S2 E 9: Michael Scott, How a CapEx reframe turned a lost deal into $5M Closed
Michael Scott is an Enterprise AE at Neara — a physics-enabled digital twin for power utilities — managing a book of exactly five accounts. This episode centers on how he closed a $5M+ enterprise contract with a utility that had just lost over $2 billion in market cap following a wildfire.
Michael had never sold a deal this size before, had two weeks to build his POV, and walked in having just read Jamal Reimer's book cover to cover twice. You'll walk away with the exact sequence — POV construction, POC, business case, consultant alignment, curated customer events, and deal structuring — that took this from a cold account to a signed $5M contract with a mega-deal still in process.
- Whyzer.ai — Jamal Reimer's AI-powered tool. Aggregates earnings calls, 10-Ks, and account intel into audio briefings. — whyzer.ai
- Jamal Reimer — Enterprise sales strategist, creator of the Two Mountain Model and Whyzer.ai. Previous guest on HTDWD.
- Brandon Fluharty — Sales and life design thought leader. Work focuses on avoiding the hedonic treadmill in high-income sales careers. Upcoming guest on HTDWD.
- Rob Cook — "Personal CFO for high income earners." Helps enterprise sellers with financial planning and keeping more of what they close.
- Two Mountain Model — Get high in the account fast with an executive POV while running lower-level conversations for ground-truth intel simultaneously.
- Commission Breath — The moment a seller gets attached to the outcome. Kills negotiating power and the buyer can smell it.
- Race to Second — Utilities won't be first and won't be left behind. The trigger is seeing a peer already doing it.
- Short-Form Contract — A procurement mechanism common in utilities allowing work to begin while the full enterprise contract processes. Used here for a $5M+ engagement with a six-month shelf life.
Connect with Michael
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelscottco/— Michael Scott, MBA — Enterprise Account Executive, Nira (Search "Michael Scott MBA" to find the right one)
About the Show
How the Deal Was Done goes deep into the mindset, strategies, and day-to-day realities of world-class enterprise sellers and founders. Every episode centers on a specific deal — what happened, how it happened, and what other sellers can take from it.
Host: Matthew Klingner Audience: Senior AEs, Founders, GTM Leaders, and Enterprise Sales Professionals
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