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Closing Time: quick insights from sales & marketing expertsAuthor: Insightly
Closing Time is a weekly podcast with insider tips and insights for go-to-market leaders. In each episode, you'll meet a luminary in the sales, marketing, or customer success field and get actionable tips and tactics to elevate your game. Each 15-minute episode will go deep on skills to close deals, see the latest on marketing tech, or check out trends to elevate the customer experience. Language: en Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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The three stages of founder-led sales and the path to scaling your startup -- with Lou Shipley
Episode 183
Monday, 16 March, 2026
Founder-led sales is one of the most important skills a startup founder can develop. Before you hire sales reps, build a revenue team, or create a formal sales process, founders are usually the ones closing the first deals and learning what customers actually want. In this episode of Closing Time, Val Riley sits down with entrepreneur and Harvard Business School sales lecturer Lou Shipley, author of Unlikely Entrepreneurs, to break down the three stages of founder-led sales and how founders can transition from personally winning early customers to building a scalable sales organization. You'll learn why founders should close their first 15–20 customers, how to avoid common mistakes when hiring your first salesperson, and what changes when your startup begins scaling a sales team. Watch the episode on YouTube. Want expert advice delivered monthly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Closing Time newsletter to never miss an episode: https://bit.ly/3C5aZUw Connect With: • Lou Shipley: Lou's Unlikely Entrepreneur book // LinkedIn • Val Riley: LinkedIn • Insightly's Website // Unbounce's Website
