Let’s be honest: entrepreneurship isn’t always the highlight reel you see on Instagram.

Some days the calls don’t come. The clients don’t buy. The bills don’t slow down.

That’s the part nobody posts about—but every entrepreneur knows it.

And here’s the thing: sales doesn’t stop just because you’re tired, worried, or unsure. If you shut down, the pipeline shuts down with you. The question becomes: how do you keep moving forward when you’re walking through a tough season?

Why This Matters

Tough times don’t just test your business—they test you.

Anyone can make calls when things are easy. Anyone can show up when revenue is flowing and leads are lining up. But when you’re in a dry season? That’s where mindset separates those who keep building from those who walk away.

The entrepreneurs and salespeople who learn to press through are the ones who come out stronger—and usually with better systems, sharper focus, and more grit than they had going in.

A Story from My Own Storm

Years ago, I was handed the keys to a retail store buried under nearly $250,000 in debt. Customers weren’t happy, staff turnover was high, and morale was at rock bottom.

I remember thinking, “How am I supposed to turn this around when everything feels broken?”

The easy thing would’ve been to panic. To throw in the towel. To say, “This is too far gone.”

But instead, I started with what I could control. Every day, I focused on three things:

1. Building the right team (hiring, firing, rehiring).

2. Creating consistent sales processes.

3. Serving every customer who walked through the door like they were the most important person we’d ever meet.

It wasn’t glamorous. It wasn’t quick. But slowly, we chipped away at the debt, regained trust, and built momentum. Within nine months, that store was back in the black.

And here’s what I learned: the storm doesn’t last forever—but the systems and resilience you build in it will.

What You Can Do When Things Get Tough

1. Focus on controllables
You can’t control the economy, the weather, or whether a prospect ignores your email. But you can control your activity:

• Daily outreach

• Consistent follow-ups

• Value-driven content

Momentum is built in the small, repeatable actions you choose every day.

2. Shorten your horizon
When you’re overwhelmed, thinking about the next six months will paralyze you. Instead, focus on the next six days.

Ask yourself: What’s one thing I can do this week to move closer to a client?

Small wins stack up into breakthroughs.

3. Lean into service, not desperation
When you’re struggling, it’s tempting to chase deals from a place of fear. But people feel that energy.

Shift your mindset: you’re not “bothering” prospects. You’re serving them by solving problems they already have.

4. Remember, seasons end
Every entrepreneur hits a wall at some point. What separates those who make it from those who don’t isn’t talent—it’s the ability to keep showing up when it feels impossible.

The storm is temporary. The resilience you build lasts forever.

Sales Power Move

When you’re in a hard season, stop asking:
“How am I going to survive the next six months?”

Instead ask:
👉 “What one thing can I do today to generate momentum?”

Do that every day for 30 days—and you’ll be surprised how much ground you cover.

Final Word

If you’re in a storm right now, I get it. I’ve been there. And here’s the truth: you’re not alone, and you’re not crazy for feeling the weight of it.

But don’t quit. Don’t let this season define you. Use it to refine you.

Because what you build in the dark is what will shine in the light.

If you’ve been in business for a while, you’ve probably heard people use “prospecting” and “marketing” like they’re the same thing. They’re not.

And if your sales team—or you as the owner—don’t understand the difference, you’re leaving money on the table.

Let’s break it down.

Marketing: Creating Demand

Marketing is everything you do to make people aware of you. It’s the magnet that draws people in.

Think:

• Running ads

• Posting content on Instagram or LinkedIn

• Hosting an event or webinar

• Email campaigns

Marketing says: “Here’s who we are, here’s what we do, here’s why it matters.”

Done right, it builds trust over time and brings inbound leads to your door.

Prospecting: Creating Conversations

Prospecting, on the other hand, is active. It’s where your sales team doesn’t wait around for the phone to ring—they go out and create opportunities.

Think:

• Cold calls

• Direct messages

• Chamber coffee chats

• Asking for referrals

• Walking into a business and introducing yourself

Prospecting says: “Hey, I see you. Let’s talk about how we can help.”

It’s about starting conversations with people who may not have found you otherwise.

Why You Need Both

Here’s the truth: relying only on marketing means sitting back and hoping your ads, posts, or SEO do the heavy lifting. Relying only on prospecting means grinding for every deal with no long-term leverage.

But together? That’s where you build a healthy pipeline:

• Marketing fills the top with people who already have awareness.

• Prospecting fills the gaps with people you intentionally pursue.

• Both feed into follow-up systems that drive real revenue.

Sales Power Move: Balance the Effort

Ask yourself (and your team):

• Where are we investing in marketing that builds awareness over time?

• Where are we actively prospecting to drive conversations today?

• Do we have a system that connects the two so no lead falls through the cracks?

The best sales teams don’t wait for one or the other. They build both engines and keep them running.

Building a business means growth. And with growth comes change—especially in how we approach sales. But here’s the million-dollar question: Is your current sales system ready to scale?

If you’re seeing more leads, more clients, or even hiring more sales reps, your system needs to grow with you. Otherwise, you might find yourself stuck in a cycle of overwhelm, burning the candle at both ends.

Let’s take a deeper dive into what makes a sales system scalable, how to identify if yours is ready for growth, and what to do to make it so.

Signs Your Sales System Isn’t Scalable (and How to Fix It)

1. Your Processes Are All in Your Head

If you find yourself being the go-to for every sale in your business, or if you’re the only one who understands the way you do things, your system isn’t scalable. Sure, you’re the founder, but at some point, you’ll need a team to handle things so you can focus on other areas of growth.

What to Do About It:
Start documenting your processes. Write down everything you do: how you prospect, how you manage leads, how you close deals. Then, break those processes into steps anyone can follow. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) aren’t just for big companies—they’re essential for you, too.

2. Manual Work is Eating Up Your Time

I get it—starting out, you’re doing everything manually. Maybe you’re keeping track of your leads in a notebook or a spreadsheet. But as your business grows, those manual tasks take up more time than they’re worth.

What to Do About It:
It’s time to introduce automation. Set up a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool that tracks your leads, automates follow-ups, and even triggers reminders for you. This frees up your time and ensures no lead falls through the cracks.

If you don’t have the budget for a big CRM just yet, start simple with something like Trello or HubSpot CRM—these can be powerful tools at a low cost.

3. Your Team Struggles with Consistency

A scalable system works whether you’re handling sales or someone else is. If you’re seeing inconsistent results from your team or they’re doing things their own way, it’s a sign your sales system isn’t being applied consistently across the board.

What to Do About It:
Create a unified sales playbook. Your playbook should include everything from your ideal client profile (ICP) to how to handle objections, and all the way through to closing the deal. Make sure everyone is on the same page and following the same strategy. Consistency is key to scaling, especially when you bring on new team members.

4. Adding More Clients Means Adding More Chaos

You might be thinking, “I can take on a few more clients,” but every new one seems to create a bottleneck. If the thought of increasing your client base sends you into a stress spiral, your system’s probably not built for scale.

What to Do About It:
Look for the bottlenecks in your process. Is it taking too long to get contracts signed? Are you waiting too long for responses? Streamlining your customer journey will ease the pressure. Simplify where you can and automate what you can’t. Tools like DocuSign or HelloSign can streamline paperwork and save precious time.

5. You’re Using Outdated or Inconsistent Tech

If your sales system relies on outdated tech—or worse, no tech at all—it’s going to be a real challenge to scale. You might find yourself using a mix of spreadsheets, old email lists, or manual systems that are a nightmare to keep up with as you expand.

What to Do About It:
Get your tech game up to date. There are countless sales tools out there that can streamline your workflows, from email automation to tracking your sales pipeline. Start with a simple CRM system and build from there. Popular options like Salesforce, HubSpot, and even Pipedrive can help you stay organized and optimize your sales process for growth.

Signs Your Sales System Is Scalable

On the flip side, if you’re doing the following, your sales system is set up to scale:

• Processes are standardized and can be easily passed on to new team members.

• Automation handles the repetitive tasks like follow-ups, lead tracking, and reminders.

• You’re using technology that keeps you organized and efficient.

• Your sales playbook is a living document everyone can follow.

• Adding new clients or salespeople doesn’t result in a chaos situation—it’s just another day at the office.

Next Steps: Make Your System Scalable

Now that you’ve figured out where you stand, let’s get actionable. Here’s a simple plan to start scaling:

1. Audit Your Sales Process: Identify areas of bottlenecks or inefficiency. Write them down, and prioritize what needs to be improved.

2. Automate Where Possible: Introduce CRM and automation tools that track leads, send follow-ups, and organize tasks.

3. Document Your Systems: Create or refine your sales playbook. Make sure anyone new to the team can jump in and follow it.

4. Track Metrics: Start measuring key sales metrics like conversion rates, lead time, and revenue per salesperson. These numbers will help you make data-driven decisions as you scale.

Final Thoughts

Scaling your sales system doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s one of the most important investments you can make in your business. A well-oiled, scalable sales system gives you more time to focus on growth and helps ensure your business is ready for the next level.

So, take the first step today. Audit your system, automate where you can, and start building the processes that’ll allow you to scale with ease.

Let’s be real—hiring a sales rep is a big move.

It’s exciting. It feels like a growth play. And it is… when it works.
But if you’re like a lot of service-based business owners I talk to, you’ve been through the flip side:
You hired someone to take sales off your plate, and it just didn’t work out.

Now you’re left with a lighter bank account, a bad taste in your mouth, and this lingering question in your head:

“Is it even worth building a sales team?”

Let’s talk about it.

Why Sales Hires Fail (Especially the First One)

According to Harvard Business Review, 27% of first sales hires fail within the first year—and honestly, that number’s even higher for small businesses without a sales system in place.

Here’s what I see most often with my clients before we work together:

❌ There was no clear process to follow.

The rep was expected to “figure it out.” Maybe shadow the owner. Maybe take some notes. Maybe just “go sell.”

But sales isn’t magic. It’s a process. If you haven’t clearly defined what’s working, no one can replicate it.

❌ The hire came too early.

A lot of business owners hire a salesperson to “solve” their overwhelm. But if you haven’t sold your service consistently yet—or if your calendar isn’t already booked out—you’re asking someone else to build the plane while they fly it.

❌ There was no ramp-up plan.

It takes time (and support) for a rep to start producing. But most small businesses expect revenue in 30 days without a real training system. And when that doesn’t happen? Trust breaks down fast.

So… What’s the Fix?

Good news: a failed hire doesn’t mean you’re bad at business. It just means it’s time to shift your approach.

Here’s where I’d start:

✅ 1. Systematize What Already Works

Before you hire again, you need to know your numbers and process:

• Where are leads coming from?

• What do you say on the first call?

• What objections do you hear most?

• What offer converts best—and at what close rate?

Write it down. Test it. Adjust it. Then—and only then—bring someone in to run that same playbook.

“If you can’t teach it, they can’t sell it.”

✅ 2. Start with an Assist, Not a Clone

Don’t expect your first rep to replace you. Instead, look for someone to support you:

• Book qualified appointments

• Handle follow-ups

• Send quotes or confirmations

• Track leads and pipeline

Let them learn your rhythm while adding value. This builds trust, gets them reps, and sets them up for success.

✅ 3. Set a Real Ramp-Up Timeline

Sales reps don’t pay for themselves overnight—especially in higher-ticket or service-based sales.

A realistic ramp-up plan includes:

• 90 days of training and coaching

• A clear path to success metrics

• Check-ins and feedback loops

• Some margin for mistakes

You’re not just hiring a rep—you’re building a revenue system.

The Takeaway

Hiring your first sales rep isn’t a finish line—it’s a beginning. And if it didn’t work the first time, that doesn’t mean you should give up.

It means you’ve learned something. Now it’s time to build smarter.

If you’re ready to stop guessing and build a sales team that actually drives growth, let’s talk. I’ll help you get the foundation right—so your next hire sticks.

→ DM me and let’s fix this.

Sales leaders get bombarded with dashboards, data, and a million metrics that feel important. But here’s the truth: most of them are noise. They make you feel productive while pulling your focus away from the numbers that actually move your business forward.

Let’s cut through the noise. Whether you’re the founder still doing your own sales or you’re building your first real sales team, these are the three metrics I’d bet my reputation on.

1. Dials, Doors, or DMs (Lead Measures)

Call them what you want—outreach is the fuel of your sales engine. You can’t control who says yes, but you can control how many meaningful attempts you make to start a sales conversation.

• Cold calls
• Walk-ins
• DMs or emails
• Referrals requested

These are your lead measures. They tell you if you’re doing the work that will eventually lead to results.

Pro tip: Track these DAILY. Sales is won in the daily disciplines, not the monthly totals.

2. Qualified Opportunities

This is where the rubber meets the road. If you’re doing solid outreach, this number should rise steadily. These are leads that are the right person, the right problem, and the right timing.

Don’t fluff it. Be honest about what counts as truly qualified. Having a fat pipeline full of junk just wastes your time.

• Do they have a budget?
• Are they the decision maker?
• Do they have a real need?

If the answer’s no to any of those, they’re not qualified. Period.

3. Closed Revenue (Lag Measure)

This one should be obvious—but I’m always shocked by how many teams track activity but not results. Sales is a results game. If you’re not closing deals, none of the rest matters.

But here’s the nuance: closed revenue is a lag measure. It tells you how things went in the past. It’s your scoreboard. You can’t control it directly, but you can reverse-engineer it from your lead and opportunity metrics.

Track it. Celebrate it. But don’t obsess over it.

Everybody wants to scale.

More leads. More sales. Less of it depending on you.

And the first instinct? Hire a sales rep. Offload the calls. Get someone else closing.

But here’s the truth no one talks about:

Hiring a sales team too early—or without the right foundation—is one of the fastest ways to waste money and burn out.

Slow Down to Scale Up

Before you bring on a rep, you’ve got to take a hard look at what’s already happening in your business.

I call this the Evaluation Phase, and it’s where smart business owners win long before they ever post a job description.

Here’s what you need to be thinking about if you want a sales team that actually works:

1. What’s your real sales process right now?

If you had to hand off the way you close deals today, could you write it down?

Most people can’t.

You don’t need a perfect system yet, but you do need clarity. What are the key steps someone would follow? Where are the drop-offs? What’s working that you might not even realize?

If your sales process lives in your head, that’s not a process — that’s a liability.

2. Are you closing consistently—yourself?

Here’s a hard truth: if you’re not already converting at a decent clip, it’s not time to scale.

The best sales reps in the world can’t fix a broken offer or a chaotic backend.

Make sure you’ve got something that sells — and that you’ve personally proven it. Then you’re ready to teach it.

3. Do you know your numbers?

What’s your average sale? Lead source? Close rate?

What’s one new client worth, and what does it cost to acquire them?

These aren’t vanity metrics — they’re decision tools. You’ll need them to set comp plans, forecast hiring, and actually lead a team.

4. What’s your capacity to train and manage?

Hiring someone doesn’t mean your sales problem disappears. In fact, it usually means more work in the short term.

Do you have the time, energy, and systems to onboard them? Can you coach effectively? Do you have tools that support their success?

Because the worst thing you can do is bring someone in and leave them guessing.

The Bottom Line

If you’re dreaming of growth, I love that. It means you believe in what you’re building.

But growth doesn’t start with hiring. It starts with honestly evaluating where you are.

Because once you know that?

Then we can build the kind of sales team that doesn’t just “do calls,” but drives real revenue — and frees you to lead at the next level.

Let me tell you something I learned the hard way: if you’re building a sales team and you’re only focused on numbers, you will lose. You’ll lose good people. You’ll lose momentum. And eventually, you might lose the culture you worked so hard to create.

Because the truth is, people don’t show up just for commission checks. Not long-term. They show up because they feel seen, heard, and valued. They stay because they believe in something. And if you want a sales team that performs consistently and doesn’t crumble under pressure, you’ve got to build a culture that puts people first.

Know Your People

It starts here. Get to know your reps. I’m not talking about surface-level stuff like favorite sports teams or their go-to coffee order. I’m talking about what makes them tick. What’s going on at home? What are they proud of? What keeps them up at night?

You don’t need to be their therapist. But you do need to care. Schedule regular 1:1s and actually listen. Ask about their lives. Take notes. Follow up. Your people will show up harder for someone who shows up for them.

Help Them Find Their Why

A sales team without a sense of purpose is like a car with no gas. You might coast on momentum for a bit, but eventually, you stall out.

Great leaders help their team members find a reason beyond the paycheck. Maybe it’s providing for their family. Maybe it’s building a future they didn’t grow up with. Maybe it’s proving something to themselves. Whatever it is, help them name it. When the objections pile up and the leads dry out, it’s that internal why that keeps them dialing.

And here’s a tip: share your why too. Let them see your heart. Culture starts at the top.

Dig Into the Real Drivers

Everyone says they want to make money. But money is a shallow motivator if there’s nothing underneath it. Real drivers go deeper.

Is it freedom they want? Recognition? A sense of accomplishment? A path to leadership?

When you understand what your team is really chasing, you can lead them more effectively. You stop managing numbers and start coaching people.

That’s where the magic happens.

Look, anyone can push for results. But not everyone can build a culture where people thrive. That’s the difference between a team that sells—and a team that scales.

So take a minute. Step back from the pipeline. And ask yourself: do I know what drives my team?

Because if you don’t, now is the perfect time to find out.

A while back, I was working with a coaching client in the sales world. She was uhhhh how do I put this? A ROCKSTAR closer.

She built rapport quickly, asked engaging questions, and wasn’t afraid to challenge someone when it mattered. She even turned clients away when it wasn’t a good fit. High integrity. Full stop.

But…

She had a problem.

When a potential client wasn’t ready to buy or move forward (which happens about 80% of the time, by the way), she got stuck.
She’d follow up. She’d reach out again. But all she got was silence… or the classic polite brush-off.

Ever been there?

So we started to dig in. Pulled up her emails. Reviewed call notes. Looked at her outreach strategy. And you know what we realized?

She wasn’t driving home value in her follow-ups.

She’d mention their kids. Their vacations. Their birthdays.
She was warm. Friendly. Memorable.

But she wasn’t useful.

Why This Is Important

Let’s be real for a second: nobody owes you a response.
Not because they’re mean. Not because they don’t like you.
But because they’re busy. Their inbox is full. Their to-do list is overwhelming. And unless what you’re sending feels relevant to them, it’s getting skipped.

Connection is great. But value is what gets action.

The Strategy: Lead with Value, Every Time

Here’s how to make sure your next follow-up actually lands:

1. Recap With Purpose

Remind them of the problem they shared—but tie it to the outcome they want. Not just “Hey, remember when we talked?” but “You mentioned wanting to grow your team this year, and I had an idea…”

2. Offer a Micro-Solution

This could be a tool, a tip, a resource, or even just a question to reframe their thinking. Something that proves you’re not just following up—you’re following through.

3. Ask a Better Question

Ditch the “Just checking in!” emails. Ask something that makes them stop and think. Like:

“What’s changed since we last talked?”
“Are you still trying to solve [insert issue]?”
“Is it the timing or the solution that feels off right now?”

4. Make It Easy to Say Yes

If you’re offering another meeting, simplify it. “Does Tuesday or Thursday work better for a quick 15-minute touchpoint?”

The Flip

Once we made that shift in her follow-ups—leading with value, sharing a relevant insight, linking to articles or podcast clips, even reframing objections—responses started rolling in.

She wasn’t “chasing” anymore.
She was re-engaging.

Her prospects saw her not just as another seller… but as someone who genuinely helped even before they paid her a dime.

Do you rest? I mean really rest?

I worked with a client a while back who reminded me a lot of… well, me.

We’ll call him Jerry. Jerry was a road warrior—always on the move, always selling, always grinding. He’d be out all week, making the rounds, closing deals, doing the thing. And he was good at it.

But he was exhausted.

He wouldn’t have said that, of course. Guys like Jerry—and like I used to be—don’t say that out loud. But it was written all over him. He was worn down. Drained. Bone-tired in a way that sleep alone doesn’t fix. Ever known anybody like that?

And here’s the thing: when he got home, he didn’t rest. He’d go straight into trying to catch up on everything he felt like he’d missed—family, friends, errands, life. The weekends were packed with activity but empty of restoration. Just go-go-go until Sunday night rolled around… and that pit in the stomach would hit.

You know the one. Monday’s already knocking and you haven’t even caught your breath yet.

He was living what a lot of us are told is the dream: work hard, play hard. But he was burning out fast. And I knew that feeling too well.

WPR + I: Work, Play, Rest… Plus Intention

The problem isn’t that we’re working hard. It’s that we’re not living with rhythm. Most of us default to this all-or-nothing cycle: push like crazy, then crash. Push again, crash again. And that’s where burnout breeds.

So what if we changed the equation?

Work. Play. Rest. + Intention.
Not one of those things gets to run the show. They all matter. And the key is bringing intention to each one.

✅ Work intentionally.
Don’t just grind. Know why you’re working. What’s the outcome? What’s the impact? What gets to be enough for today?

✅ Play intentionally.
Play shouldn’t just be zoning out. It should bring joy. Laughter. Connection. You deserve fun that fills your tank, not drains it.

✅ Rest intentionally.
Real rest isn’t just sleep or sitting still. It’s whatever restores you. Maybe that’s a nap. Maybe it’s a walk with no podcast. Maybe it’s saying no to plans because you need some quiet. But you have to choose it.

When we add intention, we stop living on accident. We stop collapsing at the end of the day and start designing our days.

Now Jerry—the one who used to work like crazy, play hard on the weekends, and never actually rest?

We made one small change.
He started scheduling one full day off each weekend.
Not a day to catch up on work.
Not a day to run errands or clean the house.
A real day off.

No agenda.
No pressure.
Just time to be.

He’d sleep in a bit, make a slow breakfast, journal, maybe take a walk or sit on the porch with a book.
And you know what happened?

He started looking forward to Monday again.

Because he wasn’t showing up to his week on empty anymore.
He was showing up with intention—with energy to pour into work, play, and life.

So how will you rest with intention?

Let’s talk about the grind.

For a long time, I was deep in it.
I was in sales, and I was good at it.
Closing deals, climbing leaderboards, pushing myself to hit goal after goal.

But here’s the truth: I didn’t really have a reason why.

I didn’t have a vision.
I didn’t know what kind of life I was building.
I just wanted more.

More money. More success. More recognition.
Because more meant I was winning… right?

But if I’m being honest, even when I was stacking up achievements, I didn’t feel satisfied.
I felt anxious. Unsettled. Like no matter how much progress I made, it wasn’t enough.

It wasn’t until I started coaching that I really began to understand why.

Anchor Your Progress to Your Purpose

There’s a powerful story I often come back to—
The story of Desmond Doss.

Desmond was a WWII combat medic who refused to carry a weapon because of his convictions.
He was ridiculed for it. Threatened. Called a coward.

But when his unit was sent into one of the bloodiest battles of the war,
Desmond stayed behind—alone—on a ridge to save the wounded.

He kept praying, “Lord, help me get one more.”
And he kept going back. Again and again.

He saved 75 men that day.

He wasn’t driven by promotions or accolades.
He wasn’t motivated by what others thought of him.
He had a crystal-clear vision of who he was and what he believed.

That was what allowed him to move forward—
Not with fear, but with peace.

It’s the same for us.
When our progress is rooted in pressure, we burn out.
When it’s rooted in purpose, we come alive.

Peace Follows Alignment

That shift didn’t happen overnight for me.

But as I started asking better questions—
What do I actually want? What am I building? Who am I trying to become?—
the noise started to quiet down.

And now? I still work hard.
Still chase goals.
Still have moments where I feel behind or unsure.

But I’m more at peace than I’ve ever been—
because I’m not chasing just any kind of progress.

I’m building a life that actually aligns with what matters to me.
And that alignment feeds everything else: my energy, my focus, my joy, my direction.

So if you’re feeling scattered, stuck, or just worn out from the grind…
Maybe it’s time to stop asking, “Am I making progress?”
And start asking, “Is this aligned with who I want to be?”

Because your peace isn’t proportional to your progress.

It’s proportional to your alignment.