Ep. 37: How the Deal Was *Not* Done, Navigating Cultural Differences with Colin Specter
Colin Specter shares his experiencing becoming the top seller at his company and a formative deal that he fell short on and what he learned from it.
Background:
- Colin Specter started his career in SaaS sales at Namely where he became a top 1% seller and progressed to a leadership role now at Orum.
- The deal involved namely, a tech company specializing in HR software, to the CFO of a large financial services company
Challenges:
- Failing to better understand a company’s broader culture and norms.
- Facing to check overconfidence when a deal seems to be made already
Key learnings:
- Research and adapt to the corporate culture and expectations of potential clients, especially regarding dress codes.
- Building a strong relationship with various stakeholders, not just the primary contact, to navigate corporate dynamics effectively.
Timestamps:
- (0:10:25) Immediate Judgment Based on Attire... Colin describes the moment his attire led to a snap judgment by the CFO.
- (0:13:09) Cultural Missteps and Adaptations... Colin discusses adapting to different corporate cultures.
- (0:13:56) East Coast vs West Coast Business Culture Differences... Insights into differing business practices between "New York" and "California" businesses and startups.
- (0:16:47) Building Partnerships and Networks... The importance of building networks and how past connections influence current opportunities.
- (0:19:23) Learning from Losses... Reflecting on how losses can be more memorable and educational than wins.
Resources:
Thank you to OrgChartHub for Sponsoring this episode. OrgChartHub helps HubSpot customers get big deals done since 2018. Learn more at OrgChartHub.com/Podcast
Questions, comments, ideas - reach out to Andrew Kappel
