About This Episode

For this special episode of MSP Business School, the hosts share how they got into sales positions early in their careers. Wins and losses, horror stories and personal triumphs, this episode is packed with no-holds-barred stories and invaluable lessons.

1:03 – Robb starts us off with a winding journey from the Army to the MSP industry. He shares how he learned different sales techniques and tactics from each industry he’s worked in, including a very important lesson in how not to do things during his (very) short stint in risk management.

5:52 – We turn to Tim, who shares how his first straight commission job after college didn’t quite work out. He describes how a recruiting position taught him about sales (a near altercation in a hotel lobby and all), and how he ended up at an MSP after the recession.

10:23 – Brian regales us with tales of his salesman father and how he was told from a young age that he would follow in his footsteps. He takes us on a path from trying to out-sell the top shoe salesman at the mall as a teenager to getting kicked out of a meeting before it even started at his first full time job.

16:06 – Brian shares a truly disturbing story that highlights the darker side of sales and solidified his resolve not to prey on people’s insecurities or sell on fear, uncertainty, and doubt.

20:55 – The hosts compare notes about the MSP industry, agreeing that it’s one of the most supportive communities they’ve ever experienced. They each share how they tried to leave the world of MSPs but got sucked back in because they love it so much.

23:47 – Robb and Brian discuss how the sales industry has changed dramatically, but how the tried-and-true methods and philosophies remain the same, stressing the importance of relationship building and trust above all else.