Fostering success requires a unique blend of expertise, adaptability, and strategic collaboration. In a recent episode of Trailside Talk, Pete Todd, President of Veltiosi Advisors, shared about his remarkable career journey from starting out in engineering to gaining deep knowledge and insights in sales leadership.
Pete Todd’s journey began with a foundation in biomedical engineering, a field that initially sparked his interest. However, as Pete immersed himself in the world of engineering, he discovered a newfound passion for sales.
“A funny thing happened when I started working in engineering”, Pete shared, “ I realized I enjoyed talking about my engineering work more than actually going back to my cube and doing it. So I went back to USC got my MBA and went into technical marketing for Toshiba Semiconductor and it was a great job because I loved working with engineers and I also enjoyed meeting customers. I saw marketing and sales at that time as just an opportunity to problem solve. To me, I wasn’t really a sales guy, I was more of an engineer just problem-solving in a sales environment. But then when a role opened up Toshiba for me to really join the sales team, I jumped at it and then started my career in sales.”
Founding Veltiosi Advisors: A Vision for Growth and Improvement
The genesis of Veltiosi Advisors, Pete’s consulting firm, stemmed from a desire for autonomy and a passion for helping companies thrive. Drawing on his Greek heritage, Pete chose the name “Veltiosi,” derived from the Greek word for improvement. Veltiosi Advisors is dedicated to helping companies refine and enhance their sales operations, fostering sustainable growth and development.
Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating for Success
Central to Pete’s success story are his strategic partnerships with ACP (Align Capital Partners) and WhiteRock. Through networking and forging meaningful connections, Pete leveraged these partnerships to drive significant growth for the companies he advises. ACP’s reputation for excellence and integrity, coupled with WhiteRock’s expertise in CRM systems, proved instrumental in enhancing sales effectiveness and fostering organizational success.
One of Pete’s keys to success in conjunction with his partnership with ACP involves implementing a sales playbook. “The Playbook gets into the proper org structure, personnel, what skills are needed, what roles they should have, how to set goals, how to put an opportunity pipeline together that would accurately capture the stage of any opportunity in the sales process, and in many cases, it means putting a formal sales process together. That leads to forecasting, territory planning, account planning, and along the way a ton of one-on-one coaching.”
Key Insights and Strategies for Success
Throughout the Trailside Talk episode, Pete shared a wealth of insights and strategies drawn from his extensive career in sales leadership. One of the key themes was the importance of understanding and adapting company culture. Pete stressed that recognizing where a company currently stands and having a clear vision for where it needs to go is crucial for fostering success.
He also highlighted the role of effective sales processes. Drawing from his experience and methodologies like MEDDPICC, Pete explained how a structured approach to sales—focusing on early-stage discovery and qualification—can significantly enhance a team’s ability to identify and capitalize on genuine opportunities.
Another critical aspect Pete discussed was managing change within organizations. He likened it to preparing for a marathon: gradual, consistent effort is required to build the necessary capabilities and mindset for success. Change can be challenging, and sometimes it can even result in turnover within the team for those not up to that challenge, but ultimately it leads to stronger, more committed personnel aligned with the company’s goals.
The Impact of Processes and People on Success
In regard to Pete’s process from company to company, he shared, “When there are problems my experience has taught me it’s usually a people or a process issue. Maybe the person isn’t trained right. Maybe there’s just a lack of a process or the process that is in place just won’t meet the business requirements that are outlined. Conversely, when things are going great, it’s usually because the company’s got great motivated people and really well timed out process.”
Pete also shared that, “a real successful process is one that doesn’t rush into offering a price but uses the early stage of the process to really understand what’s happening with the customer.”
Another key to success is having systems in place for your sales team. “One of the big things that I’ve now learned is that of course a sales leader can be challenged, gifted, and working with their sales teams, but if they don’t have the data and the systems at their fingertips, business moves too quickly not to be able to have that information. WhiteRock has been very key in putting systems together to allow not only sales leadership to see the activity and to see the progress in the status of the business, but also to enable our salespeople to be able to do their job better and more effectively mainly in more effective use of our CRM tool.”
Looking Ahead: A Vision for Continued Impact
As Pete Todd’s journey demonstrates, success in sales leadership requires a multifaceted approach grounded in expertise, adaptability, and strategic collaboration. With a commitment to continuous improvement and a focus on building strong partnerships, Pete’s vision for Veltiosi Advisors is poised for impact in the ever-evolving landscape of sales leadership consultancy.
In an era marked by rapid technological advancements and evolving consumer preferences, navigating success in sales leadership demands a forward-thinking approach and a commitment to excellence. Through his inspiring journey and invaluable insights, Pete Todd offers a roadmap for aspiring sales leaders and business professionals seeking to thrive in today’s competitive landscape. As organizations embrace innovation and collaboration, Pete’s story serves as a testament to the transformative power of strategic partnerships and a steadfast dedication to growth and improvement.
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