0:21:21 - How To Never Lose A Sales Deal Again 0:30:57 - How To Generate Unlimited Sales Leads 0:40:47 - The Blueprint To Mastering Your New Job 0:50:27 - Low Sales? This Will Fix It 1:00:47 - How Do I Break Free And Invest In Myself? 1:12:48 - Make Millions From This Lucrative Industry QUICKLY 1:22:31 - This Mindset Will Make You Successful Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexalleyne/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex And if you’re looking to level up in sales, sign up for Alex’s weekly newsletter. Reach new heights by building a world-class mindset grounded in discipline and resiliency: https://workweek.com/brand/on-target/ Alex is a Workweek friend.

Learn from the top 1% of sales professionals in 5 minutes per week through the Elite Level Newsletter: https://www.elitelevel.co 🚀You’ve heard stories of people realizing their passions late in life when stuck in another job or wondering what to do with life, but how often do you come across life stories of people who just knew what their dreams were tied to? In our case, people who knew early on that sales and leadership were the path they had to chase? From selling barbecue grills to help his father in the side business to opening a business selling insurance, Kevin realized how the very thought of assisting people in getting what they wanted – and making good amounts of money in the process – was where lay his vibe. Sailing along with this revelation and working exceptionally hard to make it to the other end, Kevin grew impressively: from tech sales to sales leadership, his growth curve was as rewarding as possible. Today, working as the Sales Manager at Lattice, he realizes the mammoth of a journey he’s taken, fighting insecurities, learning the ins and outs of the trade, and winning customer trust with his intrinsic traits of vulnerability, and understandability, leadership, grit, and courage. Hearing Kevin speak, you’ll realize why you’re capable of much more than you think. The initial few months into sales were tough for him too, but deciding to stick along and show up, turned the tables around before he even knew it. As we often talk about in the Elite Level Podcast, it’s harder to get from good to elite than reaching ‘good’. Along with relentless effort, elite-level salespersons require an unmatchable understanding of customer needs and expectations, which could benefit from vulnerability. The more you are yourself, the more you can connect with your customer, as Kevin shares realizing through his experiences. Sit back as Alex and Kevin also talk about achieving unbounded sales growth and how to fasten that goal with a strong motivation that goes beyond money and an understanding of what you’re helping your customers get.  Key talking points:  ●      How to overcome your insecurities as a salesperson ●      Understanding your customer deeply ●      The responsibilities that come with being a leader ●      Career decision-makingConnect with Kevin ●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-bowen-b1a00754/?originalSubdomain=uk Connect with Alex ●      Website:  https://www.alexalleyne.com | www.elitelevelacademy.com ●      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elitelevelalex ●      Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex ●      YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/elitelevelpodcast

Learn from the top 1% of sales professionals in 5 minutes per week through the Elite Level Newsletter: https://www.elitelevel.co 🚀What if we told you that the difference between being just a success and an extraordinary success lies in your ability to self-reflect and self-regulate?  Working hard and hustling has its place and might reap many rewards in the short run. But to sustain in the long run, you need to know WHY you're in it. What about the chase excites you? What is it that you're chasing? Self-awareness is an undeniably important factor for success. Top sales professional turned workspace wellness entrepreneur Sophie joins us in this episode of the Elite Level Podcast to reveal everything that went behind her change of heart and mind from corporate culture to entrepreneurship, her secrets to sales success, and the importance of self-awareness in paving our way to success.  Our first female guest on the show, Sophie, shares how she ventured into sales in her mid-20s, working for Thomson Local in the yellow pages directory sales. More exciting is how Sophie ranked in the top 10 salespeople of about 250 in the company! After a while, she moved on to telecom sales, an industry that was dominated by men, but still made her success count and established her authority in the space. What is behind this ever-increasing growth curve she's achieved? Self-awareness and self-reflection. In today's conversation, Sophie gets underneath why self-awareness is critical to success in any space. Explaining the discoveries on the impact of work-related stress on employee health and productivity, especially in the fast-paced career of sales, Sophie teaches you to reflect on your personal life and health and realize its transformative power in your professional life. Your strategic thinking, problem-solving speed, and intuition are a few of the many things that are directly impacted when under stress, so minimizing it isn't a luxury but a necessity.  You cannot prevent stress or trauma but can figure out a better way to cope with it. Listen up for more on the same in today's episode! Key talking points: ●      How to make it to the top salespersons at your company ●      Why self-awareness is a primary step to success ●      Navigating burnout in sales ●      Know your energy distribution using a simple assessment!  Connect with Sophie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiecoulthard/  

Learn from the top 1% of sales professionals in 5 minutes per week through the Elite Level Newsletter: https://www.elitelevel.co 🚀Ask any successful person the secret to their wins, and a significant percentage will answer: tenacity. You see, tenacity means you will never stop trying, no matter what happens along the way. Take a sneak peek into Alex’s life as he shares how the simple value combined with relentless determination, grit, and motivation led him to success: in a 10-question-quick Q&A episode! Revealing how he chased his dreams, temporarily pushing aside a scholarship study in corporate law, he explains the importance of building the courage to follow your passion unaffected by the opinions of those around you. You know your thing better than anyone else in the world. Staying true to himself helped Alex build the monumental success he has right now and still go back to complete the degree he was pursuing before. Today, get to know your host personally – learn about his interests in food, sports, and cars; his inspiration, hobbies, personal stories, and more. Alex also encapsulates the secrets to his sales success for you to listen to and learn from.  Alex underpins that his motivation currently isn’t money but the ability to make a difference in the world. He wants to help talented, driven individuals, particularly salespersons, achieve elite-level success. And one element of that is embodying the role you’re chasing. Want to become an Account Executive? Dive into the specifics of the role and learn what it takes to perform well in it through available and accessible resources like this podcast.  (PS. If you are a Sales Development Representative who wants to transition into an Account Executive role, join Alex’s Elite Level Academy @https://www.elitelevelacademy.com. He would help you do that in 8 weeks or less!)  Listen to this episode for more!  Key talking points: ●      Being driven by the desire to impact the world ●      Why tenacity is an irreplaceable ingredient of sales success ●      The importance of embodying a role to grab it ●      Building muscle memory by continuing to practice something Connect with Alex ●      Website:  www.elitelevelacademy.com | www.alexalleyne.com ●      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mralexalleyne/ ●      Twitter: https://twitter.com/elitelevelalex ●      YouTube: http://youtube.com/c/elitelevelpodcast        

Learn from the top 1% of sales professionals in 5 minutes per week through the Elite Level Newsletter: https://www.elitelevel.co 🚀The desire to outperform and exceed any set expectations turned an enthusiastic sales professional into the CEO + Founder of a blazing startup. From abuse to swearing, Samuel faced it all in his early days in sales only to see it transform into unshakable resilience, which led him to powerful corporates and then his own business that’s been raking in incredible profits since the first month of its starting! Today’s episode of Elite Level features Samuel Brooksworth, the CEO & Founder of Remoteli. Samuel narrates his path to sales and entrepreneurship, the experiences gained and the lessons learned.  Challenging times taught Samuel to spring back despite any odds. From media sales to insurance sales, he worked with the sales wings of different departments, making door-to-door sales, convincing customers about products they would otherwise refuse to buy, and sometimes even tolerating their abuse and pushback. In what started as the journey to make money, Samuel found his passion. He fell in love with the idea of selling. Remarkably, in Samuel’s first corporate job, when he was asked to sell  ₤ 25,000 in the first three months, he sold for ₤ 300,000 - an achievement that not only convinced his employers of his abilities but himself that he was capable of a lot more. Over time, Samuel learned and gathered the courage to fight for what he’s worth. And when the need to be recognized for his work took over, he decided to pivot from a full-time job to a company. Hence birthing Remoteli, which is now en route to finding the right investors to help grow its vision even more. Listen and watch today’s episode to hear Samuel narrate his story to Alex. And learn how you can succeed in any venture by striving (and working hard) for excellence. Key talking points:  ●      3 keys to Samuel’s monumental success ●      How challenging times teach you the most lessons in life ●      Don’t be afraid of the no’s - they’re bringing you closer to your success ●      The importance of diversity and inclusion in your organization   Meet The Guest! Samuel Brooksworth is the CEO & Founder of Remoteli, a tech-led outsourcing business supporting organizations globally.