SaaSy Talk Unfiltered | SaaSy Talk S01.25: Inside the Mind of a Successful Global Sales Leader: Pete Blackhurst

SaaSy Talk S01.25: Inside the Mind of a Successful Global Sales Leader: Pete Blackhurst

November 27, 2023 / 45:05/S1:E25

About The Guest(s): Pete Blackhurst is a High Growth SaaS revenue leader who has over 22 years of experience and has built and managed high-performance global revenue teams across early to late-stage companies ranging from $2m-$100m ARR across multiple verticals.

Known for his motivational and dynamic leadership style, Pete fosters a collaborative and results-driven leadership approach. He believes in empowering individuals to reach their full potential with continuous improvement and mentoring, resulting in a cohesive and high-performing culture across the revenue team.

Summary: Pete discuss his journey into tech and sales, the skills and competencies he has developed, and the importance of having a sales playbook. They delve into the hiring process, the traits Pete looks for in candidates, and the challenges and rewards of running global sales teams. The conversation touches on the impact of burnout in the sales industry and the need for open discussions about mental health.

Key Takeaways:

Pete's competitive nature and desire to win have been driving forces in his sales career
A sales playbook is essential for onboarding and success in an org
Asking candidates about their hobbies can provide insight into their character and drive
A good sales playbook translates the vision and strategy of the org into actionable tactics
The hiring process should involve multiple stages, including role plays and feedback sessions
A good ramp-up period for an AE is around six months, but it can vary depending on the company and location
The culture of an org is crucial for success and should prioritise collaboration, communication, and continuous learning
The sales industry needs to address the issue of burnout and have open discussions about mental health
Tech plays a significant role in sales operations but can also create challenges with data collaboration between systems
AI has the potential to automate monotonous tasks and allow salespeople to focus more on the customer and the opportunity

Quotes:

"If anyone tells you that they didn't get into sales for money, they're lying." - Pete
"If they haven't got any questions for me, that's a big red flag." - Pete
"Sales are the first to go because ideally, they're the people who bring in the money." - Pete
"Burnout is a big thing. There's a lot of mental health issues in sales." - Pete
"AI is going to help salespeople do monotonous tasks and focus more on the customer and the opportunity." - Pete

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:07 Pete’s Journey into Tech and Sales

03:08 Defining a Good Sales Playbook

04:38 Hiring Process and Traits for Success

15:12 Challenges and Mistakes in Sales Leadership

23:09 Understanding the Importance of Financials in an Organization

23:33 Key Metrics and Red Flags in Evaluating a Company

24:05 The Challenge of Accessing Private Company Information

24:59 The Role of Company Culture in Decision Making

25:44 Defining a Good Culture in Sales

26:09 The Impact of Burnout in the Sales Industry