by Cheryl Powers 

Why would two companies in the same industry, with the same financial performance, command vastly different valuations?

The answer can be found in one thing: predictable future business. In other words, how much each business is likely to grow in the future. We call this, growth potential.

Whether you're negotiating with a lender for working capital, considering a merger or acquisition, funding your buy/sell agreement, or determining the per-share value...

3 Game-Changing Reasons To Offer A Subscription

by Cheryl Powers

There are as many reasons to offer a subscription service to your customers as there are subscription models. And if we've learned anything from companies like Amazon, Netflix, Dropbox, Salesforce, and others it's that customers value having what they want when they want it.

The days of renting a movie at your local Blockbuster store were replaced by the ATM-like Redbox movie rental, which has now been replaced by choosing...

by Cheryl Powers

In the Beginning

 I remember how I felt in my first business.

I was:

• Excited about growing my company
• Determined to positively impact employees and customers
• Certain I’d run it for the rest of my life

I thought it was the best job in the world, despite the fact that I was working 70-80 hour weeks. I was young, energetic, and ready to take on the world.

It Took Its Toll

A few years of six days a week travel put that in perspective. Soon I was tired and seemingly...

By Cheryl Powers

Daphne and Tom started their business to serve customers, create financial freedom, and give back to the community they loved.

What they never imagined is 10 years after launching their company, Daphne would still be responsible for revenue and would be her company's top salesperson, while Tom played sales manager to a team of culturally perfect but ineffective salespeople.

Despite hiring dozens of salespeople over the years, none...

by Cheryl Powers

Everything has changed except the way your salespeople sell, and that's a big problem.

Listen, I love salespeople. I love sales leaders. I love the profession of sales. So don't take this the wrong way because this is coming from a place of real caring.

Your salespeople are missing a golden opportunity.

Salespeople should be doing everything they can to connect with prospects and customers, build trust, forge relationships, and stand out as a valuable and valued trusted...

By Cheryl Powers

Your Sales Leaders play a pivotal role in a company’s ability to reach targets and satisfy the needs of their customers and their shareholders. 

That means their primary job is to put your products and services in the hands of more of the people who will use them to solve their biggest problems while creating profits for the people who own the company. 

That’s a problem when most sales managers haven't been trained for and don’t qualify for the...

by Cheryl Powers

"Nothing happens until somebody sells something."

That makes getting sales recruitment right one of the single most important things a company must do to grow. And it's not easy - for many reasons. Not the least of which is that even a terrible salesperson is probably better at controlling the interview than you are. They've done it more and they will focus all of their energy on telling you all the things that make you want to believe that they'd be perfect for the...

by Cheryl Powers

Lead, follow or get out of the way. That’s the sentiment I grew up with. My dad was a naval officer in WWII who served at the same time as Ronald Reagan was in the US Army. And my dad knew how to steer a ship. He was kind, consistent, and competent and he taught me a great deal about leadership.

Unfortunately, in today’s business climate I see far too many leaders turning over the helm to employees who haven’t a clue about leadership, budgets, revenue,...

Hiring the right salespeople is crucial to developing an effective and dynamic sales force. Developing an effective sales force is the most important job a leader has because your sales force is the vehicle through which you serve the world. No sales, no company. No company, no need for employees. Poor sales, poor company. Poor companies tend to have poor service, which also leads to no customers. You get where I'm going here.

There is an ideal candidate profile for every sales role and...

by Cheryl Powers

Sales hiring.

How hard can it be?

We just need them to sell, right?

Yet, recruiting high performing salespeople and sales leaders is one of the most difficult tasks a CEO will ever have to get right -- and keep right to stay successful.

There is much more to it than posting the ad, sifting through resumes, and hoping you picked the right one. The vast majority of ads are poorly worded, focus more on the company than on the role, and fail to attract qualified candidates.

...