Full Throttle Leaders Podcast - Jesse Alexander, Awecomm - EVP of Operations

GTM Full Throttle Podcast Recap: Jesse Alexander on Sales Transformation & LinkedIn-Powered Outreach Just had a fantastic conversation with Jesse Alexander on GTM Full Throttle! Here's what we discussed: Key Takeaways: The Founder-Led Sales Problem Jesse is taking over a sales organization that's been founder-led and executive-driven—but it isn't working anymore. Previous attempts at building sales teams (AE and SDR models) failed not because the models don't work, but because there was no playbook, no clear management foundation, and no consistency in sales methodology. As Jesse puts it: you need professional sales infrastructure with clear processes and accountability to scale beyond a few million dollars. Building a Professional Sales Organization from Scratch Instead of throwing more bodies at the problem, Jesse is implementing a structured GTM approach. He's hiring the first new AE, launching a digital outreach program, and establishing clear sales playbooks (think Sandler, Challenger, etc.). The goal: create a repeatable, managed sales process instead of hoping your founder closes deals. Testing a Pay-Per-Meeting Model Rather than committing to a flat-fee retainer, Jesse and Michael agreed to test a performance-based approach: $5,000 for 10 qualified meetings, with unused funds refunded. This removes risk and lets Jesse evaluate results against his current $5,000/month digital outreach investment. Michael commits to delivering 20–30 meetings biweekly using LinkedIn automation and targeted outreach. Leveraging Your LinkedIn Network for Outreach Jesse has ~9,000 LinkedIn connections—a goldmine for warm outreach. Instead of cold emails, Michael's strategy uses Jesse's profile to invite prospects to podcasts and roundtables on IT, AI, cybersecurity, and IT asset management. Prospects book meetings either before or after participation, creating a tiered fee structure (roundtable registrations vs. one-on-one meetings). Roundtables as Trust-Building, Not Pitching The roundtable strategy isn't a sales pitch disguised as a networking event. Jesse emphasized surfacing real business issues through active participation and thoughtful questions. Topics like "AI's Impact on Cybersecurity" and "Lessons Learned" spark genuine collaboration. Michael moderates to keep the conversation consultative, not transactional. Podcasts Build Content, Credibility & AI Visibility Podcasts serve a dual purpose: they're sales conversations with an audience, AND they create discoverable content for YouTube and LinkedIn. AI systems index podcast transcripts, boosting visibility to prospects and algorithms alike. Jesse was hesitant at first, but Michael convinced him: think of it as a normal conversation—just recorded. Michael offered to co-host the first one to help Jesse get comfortable. Targeting Matters: ICP & TCP The quality of outreach depends entirely on targeting. Jesse emphasized focusing on Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) or Target Customer Profile (TCP) prospects. Michael requested Jesse build a Sales Navigator target list so outreach hits the right people—turning generic meetings into sales-qualified opportunities.    • Full Throttle Leaders Podcast - Jesse Alex...