In this week’s episode of the Talent Hub Talk podcast, we’re joined by Michael Sullivan or Sully, as he is widely known across the Salesforce ecosystem. Sully is the Chief Growth Officer and co-owner of Think Beyond, an Australian-based Salesforce partner.
Through the episode, Sully shares his career journey, how he ended up in sales and how he found his way into the Salesforce ecosystem. Having spent several years working at Salesforce, Sully explains what made working for the business so great and how he developed his sales and leadership skills.
Sully then explains why he moved into services, how he found the transition from selling licenses to services, and how the market has evolved over the last few years.
Finally, Sully talks about what attracted him to join Think Beyond as a co-owner, what makes them different, and where he sees them playing.
Make sure you’re following Michael here!
You can learn more about Think Beyond from their website or by following their LinkedIn account!
Takeaways from the episode:
- Michael’s career path was unconventional, starting from a small town in New Zealand.
- He transitioned from IT to sales through a series of fortunate events.
- Sales leadership requires a different mindset than individual contribution.
- Salesforce’s culture emphasises learning and development.
- The onboarding experience at Salesforce is unique and comprehensive.
- Salesforce’s ecosystem fosters collaboration and sharing among partners.
- Transitioning from software to services sales presents unique challenges.
- Effective communication is crucial in partnerships to avoid misunderstandings.
- Michael learned a lot from his time at Aware after Salesforce.
- Turning down underbaked work can be a strategic business decision.
- Transparency in pricing is crucial for long-term client relationships.
- Sales cycles are influenced by economic conditions and industry trends.
- Buyers today are more informed and expect clear ROI.
- Quality outcomes are essential for maintaining a good reputation.
- Incremental changes are becoming more common than large transformations.
- Management consulting can provide a competitive edge in service delivery.
- Agility and flexibility are key in a challenging market.
- Leveraging technology like AI can enhance operational efficiency.
- Building a strong company culture is vital for success.
- Everyone in the organisation should contribute to its success.
Chapters:
(00:00) Introduction and background
(03:02) Career journey and early experiences
(06:03) Transition to sales and leadership
(08:50) Sales leadership vs. individual contribution
(11:56) Joining Salesforce: a new perspective
(15:11) The Salesforce ecosystem and culture
(18:00) Learning and development at Salesforce
(20:59) Transitioning from software to services sales
(24:00) Navigating partnerships and client relationships
(31:17) The cost of transparency in business
(33:17) Navigating the tension of quality and profitability
(36:31) Adapting to changing sales cycles
(40:01) The shift from big transformations to incremental changes
(42:44) Seizing new opportunities in a challenging market
(46:12) Leveraging management consulting for competitive advantage
(51:57) Building a culture of agility and innovation
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We hope you enjoy the episode!