In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli interviews Blake Harber, a seasoned sales executive with experience in SaaS companies like HireVue Workstream and Lucid. Blake shares his stories from his leadership journey at Workstream, an applicant tracking system for the hourly workforce. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Blake led a strategic pivot to focus on the restaurant sector, resulting in significant growth. He discusses his experience scaling sales teams, achieving product-market fit, and leveraging networking and educational institutions for recruitment. The episode provides valuable insights into overcoming challenges and driving growth in technology companies.
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Timestamps:
Scaling Sales Team (00:18:09)
Blake discusses hiring over 60 sales reps and the challenges of scaling.
Signs of Product Market Fit (00:18:29)
The speakers explore the indicators that confirm achieving product market fit.
Market Pull and Sales Success (00:18:54)
Blake explains how market demand accelerated their sales cycle and referrals.
Recruiting Strategies (00:20:38)
Blake shares his effective recruiting methods and networking experience in Utah.
Growth and Revenue Milestones (00:23:01)
Discussion on the company's revenue growth from 1 million to over 20 million.
Funding Success (00:23:50)
Blake details raising a $100 million Series B funding round and its implications.
Transition to Consulting (00:24:40)
Blake talks about his move to consulting after stepping away from Workstream.
Engagement Flexibility (00:26:17)
Blake describes his adaptable consulting engagements and their duration.
Focus on SMB Market (00:27:14)
Blake clarifies his specialization in SMB and lower mid-market companies.
Contact Information (00:27:41)
Blake shares how listeners can reach out to him for consulting opportunities.