David Reed

I have a Sales Manager role open. $110K base salary… and over $200K OTE. Why? Because this manager oversees 10 direct reports… and each rep is already a strong producer. The person in this role makes bonus based on the GP of each rep...so it’s not a “build-from-scratch” position. It’s leadership + support. And it’s lucrative. Yesterday, one of my recruiters brought me a candidate with 20 years of experience. I took a look...on paper, great. But they listed their desired base salary as $165K. I kept digging. Since 2018, they’ve had five different roles. A mix of individual contributor positions and their current role as a manager. I paused. My recruiter said, “But they have 20 years of experience.” Yes… but in today’s market, that’s not the only thing that matters. Here’s the deal: If someone is currently making over $165K in a sales leadership role… why are they looking? Especially for a position with a base of $110K? More importantly: In sales, performance shows up in tenure. If you’re jumping from company to company every 12-18 months… most hiring managers assume one thing...you aren’t producing, so you leave (or get pushed out) before it gets uncomfortable. I’m not saying that’s always the case. Life happens. We’ve all had tough seasons, bad leadership, companies that failed us. But here’s the reality: Most hiring managers won’t give you the benefit of the doubt. They’ll skip over the resume. You won’t get the chance to explain. So here’s my advice if this resonates with you: ✅ Use your LinkedIn and resume to tell the story of your moves. Add a one-liner for each transition if it wasn’t performance-based. Layoffs, restructuring, relocations, acquisitions, family care...all valid. Just explain it. ✅ If you’ve had a rocky 5 years, highlight results over dates. Quantify your wins. What deals did you close? What teams did you build? What GP did you drive? ✅ Make sure your current title matches the job you want. If you're managing people, emphasize that. If you're mentoring reps, say so. The truth is… great candidates get skipped all the time for preventable reasons. Let’s fix that. If you’re in sales and your resume looks a little jumpy...DM me. I’ll tell you how a recruiter reads it, and how you can better position yourself.

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Let’s talk about something most sales leaders ignore: You can’t outwork a lack of belief. You can make the calls. You can work the pipeline. You can grind from sunup to sundown… But if you don’t believe in: The value of what you sell The mission you’re a part of Or your own ability to grow and lead You’ll burn out. Or break down. Or just exist in this space of quiet frustration that eventually pushes you out. Belief is the engine. Effort is just the gas pedal. And if the engine’s empty? The hustle won’t move you very far. Don’t just train your team to work harder. Train them to believe deeper.

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Compliance mistakes in cannabis retail aren’t just “oops” moments... They can cost you your license. 🚨 From purchase limits to customer conversations, every interaction matters. That’s why compliance and communication can’t be treated as separate issues. They go hand in hand 🤝 In our latest guest blog, Donald T. Spann, CEO of Call Canna, shares practical strategies to: ✅ Keep your team current on fast-changing regulations ✅ Standardize customer interactions to minimize risk ✅ Use call centers trained in cannabis compliance to protect your license Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ev9SDdUc #compliance #cannabiscompliance

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Cookies Co-founder and CEO Gilbert Milam (aka Berner) sat down with Ari Melber at MSNBC to discuss the impact of tariffs on the cannabis business. Check out the video now for industry-leading insight. How do you think tariffs will impact the cannabis industry?

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Waiting on marketing to “approve your messaging” is why your pipeline is empty. If you’re in sales and still waiting on a polished PDF, a glossy flyer, or a pre-approved sequence to tell your story… You’re already behind. The best reps today don’t wait on marketing. They are marketing. They post. They share stories. They build credibility. They create conversations that turn into deals. You don’t need a degree in branding to be visible. You need guts and clarity: 💡 Who do you serve? 🔍 What problems do you solve? 📣 What do your buyers need to hear from you? Say that—consistently, creatively, and boldly. Because in today’s market, being a great closer isn’t enough. If you’re not visible… You’re not even in the conversation. Start talking to your market. Start showing up with value. Start making noise worth paying attention to. Your voice is your competitive edge. Use it. What’s stopping you from showing up consistently online? Is it clarity… or confidence? Let’s talk 👇

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COMMON OBJECTION HANDLING MISTAKE Getting defensive. Objections aren’t roadblocks – they’re opportunities to understand your buyer’s real concerns. Listen carefully, ask questions, and address the root cause, not just the surface objection. Master this, and you turn skeptics into champions.

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The PEO Alignment Review™ exists because ‘good enough’ became policy. → Most renewals don’t collapse from bad pricing. → They collapse from invisible drift no one measured. The Review isn’t about switching vendors. It’s about restoring visibility before renewal math locks in another year of assumptions. Each Review forces a CFO to ask → Is this structure aligned with how we create enterprise value? → Or has convenience replaced governance? The Review doesn’t compare PEOs. It compares your current setup to the standards your investors already expect — margin integrity, compliance certainty, capital efficiency. When governance is missing, renewal season becomes damage control. When governance is present, it becomes margin protection. The PEO Alignment Review™ exists to reintroduce proof. Because without proof, “good enough” becomes policy.

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Sales comp rule of thumb: 💰 50% base / 50% variable 🏆 Top performers can double their base with commission, incentives or bonuses Beverage industry reality? Not even close. Despite being driven by sales professionals, beverage compensation is misaligned and varies widely by tier: 🥤 Distributor reps: little (or no) base + heavy commission 🍾 Supplier reps: solid base + capped 20–25% bonus Same talent pool. Totally different pay models. This makes it even harder to attract top sales talent and for sales professionals to move between tiers. At Seed to Scale Talent, we’re fixing that. 🚀 Starting in 2026, every Brand Cultivator can match their retainer with performance-based incentives. ✔️ No unpaid effort ✔️ Real upside for top performers ✔️ Protection from over-paying for non-performance ✔️ Alignment with how elite sales orgs operate Better comp. Better talent. Better results. 💬 Want in? Comment below or send me a DM! Follow us at Seed to Scale Talent!

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If someone asks if sales is hard, just show them this video. Farley & Sandler say it best. ..... Though difficult, sales is extremely rewarding. Don't take it or life too seriously... Have fun! Here's what you need to be successful: Keep your full pipeline. Find a great mentor. Follow their advice. Treat people with respect. Serve them well. Work hard. What would you add to this list? Who is your favorite SNL actor of all time? Farley, Sandler, Will Ferrell, Bill Murray, Kristen Wiig, Eddie Murphy, Andy Samberg → I can't pick just one. ***** Follow + 🔔 for positive, encouraging content ♻️ repost if this made you laugh

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The best sales reps aren’t the best talkers—they’re the best listeners. Listen to what it is a prospect is actually looking for. People do not need a sales pitch. They just need someone who actually understands their challenges and can solve those challenges for them. Ask the right questions and offer advice without expecting a sale in return. Before you know it, the sale will naturally follow.

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Sales leaders. Stop running the same one-on-one every week. If your “coaching” call looks like: 👉🏼Opening your CRM 👉🏼Reviewing deals one by one 👉🏼Talking numbers and next steps …you’re not coaching. You’re auditing. We all fall into it. Results matter but development drives results. Here’s the shift 🤙🏼 Your next 1:1 should be a value call, not an accountability call. Before the meeting: ✅ Prepare in advance. ✅ Deep-dive into a few specific deals. ✅ Look for coachable moments, like: Are their emails too generic or impersonal? Are they missing key stakeholders? Can they ask better questions to uncover objections? How are they delivering proposals and what’s actually working? Then, write down 2–3 key points. During the meeting: 🚫 Don’t pull up the pipeline first. ✅ Start with them. How are they doing? What challenges are they facing? Ask questions. Listen. Let them surface the same issues you already spotted then coach through those moments. I promise, this approach changes everything. Your reps will feel supported. Your conversations will get deeper. And yes the results will follow.

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Too many sales leaders treat training like a checkbox. I treat it like a catalyst. When your team understands the why behind the pitch, the how behind the process, and the what that actually moves the needle for your customers, deals close faster, conversations go deeper, and reps go from transactional to trusted. At ePackageSupply, we’re not just teaching people how to sell buckets—we’re teaching them how to build better customer relationships, problem-solve in real time, and win with integrity and grit. I’ve spent my career building programs that turn good reps into great ones. Not with fluff—but with practical, repeatable frameworks that adapt to every customer type, rep style, and sales cycle. Want to level up your sales org? Start by leveling up how you train, coach, and empower. (Also—if you haven’t followed ePackageSupply yet, now’s a great time. Some big things are coming soon. Let’s just say… we don’t play small.) #SalesLeadership #SalesEnablement #SalesTraining #CustomerExperience #PackagingSolutions #WomenInSales #ePackageSupply

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🚨 The Talent Pipeline for Pharmaceutical DSMs Is Broken; Here’s How We Cracked It The best District Sales Managers aren’t always in management. They’re top reps ready for the next step, a type of candidate we call a “tweener.” Hiring high-performing reps works because they already know your market, products, and culture. How to Spot a “Tweener” Candidate 🔹 Mentorship and Coaching Do they guide junior reps or have peers seek their advice? Natural leaders help others succeed. 🔹 Cross-Functional Acumen Have they collaborated with medical affairs or marketing? Do they think beyond their core role? 🔹 Strategic Thinking Can they talk territory trends, competitor strategies, and growth, not just calls and accounts? 🔹 Humility and Resilience Can they step back for the team and handle the challenges of managing others? Interview and Sourcing Strategy 💬 Your Turn: What’s the one hidden quality you always look for in a “tweener” candidate? Share your thoughts below! 👉 Follow Pat Licata, Talent Architect & Recruiter, for more insights on hiring top pharmaceutical sales talent and building high-performing teams #PharmaceuticalSales #SalesManager #SalesLeadership #Hiring #Recruiting #TalentAcquisition #PharmaJobs #MedDevice #DSM #PatLicata #ExecutiveSearch #TalentArchitect

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Hey benefits producers! You don’t need more leads, you need better conversations. When you find yourself behind your sales goal, you tell yourself, “I need more leads.” What you really need is more engagement from the opportunities you have. If your sales conversations aren’t creating momentum and moving your opportunities to close, more leads will only create more noise and frustration. Effective and impactful conversations do three things: 1. They surface problems the employer wasn’t fully acknowledging. 2. They connect benefits strategy to business outcomes. 3. They create motivation to continue the conversation. True advisors don’t rush to impress with their spreadsheet and capabilities presentation. Instead, they slow down to understand by asking the right questions. They don’t ask, “What plans do you have?” They ask, “What’s harder about managing benefits now than it was two years ago?” Instead of explaining solutions, they explore consequences. Sure, pipeline quantity is important, but it’s secondary to quality. Pipeline quality is a direct reflection of conversation quality. If deals stall, it’s rarely because of price. It’s because nothing meaningful that created momentum was established early. Before you chase more leads this week, challenge yourself to elevate just one conversation. Because better conversations beat bigger lists, every time. DM me if you'd like to discuss how we, at Q4intelligence, LLC, can help you create those better conversations.

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Five signs you're working with a fear-based broker 1) They take 4 weeks to provide YOUR loss history when asked for it. 2) They deliver renewals less than 24 hours before the expiration date 3) They get very jealous and gaslight you when you talk with other brokers 4) They withhold sending you YOUR own policies. 5) They spray the market with half-baked submissions 120 days before renewal

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