University of Georgia - Terry College of Business

Go-to-Market Leader  -  Design Thinker  -  Innovator

Endor Labs

Sales Development Director

Launching My Own Venture

After over three years at Colliers, it was time for a fresh start, leading to the inception of Calibr Growth alongside two former colleagues and partners, Nick Arko (SalesLoft) and Ari Myers (former CRO of Apollo). Together, we embarked on a mission anchored in simplicity: helping businesses grow.

Calibr's Unique Approach

What sets Calibr apart isn't just our mission; it's how we achieve it. We bring collective experience and proven playbooks, honed while contributing to some of the most innovative and successful companies. Our expertise spans your entire funnel, assisting early-stage SaaS startups as well as CXOs of century-old, non-tech companies with revenues exceeding $100s of millions.

Bridging Gaps in Sales and Revenue Strategies

Our focus is on aiding businesses with ambitious goals, especially those grappling with uncertainties in strategy, technology, or other growth-related areas. Our approach is tailored, hands-on, and deeply invested in understanding and elevating what our clients are building.

For anyone aiming to drive sales and revenue this year but facing uncertainties, Calibr Growth is your partner in navigating these challenges. We're ready to dive into your story, comprehend your objectives, and explore how we can contribute to your success.

Interested in discovering how Calibr can help? Reach out via DM or visit our website at https://www.calibrgrowth.com/.

Calibr

Partner & Founder

A Life-Altering Call

I intended to stay at Stripe forever. But an unexpected call in October 2019 changed everything one night. We learned some heartbreaking news – my father-in-law, Dan, was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. This moment redefined everything.

In the weeks following, my wife Taylor and I pondered our next steps. I explored the possibility of a remote position at Stripe, but it wasn't feasible at the time. However, life had another plan in store – a unique opportunity arose with Colliers, allowing me to move my career back home.

Embracing Commercial Real Estate

Transitioning from a decade in startups and tech to Commercial Real Estate (CRE) was a leap into the unknown. Shortly after leaving Stripe and moving back from the Bay Area, the world was hit by Covid, and remote work became the norm, including at Stripe. It was a bittersweet irony.

At Colliers, my mission was to bring innovation, tech, and scale into an industry dominated by relationships. I spearheaded the creation of three lean and effective functions: sales development, demand generation, and revenue operations.

Our team penetrated the Fortune 500 where no prior relationships existed. Leveraging Account-Based Marketing (ABM), we built new relationships at scale during a tumultuous period for CRE. Our efforts doubled the pipeline annually, aligning with our ambitious 5-year plan to surpass $75 million in pipe.

Key Lessons Learned

- Relationship Building at Scale: Mastering the art of forging relationships, not just selling products/services.

- Long-Term Customer Journey Tracking: Learning to measure / understand customer journeys spanning +18 months.

-Internal Comms: The importance of vocabulary in driving coherent / productive change.

- Service vs. Product Selling: Acknowledging the unique dynamics of selling services compared to products.

- Managing Complex Tech and Data: Navigating intricate global tech and data challenges to catalyze exponential growth in CRE.

Colliers International

Vice President of Business Development

Joining Stripe's Journey

I had a coffee meeting with the head of sales, beginning a new challenge: launch Stripe's outbound sales. 

The journey to join Stripe was unique. It involved engaging with OG Stripes, Data Science, Product, and Sales leadership – the most challenging process I had faced but being selected as Stripe’s first Outbound Sales Manager was/is a major career highlight.

Leading and Scaling an Exceptional Team

Upon joining, I found myself taking over a team of approximately 4-5 Outbound Business Associates (OBAs), handpicked by Kate Jensen, comprised of superstars. My role was to drive enablement, scale the function, and lead this exceptional team.

With the support of Sales Ops and Talent teams, we rapidly expanded. We tripled the OBA team in the US, opened a new office in Chicago, hired another manager in CHI, onboarded two more reps in APAC, and supported the growth of EMEA OBAs. In less than a year, we went global across multiple geos, growing the team to over 30 members and welcoming a Global Head of Outbound Sales.

Stripe stands out as the most impressive company I had ever encountered. The culture was team-oriented, hardworking, brilliant yet humble. The office buzzed from early morning till evening. Witnessing the company double from 1,000 to 2,000 employees in less than a year, primarily in Sales and Marketing, was incredible. Shout out to Dogpatch Advisors as well.

Key Lessons Learned

- A New Type of Scale: Experiencing first-hand what it takes to build an elite outbound function on a global scale.

- Importance of Talent: Realizing that hiring talented individuals trumps having the best technology or process.

- Embracing Manual: Learning that manual processes can be effective and sometimes preferable, with automation coming later.

-Data Science as a Force Multiplier: Discovering the immense power of working with great minds in Data Science and leveraging data effectively.

Stripe

US Outbound Sales Manager

A New Chapter at ZenLeads/ZenProspect: Building and Leading

The end of my time at Gladly coincided with discovering an opportunity at ZenLeads/ZenProspect. A LinkedIn post led me to connect with Roy Chung, a person of genuine, down-to-earth character. Impressed by Tim Zhang's product and vision, I was ready to dive in again.

First Sales Development Leader: Growth and Transformation

As the first Sales Development Leader, I inherited a team of three high performing outbound SDRs and expanded it to ten working closely with Tim on our plan to revamp everything – from phone scripts to email copy – and team trainings. My role wasn't confined to sales development; I collaborated closely with product, marketing, and customer success teams, contributing to product design, roadmap shaping, and strengthening strategic customer relationships.

Scaling the Team and Achieving Milestones

My efforts extended to hiring and scaling the Account Executive team, including onboarding the first CRO and Director of Sales. With my leadership, we crafted a Sales Development playbook that propelled Apollo from around $2M ARR to approximately $12M ARR.

Navigating Challenges and Celebrating Success

Our journey wasn't without its trials. We faced tough times that tested the company's growth and team morale. But those who persevered were significantly rewarded. The success Apollo enjoys today is a testament to the dedication of Tim, Krish, and many others.

Key Lessons Learned

- Competitive Selling: Mastering the art of selling in a highly competitive market.

- Product Differentiation: Leveraging Product and Product Marketing Management to stand out.

- Team Motivation: Inspiring the team to work hard, persevere through challenges, and celebrate successes.

- Recruiting in a Competitive Market: Navigating the complexities of hiring in a fast-paced labor market.

Apollo

Head of Sales Development

The Sliding Door Moment

A seemingly ordinary morning brought a life-changing LinkedIn message – an invitation from Eric Middleton that would redefine my professional journey. The message read, "Mitch, thanks for connecting. I'm a long-time Silicon Valley startup sales leader...building the sales team in Atlanta." This message was the beginning of a new adventure.

Taking the Leap: Joining a (very) Early-Stage Company

After multiple interviews, trips to San Francisco, and much contemplation, I made the decision to join this early-stage, pre-product, pre-revenue company. This choice not only led me to move to San Francisco, a decision that became one of the best of my life, but it also softened the emotional decision to leave Salesloft.

Growth and Milestones

I joined as approximately the 10th employee, witnessing and contributing to the company's growth through Series A, B, and C funding rounds. My role involved building the playbook that secured over 500 introductory meetings and landing the company's first five enterprise logos. In this process, I was instrumental in hiring and growing the sales development and sales teams, witnessing ARR grow from less than $1M to over $10M.

Key Lessons Learned

- Tech Stack Mastery: I learned to build, implement, and optimize a tech stack from scratch – from ZoomInfo and Salesloft to ProsperWorks (now Copper), Salesforce, and HubSpot.

- Sales Diversity: I gained a deep understanding of the differences between enterprise sales and SMB/mid-market dynamics.

-ABM Execution: Mastering Account-Based Marketing was crucial in this role.

-Beyond Top-of-Funnel: I learned that solving top-of-funnel challenges doesn’t automatically translate to revenue – a hard lesson in the importance of Product-Market Fit (PMF), Product Marketing (PMM), and product strategy.

Gladly, Inc.

Sales Development Manager

SalesLoft

Team Lead

As Innovolt navigated its sale, the same mentor who had initially steered me towards startups suggested I explore a Salesloft. With an office in Atlanta Tech Village, Salesloft was a stark contrast to my previous experiences. With around 15 employees and a streak of doubling revenue month over month, the company was different for all the right reasons.

At Salesloft, leadership demonstrated an extraordinary passion backed by clear vision. The technology we developed was not just innovative; it addressed specific, tangible problems. What truly set Salesloft apart, though, was its culture and core values: an environment built with positivity, support, and a drive for self-starting.

Joining as approximately the 17th employee and departing as the team grew to around 125, I witnessed the company's journey from less than $1M to over $20M in ARR, including Series A and B funding rounds.

Key Lessons Learned:

- Leadership and Passion: I learned what true leadership looks like and how passion can be a powerful driver for growth.

- Culture as a Catalyst: The company's core values were not just words; they were the engine of our growth.

- Innovative Marketing: We thought outside the box, from impersonating Mark Benioff at Dreamforce to creating unique content that built the brand early days.

- Market Education and Awareness: I learned the significance of educating an emerging market about 'the new way.'

Aggressive Go-to-Market Works: Allan Nance’s philosophy of 'starting a holy war with the competition' taught us the value of an aggressive mindset.

- The Power of a Well-Oiled Sales Organization: Our SDR team's astonishing numbers were a testament to what focused training and enablement can achieve.

- Resilience in Adversity: When LinkedIn challenged us, we only grew stronger, showcasing the power of resilience.

- Personal Growth: Above all, Salesloft taught me humility and the essence of being a better team member.

Sales Development

Journey from Wells to Innovolt

After leaving WF, my journey led me to engaging conversations and a pivotal meeting with a helpful recruiter. This encounter opened the door to Innovolt, a company with ambition but seeking direction in its go-to-market strategy.

Early Days in the Trenches of Sales and Marketing

Joining Innovolt as a BDR and the 33rd employee, I immersed myself in the basics of sales and marketing. To put this time into perspective, LinkedIn was less popular than MySpace, and the art of sales as we understand today was very different. Less tech and thought leadership. You just had to figure it out. Thus my days were filled with making 100s of calls on a desk phone, crafting emails via Pardot, and logging tasks manually in our CRM (when I got around to it).

Navigating Changes and Restructuring

Innovolt's journey was dynamic, growing to a team of 50 before restructuring to a core group of 15-20. Amidst the change, the marketing department moved on, leaving me to adapt and refine our approach with a shift towards integrated marketing campaigns.

Key Lessons Learned

This experience was instrumental in teaching me the essence of Sales done the hard way. It honed my skills in running multifaceted marketing campaigns spanning emails, phone calls, ads, and direct mail. Most importantly, it underscored the critical importance of alignment between Sales and Marketing, as well as the need for a strong product-market fit.

In these early stages of my career, I laid the foundations of my expertise, understanding deeply the challenges and opportunities in Sales and Marketing, preparing me to overcome and lead through challenging situations.

Innovolt

Business Development

Suit and tie everyday. No beard. No economy either. Realized I was in the wrong place. Mentor recommended I join this thing called a startup.

Key Lessons Learned: How to network and talk with (not to) people. It's important to figure things out fast.

Mitch Touart