30 Years, 30 Lessons: What I’ve Learned About Sales and Growing Businesses
Turning 30 made me pause and reflect on everything I have learned, from my first full commission field sales job where I intercepted and pitched to hundreds of people each day, to leading sales teams in multiple countries and helping startups grow. These lessons come from successes, failures, and everything in between.
1. Activity drives results
In sales, the law of averages works in your favor if you put in the numbers. Consistent, quality outreach eventually compounds into deals. See AI-Powered Cold Outreach That Converts.
2. Track everything
You cannot improve what you do not measure. Set clear KPIs and monitor them daily. Learn more in How to Turn Your CRM Into a Revenue Engine.
3. Your ICP is your compass
Know exactly who you are selling to and why. Targeting everyone means you target no one.
4. Timing is everything
Sometimes the difference between a yes and a no is simply catching the right moment.
5. Relationships win over transactions
People buy from people they trust. Invest time in building real connections.
6. Learn to listen more than you talk
You uncover needs and objections faster by asking the right questions and truly listening.
7. Always be learning
Markets shift, tools evolve, and buyer behavior changes. Stay curious and adaptable.
8. Objections are opportunities
A question or concern often means the prospect is interested enough to engage.
9. A strong follow-up game wins deals
Most sales happen after multiple touches. Plan your follow-ups with discipline. See Growth Hacking Techniques for B2B Startups for creative ideas.
10. Test before you scale
In new markets, run small, focused experiments to validate demand before heavy investment. Read How to Test a New Market Before Expanding Internationally.
11. Founder-led selling works in the early days
Your vision, credibility, and passion are your strongest assets in the beginning. See From Founder-Led Growth to Repeatable Sales.
12. Document everything
Build playbooks so others can replicate success and avoid repeating mistakes.
13. Build systems, not heroes
Relying on one top performer is risky. Create repeatable processes instead.
14. Global expansion needs local insight
Cultural understanding can make or break international sales efforts. Read When Is the Right Time to Expand Internationally.
15. Network before you need it
Connections made today often open doors months or years later.
16. Balance sales-led, product-led, and channel-led approaches
Test multiple go-to-market paths before deciding which to double down on. See The Truth About Product-Led Growth vs Sales-Led Growth.
17. Your team reflects your leadership
If you want a motivated, disciplined, and collaborative team, model that behavior yourself. See From the Rugby Field to the Sales Floor.
18. Allow initiative but guide direction
Encourage your team to take action and learn from mistakes, while ensuring they have the right structure and coaching.
19. Align sales and marketing
When acquisition and conversion work together, CAC efficiency improves dramatically.
20. Data beats assumptions
Gut feeling has its place, but decisions should be backed by measurable evidence.
21. Make activity logging effortless
If tracking progress is complicated, it will not happen consistently.
22. Incentivise the right behaviors
Reward actions that lead to real results, not just surface-level activity.
23. Hire for attitude, train for skill
Skills can be taught, work ethic and values cannot.
24. Do not scale too early
Adding headcount before the process works only burns cash and morale.
25. Retain through value, not contracts
If customers stay because they want to, your growth is more sustainable.
26. Be present in the field
Leaders who understand customer reality make better decisions.
27. Consistency compounds
Small, disciplined actions every day deliver exponential results over time.
28. Say no when needed
Not every deal or opportunity aligns with your vision. Protect your focus.
29. Success is shared
Wins belong to the team, and recognition fuels motivation.
30. Growth is a journey
Enjoy the process, not just the milestones.
Final Word
Thirty years in, I have learned that sales and business growth are never about one magic tactic. They are about discipline, data, people, and the willingness to keep showing up. The market changes, teams evolve, and strategies shift, but the fundamentals remain the same: understand your customer, measure what matters, and keep moving forward.
My goal going forward is to pass on these learnings to help companies grow by avoiding the mistakes I have made or witnessed along my journey. Whether you are just starting or scaling globally, the journey will test you. If you embrace it with focus and consistency, it will also reward you in ways you cannot imagine.
