Moving On...
Moving On...
What stands out for me to make that next move, move-worthy
Hey there Friends!
This is one of the more vulnerable emails to date.
Typically for us in sales, the new year means lots of movement and changes. Some for the better, and some for the (hopefully temporarily) worst.
Promotions, new comp plans, new quotas and sometimes new roles at new companies.
Things have been hectic around these parts for all of us - me included.
Early this week, I formally gave my own notice that I’m moving on. I’m excited for what’s ahead but it wasn’t an easy decision. (more on this later)
Now, I know there is a large portion of the market either wanting to make a move, or unfortunately forced to - so I figured I’d share a bit about what things were top of mind for me in finding my next thing and hope it helps someone.
(I’m also working on a Stretch VP Job Board and Career Community coming soon. Let me know if you want to be an early enrollee - free of course)
When I made the decision to start having conversations to see what a potential career move looked like, I deliberately decided to be open to as many conversations as possible - regardless of my first impressions. I wanted to talk with anyone that reached out (mostly via LinkedIn), for at least an introductory call.
I also sent feelers to some trusted colleagues in my network, and even hit up some of my favorite companies/recruiters to see if there may be a mutual fit.
All in all, I talked with 25+ separate companies over several months. I was pretty excited about some - and others, I knew right away it wasn’t a fit.
During these conversations, one of the most common questions I was asked was: “What are you looking for in your next role?”
After getting this question seemingly every conversation, I had to come up with something I could believe myself. This led my decision tree on if I wanted to pursue next steps. I came up with:
Opportunity + Impact
Specifically:
What does the opportunity look like?
Market (TAM)
Career path / progression as a sales leader
Financial opportunity (comp / stock / etc.)
What sort of impact can I have as a leader?
What impact will my role have on the company?
What sort of impact can I have on the team?
With a few process and playbook tweaks - can we impact revenue quickly?
After these boxes were checked, the intangibles needed to kick in. I’ve learned a lot about what I want as a sales leader with many years at several different companies and for me, these are the “make or break it” intangibles I had to have:
Leadership
Am I trusted, enabled, motivated, empowered and respected?
How do these leaders talk/act/behave behind me or my team’s back? Do they support, encourage and defend?
Over the years, i’m fortunate to have experienced the good, the great (shout out Yohai), and the so-so. I wanted great.
Culture.
Yes, culture is a buzzword. But I tell ya, without a great culture or the backbone of a great culture - I don’t want to touch it.
Can I help build and create a culture of selfless sharing, collaboration and ego-less momentum?
Does the company encourage a sales-focused culture or reward siloed operations?
I’ve also seen all sides of the culture spectrum as well. Believe me, if you are in sales, this matters.
So - if you’re looking to make a move, think about what you are looking for in your next role? Steal mine or create your own, write them down and with each conversation - you’ll get better at diagnosing and qualifying your own personal career pipeline.
THANKS for reading!!
AND… as always - check out the snippets below for more insights into what makes that next move, move-worthy
-Grant
And lastly - as always, if you find this newsletter valuable- subscribe or share it with someone who might as well 👊.
STRETCH SNIPPETS
People want to work for passionate leaders says Kevin Dorsey. “Leaders with energy. Leaders that care. Leaders that have that little “sparkle” In their eye. Leaders that light a fire in people. Because when you operate that way as a leader, you’ll get more out of people than they would on their own. In good times. But is especially in bad times. To rally people. To bring them together. To instill and create belief. THAT is the number one job of a leader when things get tough in my mind. Set a path. Instill belief.”
Matthew Bertulli has interviewed 1000s of people in his career. He says only 1% of candidates truly know how to stand out. Learn to answer these 13 questions and he guarantee’s you’ll ace your next job interview
The #1 question Sam Blond gets from founders is: “Can you help me hire a VP of Sales?” The #1 question he gets from salespeople is: “What do I need to do to become a VP of Sales?” Check out his advice to both founders and salespeople. [PODCAST LINK HERE]
Nate Nasralla reminds us that a lot of comp decisions happen in January. Promotions, pay bumps, titles, and territories are all handed out. Here are 10 steps any sales rep can use to manage up & stand out.
🧠 Mindset
Thanks for reading!
My hope is if you find this valuable, consider sharing it with friends (or signing up if you haven’t already).
— Grant 👋
About stretch vp: confessions, learnings, and insights from sales leaders in SaaS
Compiled and aggregated from a network of sales leaders in SaaS, Stretch VP showcases learnings, insights, and experiences as well as best practices to overcome common hurdles, obstacles, and setbacks in your quest for excellence as a sales leader in SaaS.
Are you a VP, Director, thought leader, or content producer in the SaaS space? We’d love to have you contribute. Just reply to this email and I’ll be in touch.
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