Brian Leptich, CEO of Quality Labor Services said it best: “All businesses should be run by salespeople”. This statement really hit home, and I started thinking about common traits that successful business owners and salespeople share. And wow, there are some powerful ones!
Every salesperson today can be the CEO of tomorrow. If you’re a salesperson today and you have the drive to learn more, the will to work hard, and not afraid to hear the word “no”, you are on your way to owning your own business.
Warren Buffet and Howard Shultz are a couple of good examples of entrepreneur’s that started their careers as salespeople.
Not everyone will be the next Warren Buffet, but running a successful company shouldn’t be a pipe dream either. And if you have experience selling and recruiting in the staffing industry, you should consider starting your own business if you haven’t already..
The Entrepreneurial Traits of Salespeople
Sales professionals who successfully become business owners often possess traits that fall into two powerful categories:
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Dreamers & Leaders
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Customer-Centric Thinkers
Dreamers & Leaders
Confident
It starts with an idea for a product or service and the belief that it is a solution to a need in the marketplace. If you don’t believe in your product, you aren’t going to make a customer believe in your product.
Opportunistic
A good businessperson is always aware of circumstances and surroundings, can see demand for her product or service in the marketplace. They always look forward.
Resilient
“No Fear in These Eyes”. Top achievers have a unique ability to cope with difficulty, to take on risks, to negotiate obstacles, and to optimize performance in the face of adversity. They take rejection as a personal challenge to succeed with the next customer.
Self-Starters
This is a highly transferable skill from sales exec to CEO. Salespeople tend to set their own schedules and deadlines. It is a skill that every entrepreneur needs to possess.
Persistent
Persistence, when done respectfully and consistently, breaks through. It reminds customers that you are there with a solution to their problems. It gives them multiple chances to connect.
Optimistic and Upbeat
Top businesspeople tend to be upbeat and radiate a sense of humor, fun, and positivity. While grounded somewhat in reality, they focus on what they can control, stay on course with optimism about what they can achieve.
Customer-Centric
They Care About the Customer’s Interests
Your customers want to know you understand their challenges, dreams, and goals, and have carefully considered why your solution makes sense and they want to be sure you have their best interests at heart. Quite frankly, this applies to internal employees too.
Great Listeners
Listen to the customer’s pain point before you start selling your product or service. Great salespeople sell solutions to problems, and they do that by understanding and listening to the customer. Business owners must listen to the needs of their customers and employees.
Honest
A successful salesperson will not fib to close a deal, because he or she knows that you’ve not only burned that bridge, but all of the potential other bridges that lead from your contact to their contacts. Better to miss out on a deal and maintain your honesty, integrity .and network. A business owner risks everything by fibbing.
They See the Big Picture
The marketplace does not stand still. Business keeps evolving. Businesspeople with a sales background understand that and are quick to change with the marketplace.
Make Your Dreams Come True
Are you ready to start or really scale your existing staffing company? Madison Resources is dedicated to the staffing industry. We make it easy for entrepreneurs to turn their dreams into reality. The types of services provided:
· Unlimited payroll funding to grow your contract payrolls (with or without back office)
· A turnkey back office program for payroll, invoicing, reporting, and collections support
· Integrated technology that connects your front-office software to our back-end systems
By minimizing fixed costs and personal investment, you can focus on building your business while outsourcing the rest. Feel free to contact me to learn more.
Ready to start your funding journey? Partner with Madison Resources today [apply here]
About the Author
Nick Andriacchi is the Chief Revenue Officer at Madison Resources, bringing over 30 years of experience in the funding and payroll industry. Before joining Madison, Nick held leadership roles at two other funding companies, where he built a reputation as a trusted advisor and strategic thinker. Widely regarded as a true industry expert, Nick is passionate about helping staffing firms grow through smart funding solutions and operational support.
Explore our website to fund out more staffing insights. Madison Resources is the premier payroll funding and back office support partner to the staffing industry. Grow with confidence.
