Business Value – Finish Big

Maximizing Sales Strategies With Melanie French (Ep. 34)

By Finish Big Podcast | March 26, 2024

Do you need help with developing sales functions in your business?

Well, don’t go anywhere because you’ve come to the right place!

This week, guest Melanie French, a fractional VP of Sales, joins Mark Dorman to discuss the importance of developing and improving sales functions in mid-size companies. Melanie shares her journey from a Sales Contributor to a VP of Sales, highlighting the challenges and growth strategies she implemented. The conversation delves into key topics such as the significance of sales strategy, process, CRM utilization, sales team management, and the impact of structured sales management on business value.

Melanie French discusses:

Her journey to becoming a fractional VP of Sales
The importance of studying metrics for both results and activities
Utilizing CRMs and structured sales processes
Emphasizing the need for a structured hiring process and a hiring manager who knows what to look for in prospective salespeople
Tracking KPIs and cultivating a culture of accountability
And more!

Resources:

Finish Big: How Great Entrepreneurs Exit Their Companies on Top by Bo Burlingham

Connect with Mark Dorman:

Connect with Melanie French:

About our Guest:

Melanie French founded French Sales Solutions in 2020, following a decade-long journey within a company that underwent remarkable growth, from $50M to $230M. She ascended within the company, securing multiple promotions until reaching the position of Vice President of Sales. In this role, she managed over 75 sales and service professionals across 5 teams, showcasing her expertise in business development, scaling sales processes, people management (including hiring, firing, and accountability), and refining operational sales and business practices.

Drawing from her extensive experience in Sandler sales training, both as an individual contributor and in leadership positions, Melanie now leverages her skills to enhance sales performance through consulting and fractional VP of Sales engagements.

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How to Exit Like a Boss with Dr. Craig West, Founder of Succession Plus (Ep. 26)

By Finish-Big-The-Podcast | November 27, 2023

Are you planning your business exit for yourself or your potential buyers? That small shift in perspective could increase your chances of a successful exit.

In this episode, Mark Dorman speaks with Dr. Craig West, founder and executive chairman of Succession Plus, on his nine-step exit plan and how he helps business owners achieve their optimal exit strategy. Dr. West shares how Capitaliz revolutionized exit planning and what entrepreneurs should look for when exiting their businesses.

Dr. West discusses:

How he entered the exit planning space
The growth of Succession Plus as a business and how it helps clients
His nine steps to successful exit planning
The importance of reducing risk to attract potential buyers
The creation of Capitaliz, a software solution that streamlines the exit planning process
What is the process and approximately how long it takes to address gaps and issues in a business to increase its value
And more

Resources:

Connect with Dr. Craig West:

Connect with Mark Dorman:

About our Guest:

Craig West is a strategic accountant with over 20 years of experience advising business owners. His background as a CPA in public practice has provided invaluable experience in the key issues of concern to business owners.

Following 6 years of study to gain two master’s degrees, Craig focused on Capital Gains Tax (CGT) for business sales advising on strategic management of taxation issues. This experience formed a strong view that most business owners (and often their advisers) were unprepared and unaware of the steps required to prepare for an exit.