My guest today is Armen Zildjian, VP of Sales at Clockwork, which is a financial planning and analysis platform for growing businesses and their advisors. Armen has over 20 years of international software sales and sales leadership experience, and has helped take multiple scale multiple tech companies, including Drift, which achieved $1B valuation in 2021, LogMeIn (IPO), GrabCad (acquired by Stratasys), and Dyn (acquired by Oracle). He knows what it takes in the beginning, managing early-stage sales teams with little structure and process, all the way through international expansion with millions in revenue and a global sales team.
In this episode he talks about his process for how he makes it all happen.
Here are several key takeaways from the interview:
Empowering Small Businesses: How Clockwork helps small businesses succeed by providing accurate and timely financial data through financial advisors.
Understanding Customer Value: The significance of truly understanding the customer’s problem and the value Clockwork can offer.
Iterative Sales Processes: The need for constant adaptation in sales processes, with feedback loops and certification programs ensuring success.
Hiring and Curiosity: Why hiring experienced salespeople and fostering natural curiosity are crucial for sales success.
Motivation and the ‘Why’: The importance of having a clear goal and understanding the motivation behind actions in sales.
Empathy in Management: Armen’s management style focuses on empathy, understanding the whole person, and unlocking their potential.
This episode is packed with actionable advice for sales leaders looking to scale their teams and empower small businesses! Tune in and let us know your key takeaway.
Timestamps [00:00] Introduction and Background. [02:20] Clockwork’s Vision and Value Proposition. [08:49] Growth and Scale: IPO or Acquisition? [14:30] Building and Fine-Tuning the Sales Process. [19:27] Handling Challenges in a Fast-Growing Startup. [23:42] Staying Focused and Disciplined in Decision-Making. [28:13] The Role of Sales Reps and A/B Testing. [32:10] Core Principles and Skills for Sales Success. [34:07] Understanding the ‘Why’ Behind Your Actions. [37:10] The Impact of Developing Others. [40:31] The Drive to Win: Having a Chip on the Shoulder. [51:01] Finding Fulfillment in Hobbies and Interests.