SalesSense – out of the limelight playing a crucial role

When I read my friend Áine Mulroe’s beautiful piece on SalesSense reaching 15 years it made me think back to my own beginnings in the company. I remember my friends and family asking who I worked for, and when I’d reply “SalesSense International” I always got a bemused look – “who?” I would go on to explain what we did and the clients that we worked with, but the funny thing is that even with our incredible success over the last 15 years, when someone asks me the same question today, the same thing sometimes happens. It got me thinking about a documentary I watched on Formula 1. In the programme they asked what is the most vital component of Formula 1? If you ask most people that question, they will know the teams like Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren, and they will talk about the drivers like Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. But the answer to the question is the tyres. Most people don’t appreciate the crucial role that is playing out under the car, out of the limelight.

As we pass this milestone in the SalesSense journey, I think about the crucial role that we play on behalf of our partner clients. I remember when I first met our CEO Ger Teahon in 2013. I was sitting behind his desk in our old office in Tuam! As a physical space it was definitely cosy, so when Tim O’Donoghue (our CFO) noticed me looking for somewhere to sit that day he suggested that I take the CEO’s office. When Ger arrived an hour later I immediately went to stand up, but he gestured to stay put and settled himself down on the other side of his desk. We tried to chat but between incoming emails and calls there wasn’t really time. I do remember clearly that he commented that we would be very busy for the next 3 months, so suggested we could sit down after that for a proper chat. Writing this article in November 2021 some 8 years later, we have finally caught up and here are my takeaways.

Many things have changed over the years. We’ve gone from running training courses in hotels to running multiple courses simultaneously in our own high tech dedicated training facilities. We’ve moved from paper to digital, from one client to multiple leading brands, from sales to services, support and anything our clients need. We’ve moved from the cosy office in Tuam to several locations across the UK and Ireland. I could keep going as the list is endless. We keep evolving and adapting to the ever expanding and growing needs of customers and clients.

One thing that hasn’t changed is our values. Teamwork Inspiring Excellence. The longer I worked with the group the more they inspired me with their passion and resilience. When you are part of a team that values and inspires you, you want to ensure you have the same effect on others. You want excellence. In my opinion the way we live our values continues to be our greatest achievement as a company.

Following the chat with Ger and the trip down memory lane, I feel just as much a part of the team as ever. If the last 8 years are anything to go by, I’ll continue to learn and grow as a trainer and a person. Ger, I\’ll catch up with you for our next proper chat in 2029 😊. In the meantime our people and our clients continue to inspire me. I have been lucky to be part of the amazing growth and success that SalesSense has achieved, and I am excited and intrigued to see where the future takes us.

So even if I do sometimes have to explain to people what SalesSense does, I think of Formula 1. Our clients are the teams, the customers are the drivers, and we are the tyres.

Out of the limelight, playing a crucial role.