Today, I met with a man who wants to learn more about my fractional and interim sales leadership services. He isn’t considering becoming a client. He is thinking of leaving Corporate America and becoming a fractional sales leader instead.
As I began telling him about how I started my business as a fractional leader eight years ago and how it’s still a part of my service offerings today, he commented about how excited and passionate I seem to be about what I am doing. That brought a big smile to my face and warmed my ❤️. Rain, sleet, or my unstable internet connection today could not contain my ❤️ for what I do, the clients with whom I work, and the impact I make on their businesses.
I know that not everyone gets out of bed each day loving what they do, what they sell, who they work for, or even themselves enough to make a change when they’re not in ❤️ with their life - personally or professionally.
Startupgrind recently reported that nearly 72% of Entrepreneurs are struggling with mental health issues and a 2022 report showed that 63% percent of sellers say they struggle with their mental health. It’s hard to love what you do and what you sell if the pressure of the job is causing you stress, anxiety, or depression.
Sales, especially hunter roles, can be unforgiving. Sales is a high-pressure game. Meeting quotas, chasing leads, and closing deals are the lifeblood of any sales role, and that isn’t going to change. What could change, though, is the type of sales role you have, the type of product you sell, the company that employs you, the industry in which you work, or the boss to which you report.
What if you could be happier and more successful if you found a role, company, product, industry, or boss that was a better fit for your sales superpowers and secret weapons? The better your sales role and situation fits your sales superpowers, the easier it should be to fill your pipeline, close deals, and hit your quota.
How do you identify your Sales/Sales Leadership Superpowers?
Ask yourself these questions:
- About what do other people come to me for advice?
- What traits or skills do I have that are easy for me and hard for others?
- What strengths have others told me I possess?
- What do I love doing?
- What do I just naturally do?
Write down all the superpowers you think you have… related to sales or not.
I was in my 40s before I recognized a superpower that was instrumental in making one of the biggest changes in my professional life. Most of my career I had worked for others, feeling the pressure to perform and fulfill someone else’s goals and dreams. I used this superpower to pivot my professional life into working for myself and realizing the freedoms that come from being my own boss.
My Superpower?
Generosity.
I live by the following motto:
Do the right things, and the right things will happen.
For years I have been doing the right thing by people.
I make time to help friends, friends of friends, and strangers alike.
When I say let me know how I can help, I really mean it.
When people need career advice, someone to review their resume, help them prep before the big interview, talk through a challenging personal or professional situation, or even edit the Dear John email to a soon-to-be ex….my answer is always the same.
I generously say, “Of course, I have 30 minutes for everyone!”
I believe that helping others is just the right thing to do.
In 2016, after I’d lost my job and was starting my search for my next one, a series of opportunities to help others came my way, and my answer was always the same, “Of course, I’d be happy to help.” My willingness to help others put me back in contact with a former channel partner who reached out to see if I’d be willing to help identify areas of his business that were impacting his profitability. I spent a couple of hours with him and his accounting person reviewing a few sections of the business, and sure enough, I was able to show him spots where making a few changes could impact profitability.
That act of generosity led him to offer me an opportunity to provide some sales training to his team, paid of course. That afternoon training session caused him to call me a few days later and tell me he thought I should be coaching sales teams and consulting for founders and owners. In addition, he wanted me to be his fractional VP of Sales and was willing to provide financial support until I was able to find enough clients to make consulting my new, fulltime career.
What if sales is your calling, but you’re not leveraging your superpowers in a way that allows you to shine? What if your lack of ❤️ for your current situation is not only keeping you from reaching your professional and income goals but also impacting your mental health?
In the spirit of Valentine’s Day and February being all about ❤️, I hope that you MAKE time this month to really think about whether the struggles you’re having and the mental health challenges you’re facing could be positively impacted if you found a better sales home.
Want to bounce your ideas off someone? That’s right. I’ve got 30 mins for you too!
Love,
Kristie