"Adaptability isn't just a skill; it's a mindset. Embrace change, and you'll thrive in the ever-evolving tech landscape." – Stef Schampaert

I'm thrilled to announce a brand new podcast episode of ‘Tip The S(c)ales’!

Meet Stef Schampaert, Country Manager of Red Hat.

Stef, a seasoned sales leader with a flair for innovation and a passion for driving business growth in the tech industry. He is focused on leading by example, inspiring, and motivating people, recognizing them as a company's most valuable asset.

His relentless pursuit of excellence and commitment to fostering collaborative relationships make him a driving force in the ever-evolving landscape of tech sales. He values companies with innovative visions and customer-centric approaches.

Thank you for the insightful conversation, Stef! ;)

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🎙️ “What is effective Leadership? For me it is adopting a serving leadership mindset, where you actively support and empower your teams. That is what drives success.”

🚀 Excited to share insights from a recent discussion on optimizing team dynamics and performance! In our conversation, we delved into the importance of leveraging consultants effectively within a team environment while ensuring a balance between internal learning and external advisory.

🔍 Here are my 3 key takeaways:

Interdisciplinary Collaboration: There's a need for better synergy between consultants, developers, and sales teams. Stefan highlights the value of regular communication and knowledge sharing to enhance project outcomes and client satisfaction.

Empowering Consultants: Pointerpro's approach involves hiring young talent and providing them with subject matter coaching, empowering them to take their own coaching roles within the organization. This strategy fosters skill development and knowledge sharing, driving growth and innovation.

Strategic Team Composition: Emphasizing the role of subject or domain experts alongside consultants fosters a symbiotic relationship, where internal teams gain knowledge while consultants provide specialized advice, enhancing overall team performance.

I was impressed with the prioritization of engaging in cross-functional dialogue between consultants, developers, and sales teams and how it has been crucial for holistic understanding and effective collaboration within Pointerpro.

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“No matter how advanced technology becomes, the human touch remains irreplaceable in sales.”

These words are part of my core beliefs when it comes to sales these days.

So I was thrilled to hear Tom Pennings, Founder and CEO of Salesnudge, say these words in our first conversation a couple of months ago.

In this episode of ‘Tip the S(c)ales’, Tom shares his journey and passion for leveraging technology to make a meaningful impact on people's lives.

What sets him apart is his unique background—an entrepreneur deeply rooted in technology and engineering rather than a traditional sales career.

We discussed his career, lessons learned, passion for sales and other topics below:

- Enhancing sales flows for teams.

- Transitioning from a sales hero to a manager.

- The lack of personalized training and support for managers and their teams.

Thanks again for our lovely conversation, Tom. 😉

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"Finding the balance between letting your team make mistakes and ensuring they don't jeopardize critical outcomes—it's an ongoing process.”

I personally couldn’t agree more with Benjamin! This delicate equilibrium is key to nurturing an optimal culture for sales professionals. Empathy is paramount, understanding both personal and professional aspects. Moreover, knowing your team members strengths, weaknesses and motivators is crucial for continuous evolution towards better development and performance.

Benjamin and I have seen eye tot eye ever since we first met a couple of years ago. We both believe fiercely in prioritizing coaching, training and individual development.

And from the things I’ve seen, I truly think he fosters a culture of controlled experimentation and ‘learning by mistakes’ at the Silverfin Sales Force… And this creates an environment where he is nurturing a resilient and high-performing team.

Thanks you for the ‘insightfun’ conversation Benjamin. I know this will not be the last one 😉

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“For me, a healthy dose of ambition in combination with self-reflection and a 'good heart' are the basics for becoming a good sales professional.”

“From that basis you can teach the necessary skills!”… Those words immediately reminded me of the great quote: 'Hire for Attitude, Train for Skills'. And I personally have always felt connected to this! I am therefore happy to see that Tech Sales Leaders such as Wim Anrijs from Rombit are also effectively taking this mindset to heart.

In our last Episode of 2023 with Jan Bultinck from Amista we already talked about awareness and self-reflection among Sales Professionals. And Wim applies the same principles for his team, but also for himself. I have had the privilege of seeing first hand how he continues to grow over the years by walking the narrow rope of doubt and assertiveness!

Thanks for the great conversation, Wim! I hope to continue learning from each other for years to come!🤘😉

We also talked about:

👉 Wim's way of leading his sales team.

👉 How to deal with 'the sandwich function' of a sales leader.

👉 Structure and frameworks for sales teams.

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“Een gezonde versie van ‘Imposter Syndrome’ in combinatie een realistisch optimisme is de key tot een succesvolle carrière als Sales Leader.”

Bewustzijn en zelfreflectie worden in Sales veelal als ‘zwak’ of ‘fluffy’ afgeschilderd, terwijl dit juist de krachtigste wapens zijn in het arsenaal van een goeie sales leader, of sales professional in het algemeen.

Bedankt voor het topgesprek Jan! Ik heb hier veel energie uit gehaald!🤘

Ook hadden we het over:

👉 De waarde van Mentorship bij Sales Leaders

👉 1+1=3, de som die je creëert door een goeie team dynamiek

👉 De belangrijkheid van Visie in en Sales Strategie

👉 Hoe zeer Sales de motor is van bedrijven

👉 De Leadership Style van Jan zelf

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“Sales begin te draaien, we gaan nog iemand aanwerven!” Zo doen we het in Vlaanderen, nietwaar? 🤷‍♂️

Dat is nu net niet wat Bizzy heeft gedaan dit jaar! Zij hebben er voor gekozen om volop te geloven in hun product en met volle overgave een ‘sales cohort’ neer te zetten van 5 personen in een paar maanden tijd. 🚀

Zelf ben ik enorm graag bezig met sales teams structureren en mappen. Dus dit zijn voor mij persoonlijk altijd leuke conversaties. Vooral hoe ze veel zaken vanuit ‘Gut Feeling’ doen intrigeerde mij. Persoonlijk ben ik zelf ook iemand die veel op instinct beslist, ook al probeer ik dit wel te staven met data zoals met onze sales scan (even wat reclame 😎 , sorry guys).

Ik ben al langer onder de indruk van de drive, goesting en ballen van deze 2 toppers! We hebben elkaar begin dit jaar leren kennen en ik geloof sterk dat ze met hun internationale plannen de komende jaren nog vele anderen van die mening zullen overtuigen.

Superinteressant om met jullie dit gesprek te hebben en te zien hoe jullie elke dagen blijven knallen.🤘

Ook hadden we het over:

👉 When is a product ready to sell?

👉 De overgang van Founder-led Sales naar een sales team van 5p

👉 ‘Gut Feeling’ bij hiring van sales professionals

👉 Geloof en drive van hun sales team

👉 Meedraaien in Sales als Founder

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“Stick to the process and leverage teamwork”

Dat is wat voor Siel belangrijk is om een salesflow tot een goed einde te brengen als Account Executive bij Teamleader. En I can’t agree more.

Ik ben zelf graag bezig met het analyseren van sales flows, Methodologieën en -Tools dus ik vond het zeer leuk om te zien dat ook Siel deze zaken belangrijk vind als Sales Manager bij Teamleader.

Siel was verantwoordelijk voor het implementeren van een nieuwe sales strategie samen met haar collega Sjoerd. Aangezien hun nieuwe product veel complexer was hebben ze hun hele sales flow en sales team van 0 opgebouwd op basis van een meer consultative & value selling viewpoint.

Superinteressant om met haar dit gesprek te hebben en te zien hoe zij hiermee zijn omgegaan.🤘

Ook hadden we het over:

👉 De ‘Ideale SalesFlow’.

👉 Doorgroei paden binnen Teamleader.

👉 Het gebruik van Value Selling.

👉 Het toevoegen van een ‘neutrale consultant’ aan de sales cycles.

👉 Priming in de eerste contacten bij prospecten.

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