No! Not him...
I should really open this with talk of how sales and marketing go hand in hand when it comes to business, how sales or marketing simply cannot exist independently...blah blah blah. Whilst this is true (and more about that later), I want to make this more personal.
I am so fortunate in that I have some incredibly insightful and talented associates that I work with. People who just - get it. Whether it's their understanding of the daily trials and tribulations of working for yourself and/or those that offer a perspective on things that are either closely aligned with my own ideologies and aspirations, or who challenge me. Gregg Goldsworthy is all of these.
We first chatted over Zoom during the pandemic and are now working together on various projects including some face to face workshops that are currently being rolled out. For those of you that know me well, you know I love a story and Gregg's is no exception.
Having worked in and led sales teams for more than 20 years, Gregg decided to go it alone,
"I have always wanted to start my own company and help others navigate the often complex world that is the sales environment. I have worked in a number of companies and sectors all over the world and have been very lucky to have had a wealth of experience in big brand companies but also a mix of family businesses. Starting my own company was a real eye opener! I have learnt more in the last two years than I have in 20 years in corporate. And I love it!"
So important to me and as I alluded to previously, associate working and support is vital, something that Gregg agrees with,
"I have been extremely fortunate in that I have an incredible network of people to bounce ideas off, fill in blind spots for me and just be at the other end of the phone when I have questions (and I've had a lot of them)."
I love exploring the 'why', what makes people take that leap from what may appear as a steady, secure career into the world of self employment,
"The real reason I made the change was to push myself out of my comfort zone and a change of direction. I had been leading sales teams for a long time and I'm one of those people that needs to be challenged constantly and need to be learning and growing. Starting my own sales consultancy was the shift I needed to learn some new things and be known for new things. I had always been known for selling and managing people who sold. It was time to teach others how to do it and to mentor business leaders who need help strategically but also offer help to sell better."
Prior to taking the plunge, he had worked mainly in food and drink, working with retailers on both brand and own label products and has been involved with numerous family owned businesses, the type of companies that offer a unique and fast paced environment. Seeing small wins making a big difference offered huge reward for Gregg,
"The thing I enjoyed about family businesses was the lack of red tape and a ‘can do’ attitude which allows for a really proactive sales team, and provided they keep the customer at the heart of whatever they do, always see success".
He has also had the 'big brand' experience, taking businesses such as Monster (get it now!) from a relatively unknown product in South Africa to what it is today. Always modest, it is left to me to say that the latter drinks phenomenon wouldn't be where it is now without Gregg's input, guidance and strategic foresight.
I have often talked before about passion and the role it can play in determining the clients and companies we want to work with. Of course, we often have to take what we can when we are in the early stages of building a business but it remains vital to bear in mind that 'ideal' customer,
"One of the prerequisites for me working with businesses now from a consulting point of view is that they are passionate, they actively solve a problem for the consumer and want to grow. I love being able to help businesses get their proposition right, approach the right customers for them and ultimately help them sell better."
Gregg and I are proactively promoting the relationship between marketing and sales. I have waxed lyrical on numerous occasions about what marketing is all about and Gregg sums up the sales side of things perfectly,
"THE most important thing to get right is your consumer proposition, it all starts and ends with that. Sales strategy needs to focus on what problem you solve for the customer and the consumer and then how your proposition relates to interacting with both. The other thing to think about is how to connect effectively with people. Sales relies heavily on
people connecting both from a seller/buyer point of view but also from interaction with products or services. If you can nail the people part of selling and really understand how to interact with buyers and consumers, you are winning."
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