Selling In Color

We’re thrilled to welcome Roderick Jefferson on this episode of Selling in Color. As the Vice President of Field Enablement at Netskope with over 20 years of sales leadership, he knows how to create bridges between organizations to empower sales to exceed expectations. In today’s episode, we ask him one important question: why aren’t companies hiring more black people?

Many companies are not hiring people of color. Why is this the case?

• It starts at the leadership level; there often aren’t people of color making the hiring decisions.
• The recruiting process is flawed for two main reasons. First, recruiting is based mainly on referrals. And that's usually people who look like you or are in your circle. Second, companies continually recruit from the same schools year after year.
• The cost of this is not just diversity by gender, color, or ethnicity; you lose diversity of thought.
• Unfortunately, we have many people of color who aren’t utilizing the resources and platforms they have to support other people of color.

To current company leaders - here’s how you can help:

• Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Stop doing what you've always done, broaden your horizons and put on a different set of lenses. Think about what is missing on your team, as far as diversity of thought.
• Ask people of color inside your company how to find more people. But don't just say, “how can I find more people like you?” because that puts you in a box. Humbly explain that you’re looking to diversify. 
• From the company perspective, recruiting starts with your website. If there is no show of diversity, equity and inclusion, it makes people of color feel like they aren’t welcome.
• Make sure that your hiring managers are asking to see diverse recruits. 

Roderick’s parting advice:

•  We get excited when a company moves from 1% to 2% in diversity -  that’s the wrong response. 
• To Roderick, diversity means being invited to the table. Equity means being able to order anything he wants off the menu. Inclusion means the people in the restaurant sit down and break bread with him. 
• Get comfortable with being uncomfortable and get away from doing things the way you've always done it. Because the world older generations grew up in doesn't exist anymore. It's not going to happen by accident.

Want to get in touch with Roderick? Find him all over social on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can also check out his website and congratulate him on his new book! 

On today’s episode of Selling in Color, we welcomed Joel Burstein, CEO at Keep it Simple Training and Development and board chair and MBEIC for the Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council. Joel gives us an in-depth look at his perception of sales and how his childhood beliefs shaped those beliefs.

Joel’s childhood shaped his perception of selling.

• Only 20% of salespeople are people of color. The reason? Speaking from his Caribbean-American background, money was a culturally weird thing to talk about for Joel. And, essentially, that’s a guiding component of sales.
• His parents told him he could be anything he wanted to be. But he never thought to look to sales because there was nobody like him in that career.
• Joel didn’t believe a lucrative job existed because he had never been exposed to one.

How to sell when you’re unexpected:

• Childhood beliefs only change through actions. Once you start to do something and see its possibilities, you can see the shift in momentum.
• There are two sales: the first is selling that you belong in that room, and the second is the product.
• Connect with the people you’re selling to based on common ground. Connect on a shared business or family values, something that will prevent the conversation from becoming uncomfortable.
• Sometimes some people take too much pride. Acknowledge that it might be an uncomfortable situation, and look for ways to make it a good position.

Joel’s main takeaways:

• Lots of things we do are habitual. The question then is can you identify them and use them for your benefit.
• It’s not about you. Sometimes it’s about them. Don’t internalize what happens in the sales environment, and try not to take professional conversations to heart.

Want to get in contact with Joel? Connect with him on LinkedIn.

In this episode, join Donald Kelly, and Larry Long Jr discuss how sales leaders prioritize the recruitment and retention of people of color. 

•  Larry Long Jr is the CEO and founder of LLJr Enterprises. A professional speaking motivation, inspiration, sales, keynote, speaking, coaching, training, consulting, and more. 

The recruitment process

• We know that there’s a need to prioritize hiring people of color as employees but knowing is different from doing. 
• We know that a diverse team is a must, and we need women of color, but when we look at companies, they don’t necessarily do it. 
• Diversity sounds good on paper, but it’s challenging to execute. 
• Recruiting has two major parts - the first is the need to go where the diverse talent is. We need to expand our sphere and expose ourselves to other communities. 
• The second part is retention. It’s about knowing how to support the people of color you’ve hired and making them feel welcomed. 
• Companies hire people of color to feel that they’re in a supportive environment, not in a hostile one. 

Recruiting where the diverse candidates are

• Even in the past, many companies and organizations would say that they want more diversity, but they’re not recruiting where the diverse candidates are. 
• They’re not at HBCUs. They are the traditional universities and other mainstream universities. 
• You can’t expect diversity if you don’t have a diverse pool of candidates. 
• It’s difficult to be serious about diversity when the leaders and executives are not diverse as well. 
•  Organizations must be honest and must be comfortable taking it a step further to take action. 
• We need to ask the tough questions to become successful. 
• There has to be a conversation on how your company can advance both the recruitment and retention process. The newly hired people of color feel welcomed and feel equality in the workplace. 
• It’s essential to start at the very top. You need to have the leadership on board and all the other people on the table. 

When it’s not working out for you

• If you observe that things aren’t working out for you, you need to take measures to protect your mental health - your mind, your body, and your soul. 
• The hard truth in some companies is that they don’t prioritize you. So, you need to prioritize yourself. 
• Sometimes you need to change the sandbox you’re playing in if that sand isn’t nice enough. 

“What Gaps in Recruiting Processes are Preventing People of Color From Working in Sales?” episode resources

Reach out and follow Larry Long Jr. on LinkedIn. 

Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns. 

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. 

Are you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real. 

85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation. All text messaging is not equal. Customers respond to people, NOT BOTS. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in conversions. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by NetHunt CRM.

NetHunt CRM is a sales automation tool that lives inside Gmail. It covers a full set of features to manage leads, nurture customer relations, monitor sales progress, and automate sales and marketing workflows. With native-like Gmail and G Suite integration, you can access all the CRM data, launch bulk email campaigns, and set up automated sequences right from your inbox. NetHunt helps to move your leads down your sales funnel and never let the valuable prospects go untouched.

NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first 3 months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan. 

Try NetHunt CRM today →  https://nethunt.com/tse

This course is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. "We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our 2 mins survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. 

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to. 

You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial. 

Audio provided by Free SFX. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder, written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

In this episode, Anita Nielsen joins Donal Kelly as they talk about the gaps in recruiting processes that are preventing people of color from working in sales. 

The challenges across the board

• Anita Nielsen hasn’t worked with many companies that are deliberate in their recruiting of a diverse workforce. 
• There’s a need to have that commitment to do what it takes to reach the people where they’re at and help them draw these people to their companies. 
• Today, it’s getting harder and harder to find good talents out there that fit. The right people are now fewer and far between. 
• This is partly because job seekers are more deliberate about the companies that they go after. 
• People who are looking out for jobs are looking at the company’s website and if they see that the website has all Caucasian/white people then that tells job seekers that the company isn’t deliberate enough to be inclusive in their website. 
• Younger generations today want to help in companies with healthy cultures that have multiple thoughts and are innovative. 
• Organizations need to do two things - to be deliberate and to check themselves. Evaluate your ways on how you are making your workforce more diverse and inclusive. 
• Inclusion isn’t just about getting the right people for the open jobs in your company but it’s also about getting multi-colored buyers.

The gaps in recruiting

• For sales, there isn’t much recruiting that happens out of college. 
• There are several programs in colleges today that are devoted to sales, even graduate schools have some programs that are focused on sales. 
• As an organization, be where the people are. Go to these schools or universities and see the range of the different kinds of people out there. Go out and find the people of color who may be a fit for your company. 
• Check out organizations, forums, and groups with people of color who have the right training and who are perfect additions to your company. 
• As businesses, we need to recognize that we are losing some of the top talents in the industry today if we are not serious about diversifying our workspace. 
• Being deliberate in your recruiting doesn’t happen by accident, it should be a priority. 

“What Gaps in Recruiting Processes are Preventing People of Color From Working in Sales” episode resources

Reach out and follow Anita Nielsen on LinkedIn. 

Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns. 

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. 

Are you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real. 

85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation. All text messaging is not equal. Customers respond to people, NOT BOTS. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in conversions. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by NetHunt CRM.

NetHunt CRM is a sales automation tool that lives inside Gmail. It covers a full set of features to manage leads, nurture customer relations, monitor sales progress, and automate sales and marketing workflows. With native-like Gmail and G Suite integration, you can access all the CRM data, launch bulk email campaigns, and set up automated sequences right from your inbox. NetHunt helps to move your leads down your sales funnel and never let the valuable prospects go untouched.

NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first 3 months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan. 

Try NetHunt CRM today →  https://nethunt.com/tse

This course is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. "We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our 2 mins survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. 

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to. 

You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial. 

Audio provided by Free SFX. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder, written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Sales is for everyone. The truth, however, is that it still has a long way to go in terms of diversity. In this episode, Jaunai Walker joins Donald Kelly as they talked about why we don’t see more black women in sales. 

• Jaunai Walker is in the medical sales industry and she’s been in pharmaceutical sales for about 13 years. Throughout her entire experience in sales, there have only been a few instances that she saw black women in the industry. 
• 
  
• Culturally, sales wasn’t seen as something that’s viable because of the frequent ups and downs. There is not much consistency in sales. 
• 
  
• From an early age, we are taught that consistency is the source of steady income. 
• 
  
• Not all people realize that sales isn’t something we should be afraid of. In fact, a lot of sales skill sets today are important. Sales skill sets are something that one doesn’t have to really dive and learn because most of these skill sets are already innate. 
• 
  
• Since we were kids, we were already learning how to get what we wanted. Knowing how to get what we want is a critical skill set for salespeople. 
• 
  
• There are good days and bad days in sales. There will be times that you won’t be able to get your sales goals but in the grand scheme of things, it’s still one of the most rewarding careers that one could have. 
• 
  
• Black women today can take advantage of the people who paved the way for them to get into the sales industry. They now have mentors who can help and guide them. 
• 
  
• There’s always been a stigma on sales and it’s important that we reduce that stigma, especially for black women. 

Are women paid less?

• Jaunai believes that it’s not just the pay but women are also chipped with the opportunities for growth in the sales field as well. Many still look at black women and see them as the aggressive type. They don’t want to scare the salesforce by putting black women in an executive position. 
• 
  
• Sometimes, it’s even because of the appearance. Jaunai shares that she couldn’t easily wear her natural hair out at the beginning because people looked at her differently. She was also called the Obama Girl by her white counterpart. 
• 
  
• The downside to these obstacles is that you start doubting yourself. On the upside, however, you would eventually start showing up ready to fight for your job. 
• 
  
• Jaunai decided to come on strong and took her stand. She wore her hair naturally, it was her way of being authentic and it didn’t impact her numbers in sales.

Changing the opportunity gap

• If you have a seat at the executive’s table, you need to be aware not only of the opportunities but also of the responsibilities. Don’t forget what you’re supposed to do which is helping others. 
• 
  
• Don’t be tied with the thought that you don’t want to be seen as the person who just wants to bring in more people who look like you. 
• 
  
• You need to become more visible. When you see other people in the industry who share the same color, go up to them and strike up a conversation. Try to form a connection because that’s part of your responsibility. 
• 
  
• Sales is a great industry to be in. So, don’t be afraid to show up because the financial reward is here. 
• 
  
• When you find yourself in the industry, make sure to find the people who are willing to give you tips and share their knowledge with you. 

“Why Don’t We See More Black Women in Sales” episode resources

Reach out and follow Jaunai Walker on LinkedIn. 

Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns. 

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. 

Are you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real. 

85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation. All text messaging is not equal. Customers respond to people, NOT BOTS. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in conversions. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by NetHunt CRM.

NetHunt CRM is a sales automation tool that lives inside Gmail. It covers a full set of features to manage leads, nurture customer relations, monitor sales progress, and automate sales and marketing workflows. With native-like Gmail and G Suite integration, you can access all the CRM data, launch bulk email campaigns, and set up automated sequences right from your inbox. NetHunt helps to move your leads down your sales funnel and never let the valuable prospects go untouched.

NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first 3 months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan. 

Try NetHunt CRM today →  https://nethunt.com/tse

This course is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. "We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our 2 mins survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. 

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to. 

You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial. 

Audio provided by Free SFX. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder, written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Sales is for everyone, no matter the race or color. It’s not just for white people. Today’s guest is Toya Brown-Riberdy. Tune in and listen as Toya Brown-Riberdy and Donald Kelly talk about why recognizing that black people sell every day is now important. 

The ‘black people aren’t good salespeople’ notion

• The notion probably stems from the truth that a lot of black people work nine to five jobs, they have a minimum wage, and that the six-figure jobs are not something that black people should strive for. 
• Toya believes that it’s about the opportunity and the conversations we have around the dinner table. What we see with the people around us prompts us to put ourselves in this certain box and in this box, we can only do limited things. 
• Success for black people often means that you have to be an athlete, a TV personality, or a musician. 
• Not all black people know that sales is also for them.
• In truth, black people are the consummate customer service representatives but unfortunately, it’s not the kind of job that’s presented for most of us. 

The limiting belief

• It somehow comes from the fact that we don’t know that there’s an opportunity. The position of the world and the society is that sales is not a position that you see a black person is doing. In the movies, black people have always been the assistants and the sidekicks. 
• Valuing and getting an education is one way of setting yourself up on the opportunities and roles that you think are outside your realm. 
• Not everyone has the financial capacity to get a college degree. If you have something that you’re good at, then use that edge to get to school. Use the system to your advantage. If you’re good at sports, use that to get an education. 
• Take advantage of any opportunity and don’t pack it up. Stay for the education because that will take you to the next level. 

Sell yourself every day

• We sell ourselves every day in a way that we put our best foot forward at all times. 
• Black people know how it feels to walk into a room and be the only black person there. Sell yourself well and make a friend. Introduce yourself and start a conversation. It’s the same with sales. We pick up the phone and start a conversation first.  
• We have so much more to offer. Other people see so much potential in black people even when sometimes, we don’t see these potentials in ourselves. 

Handling objections

• Black people always face objections, every single day, from the moment we walk into a room full of people and sense that we’re not expected. 
• People always have the perception of how black people talk and act. Until they hear you speak, they won’t really know that you have a proper tone or that you’re articulate. 
• The important thing is that we continue our story and not let that objection get to us. 
• We are resilient and adaptable. Use that to handle objections. 
• Believe in yourself. If you know you have the capabilities to pin down the role, then go to the table with confidence. 

“Changing Perceptions: Recognizing the Black People Sell Everyday” episode resources

Reach out and follow Toya Brown - Riberdy on LinkedIn. 

Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns. 

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. 

Are you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real. 

85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation. All text messaging is not equal. Customers respond to people, NOT BOTS. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in conversions. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by NetHunt CRM.

NetHunt CRM is a sales automation tool that lives inside Gmail. It covers a full set of features to manage leads, nurture customer relations, monitor sales progress, and automate sales and marketing workflows. With native-like Gmail and G Suite integration, you can access all the CRM data, launch bulk email campaigns, and set up automated sequences right from your inbox. NetHunt helps to move your leads down your sales funnel and never let the valuable prospects go untouched.

NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first 3 months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan. 

Try NetHunt CRM today →  https://nethunt.com/tse

This course is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. "We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our 2 mins survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. 

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to. 

You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial. 

Audio provided by Free SFX. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder, written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Sales never occurred to Caleb Norris as a potential career, and despite his struggles in high school, he broke into tech sales fresh out of college. 

He had started to believe limiting ideas about himself before graduation, but he got a job in a restaurant and he had a chance to start working on marketing and ROI for the restaurant. Eventually, he went to college and identified some bigger opportunities for himself. 

Legacy of sales

• Caleb wanted to ultimately land in technology or energy because he recognized that those two industries would never go away. The problem, as he saw it, was that he didn’t really have the skillset for either one. 
• He was connected to someone who was hiring entry-level sellers for a tech company, and Caleb hounded him for a month trying to land an interview. He ultimately earned the interview and was offered a job as a business development rep. Within a month he was managing the team of BDRs. 
• There’s a significant overlap between sales and restaurant work because you learn a lot about engaging with customers and pleasing your audience. If, for example, you focus on the kids, the parents will love you. 
• Caleb calls restaurants “breeding grounds for leaders.”
• People of color don’t typically have a legacy of tech sales in their families. Caleb didn’t either, but he overcame that. 

Mastering sales

• RangeForce works hard to create equal opportunities for many different people, and the company does this by removing the gate-keeping. You can come into the company with no prior knowledge but still earn a place in the company by starting at the beginning. 
• Caleb found that if you’re about your paper or your coin, sales is where you should be. People like the idea of leadership or marketing, but if you can master sales, there’s no limit on your financial game.
• Think of sales as a consultative opportunity. You’re offering something of value, so both sides are winning.
• Find a mentor who is in the industry you’re pursuing; someone who can help you get a foot in the door. People in technology often love to talk about their industry.

Past experience 

• People often cite the need for a four-year degree to land an entry-level sales position, but that isn’t necessarily true. Don’t let that be a deterrent for you.
• The thing that helped Caleb most was learning how a company builds revenue. He learned during his time at the restaurant that there were areas they could improve, and as he studied reports, he looked into the details that helped him understand how the company could operate better to build more revenue. 
• His boss at the restaurant helped him understand how the team’s success could positively impact the people who worked there. Their success would allow other employees to create a great life for their families. 
• His understanding of the intersection between sales and marketing helped him, but he gained it primarily working at the restaurant.
• If you’re a good salesperson, you can overcome that objection.
• Use your powers of influence to land yourself an interview. 
• Even if your past experiences aren’t in sales, they can help you land a sales position. Figure out how you can cast your past experience in the context of sales. 

“How I Broke Into Tech Sales Fresh Out of College” episode resources

Connect with Caleb Norris on LinkedIn to ask questions or hear more about his journey. He’d love to connect you with others who can help. 

Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns. 

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. 

Are you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real. 

85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation. All text messaging is not equal. Customers respond to people, NOT BOTS. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in conversions. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by NetHunt CRM.

NetHunt CRM is a sales automation tool that lives inside Gmail. It covers a full set of features to manage leads, nurture customer relations, monitor sales progress, and automate sales and marketing workflows. With native-like Gmail and G Suite integration, you can access all the CRM data, launch bulk email campaigns, and set up automated sequences right from your inbox. NetHunt helps to move your leads down your sales funnel and never let the valuable prospects go untouched.

NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first 3 months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan. 

Try NetHunt CRM today →  https://nethunt.com/tse

This course is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. "We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our 2 mins survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. 

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to. 

You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial. 

Audio provided by Free SFX. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder, written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

A lot of us grew up believing that sales is for white people. In truth, sales is for everyone. In this episode, Donald Kelly is joined by Agnel Ingalls. Listen to the episode as they both talk about this subject and the assumption that sales is for white people. 

Getting to know Agnel Ignalls

• Agnel only stumbled into sales. He was originally from Kensington, Philadelphia. It’s a poor and drug-infested neighborhood. Growing up, he learned how to prioritize education. 
• Going to school wasn’t easy. He was a 15-year old kid and had to commute for two-and-a-half hours every day to get to school. His day started at 4:30 AM, and he got home by 2 AM. He would transfer from one bus to another and sneak into the school bus to get to school on time. He also worked at Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch after school to pay for his transportation.
• He got kicked out of the school because they found out that he was commuting. He went to a different school, and still, he learned how to be uncomfortable. He still worked and landed an internship, and then he went to college.

The Notion of Sales

• Agnel didn’t think of sales as a career for only white people because he discovered sales when he was in college. 
• He was with one of his professors, and they were going over career paths. Knowing how he loves talking to people, his professor just threw it out there, ‘Sales.’
• Agnel didn’t think that sales was a career for him. Growing up impoverished, however, and always on the search for money, he got interested in sales for the financial gain that comes with it. 
• The stigma that sales is for white people is just that same stigma that everything is for white people. In this generation, we’re trying to move past that mindset. 
• A lot of organizations are now seeing the importance of diversity to improve their team and their revenue. 
• As for sales, it’s no longer just for white people. It’s also for the black and the brown people. It’s for everyone who wants to make a lot of money to help their families and for whatever personal reasons they may have. 
• People only suggest careers in law and medicine during high school because these are the paths that lead to making a lot of money. They don’t mention sales to high school students as potential careers. That’s why high school students don’t know much about it. 

Changing the mindset

• The communities just need a lot of support. 
• There is a need to start educating people and showing people that sales career paths are available for them. 
• It’s also helpful to learn how to be uncomfortable because that feeling will motivate you to move forward. 

“Sales is for White People” Episode Resources

Connect with Agnel Ingalls on LinkedIn. 

Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns. 

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. 

Are you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real. 

85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation. All text messaging is not equal. Customers respond to people, NOT BOTS. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in conversions. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by NetHunt CRM.

NetHunt CRM is a sales automation tool that lives inside Gmail. It covers a full set of features to manage leads, nurture customer relations, monitor sales progress, and automate sales and marketing workflows. With native-like Gmail and G Suite integration, you can access all the CRM data, launch bulk email campaigns, and set up automated sequences right from your inbox. NetHunt helps to move your leads down your sales funnel and never let the valuable prospects go untouched.

NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first 3 months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan. 

Try NetHunt CRM today →  https://nethunt.com/tse

This course is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. "We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our 2 mins survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. 

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to. 

You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial. 

Audio provided by Free SFX. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder, written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

As sales leaders, do we ask ourselves how we can help those coming into sales after us to find success? Sales is difficult if you are without a mentor or coach. In this episode, Jacob Gebrewold talks about the importance of helping new salespeople to succeed. 

Jacob’s beginning in sales

• Jacob didn’t get into sales on his own. It was a team effort in the sense that a lot of people rallied to lead him to where he is right now. 
• He started his first sales development rep role when he was 18 and went on to become an account executive after that. 
• His passion is tied to helping people solve their problems and there is no greater industry where he could solve problems at scale but in the tech space. 
• It wasn't originally his plan but he was tapped by some people on  LinkedIn. He got help from many people on how to navigate the interview process and how to best articulate what he is bringing to the table. 
• Having diverse people in the team who use different methods in solving problems based on their life or work experiences makes the team better. They add value to the team. 

Challenges that hold people from getting into sales

• Oftentimes, people are not aware that a B2B sales career is an option. 
• Some white people who previously didn’t know about tech roles still end up in the tech sales space because of their network and the community they are in. It’s different for black men and women who probably do not hang out at the Golf and Country Clubs. Most of the black people do not have those established social numbers. 
• Generally, there’s a misconception about sales and what salespeople do. 
• It’s also difficult for black people to walk in a space where they don’t see that many people who can relate and understand their experiences. There are some conversations that black people can’t relate to and vice versa and that may leave them feeling lonely and without a sense of real belonging. 

Helping others understand the opportunity in sales

• Black salespeople should be disproportionately equipped out of anyone in any career path to speak about what you do. 
• While money is not the only measure of success or value, it’s still nice to have an impact on your income and sales have that. Many people in sales put in more effort and they are rewarded incredibly. 
• Targeted communication to black folks about what they’re hoping to get done will be helpful. This is something that black sales leaders should be excited to bring to the black community. 
• Sales is a career where you don’t need that tertiary education but would still be able to earn six figures. This truth should be communicated more to the community. 

The Sales for the Culture community

• It’s a community of black sellers for black sellers to make sure that black people are attracted to, empowered in, enabled for, and included in the tech sales profession. 
• Sales for the Culture community is created to make sure that the black folks don’t do the sales game alone. 
• It partnered with a non profit organization called Re:work Training. They tag people from untapped backgrounds, especially the black folks. They give them free training and get them up to speed on how to get a tech sales job. 

“How Can We Help Those Coming Into Sales After Us Find Success?” Episode Resources

Connect with Jacob Gebrewold on LinkedIn. Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns.

There are many black women in sales and despite the challenges, they keep on moving forward to have success. Tune in as today’s guest, Cynthia Barnes, speaks of the challenges affecting black women in sales. 

Cynthia Barnes is the founder and CEO of the National Association of Women Sales Professionals. It’s a member-based organization of women who sell B2B services in a male-dominated industry such as SAAS (Software as a Service), tech, cloud, and others. The organization provides two things to its members: access to laser-focused companies on achieving parity for women in sales and training created by women for women to reach the top 1%. 

Women’s participation in sales

• Anytime there’s an underrepresented population, there will always be challenges that are specific to them and vice-versa. 
• When women are working from home, they aren’t only employees. They are also mothers and wives. They juggle three or more different roles all at the same time. 
• These women are doing a good job of making sure that they’re staying balanced, but that comes at a price. Sometimes at the expense of their mental health. 
• When women give so much to their company, to their husbands, and their kids, they have nothing left for themselves. 
• Cynthia emphasizes the thought that you can’t pour from an empty cup. You always need to fill the cup to be a rockstar at work, home, and with the kids. 
• Organizations can make a difference in ensuring that their employees are appropriately compensated and given the work-life balance they need. 
• When sales members are well taken care of and they’re engaged, their output greatly improves. The money organizations put into their employee care is an investment. 
• The expression, ‘Happy wife, happy life,’ is also applicable at work. If women in sales are happy, engaged, supported, and heard, they’ll be able to perform better. As it is, women already outsell men by 5%. With that support system at work, women can do so much more. 

Challenges women face in sales

• Sales leaders who did not grow up with a diverse background will less likely prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion because it’s only thought to get more revenue, not an actual idea where they feel and see tangible results. 
•  With the racial and systemic bias in the previous year, many companies wanted to get women in sales. They wanted not only black women but also the other underrepresented minorities. 
• The problem is that there are no programs in place to elevate women in sales. They only attract them but they do not make an effort to retain them. 
• There are still no organizational changes that make the women feel respected, welcomed, and represented. 
• When it comes to bringing in more diversity to the table, all you often see is a team of leaders who are all men. 
• Women are leaving the workforce because they can’t be a wife, a mother, and a teacher at the same time. 
• It’s about creating a culture of belonging. Women should have a voice at the table, not just a seat. They need to be heard and to be treated fairly. 

Breaking the barriers

• There should be more women in leadership roles. 
• As a leader of an organization for women in sales, part of Cynthia’s responsibility is to empower women to have the right mindset, get the right verbiage, and build awareness around microaggressions. 
• Women shouldn’t sit idly waiting for the opportunities that they’ve already earned. 
• Women should be the change that they want to see. 

“Challenges Affecting Black Women in Sales?” episode resources

Connect with Cynthia Barnes on LinkedIn. You can also check out their official site here. 

Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns. 

This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. 

Are you sick of crickets? The pain of sales reps continually reaching out with phone calls and emails and not receiving a response is real. 

85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation. All text messaging is not equal. Customers respond to people, NOT BOTS. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in conversions. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by NetHunt CRM.

NetHunt CRM is a sales automation tool that lives inside Gmail. It covers a full set of features to manage leads, nurture customer relations, monitor sales progress, and automate sales and marketing workflows. With native-like Gmail and G Suite integration, you can access all the CRM data, launch bulk email campaigns, and set up automated sequences right from your inbox. NetHunt helps to move your leads down your sales funnel and never let the valuable prospects go untouched.

NetHunt CRM offers TSE listeners a 40% discount for the first 3 months along with free user training and a dedicated Customer Success Manager with any pricing plan. 

Try NetHunt CRM today →  https://nethunt.com/tse

This course is brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. "We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our 2 mins survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. 

We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to. 

You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial. 

Audio provided by Free SFX. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder, written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.