MSMP 57: Stewart Townsend on Staying Focused

What Does MSMP 57: Stewart Townsend on Staying Focused Talk About?

In this episode of Mads Singers Management Podcast, Mads and Stewart Townsend discuss the critical importance of having the right people in the right roles for the right reasons. Drawing from Stewart's extensive experience in IT and sales, they explore common management pitfalls such as delaying necessary personnel changes and the consequences of ignoring gut instincts. The conversation also covers the value of niching down in business, focusing on existing customer value rather than churn, and the risks of pivoting too frequently.

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.Mads Singers

Who Is Featured on MSMP 57: Stewart Townsend on Staying Focused?

Stewart Townsend brings over 20 years of experience in IT and more than 30 years in sales. He worked at Sun Microsystems on Solaris and Java before the Oracle acquisition, and joined Zendesk pre-IPO. With a decade in corporate life, he understands how large organizations operate and has extensive experience persuading others to adopt software. Currently, he secures indirect partnerships for SaaS businesses, focusing on B2B in Europe.

What Are the Key Takeaways From MSMP 57: Stewart Townsend on Staying Focused?

• Focus on the extra value or margin from existing customers rather than worrying about churn.
• Niching down is essential for effective lead generation and targeting the right audience.
• Trust your gut when it comes to firing underperformers; delaying only compounds the problem.
• Beware of candidates who interview well but are not a good fit for the role or team.
• Avoid pivoting too much as it can alienate your existing customer base.

Stewart noted that he doubted his gut feeling about letting someone go, and as a result that mistake compounded for months.Mads Singers

Is MSMP 57: Stewart Townsend on Staying Focused Worth Listening To?

This episode is highly recommended for managers and leaders who struggle with personnel decisions and team building. The discussion on trusting your gut and the velocity of firing provides practical, actionable advice. Stewart's real-world examples from his career add credibility and depth to the conversation. Listeners will gain insights on niching down and focusing on value creation, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their management skills.

Who Should Listen to MSMP 57: Stewart Townsend on Staying Focused?

• New managers
• Experienced team leaders
• Sales professionals
• Entrepreneurs

What Are Listeners Saying About This Episode?

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:

1. Stewart Townsend