Sales Traction

Oliver Tuffney
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  • Entrepreneurship

Talking with Founders, EOS Implementers & specialists about scaling sales in B2B SMEs by installing structure & systems.

Episodes

  1. Jun 25

    Adrian Lomas: How To Build and Sell a Business That Doesn't Depend on You

    Oliver sits down with Adrian Lomas, EOS implementer, Tony Robbins-trained coach, and the founder who built and sold the digital agency Blueleaf over a 20-year run. Adrian breaks down how niching down made the business sellable, why the accountability chart was his single biggest unlock, and how to get a sales team to own its numbers instead of having them forced from the top. A practical masterclass in turning vision into traction. Takeaways Vision without traction is just hallucination. A big number with no plan to reach it is a daydream. The work is building the traction, the right people, seats, and rigour, that actually moves you toward it. Niche down to scale up. Going narrow and deep, even when it meant turning away good but off strategy work like Red Bull, is what made the agency famous in its lane and ultimately sellable. Don't hand someone a number, help them own it. The most powerful target is the one the salesperson arrives at themselves. Co-create it and they carry it; impose it and they quietly check out. A red scorecard is a gift, not wallpaper. Treat an off-track number like the warning light on your dashboard, an early signal to solve the problem, not something to tape over and hope past. Chapters 00:00 From Blueleaf to exit: a 20-year journey 05:10 Niche down: how narrow and deep led to the sale 10:37 Rock bottom, Traction, and rebuilding the business 13:40 The accountability chart: right people, right seats 16:21 Vision without traction is hallucination 17:57 Building a business that sells without the founder 25:28 The scorecard: taking gut feel out of sales 28:04 Get the team to own the number 36:42 A red scorecard is a gift, not wallpaper 38:35 The why guy: leading the person, not just the number 43:52 Where to find Adrian

    42 min

  2. Jun 10

    Adam Cooper: The Financial Blind Spot in Scaling Sales

    Adam Cooper: When Cash Flow Kills The Growth Plan The conversation explores the intersection of finance and sales within businesses turning over between one and 20 million. It examines why founders relying on their bank balance as a financial plan are operating with a false sense of security, and how that gap between knowing what has happened and knowing what is going to happen creates the conditions for growth to stall or collapse. It delves into the role of a fractional CFO in providing forward visibility through cashflow forecasting and client profitability analysis, and the importance of building a collaborative relationship between finance and sales leadership. The conversation also covers compensation design for sales teams, the risks of designing pay structures for one hire rather than a future team, and why the CFO should be co-owning sales metrics rather than operating as a blocking function. Takeaways Your bank balance tells you what has happened, not what is going to happenA 13-week cashflow forecast is the single highest-impact financial tool for scaling foundersClient profitability analysis often reveals surprises, particularly above the five million markThree months of operating cash is the recommended minimum runway before the red flag fliesCompensation plans should be designed for a future team of six, not for hire number oneThe CFO and sales director should share KPIs to stay aligned rather than working in oppositionFinancial guardrails need senior sponsorship and co-creation to actually get followedAlways plan your business as if you were preparing to sell it in three years Chapters 00:00 Where Finance Breaks Past One Million02:07 Bank Balance vs Cashflow Forecast05:02 The Financial Health Check06:04 Seeing Fire for the First Time09:08 Investing Ahead of the Curve13:05 The Three Month Cash Rule14:47 Managing the Visionary Founder16:55 What Great Looks Like from Sales20:50 Before and After a CFO in the Sales Cycle23:25 Rolling Out Financial Best Practices27:20 CFO and Sales Director Collaboration31:17 Shared KPIs Between Finance and Sales35:12 Designing Compensation Without Creating a Rod40:05 The One Lever That Makes the Biggest Difference

    33 min

  3. May 21

    Simon Adcock: Navigating Early Sales Hires

    The conversation delves into the transition from business owner to EOS implementer, highlighting the challenges and insights gained from this shift. It explores the importance of accountability and structure in sales, the challenges of making early hires, and the impact of imposter syndrome on hiring decisions. Additionally, it discusses the connection between VTO and the sales function, as well as common pitfalls in hiring salespeople. The conversation delves into the design and management of the sales function, emphasizing the importance of clarity, structure, and strategic planning. It explores the challenges of first hires, budget constraints, onboarding, and the psychology of sales. The role of the accountability chart as a planning tool, understanding the sales process, and the decision-making process for letting go of a sales hire are also discussed. Takeaways Transition from business owner to EOS implementerChallenges with hiring and making early hiresLack of clarity in business and salesAccountability and structure in salesCore values and expectations in hiring Designing the sales functionClarity and structure in sales management Chapters 00:00 Transition from Business Owner to EOS Implementer07:11 Challenges with Early Hires13:49 Connecting VTO with Sales Function19:25 Hiring Salespeople and Common Pitfalls26:45 De-skilling the Sales Function31:55 The Accountability Chart as a Planning Tool38:44 Setting Expectations and Clear Understanding of Sales Process43:45 Marketing Support for Salespeople

    49 min

  4. May 7

    Mark Bentley: How To Increase Your Exit Multiplier With Sales

    The conversation explores the topic of business exit strategies and the role of sales in the process. It delves into the challenges, risks, and opportunities associated with selling a business, providing valuable insights for founders and entrepreneurs. The conversation explores the strategic steps a business owner can take to maximize the saleability and value of their business over a three to five year period. It covers topics such as reducing owner dependence, managing customer concentration, and the value of recurring revenue. Takeaways Exit strategy planning is essential for business owners, even if they are not currently looking to sell.Reducing risk and demonstrating future growth potential can increase the value of a business in the eyes of potential buyers. Reducing owner dependence is crucial for maximizing the saleability of a business.Customer concentration and recurring revenue play a significant role in determining the value of a business. Chapters 00:00 The Role of Sales in Business Exit Strategies09:03 Valuation and Perception of Business Worth16:33 Risk Mitigation and Impact on Business Valuation22:10 Strategic Planning for Saleability28:21 Managing Customer Concentration33:53 Value of Project vs. Recurring Revenue

    47 min

  5. Apr 22

    Jason Green: Creating Accountability in Sales

    The conversation delves into the challenges of sales leadership within businesses turning over between one and 20 million. It emphasizes the importance of healthy accountability as a byproduct of effective leadership and management, and the integration of a visionary and an integrator for maintaining balance and focus within a business. Takeaways Accountability is a byproduct of being a great leader and manager.Healthy accountability is not something you do to people, but it is a result of effective leadership and management.The integration of a visionary and an integrator is crucial for maintaining balance and focus within a business.

    41 min

  6. Mar 13

    Julia Walsh: Exiting The Sales Seat

    The conversation delves into the challenges faced by founders in transitioning out of the sales seat, emphasizing the need for structure, defined processes, and effective delegation. It explores the interconnectedness of business functions, the role of the visionary post-transition, and the importance of hiring the right people for the sales seat. Takeaways Founder's struggle to get out of the sales seat due to the intuitive nature of sales and the challenge of operationalizing the process.The need for a clear structure, defined process, and effective delegation to successfully transition the founder out of the sales seat. Chapters 00:00 The Challenge of Exiting the Sales Seat19:15 Hiring the First Salesperson25:28 Founder's Role Post-Transition

    39 min
  • 6 Episodes

About

Talking with Founders, EOS Implementers & specialists about scaling sales in B2B SMEs by installing structure & systems.

Information

  • Creator
    Oliver Tuffney
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Oliver Tuffney