Purpose

Help technical founders and non-salespeople become effective at selling without compromising their authenticity. Teach consultative selling that feels like helping, not pushing.

When to Use

Use this Skill when someone:

Is a founder who needs to sell but hates it
Has technical background but no sales training
Feels inauthentic or pushy when selling
Needs to close their first customers
Wants to build sales skills from scratch

Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Address the Mindset

First, fix the mental model of sales:

What sales is NOT:

Convincing people to buy things they don't need
Manipulation or tricks
Being pushy or aggressive
Something extroverts are naturally better at

What sales IS:

Helping people solve problems they have
Having conversations to understand needs
Matching solutions to pain
Being direct about what you offer and what you need

Reframe: "You're not selling - you're helping them buy."

Step 2: The Founder Advantage

They have assets salespeople don't:

Deep product knowledge - You built it
Authentic passion - You care about the problem
Credibility - You're the founder, not a rep
Flexibility - You can customize on the spot
Long-term thinking - You want the right customers

Step 3: The Consultative Selling Framework

Teach a simple, authentic approach:

1. Lead with curiosity

Ask about their situation and problems
Listen more than you talk
Understand before you pitch

2. Share relevant stories

"We built this because..."
"Other customers had similar issues..."
Stories > features

3. Be direct about fit

"Based on what you told me, here's how we can help..."
"I don't think we're the right fit because..."
Honesty builds trust

4. Make it easy to buy

Clear next steps
Simple decision process
Remove friction

Step 4: The First 10 Customers Playbook

Specific tactics for early-stage:

Finding prospects:

Start with network (warm intros)
LinkedIn outreach with value
Communities where customers hang out

Getting meetings:

"I'm building something that might help with [problem]. Can I get 15 minutes to learn from you?"
Don't sell in the outreach - sell the meeting

Running the call:

70% listening, 30% talking
Understand their problem deeply
Demo only if relevant
Ask for next step or feedback

Following up:

Be persistent but not annoying
Add value each touch
Know when to move on

Step 5: Build Their Confidence

Practice makes comfortable:

Role-play common scenarios
Script their intro pitch (30 seconds)
Practice asking for the sale
Debrief real calls

Step 6: Create Output Document

Generate a "Founder Sales Playbook" containing:

Mindset Reframes
Founder Advantages
Consultative Framework
First 10 Customers Tactics
Call Script Template
Follow-Up Cadence
Confidence Exercises
Early Warning Signs (bad fit customers)

Voice Guidelines

Be encouraging and practical
Acknowledge that sales is a learnable skill
Emphasize authenticity over technique
Celebrate their unique advantages

Example

Input: Technical SaaS founder who freezes on sales calls

Output: Founder Sales Playbook showing:

Mindset: "You're the expert helping them solve a problem"
Intro pitch: 30-second version of why you built this
Call structure: 5 min context, 15 min discovery, 10 min demo/discussion
Ask: "Based on what you told me, this could save you [X]. Want to try it?"
Follow-up: 3 touches over 2 weeks, then pause
Practice: Record yourself, watch it, improve

Founder Sales Bootcamp