MSMP 57: Stewart Townsend on Staying Focused
What Does “MSMP 57: Stewart Townsend on Staying Focused” Talk About?
In this 27-minute episode of Mads Singers Management Podcast , the hosts explore topics including years experience, stewart noted, niching down, existing customers.
One of the most important lessons I consistently preach in my courses and with my private coaching clients is having the right people in the right place for the right reason. Most of us lack the management skills to make a correction when necessary and end up costing themselves, their teams, and their companies a lot of time.On this episode of Mads Singers Management Podcast I chat with Stewart about his 20+ years experience in IT and over 30 years experience in sales. Stewart was at Sun Microsystems and worked on Solaris and Java in those heady days before Sun was acquired by Oracle. He also joined Zendesk pre-IPO. With more than a decade in “corporate life” he has an understanding of how big organizations work, as well as a lot of background in persuading others to use the software that he is currently representing, which helps him in his current role, securing indirect partnerships for SaaS businesses. One of our points of agreement during this discussion was the importance of trusting your gut as you build your team. Stewart noted that he doubted his gut feeling about letting someone go, and as a result that mistake compounded for months. This is something I see all the time, and I try to remind people that being a “good person” is not sufficient to stay employed, both practically and personally. When people are underperforming, they are unhappy, and the fear of firing such people is a lose/lose for everyone. Stewart noted that the corporate treatment exemplifies this cowardice in labeling someone as a “special project” and putting them somewhere they can’t mess anything up.Stewart, like I do, also believes in really niching down. He notes, “Who is the person I am trying to sell to and what is the value I am willing to bring to them?” He lives this advice in offering himself as an expert on SaaS, in the B2B format, in Europe. Specific enough for you? That said, you also have to be careful about pivoting too much, as you can sometimes lose your existing customers by doing so.Key Learning Points:1. Stewart prefers to focus on the extra value/margin to be gained on existing customers rather than worrying about churn - 6:302.
What Are the Key Takeaways From “MSMP 57: Stewart Townsend on Staying Focused”?
Here are some of the key points discussed in this episode:
- The importance of years experience and how it applies in practice
- The importance of stewart noted and how it applies in practice
- The importance of niching down and how it applies in practice
- The importance of existing customers and how it applies in practice
- The importance of stewart townsend and how it applies in practice
Is “MSMP 57: Stewart Townsend on Staying Focused” Worth Listening To?
Absolutely. “MSMP 57: Stewart Townsend on Staying Focused” is a compelling episode that delivers focused, actionable content without wasting your time.
The episode is well-structured and easy to follow. Mads Singers Management Podcast consistently delivers quality content, and this episode is no exception.
Who Should Listen to “MSMP 57: Stewart Townsend on Staying Focused”?
This episode is ideal for:
- Anyone interested in years experience
- Professionals looking to learn more about stewart noted
- Regular listeners of Mads Singers Management Podcast who want to stay up-to-date
- Anyone looking for practical insights they can apply right away
- People who prefer learning through conversational, interview-style content
Where Can You Listen to Mads Singers Management Podcast ?
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What Are Listeners Saying About This Episode?
“This episode really opened my eyes to years experience. Mads Singers Management Podcast consistently delivers thoughtful conversations that make you think differently about stewart noted. Highly recommend this one.”
“I've been following years experience for a while now and this episode was one of their best. The discussion around Mads Singers Management Podcast was incredibly insightful and I've already started applying some of the ideas.”
“Finally, a podcast that dives deep into years experience without oversimplifying things. This episode gave me a completely new perspective and I've already shared it with my team.”
One of the most important lessons I consistently preach in my courses and with my private coaching clients is having the right people in the right place for the right reason. Most of us lack the management skills to make a correction when necessary and end up costing themselves, their teams, and their companies a lot of time.
On this episode of Mads Singers Management Podcast I chat with Stewart about his 20+ years experience in IT and over 30 years experience in sales. Stewart was at Sun Microsystems and worked on Solaris and Java in those heady days before Sun was acquired by Oracle. He also joined Zendesk pre-IPO. With more than a decade in “corporate life” he has an understanding of how big organizations work, as well as a lot of background in persuading others to use the software that he is currently representing, which helps him in his current role, securing indirect partnerships for SaaS businesses.
One of our points of agreement during this discussion was the importance of trusting your gut as you build your team. Stewart noted that he doubted his gut feeling about letting someone go, and as a result that mistake compounded for months. This is something I see all the time, and I try to remind people that being a “good person” is not sufficient to stay employed, both practically and personally. When people are underperforming, they are unhappy, and the fear of firing such people is a lose/lose for everyone. Stewart noted that the corporate treatment exemplifies this cowardice in labeling someone as a “special project” and putting them somewhere they can’t mess anything up.
Stewart, like I do, also believes in really niching down. He notes, “Who is the person I am trying to sell to and what is the value I am willing to bring to them?” He lives this advice in offering himself as an expert on SaaS, in the B2B format, in Europe. Specific enough for you? That said, you also have to be careful about pivoting too much, as you can sometimes lose your existing customers by doing so.
Key Learning Points:
1. Stewart prefers to focus on the extra value/margin to be gained on existing customers rather than worrying about churn – 6:30
2. Mads discusses the importance of niching down in regards to lead gen – 12:30
3. Stewart discusses the velocity of firing (and trusting your gut) – 14:05
4. Stewart warns about those who interview well but aren’t a good fit for the role/team/organization – 18:15
Connect with Stewart Townsend: