This Week's Episode:
In this episode of Software Sales Simplified, Matt Long and Kevin Donville engage with Derek Francis, a seasoned sales executive with over 25 years of experience. They discuss Derek's journey from engineering to sales, the importance of culture in building effective sales teams, and the challenges of scaling in the creator economy. Derek shares insights on hiring for potential, navigating over-hiring, and applying enterprise sales principles to new industries. The conversation emphasizes the need for adaptability, continuous growth, and leveraging networks in sales.
About Our Guest:
Derek Francis, Global Head of Revenue Growth for Merchfarm, is a seasoned go-to-market executive with over 24 years of experience in enterprise software, including 16 years leading high-performing teams ranging in size from 4 to over 100. He played a pivotal role in scaling a $4M startup into a $300M global business—now valued at over $5B—through strategic expansion and disciplined execution. Derek has consistently outperformed sales targets at top-tier companies such as IBM, MicroStrategy, Infor, and Contentsquare, and began his career selling ERP solutions under the mentorship of a former CFO. His expertise spans GTM strategy, operational excellence, and authentic leadership, with a proven ability to build strong cultures and diverse teams. He has led successful engagements with retail giants like Walmart, Amazon, Verizon, and Sephora, and is recognized for pioneering virtual engagement models and developing future leaders.
How to Find out More About Derek:
You can find Derek's profile on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-francis-176937/
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Software Sales Simplified
01:12 Derek Francis: A Journey Through Sales
04:05 Transitioning from Engineering to Sales
09:02 The Impact of Y2K on Careers
13:52 Building a Sales Team at Clicktale
19:07 The Importance of Culture in Sales Teams
21:34 Navigating the Challenges of Scaling Sales Teams
27:21 Transitioning to the Creator Economy
32:24 Applying Enterprise Sales Principles to New Industries
35:50 Building Brands in the Creator Space
43:46 Embracing Change and Continuous Learning
47:44 Like, Follow, Subscribe, and Comment!
About Software Sales Simplified:
Visit us at: https://www.strategicsalesoptimization.com/
Follow us on Linkedin: https://tinyurl.com/2tcx7mjx
Send us your questions at - Sales@stratsalesllc.com
Get Your Copy of "Winning Faster"!
Order your own copy of, "Winning Faster: The MOVE Framework for Enterprise Software Sales" on our website or on Amazon.
Available Here:
https://www.strategicsalesoptimization.com/move-book
Why Listen to Software Sales Simplified?
Make Software Sales Simplified: MOVE to Success, your go-to podcast for mastering enterprise software sales through authentic customer engagement and actionable consulting insights. Join us for ea
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!