Nov 9, 2014
StormWind Studios Response
11yWow...I'm very sorry to hear about his experience here at StormWind. As one of the leaders here, we had less than 4 months to work with him and we wish he would have stuck it out a little longer because he does really have some great sales potential.
However, I'll try to be clear and candid as possible as I respond to these unfortunate remarks from this ex team member. These remarks were made anonymously and it's disappointing because well over 100+ hard working team members at StormWind put their own name out there everyday on the phones, in emails, on LinkedIn, teaching our classes, and supporting our wonderful clients. We do not hide behind the anonymity of the web, but rather shout from the virtual rooftops about the individual and collective pride we have in helping change an entire category like IT training and guiding so many folks as they rise in their IT career. This has been a constant in our over 23 years in the technology business.
Tactically, we make no bones about the fact that perhaps you, as a new sales professional, are entrusting your career, your livelihood, your family, your dreams to us. We do not take that trust lightly. We often claim that it's our job to care about your income when you don't feel like it. Many folks can not or do not want that level of communication or accountability. I would humbly then say that StormWind is not for you.
We do not create mere $60K/year telesales reps at our organization. Rather, we try to create and foster $150-300K/year top tier Sales Professionals and that takes time, tenacity, unbridled communication, patience, a love of your craft, and, most of all humilty. You simply can not expect to come into any sales organization and reach the mountaintop in 16 weeks. We cover this in every exhaustive and comprehensive interview process we initiate. We are unequivocally blunt and candid about what it takes to succeed here and what the career ladder looks like. We even require all of our candidates to do their own due diligence on StormWind and its leaders after the interview process ends so they have a "cooling off period" from the initial "honeymoon" of a interview cycle. We think that's important in order to think carefully about whether we are a cultural, compensation, and leadership fit. If not, we will simply shake hands and part as friends. We are not the home for everyone.
Do we work hard? Of course. Do we know that B2B sales is difficult? Of course we do. However, I guess calling our meetings "Amway-like" is really a compliment to us. You'll always know where you stand and where we stand as company. You'll always know that we are in your corner to help. And, you'll always know that sales is more mental than it is skill. Any motivational or inspirational advantage we can provide to lift up our team is expected.
Additionally, I'm not sure what "over-selling a dream" even means with regard to the comment above. At StormWind we promise that the journey will be difficult but the reward will indeed be great. Sales is a profession where it is far too easy to be mediocre. Without goals, accountability, and guidance, you have a job. At StormWind, we humbly try to provide you with a career. A career to be proud of. A career where you look back and are awed at just how much you've accomplished because of your massive dreams.
Plus, do you really want to spend your time and sweat and years work for a company that promises "massive mediocrity (as I think he is somehow suggesting here)?"
Not me.
Lastly, regarding the unfortunate and disparaging comments about our leadership team, let me say this starting with our senior leadership: Our team started four companies from scratch. One went public and was sold to Computer Associates for $225MM, another started from scratch and was sold to Thomson Reuters for $105MM, another was started from scratch and sold to Experian for $323MM, and, currently, StormWind, too, started from scratch and now shares the same world class investors and board guidance as organizations such as Insight, Twitter, Lyft, and Spotify among others.
At the sales leadership level, every single one of our leaders started on the phones... just like all of our new team members who join the family. Because of that, we know the duties. We know the challenges. We know the ups and downs of sales. We know the grind and grit of dialing. All of our sales leaders succeeded over time with not just great numbers, but great attitudes, great camaraderie, great humility, great vision, and most importantly, big, harry, and audacious goals.
As a leader at StormWind, I genuinely welcome constructive and specific feedback on what we can do to continue to make our home the right home for all who enter our doors.
See you at the top!