Listen on Apple or Spotify​

---

Hi Reader,

Notes from a Female Founder

It took me a long time to understand why I need to put myself first. I still have trouble doing it. But not putting myself first led me down a path of struggle. Founders who figure it out early have the advantage. Remember Nikita. She's disciplined about her exercise routine, good nutrition, and hydration. Take note. We won't all do it the same way, but we all need to exercise, get good sleep (I wear an Oura ring to monitor that), eat well, with plenty of protein, and hydrate. Allow yourself to rest. It's not optional. It's not "I'll sleep when I'm dead." We have to stay sharp to drive revenue. When we don't take care of ourselves, our brains can't do their best work. Take it from someone who knows firsthand.

Sales Sharpenher

Here are a few questions to ask to tune up sales at your company this week.

1. Who is our ideal customer? What type of company is most likely to buy from us?

2. What are the titles of the people on the buying team? What is the title of the one who usually makes the final decision?

3. When you win a deal, on average, how many people have you involved? When you lose a deal, on average, how many people have you involved?

This week’s conversation

In the early days, when they couldn't afford PR, Thyme ran a race dressed as a tampon to get attention. Training around town in costume, including running past the local high school, didn't sit well with school officials, and she still laughs about it now, but it worked.

​Denielle Finkelstein and Thyme Sullivan are cousins who hadn't spoken in over 30 years until a Facebook message reconnected them, and within weeks of catching up they were building a company together. They left successful corporate careers, in fashion and consumer goods, to launch Unicorn, a company that places period products in every bathroom stall through an easy-to-install dispenser. They started as a retail business with real traction. But their own customers told them retail wasn't the answer, so they walked away from it entirely to rebuild as a B2B company. Because they hadn't taken venture capital, they had the freedom to make that pivot on their own terms. They later learned that leading with empathy alone didn't close enterprise deals, showing customers like JPMorgan Chase the ROI did.

"You have to take care of yourself first, then your family, and then the business. The business will then follow." – Denielle Finkelstein

👉 Listen to the episode - and forward it to a founder who needs to hear that it's never too late to start something new.

On LinkedIn this week

I shared why asking for help isn't a luxury you can't afford, it's the thing you can't afford to skip. Includes a shoutout to a founder who makes it easy.

👉 Read the LinkedIn post​

To Your Sales Success,

Alice Heiman

​
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​