Once upon a time, I joined a 3 man startup to sell Intrusion Detection Service. I realized in my first week that our product was vaporware – we had no software, no service and no customers. But we needed to generate sales so we could make payroll and run the business. Not to mention, I needed…
Author: Steve Ainslie
Old Man
Last year I had a work trip to Pittsburgh, my old hometown. While there, I arranged to have dinner with some friends who I hadn’t seen for several years. We planned to meet at my hotel and walk to a nearby restaurant. Since it was summer, I took advantage of the great weather to take…
What is it you do and how do you make money?
Recently I had a conversation with a former colleague who asked me, “So what exactly is it that you do and how do you make money?” I’ve gotten this question several times in the past year, so I thought I should share my response in a post.
Fashionista
My wife says I dress like nobody loves me. But her attempts to shame me into dressing better will never work. I already know she loves me. I’ve never had much of a sense of style. As a child, I couldn’t figure what colors matched. I hated having to wear uncomfortable “school clothes” and couldn’t wait…
Crunch Time
My dog Snickers is spoiled. I’m up first, so every morning, I feed and walk her long before my wife Ellen wakes up. Then I head into the garage to work out. A few hours later, when Ellen wakes up, she feeds Snickers “dog cookies” (dehydrated chicken jerky that costs as much as filet mignon)….
Stop Being A Whiny Crybaby
When did it become a badge of honor to act like a whiny crybaby? Although I avoided it as much as possible, I was occasionally bullied as a kid – by my sister, by classmates, and even by some of my friends. Sometimes I was teased. Other times I was “tortured” (pinched, scratched, punched etc)….
There Are No Victims In Sales
When I was a little kid, my sister and I would often share the last piece of cake or candy. My sister was older and bigger than me, so she’d split the treat and give me the smaller piece. It was never fair. One day, when I was about 8, I read an article that…
How To Target Decision Makers At The Right Accounts To Sell The Largest Deals
This week I received this question from Allison who sells a website security solution. How can I make sure I am targeting the right Decision Makers at the right accounts to sell the largest possible deals?
Helping A Sales Rep Quit
The other day when I was out walking, I saw the scrap man struggling to lift an old washer into his pickup truck. Since I am not a complete a**hole, I ran across the street, grabbed a side and helped him put it on top of the pile of other recyclables he’d collected. He was…
My Consulting Business Is Down This Year
I have to do something to drive more consulting business. I started my business in 2017 after losing my VP of Sales job. My original purpose was to write the Inside Sales Dude blog to use as a resume enhancer that would help me land my next job. To my surprise after just a few months,…