Victor Stern, a senior tech/b2b sales executive, recently joined Agricam, a leading #agtech player, and he has quickly rosen the ranks and is now a leader of a high perfomring sales team. He attributes the success to the 12 month WALK sales management program.
"Sales result has improved with more than 5x looking back"
Victor Stern has recently taken over the reins at Agricam where he is leading a high performing sales team that quickly is expanding it's market share. Transitioning to sales management, he has succesfully overseen the transformation of the sales team, step by step implementing a new sales methodology suported by talents, processes, tools and data.
"Agricam offered me that opportunity to grow, also offering me the opportunity to successively, step by step, transition in a management role with help of coaching and an experienced mentor from WALK."
"Successful and sustainable growth is the sum of multiple areas of functional excellence"
" Agricam have succeed by hiring great people that like to work with each other and provided them with the structure and tools to succeed"
Q: Victor Stern, what is your current role?
A: I 'm working at Agricam, as Cow Account Director and team lead for a team of a total of six sales executies. Over 90% of our business is new customers so we are quickly adding market share in Sweden and internationally.
Q: You decided to leave a successful sales career in a listed company to join a scaleup, why?
A: I had carried with me a desire to try out leadership and Agricam offered me that opportunity to grow, also offering me the opportunity to successively, step by step, transition in a management role with help of coaching and an experienced mentor from WALK. Furthermore, I had a desire to transition to a market that clearly captures sustainability trends.
Q: How is it to transition from an enterprise high tech to high velocity sales farming industry?
A: Agricam sells and delivers in a high paced environment, so being on top of activities and data is key. Based on the activity levels we can with 7% forecast error predict the results of a sales rep. Seeing as the market is not consolidated the average sales per contract is rather fixed, meaning that each sales rep needs to do the heavy lifting to succeed. Nobody can hide. At enterprise level, you can score one deal and make your quota, or you can have one big customer expanding with more users and then “you are home”. I would therefore like to say that to sell in a fast-moving environment is a little bit more “hard-core” as it requires of each sales rep to master most of the processes in above the average level – we are B2B-selling in a high velocity B2C-rate.
Q: What are the key learnings so far in your management career?
A: First, to work data driven and ensure that there are metrics about pipeline velocity, activity levels and performance, such as revenue, win-rate etc. With the right process and tools, sales team can achieve great results. Second, sales reps and teams are not isolated lone rangers – they are dependent on teamwork, more so than many other teams in a company. It has been a tremendous joy to see how we at Agricam have boosted growth rates by working with teams such as demand generation, customer success, brand marketing and product strategy. Successful and sustainable growth is the sum of multiple areas of functional excellence.
Q: You are leading today a high performing sales team. Could you mention some success criteria?
A: First and most important of all is teamwork and open culture, where we expect of all to support in customer growth. We like performers; however, we demand results based on team culture and don’t accept deviations in this regard. Working in a modern environment, with clear roles and structure we didn’t need to undertake any corrective actions. Best-practice and high performance is quickly adopted by others – everybody can see what works. That leads also to my next conclusion, structure makes a great culture. Setting the right expectations, goals and providing tools that are transparent automatically creates an open culture with teamwork as a key foundation. Third, and most importantly, hiring reps that are willing to succeed and learn and that harbor innate cooperative capabilities. Basically therefore, at Agricam have succeed by hiring great people that like to work with each other and provided them with the structure and tools to succeed.
Q: How has the sales talent management program helped you to succeed?
A: The sales talent management program has by far been the most comprehensive and useful sales management course I’ve ever attended in my career. I’ve developed my skills in all steps of the sales process and my sales result has improved with more than 5x looking back. I’m absolutely convinced that the tools and methodology learned during the course will be used throughout my sales career and crucial to my continued sales development. I would recommend anyone who wants to maximize it’s sales potential this course since it’s been a game changer for me.
