Building sales teams and delighting customers at early stage hyper growth startups.

Mike Gallardo

We're hiring AEs at Deel. 🥳

Here's why you should apply:

1. All remote. Forever and always. Work from anywhere in the USA or Canada.

2. The earning potential is real. I have reps hitting 200%+ consistently. More than 50% of the team hitting quota. The comp plan is built to reward top performers.

3. We promote fast. Promotion cycles every 3 months. I have already promoted 10+ people this year. And we're not slowing down.

4. You'll learn from the best. We listen to calls, coach every week, and genuinely care about your career growth.

5. We're still growing super fast. New products. New markets. New opportunities. The opportunities are endless.

If you're a hungry AE who wants to build something and get paid well doing it, this one's for you.

👉 Interested? Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gkhGnZdA

If you have any questions drop them in the comments!

Best of luck!
- Mike G

Most AEs send a follow up email after a discovery call that says something like:

"Great connecting today! I'll send over the info about X and looking forward to our next call."

That type of email usually gets ignored.

Here's what actually works:

Subject: [First Name] — Quick recap

Hey [Name],

Was great connecting today.

3 things I took away from our call:

1. [Their #1 priority in their words]
2. [Key challenge they mentioned]
3. [Something specific they said that matters]

Based on that, here's what we'll cover on our next call:

[Describe the demo/next step — 1 sentence on what you'll show and why it's relevant to them]

Looking forward to connecting at [Day] at [Time].

— [Your name]

Super clean and focused on them and how they will benefit.

The reps who win send emails that make buyers feel like they were actually listened to.

Bonus: That email does it in under 30 seconds to read.

- Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7s

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Certified Public Accountant

Sales Director at Deel

The Best Sales Course

An AE on my team closed a deal that was dead for 45 days.

No responses. Ghosted. Done.

Here's what he did:

He didn't send a breakup email. 
He didn't drop the price. 
He didn't chase.

He sent one short message:

"Hey [Name] — I know the timing may not be right. No worries at all. In the meantime, here's one thing that changed since we last spoke: [specific update]. Is [priority] still something that's top of mind?"

That was it.

The prospect responded within 2 hours. 
Deal closed that Friday.

Most reps lose deals in the follow-up.
Not the pitch.

Because they either disappear or become annoying.

The best ones stay present without being desperate.
And they have a system for valuable follow ups.

That's the difference.

- Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7s

The best AE I've ever managed didn't have the best pitch.

Wasn't the most polished on calls.

Wasn't even the loudest in the room.

Here's what she had:

She treated every lost deal like a lesson and every won deal like a system.

When she lost: 

She reviewed the call, found the moment it went sideways, fixed it.

When she won: 

She documented exactly what happened and repeated it. 

Even looked for ways to make the process and experience better next time.

Most reps do the opposite.

They move on from losses fast and treat wins like they were meant to happen.

So the gap between average and elite isn't talent.

It's the work someone puts in after the deal is done (win or lose) that matters most imo.

That's where careers are built.

- Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7s

Most reps panic when a prospect says "I'm not interested."

Here's what to do instead:

Don't argue. Don't pitch harder. Don't cave.

Just say: "That's actually why I called." A strategy I learned from the one and only Jeb Blount 

Here's how it plays out:

1. "Not interested." → "That's actually why I called. Most [personas] I speak with feel the same way until they hear how we helped [similar company] solve [specific problem]. Mind if I take 30 seconds?"

2. "We already have something." → "That's actually why I called. [Company] was in the same spot and found we could [specific differentiator]. Worth a quick look?"

3. "Not the right time." → "That's actually why I called. Most of the best conversations I have start that way. What would need to change for the timing to be right?"

The magic of this phrase:

It doesn't fight the objection. It works with it.

The prospect expects you to fold. When you don't (in a nice, conversational and clear way) they get curious instead.

It's one of the most simple ways to overcome objections. 

Give it a try and let me know how it goes!

- Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7s

One of my best AEs has a 39% win rate 🤯

Her secret is one question she asks on every single discovery call:

"If you could change one thing about how your team handles [process] right now, what would it be?"

That's it.

Here's why it works:

It's specific enough to get a real answer. 

Not "what are your challenges?" which is pretty vague, and tends to get vague answers (unless you're lucky).

This questions forces the prospect to prioritize. 

Suddenly they're telling you exactly what matters most.

The answer tells you everything. 

And gives you exactly what you need to position your product as how to best solve what's most important to them.

Most discovery calls fail because reps ask broad questions and get broad answers.

They leave without knowing the #1 thing the buyer actually needs to fix.

Ask the one question. 
Listen hard. 
Build everything else around the answer.

That's how she closes 4 out of 10 deals.

- Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7s

90% of my team hit quota in Q4.

Here's how we crush it with discovery.

Instead of asking questions like:

"If you could wave a magic wand, what would you change?"

or...

"If you don't do anything about this, what happens to the business?"

Which are somewhat awkward and unnatural, and sound like you're trying to manufacture urgency.


Here's the type of questions we ask instead:

1. "I work with a lot of [role]s and they're usually focused on one of two things: [priority A] or [priority B]. Is that the case for you, or is something else more top of mind?"

2. "What's going on in the business that's making this a priority right now?"

3. "Can you walk me through your current process for [X] step by step?"

4. "When it comes to [challenge they mentioned]. Can you share a specific example of when that's been a problem?"

5. "If this call goes well and we end up working together. What would need to be true for you to call it a success 6 months in?"


The difference between good and bad discovery questions isn't how clever they are. It's whether they sound like something a real person would ask.

And that they're focused on real priorities, problems and processes they have. That way, you can center your entire sales process on how you'll help and how your solution is better positioned for their business vs competitors.

What's your favorite discovery question?

- Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7s

I use AI every single day.

And in my opinion, Claude is the strongest AI tool for sales right now.

Here's one of the easiest ways to start using it:

Track your closed won deals every month. 
That's it.

Just log how many deals you close each month. 
One number per month.

Then drop that data into Claude and ask it to visualize it.

What comes out the other side? (See image below 👇)

A clean chart. 
Month over month trends. 
Automatic callouts on what's working and what's not.

This took me < 1min to make.

Now take that into your next 1-on-1 with your manager.

I promise, nobody else on your team is doing this.
And that's exactly the point.

AI isn't going away.

The reps who figure it out now are going to make more money, get promoted faster, and be a lot harder to replace.

The best part?

You don't need to be a tech person to start.
You just need to start.

And this is one of the simplest first steps you can take.

What are you waiting for?

- Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7s

70% of my team hit quota in 2025 🥳

And 80%+ hit quota in both Q3 and Q4.

I'm incredibly proud of this team.

Here's why I think we're built different:

1. The best product on the planet.
Deel is the #1 global HR and payroll platform. We were built for global teams from day one. It's a fundamental advantage that makes selling easier and customers a lot happier.

2. Coaching and training that's actually dialed in.
Our managers are top tier. Our reps are world class. When you join this team you are surrounded by greatness every single day. There is no better place to sharpen your skills and grow as a seller.

3. Leadership that genuinely cares.
Every manager on my team makes time to listen. We take feedback seriously. We move mountains when we can. You will never feel like just a number here.

The reason we're hiring right now? 
We've promoted so many people internally that we're backfilling a ton of roles.

That's an awesome problem to have if you ask me :)

If you want to sell an incredible product, get coached up, hit quota, and build a real career, there's no better place than Deel.

Interested? Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gkhGnZdA

Best of luck!

- Mike G

She was at 175% of quota.

Working a deal that would've put her at 274%.

Contract was out. Deal was in commit. 

But then a week went by with no response from her champion.

She wasn't panicking.

And the reason why comes down to something we coach all our AEs on from the very first call.

Multi stakeholder discovery.

3 key questions:

1. "Who else on your team would benefit from seeing how this works inside Deel?"

2. "I noticed [name] is on your finance team. They usually like to get involved when we get to commercial terms. Would you be open to including them on our pricing call?" 

3. "I'm really excited about the potential partnership here and helping you with [key business initiative]. As we get closer to pricing, do you mind walking me through your internal process? Who's typically involved, what do they care about most, and how do they like to be included? That way I can make sure I'm giving you exactly what you need to present this internally." 

The third one’s my favorite. 

It’s a bit longer but it’s great for mapping the people, the process, and the timeline early. 

That way you’re ready if a situation like this one ever pops up.

So when the champion went dark.

She had a couple options:

1. Call her (tried this already but no luck)
2. Go over her head (do not recommend!)
3. Loop me in

She decided to loop me in because a leader to leader message would hopefully cut through the noise and get a response. 

First we had to make the message as targeted/relevant as possible.

We use Aligned (which automates deal insights) and noticed the CFO had not reviewed the pricing yet. So that was probably what was holding the deal up.

So we crafted a targeted message to her champion about getting the CFO aligned on pricing, got a response the next day, and were able to get the deal back on track and moving forward.

Without the right insights this deal could have very easily stalled out.

That’s why every complex deal our team runs lives inside Aligned. It gives our AEs total visibility into what's happening inside the account when they're not in the room. 

That way, AEs can take targeted and effective action (like she did) to keep momentum going. Especially when things slow down or champions go dark.
That level of visibility literally makes or breaks your most important deals.  

👉If you haven’t already I highly recommend using it for free here: https://lnkd.in/gqNS6GRW

And if you have any questions let me know in the comments!
Always happy to help :)

- Mike G

#alignedpartner

Brand partnership • Sales Director at Deel

7shifts

Manager, Revenue Enablement

Revenue Enablement Manager

Customer Success Enablement Manager

Customer Success Manager

Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services

• Collect and prepare weekly data for distribution to brokerage leadership team and sales representatives
• Monitor competitor market activity and report on findings
• Prepare monthly real estate board and monthly market analysis to the brokerage
• Identify and recommend new tools and efficiencies to improve market analysis and communication activities

Market Analyst

CIBC

•	Participated in discussions related to the overarching goals of recognition at CIBC
•	Documented current recognition strategies and how to integrate them into the new program
•	Developed strategies for program sustainment and development, as well as a Champions approach
•	Decided on technical specifications for the function of the new strategy
•	Coordinated across departments and teams to ensure all collateral and required components of the program align with CIBC’s purpose and values, as well as the technical requirements of the program

Recognition Consultant

O.C. Tanner

•	Managed a portfolio of 5 key clients in English and French valued up to $3MM CAD
•	Grew account revenue by 27.32% on average while onboarding $3.6MM USD in new revenue
•	Co-ordinated with manufacturing and purchasing for on-time delivery of large-scale orders
•	Facilitated custom product design and recognition initiatives for accounts worth $1-3MM
•	Pitched data-supported recommendations in annual client reviews to grow accounts
•	Educated new clients on program operation and new features to create self-sufficiency
•	Trained and managed a contractor to support client-specific initiatives

Bilingual Client Success Specialist

Atrium Media Group

In this role, I was responsible for managing a team of 5 including a Marketing Director, Marketing Analyst, Graphic Designer, Social Media Manager, and Special Events Coordinator. I oversaw and helped guide the overall direction of social media campaigns, booths, printed advertisements and planed a magazine launch parties.

Vice President of Marketing

Wilfrid Laurier University

•	Increased social media engagement by 4.77% by implementing a new content posting strategy 
•	Managed 20 volunteers across 7 reunion classes to plan specific homecoming class events
•	Analyzed and presented statistics from primary social media channels to ensure strategy success
•	Updated website posts, created social media graphics, and wrote email campaigns as necessary
•	Managed communications including online articles and emails distributed to over 80,000 alumni

Alumni Event & Project Specialist

Dodgeball referees are in charge of officiating matches for the intramural leagues.

Dodgeball Referee

E-Business Laurier

EBL is a marketing-centric club, and the VP of Marketing is responsible for developing the general marketing strategy and leading the entire marketing division of E-Business Laurier. Efforts will be divided between Event Promotion (50%), and Club Promotion (50%).

As the Director of Graphic Design, I helped E-Business with their re-branding process.  This included creating a new logo, helping to make the new website, and developing the new general marketing strategy. Throughout the rest of my time in the position, I have been creating posters and rave cards for the various events the club has run, but also made a video discussing e-business with one of the professors from our school.

Director of Graphic Design

The position of Creative Media Manager involves coordinating photographers and videographers, collecting the videos and photos they take, and ensuring the quality of the image. In addition, the Creative Media Manager also helps set up live-streaming of events and edits the photos and videos as requested by a client.  Throughout my time in the position, I coordinated a team of six photographers and two videographers to attend club events, take their executive team headshots, live stream events (such as a question and answer period with Samsung Canada for a professor's class, as well as an information session for the international business option at the school), and videotape presentations for the full-time MBA program.

Creative Media Manager

CHCH Television, a div. of TV Channel Zero

As a member of the Street Team at CHCH, I am responsible for driving the Community Cruiser to various community events, setting up the tent provided, and handing out branded items like beach balls and tattoos.  As they are celebrating their 60th anniversary, I am also raising awareness of the return of the show Tiny Talent Time, and trying to get people to sign up for CH-CHing - a new, free rewards program that gives points for watching videos, reading articles, and sharing content from the CHCH website on social media.  The Street Team goes to events such as the Burlington Sound of Music Festival and Doors Open Hamilton.

Street Team Member

Lafarge

Responsible for after sales support and quote-to-cash (collecting, filing, and reconciliation of signed ticket copies, and assisting in locating missing signed ticket copies from haulers), developing a case discussing whether or not to incorporate ticket scanning into Lafarge's business process, hauler administration (filing of outstanding AGW documentation, scanning and filing hauler contracts, pulling and scanning CVOR insurance documents, downloading WSIB documents, updating Hauler Compliance Database with spot haul contracts as they come in, and calling haulers and updating database with current information, time permitting). Also assists with freight administration (assists Transportation Coordinator with deletion of expired rates and AD-HOC administrative support (assists Customer Service and Logistics Manager with various administrative tasks).

Supply Chain Intern

I tackle complex organizational challenges, including building and scaling customer-facing teams, upskilling their knowledge, and creating healthy cultures where everyone - regardless of department - thrives. Through this work, I help companies overcome the process and people problems they deal with on a day-to-day basis, both my supporting frontline reps and their leadership teams.

If you're looking to build and scale onboarding, continuous learning programs, or integrate culture-building activities into your team, I'm your girl!

Please feel free to contact me via LinkedIn or by email at ericajeanhollingsworth@gmail.com.

Erica Hollingsworth, MBA

Had an amazing time MCing our Women in GTM event last night here at Relay! 💚💫

With International Women's Day coming up on Sunday, I can't think of any better way to have spent a Thursday night - connecting, sharing insight, and just having a great time.

BIG thank you to our speakers for this session on Managing Up: Leading Through Influence, Julisa Salas and Jessica Knapp.

Want to join the fun? The next session in our Executive Presence Speaker series is coming up soon 👀 

📆 Thursday, May 7
📍 Relay Office
💭 Executive Presence at the Top

Keep an eye out for the registration link when it drops!

Thanks to Nicole Plant and Nichole Porter for bringing this event to life and for letting me be a part of it! 🫶 Also couldn't have had the success we did without the planning committee at the reins (Cindy Duong, Sara Chong, Jane Mathias, Arin Alkumru, Simrah Ali, Hasini Hemanth, and Hannah McInall) and our volunteers! ✨

Super excited to be part of our planning team for the Women in GTM series here at Relay! 💚✨

Naturally, I'm a quieter person (cue the shock from everyone I know). 

Speaking up in a room where I'm newer/more junior does NOT come easily. I've been incredibly fortunate to have leaders encourage and make space for me, but there's also been a lot of learning to elbow my way in!

Our next speaker series is all about building that executive presence regardless of where you are in your career. In this series, Managing Up: Leading through Influence, we'll talk about leading without formal authority. Why wait for the title change when you can start making an impact today?

Super excited to hear from our speakers who have been there and learned a lot along the way:  

Julisa Salas (VP Strategy & Ops here at Relay)
Jessica Knapp (VP, Chief of Staff at Docebo)

If you're in the GTA, come on down! We’re serving dinner, refreshments, and practical advice. Don’t miss it!

🗓️ Thursday, March 5 
🕕 5:30-8:30 PM 
📍Relay HQ

🎟️ RSVP: https://luma.com/ryjrd9it

100% of ticket proceeds are donated to the Newcomer Women’s Center

Open article: Managing Up: Leading through Influence · Luma by luma.com

Managing Up: Leading through Influence · Luma

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