The 3 Hidden Bottlenecks That Doom Sales Hires: Why Founders Are Turning to Fractional
Kevin McMillan Kevin McMillan

The 3 Hidden Bottlenecks That Doom Sales Hires: Why Founders Are Turning to Fractional

If you’ve tried to hire a salesperson and it didn’t work out, you’re not alone. We’ve talked to dozens of founders who made the same leap. You’re stretched thin, revenue’s growing, and it feels like the right time to bring in someone to “own sales.” So you write the job description, run the interviews, and believe you found a great fit.  And then… nothing. No sales. And an expensive salary to pay. Several months later, you’re wondering if you made a huge mistake.

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Rainmaking vs. Sales: Breaking Free From The SeeSaw Syndrome
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Rainmaking vs. Sales: Breaking Free From The SeeSaw Syndrome

Are you caught in the relentless grind of chasing new business today while scrambling to forge tomorrow's opportunities? This exhausting cycle—let's call it the "seesaw syndrome"—doesn't just drain energy; it creates a lid on your business's growth trajectory.

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Sales And The Flywheel Effect: Don't Make This Common Mistake!
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Sales And The Flywheel Effect: Don't Make This Common Mistake!

A Flywheel is a mechanical device which is designed to store kinetic energy and smooth out the power of an engine. They are typically made of very dense metal that takes a lot of energy to get moving. But, once they have momentum, that density and weight works to keep the engine running smoothly.

Just like a flywheel, sales requires a LOT of energy to get moving initially but, once the momentum is in place, the energy required to keep it moving is diminished.

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5 Things You Need to Do Today to Prepare for 2025
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5 Things You Need to Do Today to Prepare for 2025

There is no doubt that 2024 was challenging for many small and mid-sized businesses. Economic downturns, high interest rates, political uncertainty, and hesitant buyer behaviors left many stuck. But there is good news: 2025 offers a fresh start.

The key to sales success next year lies in one principle—MOMENTUM. By acting NOW, you can ensure 2025 is your best year yet. This guide outlines five critical actions you need to take today to get ready.

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Two Lenses of Sales Success: Platform vs People
Kevin McMillan Kevin McMillan

Two Lenses of Sales Success: Platform vs People

On the exciting path to ramping up sales, small business owners like us often hit a fork in the road that can really make us scratch our heads: Do we lay down the groundwork and build a strong sales infrastructure first, or jump straight into the action by hiring a savvy sales pro who can land deals and help build that foundation along the way? This decision might look like a no-brainer at first glance, but let me tell you, it's anything but simple. It's one of those big decisions that not only sets the immediate direction for our ventures but also shapes the way we grow and connect with our customers down the line.

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Your Mission Matters: 4 Ways Your WHY Elevates Sales to a Whole New Level
Kevin McMillan Kevin McMillan

Your Mission Matters: 4 Ways Your WHY Elevates Sales to a Whole New Level

In the fast-paced world of SMB's, where every decision counts, there's a secret sales weapon that can absolutely set your business apart: your mission. And here me out on this.....I'm not talking about a fancy tagline......I'm referring to the heartbeat of your organization, the soul that fuels every action and decision. The very reason you and your team show up for work every single day.

Let's dive into 4 reasons why your mission is the unsung hero of lasting sales success.

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The Winning Mindset
Kevin McMillan Kevin McMillan

The Winning Mindset

In the dynamic world of sales, success isn't just about closing deals; it's about cultivating the right mindset. This is true of salespeople and those who lead them.

Great salespeople understand that their mindset plays a crucial role not only in their individual success but also in choosing the right company to work for. In this post, I'll talk about the key mindset attributes of top-performing salespeople and how these factors influence their decisions about who they choose to work for.

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The Accidental Growth Lid
Kevin McMillan Kevin McMillan

The Accidental Growth Lid

A business owner creates an Accidental Growth Lid when they won't let go of the sales function in their business. This is an all-too-common entrepreneurial mistake. It not only affects the growth and valuation of their business, it often creates some personal challenges as well.

I have had far too many conversations with business owners about their lack of margin and time for the things and people they love. There is a lot of frustration about it to be sure. However, most entrepreneurs I've talked to simply consider it an acceptable cost of building a new business.

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Sales Team Selection
Kevin McMillan Kevin McMillan

Sales Team Selection

A seasoned sales professional (me) was once asked, “Why are you so successful at sales?”

The question, coming from the President, and Co-Founder of the company that had employed me for five years caught me off-guard. I hadn’t really given it much thought. I had been in sales for most of my life, and to me, just did what came naturally.

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Achieving Sales Success
Kevin McMillan Kevin McMillan

Achieving Sales Success

The Discovery Call is the most important conversation in almost any sales process and yet so many salespeople and business leaders are missing the boat. If you take this part of the sales process seriously, the wins will come far more frequently. If not, you will constantly struggle to obtain a healthy close rate

As I have led sales teams and we have assessed sales operating systems at Altezza, here are the 7 most common mistakes we see over and over.

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