Scale With Strive

Category: Uncategorised

  • Winners of the SIA Best Staffing Firm

    Winners of the SIA Best Staffing Firm

    Strive announced as Winners of the Staffing Industry Analysts Best Staffing Firms to Work For: UK & Ireland 

     According to a recent Gallup report, only 36% of employees are engaged in their current workplace. 

    Whilst this is the highest percentage since they started their studies in 2000, it is still a staggeringly low score – especially considering that the same report showed that whilst the remaining 64% were disengaged, 13% of these were actively disengaged, meaning they are significantly unhappy at work and spreading this negativity to colleagues – creating a very poor company culture.  

    It’s figures like this that make us even prouder to celebrate winning a ‘Staffing Industry Analysts Best Staffing Firms to Work For: UK & Ireland’ award! 

    A record 450 firms entered the programme this year, and our staff were asked to complete an online survey, measuring key engagement categories such as:  

    • Teamwork 
    • Trust in Senior Leaders 
    • Diversity and Inclusion 
    • Manager Effectiveness 
    • Compensation and Benefits 

    As Barry Asin, President of SIA advises:  

    “Being recognized on industry lists for your work as a company is always an honor. But that honor is even higher when your own workers’ ratings place you on those lists.  

    That is the case for SIA’s Best Staffing Firms to Work For, where employees and temps provide the data for our rankings. We cannot be happier for the 2023 honorees and the great company cultures they have created, and we are excited to help elevate the industry by highlighting best practices in employee engagement and retention.”   

    Creating an engaged office and positive culture is something we work hard on at Strive and we know from experience that it is not an easy task – and equally can only be achieved if all staff participate.  

    Whilst we conduct confidential Quarterly staff surveys internally to be able to continuously improve our employee offering and company culture, it was important to us to test our performance externally in order to understand our position in the recruitment market and make changes to our Employee Value Proposition and Culture to ensure we remained market leaders. 

    Adam Richardson, MD of Strive commented: 

    “I am incredibly proud to have won a Best Staffing Firm to Work For Award – it’s a testament to the amazing team we have built at Strive. Staff engagement is always front and centre for me and the Leadership team, and to get this external recognition is reassuring that the initiatives we run are meaningful and have a positive impact on the team, day-to-day. 

    At Strive, we’re invested in our staff’s success from day one – starting with unrivalled training and development and investing in external one-to-one support for each of our team. We’re a supportive, friendly bunch – always looking out for each other and celebrating each other’s wins.  

    This award is external proof that putting your people first, serves not only the individual, but the greater good of your organisation as a whole.” 

    Congratulations to all at Strive, thanks for making our company such an amazing place to work! 

     The full article about our win can be found here. 

  • International Women’s Day 2023!

    International Women’s Day 2023!

    #EmbraceEquity 

    Today, we celebrate International Women’s Day 2023! 

    This year, the theme is ‘Embrace Equity’ with the aim of starting the conversation:  

    Why equal opportunities aren’t enough. 

    As the IWD website advises:  

    “When we embrace equity, we embrace diversity, and we embrace inclusion.” 

    Here at Strive, International Women’s Day, is not just one day to us – we are constantly looking for ways to improve our diversity internally, support our clients improve their workforce diversity and also look at how we can support relevant charities and give back to our community.  

    Over the coming months, we will be announcing some of the challenges and schemes that Strive will be supporting with over 2023 – more on this to follow, but hard work is already happening behind the scenes! 

    In the meantime, some of Strive’s female employees have taken the opportunity to share some of the best career advice they have received – we hope some of it helps you today and beyond: 

     

    McKenzie Powell, Operations Manager 

    The best advice I have been given is based upon communication: 

    The art of communication is key. 

    Whatever the gender of your Line Manager, it is critical to ensure a strong line of communication – by not communicating how something has, or may make you feel, you run the risk of affecting the quality of your work. Good managers adapt their leadership style to suit their colleagues – this is extremely important due to the difference of personality types.   

    Since taking this advice, my working relationships have only improved – communication is key!  

    On a similar note, I love the good old saying of: 

    There’s no such thing as a stupid question! 

    This couldn’t be truer! Never sit in a meeting or a business conversation and not ask a question out of fear. The right professionals respect and welcome questions and you will only benefit yourself through learning the answer! 

     

    Naomi Walsh, Business Development Manager 

    When I was asked to give my best piece of career advice, I struggled to narrow it done to one piece as I am lucky enough to have been given so many good pieces of advice!  

    Some of my absolute favourites and ones I try to live by every day are: 

    If you don’t believe in yourself, then who else will? 

    Don’t settle. 

    Focus on living your dream and not someone else’s. 

    Trust your instincts. 

    Working as a Business Development Manager at Strive can be a hard job at times. For every yes you hear, there have been multiple no’s, which can of course make it hard to keep motivated.  

    So, a very role specific piece of advice for anyone in a similar outbound sales role would be: 

    If you give it your all…..money will follow! 

     

    Hannah Aspinall, Headhunter 

    The best advice I’ve ever received is short, to the point and very memorable: 

    If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room. 

    I love to be challenged. To learn from others. To continuously develop.  

    Putting myself in the ‘right room’, no matter how un-nerving it can be sometimes, leads to me getting better at what I do every day.  

    Whilst we can learn a lot from books, webinars and podcasts – learning at-desk, daily, from experts around you is, in my view, career changing.  

    I think it is also important to have your views challenged, to not just be in a room with people who all have the same opinion and experiences.  

    Through having our views and our ways of working discussed and debated, we will see better performance – both personally and at a company level.  

     

    Jess Hilton, Senior Headhunter 

    A piece of advice that has always stayed with me, was parted to me by one of Strive’s owners, Harrison Scott, when I joined Strive.  

    In a male dominated environment, don’t try and fit in and behave as your male counterparts would.  

    At a point in time, where I was concentrating on the negatives of ‘being different’, this advice turned that on its head, and made me see how this could actually be a USP and allow me to differentiate myself in a positive way: 

    Embrace the differences between women and men – and embrace them to stand out and get ahead of the game. 

    This gave me the confidence to not feel I had to pretend to be someone I’m not and showed me that difference can be powerful.  

    This keeps me focussed on doing the right activities and maintaining energy every day, knowing that my hard work will be rewarded.  

     

    Helen Dwyer, Marketing Manager 

    I will be showing my age now, but I feel very fortunate to have grown up in an era where my world was dominated by ‘women in power’.  

    Going to an all-girl’s school, day to day my life was overseen by women – at a time when we also had a female Prime Minister, as well as female Monarch. I never therefore saw a limit as to what women could achieve, as there were ample role models for me in every aspect of my life. 

    What a lot of these women had in common then however, was the need to almost hide being female.  

    Hiding emotions for fear of being perceived as weak; Thatcher infamously “pulling the ladder of equal opportunity up behind her” for women; those delightful power suits we all witnessed. To get ahead, you had to ‘act like a man’ (as our definition of this stood in the 1980s and early 90s).  

    I think an amazing thing now, and the best advice I’ve ever been given is: 

    Be yourself

    It’s short, its simple, it’s true. We can develop ourselves, continuously improve ourselves – but we should always embrace who we are and be ourselves.  

  • How to Set Realistic Goals for the Year Ahead

    How to Set Realistic Goals for the Year Ahead

    Over the years, you’ve likely become skilled at enforcing self-imposed targets.

    However, it’s a little more difficult to think on a much larger scale – setting goals that’ll carry you through to 2024.

    While it’s advised that SaaS businesses look as far ahead as possible, that doesn’t mean the planning process is easy. 

    In fact, it can be quite the opposite. 

    In order to get ahead of the curve and give your team clear targets to work towards… there’s some work to be done.

     

    THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCURATE GOAL SETTING

    First and foremost, you need to understand that setting goals incorrectly could cause unnecessary stress for yourself and your colleagues.

    SaaS environments can already be very high-pressure, and the last thing you want to do is add to the burden weighing on your team’s shoulders and cause unshakeable burnout. 

    Therefore, it’s crucial to take your time with goal-setting and get them right.

    You can’t just plan to double your sales by this time next year because it sounds like a “nice idea” that would make investors happy.

    There has to be evidence that suggests you can actually achieve this number before you proceed.

     

    HOW TO SET ACHIEVABLE GOALS FOR THE YEAR AHEAD

    Whether you are setting a significant goal that will:

    Guide the course of your organisation.

    Get a product ready for market.

    Boost your sales and revenue.

    You have to incorporate thought and care into every aspect of your process. How?

     

    STEP 1. GATHER THE RIGHT INFORMATION

    When you get started with setting goals for the year ahead, you need to first look at the business intelligence you have access to. Data from all across your organisation could prove useful to you – especially any that looks at your performance in years previous.

     

    STEP 2. IMAGINE A VISION FOR THE YEAR AHEAD

    Once you’re able to get a clear picture of the past, you’ll be able to start planning for the future. 

    At this time, you can afford to be a bit ambitious, first identifying where you’d like to be (ideal) and secondly picturing where you are more likely to end up (actual). Then, set a target in the middle of these two values.

     

    STEP 3. PREPARE FOR SURPRISES 

    It’s unlikely that everything will go smoothly. The SaaS industry is notorious for being agile and changing constantly. That means, before you can pinpoint your goals, you’ll need to start considering what factors might come into play in the year ahead, such as the upcoming recession.

     

    STEP 4. MAKE SMART GOALS

    When these have been carefully outlined and considered, you’ll be in a really good position to set specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely goals for the year ahead. These should be motivational assets that can be used by you and your team.

     

    STEP 5. COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES 

    Before you can start working towards the targets, though, you need to actually speak to the team around you and accept their input. While you might have to make changes to the work you’ve already done, at least you’ll be able to factor in their contributions now rather than later. 

     

    STEP 6. CREATE AN ACTIONABLE PLAN

    With their help, you should be able to make a step-by-step plan that breaks down your annual goal into smaller segments. This should stop team members from getting overwhelmed and feeling like they aren’t making the right progress along the way.

     

    STEP 7. DECIDE ON YOUR KPIS AND METRICS

    As a part of this, you’ll have to decipher some KPIs that you’ll be able to evaluate along the journey. These are perfect for giving you the insight you need to provide additional guidance to your employees and ensure that the goals you set for the year were suitable (and not too extreme).

     

    STEP 8. TRACK PERFORMANCE

    With these metrics to hand, you can consistently record your progress and celebrate your achievements. At this time, you’ll have the opportunity to recognise and reward specific colleagues who are going above and beyond their line of duty in order.

     

    STEP 9. ADJUST YOUR EXPECTATIONS 

    Although it’s hard to admit when we’ve made a mistake, human error isn’t entirely unavoidable. When you are about halfway through the year, you should once again revisit your goals and see if they need adjusting higher or lower. The SaaS market could be completely different by this point or you could have onboard more team members that are accelerating your path.

     

    STEP 10. RINSE AND REPEAT

    By taking it steady and using a goal as a tool and not a guarantee, you can create a really effective system for motivating your team. When you set goals for the year ahead, you’ll be able to clearly outline your expectations and set the foundations for a rewarding career in SaaS.

     

    AN EMPLOYEE’S ROLE IN MEETING TARGETS

    No matter how much planning you do, goals can’t be met without an organisation-wide effort.

    Unless you have full commitment from your colleagues, you’ll struggle to hit your targets during the year and will find yourself falling further and further behind.

    Therefore, it’s crucial that you work with your existing colleagues to make your dream come true. Part of this is recognising when you are asking too much of your team.

    If this is the case, you’ll have two options. 

    Either you can readjust your original plan (thinking a little smaller) or you can onboard more employees to fuel your success. We know which option we prefer.

     

    STRIVE CAN HELP YOU BUILD AND DEVELOP AN ELITE GO-TO-MARKET TEAM

    Here at Strive, we source top-tier sales talent for scaling and hypergrowth tech companies. To learn more about how we can help your business scale, contact our team at 0203 983 0770 or email hello@scalewithstrive.com. 

  • Strive launches first US Office!

    Strive launches first US Office!

    “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” 

    Peter F Drucker 

    Today is a big day at Strive HQ as, after 18 months of research, planning and bureaucracy, we are able to announce the launch of our first international office, in Tampa, Florida! 

    This will be our second office, and the first in the USA, giving us the perfect setting for our ambitious growth plans over the next two years.  

    The team in Tampa will provide a dedicated service to the SaaS Sales market, building Go-To-Market teams for some of the most disruptive, venture capital backed, software companies across the USA. 

    The first of our ‘Founding Fathers’ to make the move is Co-Founder and Director of Strive, Harrison Scott. 

    As well as being one of our Co-Founders, Harrison has over 15 years’ experience in sales and recruitment, 11 of which have been spent running his own companies from start-up stage through to multi-million turnover. 

    Using this vast outbound sales experience, Harrison’s main focus is to grow the Strive client base in his Global Business Development role, with an initial focus on the Cyber, DevOps and Data US markets.  

    As our ‘first-person-on-the-ground’ in the new US office, Harrison made the move across the pond in early February and has spent the last few weeks setting up the ‘Strive ship’ for when the other team members join him – more on them to follow! 

    Anyone who knows Harrison, knows his passion for setting and smashing unrealistic goals, pushing boundaries, and helping others reach their full potential, so we can’t think of a better person to be a key driving force on this growth path.  

    As a side note, we’re not too sure where this “aspiring high altitude climber” is going to find as many summits to scale as he has across the UK and Europe but knowing Harrison, he’ll find a way! 

    We would also like to give massive kudos at this point, to our Operations Manager, McKenzie Powell – this was a massively complex research project, followed by an intense period of putting all that research into practice and setting up our new US infrastructure.  

    McKenzie has kindly compiled all her ‘top tips’ for researching where to set up a US office, into a handy guide, so please reach out if you would like a copy of this on hello@scalewithstrive.com.

    You can read more about our successful launch via the below Press Releases: 

    Global Recruiter 

    The Business Desk 

    Strive is an international software sales recruitment company which helps build world-class go-to-market (GTM) teams for some of the most disruptive, venture capital backed, software companies across the globe.  

    Please reach out to us on + 44 (0)203 983 0770 or  + 1 (813) 200-8894 . Alternatively click to connect with Harrison directly.  

  • Should BDRs report into Marketing or Sales?

    Should BDRs report into Marketing or Sales?

    Business Development Representatives have long played a vital role within many SaaS organisations. 

    Historically, BDRs have been an extension of the sales team, forming the bridge between sales and marketing, but primarily working with and for the sales department. This is generally down to a typical BDR role consisting of:

    • Collating inbound leads that have been generated through the marketing team
    • Performing some form of qualification on them – such as using the BANT framework, which is described in more detail below
    • Passing qualified leads on to the sales team to close the deal
    • Reaching a target number of calls and/or emails per day or week

     

    WHAT IS THE BANT FRAMEWORK?

    In short, the BANT framework refers to the following:

    • Budget – how much is a prospect prepared to spend on your software?
    • Authority – who is the authority in this sale (i.e. who makes the final decision)?
    • Need – does the prospect truly need your software? Is it an individual need, or is it team-wide? 
    • Timeline – how much time will they require to make the final purchasing decision?

     

    WHAT DIFFERENT TYPES OF BDRS ARE THERE?  

    As SaaS organisations grow, some of them tend to separate BDRs into two separate roles, which makes the connection between sales and marketing even more complex. 

    Many SaaS companies that are scaling fast have:

    Inbound BDRs, who only process inbound leads, and

    Outbound BDRs, who do targeted outreach – i.e. cold calling/emailing. 

     

    SO SHOULD BDRS REPORT INTO SALES, OR MARKETING?

    Prior to marketing teams being so closely connected to sales teams within SaaS companies, the Business Development Representatives used to only ever report into sales.

    This was a great fit for many organisations, given that business development and sales are similar – the goal is identical, but the roles differ slightly. It’s all about passing the sale through the process from one person to the next, until it’s closed.

    However, now it is more common for BDRs to report into the marketing department – and this seems to make just as much sense as reporting into sales always has.

    The universal goal between sales and marketing is lead generation, and given that marketing generates leads, business development qualifies leads, and sales close them – it is inevitable that BDRs report into the team that are generating the list of people they need to interact with.

    BDRs spend a large amount of their working days qualifying prospects, and speaking to a huge variety of people within their different target markets. Despite a large amount of the role being down to qualifying leads, this isn’t their only responsibility.

    BDRs also collect a lot of valuable information that can help the marketing team communicate more effectively with potential customers and clients at all stages of the funnel. Without this information, SaaS marketing teams would often be creating similar content and targeting certain demographics, when their key audiences could be tweaked slightly through the information BDRs have collated.

    As a manager of BDRs, you are responsible for ensuring both the sales and marketing teams communicate properly and streamline processes between the two. And, with the information and results your business development employees are generating being crucial to both teams, it is beneficial for sales, marketing and BDRs to have regular meetings to discuss useful feedback and how to further improve the processes between teams.

     

    STRIVE CAN SOURCE THE BEST SALES AND BD TALENT FOR YOUR SAAS COMPANY

    Here at Strive, we source top-tier sales talent for scaling and hypergrowth tech companies. To learn more about how we can help find the top talent for your go-to-market team, contact our team at 0203 983 0770 or email hello@scalewithstrive.com.

  • Four tips for doing Due Diligence on a potential employer

    Four tips for doing Due Diligence on a potential employer

    There are plenty of things candidates have on their checklists now when it comes to finding a new job. From the role and responsibilities to the salary and benefits, there are various factors for candidates to consider when looking for a new role – particularly when they may have more than one offer on the table.

    If you’re currently looking for a new sales role in a SaaS company, be sure to make note of the following tips for doing due diligence on your potential employers before accepting any job offers.

     

    1. CHECK OUT THEIR REVIEWS ON GLASSDOOR

    Whether you have personally used Glassdoor before or not, now is the time to log in and take a look at the reviews left by current and former employees about your new potential employer.

    This is a great way to get a good scope of the things people particularly like about the organisation, as well as some things you might want to consider, such as how commission is structured and the types of management styles.

    One thing to note: if there are some poor reviews from disgruntled ex-employees, try not to focus too much on these as a true reflection of the organisation. People often use Glassdoor as a venting tool when they have exited from certain businesses on bad terms.

     

    2. SEE WHAT EMPLOYEES ARE POSTING ABOUT ON LINKEDIN

    You can often get a good feel for an organisation based on what current employees are posting on LinkedIn.

    For example, if they are sharing company news, photos from social events or personal achievements, it generally gives a good feel for the workplace culture and the wellbeing of the overall workforce.

    This isn’t to say that if employees aren’t posting much on LinkedIn that the working environment isn’t a good one – some organisations are simply more consistent when it comes to sharing content and utilising personal brands on social media. 

     

    3. ASK ABOUT EMPLOYEE TURNOVER RATES AND HOW MANY LONGSTANDING EMPLOYEES THERE ARE

    Although you might not be able to gain access to the granular details, it’s worth asking either the employer you’ve been speaking to or the recruiter you’ve been working with about the employee turnover rates.

    If there’s a high employee turnover rate – you’ll inevitably want to find out why, and the reasons people have given in their exit interviews for leaving the organisation.

    Similarly, finding out how many long-standing employees there are can be beneficial. If you are going for a sales role at a SaaS start-up, the number of years people have worked there may not be as high as more mature organisations. Still, it’s worth asking who are the longest standing employees, and trying to find out their reasons for working there – if there’s ample good feedback about working there, this is definitely worth considering.

     

    4. REVIEW EMPLOYEE TESTIMONIALS ON THE WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA

    It’s highly likely that you will already have reviewed the company website during your research of the business prior to interview, but it’s worth going back and reviewing the employee testimonials. 

    Look for the careers page, or “join us” page – most organisations have this on their website to position themselves as an employer of choice, and give candidates a good feel for what it’s like to work there. 

    Here – hopefully – you should find testimonials from existing employees, discussing what it’s like to work within the company. If not, check out their social media channels – a lot of employers share their employee testimonials on LinkedIn to encourage people to apply for their current vacancies.

     

    STRIVE CAN HELP YOU FIND THE BEST SALES ROLE IN AN INCREDIBLE SAAS COMPANY

    Are you currently looking for a new sales position in a top-tier SaaS organisation? Contact our expert recruitment team on 0203 983 0770 or email hello@scalewithstrive.com.

  • Five tips to prepare for your upcoming interview

    Five tips to prepare for your upcoming interview

    There’s an almost endless amount of interview tips online in blog and video format, but there aren’t as many specifically tailored towards those going for a sales role within a SaaS company.

    Here, we look at how you can prepare for your upcoming interview at a SaaS company and what you can do to stand out against your competition.

     

    1. MEMORISE RELEVANT EXAMPLES OF YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE

    It’s not enough to just know your CV inside and out – you need to memorise specific examples of your work experience that will apply not only to the role you’re interviewing for, but also to the overall organisation. 

    For example, if some training you have completed or a tool you are well versed in has proven to be successful in helping you further your skillset, don’t forget to mention this and how it will apply to the organisation you’re interviewing with.

    Come up with at least three things you think are worth mentioning in relation to the organisation itself, as it’s likely you’ll be able to refer to them when answering different questions.

     

    2. RESEARCH THE COMPANY AND PROVIDE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF HOW YOU CAN HELP

    Everyone knows to research the company before they interview anywhere – it goes without saying, as you don’t want to be caught out when the interviewer asks what you know about the company. 

    However, if you are looking to join a GTM team within a SaaS company, you will stand out from the crowd if you can refer to the organisation’s existing customer base and how you would successfully close similar leads.

    Have you sold software to similar audiences before? If not, what transferable skills do you have that would be beneficial for this employer in particular? Again, have a few examples to hand.

     

    3. HAVE A LIST OF ORIGINAL AND RELEVANT QUESTIONS TO ASK THE INTERVIEWERS

    Being able to demonstrate your interest for the role, business and software you’ll be selling is crucial – if you don’t have a list of questions ready at the end of your interview, it’ll be likely that the interviewer will question why.

    However, don’t just have a list of questions for the sake of it – ensure that they’re original and relevant. For example:

    • What is your biggest challenge as a business right now and how can I help solve it?
    • What are the company’s growth plans over the next few years?
    • How quickly do you expect to scale?
    • Where will the most investment be made in the business?
    • How often is the software updated and improved based on customer feedback?
    • What are career development opportunities like?
    • What is your main USP in comparison to your competitors?
    • How is the sales team structured?
    • Do managers coach sales staff on an ongoing basis?

     

    4. IDENTIFY WHY YOU BELIEVE YOU STAND OUT AGAINST OTHER CANDIDATES

    Interviews are the perfect opportunity to sell yourself. Make a list of your strengths when you’re preparing for your interview, and make sure you memorise points such as training you’ve completed, targets you consistently achieve, and any relevant product knowledge.

    And, if there’s anything else you think is worth mentioning that may give the interviewer an indication of your suitability, make sure you discuss it. If you’re a member of a sports team, or you speak more than one language, or you volunteer in your spare time – this will give the people interviewing you a better idea of your personality and traits.

     

    5. HAVE A LOOK AT THE TYPE OF CONTENT EMPLOYEES ARE SHARING ON LINKEDIN

    If you go on the company’s LinkedIn page and click on ‘people’, you should be able to see a full list of the GTM sales team, as well as all other employees.

    Take a look at the type of content they’re sharing on LinkedIn – it’s highly likely that they’ll be sharing some useful information that you could use to your advantage in your interview.

    For example, if they share any software or company-related content, you can be well-versed in all things SaaS prior to your interview. Alternatively, if the employees are sharing content about recent work events or charity fundraisers, for example, these could be worth mentioning in your interview, too. Demonstrating that you’ve done your research and you take an interest in the overall business is always a plus point.

     

    STRIVE CAN HELP YOUR SAAS COMPANY BUILD A TOP-TIER GO-TO-MARKET TEAM

    Here at Strive, we source the best sales talent for scaling and hypergrowth tech companies. To learn more about how we can help your business scale, contact our team at 0203 983 0770 or email hello@scalewithstrive.com. 

  • How to Set Realistic Goals for the Year Ahead

    How to Set Realistic Goals for the Year Ahead

    Over the years, you’ve likely become skilled at enforcing self-imposed targets.

    However, it’s a little more difficult to think on a much larger scale – setting goals that’ll carry you through to 2024.

    While it’s advised that SaaS businesses look as far ahead as possible, that doesn’t mean the planning process is easy. 

    In fact, it can be quite the opposite. 

    In order to get ahead of the curve and give your team clear targets to work towards… there’s some work to be done.

     

    THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCURATE GOAL SETTING

    First and foremost, you need to understand that setting goals incorrectly could cause unnecessary stress for yourself and your colleagues.

    SaaS environments can already be very high-pressure, and the last thing you want to do is add to the burden weighing on your team’s shoulders and cause unshakeable burnout. 

    Therefore, it’s crucial to take your time with goal-setting and get them right.

    You can’t just plan to double your sales by this time next year because it sounds like a “nice idea” that would make investors happy.

    There has to be evidence that suggests you can actually achieve this number before you proceed.

     

    HOW TO SET ACHIEVABLE GOALS FOR THE YEAR AHEAD

    Whether you are setting a significant goal that will:

    • Guide the course of your organisation.
    • Get a product ready for market.
    • Boost your sales and revenue.

    You have to incorporate thought and care into every aspect of your process. How?

     

    STEP 1. GATHER THE RIGHT INFORMATION

    When you get started with setting goals for the year ahead, you need to first look at the business intelligence you have access to. Data from all across your organisation could prove useful to you – especially any that looks at your performance in years previous.

     

    STEP 2. IMAGINE A VISION FOR THE YEAR AHEAD

    Once you’re able to get a clear picture of the past, you’ll be able to start planning for the future. 

    At this time, you can afford to be a bit ambitious, first identifying where you’d like to be (ideal) and secondly picturing where you are more likely to end up (actual). Then, set a target in the middle of these two values.

     

    STEP 3. PREPARE FOR SURPRISES 

    It’s unlikely that everything will go smoothly. The SaaS industry is notorious for being agile and changing constantly. That means, before you can pinpoint your goals, you’ll need to start considering what factors might come into play in the year ahead, such as the upcoming recession.

     

    STEP 4. MAKE SMART GOALS

    When these have been carefully outlined and considered, you’ll be in a really good position to set specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely goals for the year ahead. These should be motivational assets that can be used by you and your team.

     

    STEP 5. COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES 

    Before you can start working towards the targets, though, you need to actually speak to the team around you and accept their input. While you might have to make changes to the work you’ve already done, at least you’ll be able to factor in their contributions now rather than later. 

     

    STEP 6. CREATE AN ACTIONABLE PLAN

    With their help, you should be able to make a step-by-step plan that breaks down your annual goal into smaller segments. This should stop team members from getting overwhelmed and feeling like they aren’t making the right progress along the way.

     

    STEP 7. DECIDE ON YOUR KPIS AND METRICS

    As a part of this, you’ll have to decipher some KPIs that you’ll be able to evaluate along the journey. These are perfect for giving you the insight you need to provide additional guidance to your employees and ensure that the goals you set for the year were suitable (and not too extreme).

     

    STEP 8. TRACK PERFORMANCE

    With these metrics to hand, you can consistently record your progress and celebrate your achievements. At this time, you’ll have the opportunity to recognise and reward specific colleagues who are going above and beyond their line of duty in order.

     

    STEP 9. ADJUST YOUR EXPECTATIONS 

    Although it’s hard to admit when we’ve made a mistake, human error isn’t entirely unavoidable. When you are about halfway through the year, you should once again revisit your goals and see if they need adjusting higher or lower. The SaaS market could be completely different by this point or you could have onboard more team members that are accelerating your path.

     

    STEP 10. RINSE AND REPEAT

    By taking it steady and using a goal as a tool and not a guarantee, you can create a really effective system for motivating your team. When you set goals for the year ahead, you’ll be able to clearly outline your expectations and set the foundations for a rewarding career in SaaS.

     

    AN EMPLOYEE’S ROLE IN MEETING TARGETS

    No matter how much planning you do, goals can’t be met without an organisation-wide effort.

    Unless you have full commitment from your colleagues, you’ll struggle to hit your targets during the year and will find yourself falling further and further behind.

    Therefore, it’s crucial that you work with your existing colleagues to make your dream come true. Part of this is recognising when you are asking too much of your team.

    If this is the case, you’ll have two options. 

    Either you can readjust your original plan (thinking a little smaller) or you can onboard more employees to fuel your success. We know which option we prefer.

     

    STRIVE CAN HELP YOU BUILD AND DEVELOP AN ELITE GO-TO-MARKET TEAM

    Here at Strive, we source top-tier sales talent for scaling and hypergrowth tech companies. To learn more about how we can help your business scale, contact our team at 0203 983 0770 or email hello@scalewithstrive.com. 

  • Why is now a good time to look to move roles?

    Why is now a good time to look to move roles?

    A lot of people in a huge variety of sectors often have the same idea at the start of the year: new year, new job. Whether you’ve been looking for a new role for a while already, or you are kick-starting the new year by looking for a new job, there’s numerous reasons why now is a good time to make the jump.

    Let’s take a look at why.

     

    1. EMPLOYERS OFTEN BEGIN THE NEW YEAR BY HIRING

    Businesses hire throughout the year, but for many organisations – particularly in the SaaS industry – hiring efforts are ramped up in January. 

    Towards the end of the year, less people are in the office and people tend to be using up their annual leave during the holiday period, resulting in less hiring managers to review job applications.

    Whether it’s a specific job you’re applying for or you’re sending your CV speculatively to a SaaS company you’re interested in working for, it’s far more likely that people will be back in the office and hitting the ground running with their recruitment efforts.

    With a new year often comes new goals for business owners, so it’s worth not only applying for jobs you’re interested in, but also contacting specialist recruitment companies directly to start developing relationships with people in the industry. If recruiters have your CV and career goals at the front of their minds in January, it’ll be highly likely that they’ll either have a role ready for you to be considered for, or will speak to a client about opportunities on the horizon.

     

    2. BUDGETS ARE OFTEN REVIEWED IN THE NEW YEAR

    All SaaS companies are different – some review their budgets in the new year, others wait until March/April for the new financial year, and occasionally businesses’ financial years depend on the month the company was incorporated. 

    However, the most common time for businesses to restart their budgets for the year ahead tends to be between January and April, so it’s advisable for candidates to get ahead of the rush as soon as possible. 

    With new year budgets comes the ability for hiring managers to expand their go-to-market teams and invest in the employees they need to scale their businesses, so start your job search as early on as possible.

     

    3. YOU CAN COMPARE YOUR SKILLSET TO THIS TIME LAST YEAR

    It’s interesting for candidates to be able to see how far they’ve come since last January when they are looking for jobs in the new year. 

    Before you commence your job search, make a note of:

    • The skills you’ve acquired over the last 12 months
    • Any courses or training you have completed
    • Any specific targets you’ve achieved or exceeded
    • Any new tools or platforms you’ve become well versed in
    • Your key strengths that have been further developed over the last year

    When you look back retrospectively and can see how far you’ve come, it’ll often give you further ammunition to look for a new role. The skills you’ve enhanced and training you’ve completed could be the catalyst for acquiring a new, more fulfilling and rewarding role.

     

    4. THERE’S MORE TIME FOR HIRING MANAGERS TO REVIEW APPLICATIONS

    A large number of SaaS company directors and managers tend to complete as many tasks as possible before the end of the year, to ensure that the holiday period is a clean slate and when they come back in January, they can hit the ground running.

    When there isn’t a pile of incomplete tasks from the previous month as there often tends to be throughout the rest of the year, this puts hiring managers in good stead to review job applications and speak to potential candidates in January.

    It isn’t an entire month of free time, but you’re far more likely to get ahead of your competing candidates by putting yourself forward for roles in the first month of the year, as those hiring will have the space in their diary to assess who would best enhance their business throughout the year ahead.

     

    STRIVE CAN HELP YOU FIND YOUR NEXT SOFTWARE SALES ROLE

    Here at Strive, we source top tier sales talent for scaling and hypergrowth tech companies. To learn more about how we can help you find your dream job, contact our team on 0203 983 0770 or email hello@scalewithstrive.com.

  • Why you should ‘double down’ on hiring now

    Why you should ‘double down’ on hiring now

    There has been a lot of discussion about the challenges hiring managers in the SaaS industry have been facing over the last couple of years.

    With a new year ahead of us, and new budgets likely to be set in place, even more discussions are taking place.

    Is now the right time to hire more salespeople? Is economic uncertainty something to worry about? Are there enough high-quality candidates out there? What is your competition doing in terms of their recruitment efforts?

    We’re here to let you know why now is the right time to double down on hiring, for a number of reasons.

     

    1. IT’S STILL VERY MUCH A CANDIDATE-LED MARKET

    There was plenty of talk throughout 2021 and 2022 about the post-pandemic ‘Great Resignation’ with candidates in their millions leaving their jobs in a variety of sectors all over the world. This resulted in many people looking elsewhere for jobs, all at once – and often not in the industry they’d previously worked in.

    Despite current economic uncertainty, businesses are benefiting from securing talent now – particularly in the first quarter of the year, when an increasing number of candidates are looking for new roles – to remain competitive. With the number of SaaS companies around the globe constantly growing, it’s vital for employers to hire the best candidates on the market ahead of their competition, in order to fuel business growth going forward.

     

    2. YOU CAN INVEST IN LONG-TERM EMPLOYEES

    Interestingly, it’s not all about wanting the highest-paying salary available for a lot of salespeople looking for roles within SaaS companies. For many, benefits are just as important, if not more so – and one stand-out factor many candidates are looking for is the opportunity to develop their careers.

    If your company is looking to scale, or is currently in the process of growing rapidly, it’s important to invest in employees who are interested in being with you long-term. Not only is this beneficial for your employees with career development and promotion opportunities in place, but it’s also key for business growth.

    As your SaaS company grows, so will your employees’ knowledge of your product and brand. By providing career development plans and ongoing training for your go-to-market team, you won’t just be developing their careers – you’ll be building a solid foundation for your organisation, full of people who know and love your software.

     

    3. YOU CAN ATTRACT AND RETAIN CUSTOMERS

    If your competitors are prioritising onboarding new customers this year, as well as ensuring the success of existing customers and retaining them, this should be high on your priority list, too.

    A great way to ensure your customers are consistently happy with your products and services is to hire the best employees to meet their needs. For example, if you have a high-quality GTM team, you are far more likely to increase your customer acquisition statistics based on how your salespeople perform. Plus, if you are also hiring account managers and senior management to lead and coach these teams, your customer success will be maintained.

    Ultimately, doubling down on hiring now will give you a head-start on not only attracting new and retaining existing customers, but it’ll also contribute to your ongoing business growth goals.

     

    STRIVE CAN HELP YOU BUILD AND DEVELOP AN ELITE GTM TEAM

    Here at Strive, we source top tier sales talent for scaling and hypergrowth tech companies. To learn more about how we can help your business scale, contact our team on 0203 983 0770 or email hello@scalewithstrive.com.