Building a Revenue Culture That Scales with Elizabeth Patterson and Karan Singh

Most companies are trying to scale their businesses to the next chapter of growth.

The leading factor that determines that growth is people.

In order to succeed, you have to build a revenue culture that scales.

What are some of the tactics and strategies that make a difference in getting there?

To help us with that question, we spoke to Elizabeth Patterson, Global Talent Acquisition Partner, and Karan Singh, Revenue Excellence Partner at Sapphire.

Where should companies start in building their revenue culture?

Building a revenue culture that scales starts by transitioning from an engineering-led culture to a revenue-focused one. Companies need to articulate and define a single mission, vision, and purpose for the organization and be precise about the target addressable market and ideal customer profile.

Consistency in messaging is key to building a culture that can scale. You can’t underestimate the importance of having engaging leaders, casting a clear vision, measuring results, and being transparent in communication when it comes to operational excellence.

“The first thing to articulate and define in a revenue culture is to align the overall organization against a single mission, vision, and purpose.”

Karan Singh, Revenue Excellence Partner at Sapphire

The science behind hiring A-players

A key component for building a revenue culture that scales is bringing in your business A-players who work hard and push the company’s vision forward. Business leaders take their time, hire people for potential, and are flexible in their requirements so they don’t miss the next Michael Jordan of the revenue game.

When looking for these A-players, be purposeful about sourcing talent and building relationships with people. You can create a scorecard with the mission statement, quantitative outcomes, and competencies you’re looking for. Also, even if you don’t hire now, build meaningful relationships with revenue leaders and passive candidates. Furthermore, understand the distinction between skills and competencies and give people learning opportunities.

Up leveling team communication and engagement

The pandemic forced people to work remotely and collaborate virtually. Tools like Zoom helped global teams adapt to the new reality and carry on their jobs. However, many lost that feeling of authentic relationships and conversations. Virtual interaction can’t be the single solution in the long run.

Therefore, be intentional about how you engage with the folks around you and compose the time you spend in person versus virtually. Hybrid work could be the answer, but in-person time should be about team and culture building. Specialized coaches could also help global teams engage by doing team building and bonding exercises virtually.

Retaining A-players

Foster a culture that prioritizes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Focus on learning and development and provide a pathway for growth for individuals within an organization.

Given market volatility, it’s critical to make people feel safe and secure. Put your employees first and be flexible in terms of allowing them to work remotely and the hours during the day they can work.

“Ensure that you have those A-players in place because their productivity levels are much higher than that of B and C-players, and at a time like this, you need them to carry you.”

Elizabeth Patterson, Global Talent Acquisition Partner at Sapphire

Now that you know how technology can transform B2B salespeople… learn how to apply other tactics and tools for a disruptive B2B marketing and sales strategy. Check out the full list of episodes here: The B2B Revenue Executive Experience, with instructions on how to rate and review the show here.

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