First things first…

Check out The BDR Summit here and keep up-to-date when tickets are announced for November 16th! Looking forward to seeing you there!

What am I seeing this week: The perfect SDR hiring profile?

One of the biggest questions I received is what kind of profile you should hire for SDRs. Should you hire with lots of experience or fresh graduates?

I would instead look at it more in these key attributes:

• Fire in the belly

• Inquisitive

• Competitive background

• Resiliency

Why? Because these are intangible skills, you cannot teach them over time. I have found during hiring hundreds of SDRs that if they have these four intangible attributes, they will be your most successful SDRs.

One other thing: Nowhere there have I mentioned schooling or background. It is irrelevant in my mind and provides no insights into the above.

If you want to build a winning SDR, take my advice and look at these skills to build your SDR team out

Five questions of the week

This week, we have Dominik Bernert of Github joining the newsletter! Dominik will discuss Snarky Puppy, Never going alone and tailoring your message to avoid the wrath of email recipients!

Who are some leaders you have looked up to, and whose leadership styles have you tried to emulate?

If I had to pick one person, I would go with Michael League, the bandleader of Snarky Puppy. This might initially seem unconventional, but his approach to leading a band has much in common with managing a team in a business environment. When you come from an IC role and go into management, you must flip your mindset and act differently. Michael cannot play like a solo bass player when he leads his band; instead, he’s playing a supporting role. You cannot be too loud to play too much yourself; rather, you have to orchestrate everything around you and let other people shine. Michael also puts other people first when he composes pieces and plays with people he’s never met before - it’s all about creating the best result in the environment in which you are. It would be best to adapt to different styles, backgrounds and personalities. This allows you to push songs in new directions and create the best energy. These are some of the principles I try to apply in leadership.

When did you realise that leadership was the career path you wanted to follow, and how did you make it happen? 

I have always been passionate about providing others with the tools to grow. Having moved to the Netherlands, I knew I wanted to combine my background in teaching and make a difference in the business world. I first wanted to gain experience as an IC and was lucky enough to be chosen for my current role against other applicants. Thanks to my position, I feel like I have combined the best of both worlds: Not only do I get to help other companies grow, but I also get to work with an incredible team around me that I support and learn from and vice versa; it’s a great symbiotic relationship.

What are the main challenges you face when running a European team? 

Since there are a lot of different languages in Europe, you get to tailor content and messages to many other markets. From a planning perspective, it is also essential to account for cultural differences and react to changes in the economy of a particular region. If people work across multiple countries, it keeps them on their toes: What works well in one territory might not work in another, so you always have to be nimble and try different things.

Drawing on all your experiences so far, what advice would you give to a young Dominik’s first day as a manager? 

Never go alone - make sure you have a mentor and buddy you can talk to about anything, use as a sounding board, and get regular feedback. Once you are a manager, the dynamic can feel different, so you must be surrounded by supportive people who help you grow and provide advice and an outside perspective. There will be many challenging situations you have never faced before, and if you discuss them with someone you trust, you will significantly accelerate your learning.

How do you anticipate evolving the SDR role in the next two years? 

Given the recent trend of AI in outbounding, breaking out of standardised patterns and demonstrating human value will become more and more critical. Many leaders are bombarded with AI-generated emails, so it is becoming increasingly important to show them that there is a person who knows the prospect’s business, did adequate research and tailored a message to provide them with value.

Book of the week

And Finally!

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