First things first…

This week, my parents are visiting from the UK; it’s the first time I've seen them in 10 months, and just in time to watch the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals! So this will be a fun few days!

Content of the week

I'm going to start a new section this week! It’s where I will have found some of the best social media content and added it here!

• The Ultimate Email Cheat Sheet

What am I seeing this week: Are your SDR org's foundations made of Sand or concrete?

It would be best if you built rock-solid foundations for any SDR organisation, especially around the operational aspects of the role.

SDRs should not be in control or influence these decisions. They should be made above their level.

Creating straightforward, Ideal Customer Profiles and Total Addressable Markets for your SDR to tap into means vital cross-functional alignment with:

1️⃣ C level
2️⃣ Marketing
3️⃣ Sales

Then, we can start talking about actioning SDR motions.

Please, please, please, when you start your FY24 planning, believe that SDRs can ‘figure out’ who to go and call. That’s up to you as leaders! Or the classic, cyclical motion of hiring, firing and hiring SDRs will continue in your org!

For those new to the newsletter and like what you are seeing, please click on the subscribe button, and you’ll receive this top-quality newsletter in your inbox every Friday morning!

Five Questions of the Week: Andy Laws

This week, we have Andy Laws from Braze! Andy’s journey has been incredible, From elite sport to becoming an SDR leader AND running several side hustles!

It's a nice, easy one to start…What is your ‘Why’ for being in the SDR space?

It’s simple. To help young, talented people kickstart their careers in tech sales.

I started my post-elite sports career as an Academy Coach for a professional team. I fell in love with talent identification, cultivation, and graduation to the senior squad.

I see my role now as an SDR Leader as the same.

I’m here to spot innovative, creative, and emotionally intelligent people, equip them with the basics of sales, and then pass them into the other go-to-market functions.

Pipeline Generation is merely the byproduct of talent development.

How has the SDR role changed since you began your career at Braze 4 years ago?

The most significant difference for our BDRs today, over 2019 when I joined, is the amount of support, resources, and customer references at their disposal.

I was fortunate to enter the organisation under superb leadership who’d worked tirelessly to build scalable processes and frameworks - many of which are still leveraged today.

Today’s BDRs join the company with a phenomenal sales productivity team, marketing engine, and history of successful BDR content to leverage.

Braze is no longer seen as a ‘challenger’ in most markets, with a solid customer base across industries and far greater brand awareness. There’s less brand education required, and there’s more of a focus on articulating core differences in the value proposition to other players in the space.

What would be your advice to someone who wants to follow in your footsteps into leadership?

I think with any role, it’s essential to understand what it looks like.

I advocate appraising your strengths, weaknesses, energy givers, and detractors. Then, layer over the top the requirements of the role to decide whether it aligns with your skills and personality.

People can often gravitate towards leadership for the title and perceived status. This is the wrong motivation.

My guidance for anyone seeking to explore leadership is first to understand you’re there to serve, support, and facilitate. The best leaders don’t stand atop the platform but elevate their people to it instead.

One component of the role that people don’t immediately appreciate is the likelihood of handling tough conversations. Whether performance-based, well-being-related, or political, you must get comfortable with uncomfortable discussions.

Since you began posting content online, what would you say has had the most significant impact on you? 

Simple - understanding the power of consistency.

I periodically post about the profound impact that James Clear’s book, Atomic Habits, has had on my career.

He’s the reason I started writing online.

The sooner you embrace and act on daily micro-actions, the sooner you’ll accelerate towards your goals.

I set out to post online every day 12+ months ago; that was the challenge.

In that time, I’ve refined my copywriting, monetised my brand into a five-figure side hustle, and enjoyed several new, high-calibre relationships - none of which was designed.

What was the impetus behind building RevRocket?

RevRocket was born from reps, leaders, and organisations asking me for advice.

In the space of 4-years, I’ve gone from entry-level BDR to Sr. Manager and learned a heap along the way. I’ve also been fortunate to learn under some of the best leaders I could’ve asked for.

RevRocket is now in place for me to pass on that information, assist with laying healthy, scalable foundations, and troubleshoot issues within the revenue development function.

With several clients already, we’re working with them on:

• Rep & Leadership Coaching

• Hiring & onboarding

• Process documentation

• Performance management

• Demand-Gen strategy development

• Founder advising

It has been a blast and equally an opportunity to continue accelerating my learning and facilitating growth for others and their organisations.

Book of the week

And Finally! I need your Feedback!