Is your cup empty or full at the end of the day?
Jack Knight says his is overflowing!
Today on the #salestage, Jack shares how his team at Clearbit, his #SalesDevelopment side hustle, and his family energize him and make him better each day.
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🌳 FIRST THING YOU SOLD
My junior year of high school, I started a landscaping service. I bought a truck, my parents had the tools, and I was off! I built a client base over 3 summers through referrals, knocking on doors, and marketing on Facebook and Nextdoor.
🚩 INTERVIEW RED / GREEN FLAGS
Red flags: Showing up late, no effort into your appearance, asking only surface-level questions, and not following up with a thank-you note afterwards.
Green flags: Showing you care by paying attention to the little things. The SDR role requires discipline, attention to detail, and going above and beyond to get your prospects’ attention – I’ll know if you have those skills based on how you treat the interview process.
🍪 LAST TIME YOU NEGOTIATED
My wife, Rachael, is always right, but I haven’t learned how to how listen quite yet, so I am always trying to negotiate with her believing my way is the right way. Like the other night, I wanted another cookie. She told me I’d feel sick if I ate more dessert, and she was right. Husbands, listen to your wives, they’re likely right!
💸 SELLING: ART OR SCIENCE?
Both.
90% of the advice you see on LinkedIn is about the art of sales – sexy prospecting tricks, cool ways to get noticed, etc. (an artform!) However, you can send the most personalized email, but the rep who sent 10 semi-relevant emails is more likely to book more meetings (science!).
Sales comes down to math and conversion rates, the unsexy side. You need enough pipeline to increase the odds of finding qualified buyers. If you don’t have enough pipeline, you won’t have enough conversations, and you won’t find enough real opportunities.
🔥 YOUR TAKE ON SIDE HUSTLES
I believe you should end every day physically drained but emotionally full. The things I do (work, family, hobbies) all bring me deep fulfillment. I show up better in all of my “life roles” because the things I am investing in aren’t draining me of energy, they are are bringing me joy.
One of my deepest joys is serving others. At CallBlitz, I help SDRs feel they never have to cold call alone again. At Clearbit, I get to serve my team daily, ensuring they have the support they need to be successful.
♻️ WHAT YOU HOPE CHANGES ABOUT SALES
The shift to remote work was a huge turning point. The “big brother” sales culture is dying, and those willing to adapt are paving the way for the future.
Unfortunately, support for front-line managers is broken. They need decision-making power, ongoing mentorship, and training. You can’t set up an #SDRprogram and say “go do it” without supporting it as it grows.
