Tell us a bit about yourself and what you're up to now
I am a dedicated family man to a wife, three boys & Mabel the cockapoo, plus a keen all-round sportsman, including a long career in football, squash, swimming, running and Cardio/Weight Lifting.
I have competed in six Tough Mudders, many Cross trail 5k, 10k & Half Marathon events, and completed a Hyrox Singles event in October 2023. I have also been a licensed Tiska Karate member (Shotokan style) and graded up to Brown/Black belt with my sights set on achieving BLACK belt in Q4 2024.
I am a keen poker player playing socially for nearly 20 years and have also managed junior football teams for 25+ years with FA Level 1 & Emergency First Aid Certifications.
2015-18 – I volunteered with Young Enterprise UK as a Business Advisor on several occasions helping GCSE students to focus and improve their business skills
I have over 25 years experience working in Enterprise Software Solutions (On-premise & Cloud)
I now work for General Assembly providing Enterprise Client custom Tech Training programs, including upskilling, reskilling, graduate schemes and providing tech talent to fulfil skill gaps.
What was your journey into a career in Tech Sales
I studied a B-Tec in Computer Business & Programming course at College, at the time I just wanted to get out and work so University wasn't really of interest to me.
Following that course I jumped straight into a Computer Company selling PC rentals (Custom Desktops), then joined a company selling imaging solutions for marketing campaigns, billboards etc, anything that could rip large image files into graphics.
I also had a keen interest in Computer Aided Design (CAD) which created 3D images and moving objects for mechanics, engineering and tutorials or videos. My highlight was that our company made the video image reel for "One Love" by the Prodigy! They even came to visit our studios to watch the final cut.
And after that I spent 15 years in varied Enterprise Software Solutions businesses..
What would you say are the best things about working in Tech Sales
Definitely the un-capped commission and bonuses are a big plus, but also the networking is of paramount importance and meeting all the different roles and personas you have to meet to work on an opportunity
Everyone has different table stakes, agendas and personalities, some are friendly and some are very secretive - That's when my poker skills benefit me spotting when people are bluffing or telling the truth.
Overall the people and relationships help you to build trust, rapport, credibility and honesty which can stay with you for many years, and finally the wins and losses - every deal has a story, the key is to learn from each opportunity and take those hard losses or great wins into the next deal, taking lessons learned to your next meeting
What advice would you give to someone who is just about to start their career in sales
Shadow everybody! The best way to learn is to listen to what Customers are asking for, and how your peers answer their questions. All the training you get is a great asset, but you will often be taught the 'perfect' scenario, what to do to get a sale, but not what the pitfalls are, the blockers and the rejections. Yes they teach you rejection handling, but in the moment you have to have the character to know when to push back whilst maintaining a positive relationship and sometimes accepting you don't have all the answers.
You have to be incredibly resilient, Sales is tough, earning someones trust in this current age is very difficult when you often only get a few minutes on a call or outreach to tell them something insightful.
My best advice is to be yourself, show your humility and SMILE! People buy from people, your relationships and attitude must remain positive but curious. As I was once told "You only get one chance to make a first impression" and that is never more true when it comes to your elevator pitch and getting through to that one target or contact that could lead to your greatest deal!
Why did you decide to join Tangent as a Mentor and why should others join as Mentors too
After a long career in sales I have also enjoyed sharing my experiences, helping young people to understand business and encourage their successes. I build a good team around me and ensure they know trust goes both ways. I get to know them personally, their family and their aspirations - Only then can I see what drives and motivates them, and what they want to achieve, then i remind them of their goals on those tough calls and when they succeed, and how much they put on the line to enjoy those rare moments of achievement.
I enjoy giving my time to people who are appreciative and in years to come could mention two or three people that stopped to help them in their career (like my mentors did for me) and that may inspire them to do the same.
I would encourage anyone to become a Mentor as what you may think is just general skills and knowledge to you, may be invaluable advice to someone else honing their skills. It is very rewarding to see other succeed from your guidance
Ready to make a difference?
A few hours a month, a lifetime of impact. Tangent connects you with aspiring Business Development Reps from socially diverse backgrounds for short-term mentoring and an employee referral.
Sign up to be a Tangent Mentor today 👇
