SaaSy Talk S01.25: Inside the Mind of a Successful Global Sales Leader: Pete Blackhurst

About The Guest(s): Pete Blackhurst is a High Growth SaaS revenue leader who has over 22 years of experience and has built and managed high-performance global revenue teams across early to late-stage companies ranging from $2m-$100m ARR across multiple verticals. Known for his motivational and dynamic leadership style, Pete fosters a collaborative and results-driven leadership approach. He believes in empowering individuals to reach their full potential with continuous improvement and mentoring, resulting in a cohesive and high-performing culture across the revenue team.  Summary: Pete discuss his journey into tech and sales, the skills and competencies he has developed, and the importance of having a sales playbook. They delve into the hiring process, the traits Pete looks for in candidates, and the challenges and rewards of running global sales teams. The conversation touches on the impact of burnout in the sales industry and the need for open discussions about mental health. Key Takeaways: Pete's competitive nature and desire to win have been driving forces in his sales career A sales playbook is essential for onboarding and success in an org Asking candidates about their hobbies can provide insight into their character and drive A good sales playbook translates the vision and strategy of the org into actionable tactics The hiring process should involve multiple stages, including role plays and feedback sessions A good ramp-up period for an AE is around six months, but it can vary depending on the company and location The culture of an org is crucial for success and should prioritise collaboration, communication, and continuous learning The sales industry needs to address the issue of burnout and have open discussions about mental health Tech plays a significant role in sales operations but can also create challenges with data collaboration between systems AI has the potential to automate monotonous tasks and allow salespeople to focus more on the customer and the opportunity Quotes: "If anyone tells you that they didn't get into sales for money, they're lying." - Pete  "If they haven't got any questions for me, that's a big red flag." - Pete  "Sales are the first to go because ideally, they're the people who bring in the money." - Pete  "Burnout is a big thing. There's a lot of mental health issues in sales." - Pete  "AI is going to help salespeople do monotonous tasks and focus more on the customer and the opportunity." - Pete  Chapters:  00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:07 Pete’s Journey into Tech and Sales 03:08 Defining a Good Sales Playbook 04:38 Hiring Process and Traits for Success 15:12 Challenges and Mistakes in Sales Leadership 23:09 Understanding the Importance of Financials in an Organization 23:33 Key Metrics and Red Flags in Evaluating a Company 24:05 The Challenge of Accessing Private Company Information 24:59 The Role of Company Culture in Decision Making 25:44 Defining a Good Culture in Sales 26:09 The Impact of Burnout in the Sales Industry 26:31 The Importance of Teamwork and Accountability in Sales 27:18 The Five C's Methodology for a Winning Culture 34:56 The Role of Tech Stack in Sales Operations 37:20 The Rewards and Challenges of Running Global Teams 40:34 Addressing Burnout and Mental Health in Sales 42:54 Quick Fire Round Subscribe on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZVkJ12FIqD39oqgj7Kcjq  Subscribe on Apple:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saasy-talk-unfiltered/id1709426070 Subscribe on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@SaaSyTalkUnfiltered   Subscribe on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saasy-talk-unfiltered Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://substack.com/@saasytalkunfiltered Visit our Website:  https://saasytalkunfiltered.transistor.fm/    Follow Ricky Sevta on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickysevta/   Follow Sean Diljore on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/seandiljore/