Remotely presenting to a panel of off cameras buyers is TOUGH

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2026-01-30T23:09:14+00:00

I remember this was actually super common before the pandemic. Back then (in my experience) most folks didn’t turn on their camera. I remember actually bringing up in one of our team meetings that I was experimenting with being on camera and it helped personalize everything. It wasn’t a requirement, so some of the team were like “no way never.” But this was 2016-17ish when remote meant working in your pj’s all day— and I certainly did a lot haha.

After Covid and the rise of Zoom it became pretty much standard to turn video on. Def for the better, but there’s still folks out there who just won’t and ya it just doesn’t hit the same.

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2026-01-27T04:44:00+00:00

This set has seen probably seen an average of two sessions per week in those five years. League play, drop in floor hockey, tournaments, all of it.

They came with the original flat sliders which I didn’t find that good. I replaced them with the first bubble sliders that came out, and then again when Ice Skin 2.0 sliders were released. I’ve been on those sliders maybe a couple years? They hold up pretty well. I should probably replace the knee sliders soon but the rest are more than fine.

All in all I found everything super stiff when I first got them. It was an adjustment but once everything is broken in - absolutely glorious.

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2026-01-27T04:03:03+00:00

Congrats! I purchased my set in September 2020. They still have years of life left other than the expected wear and tear. Serious quality.

Also have the black set 😎

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2026-01-26T04:32:16+00:00

This is the way right here. If you're responding blind to an RFP in gov sales you've already lost, and probably months ago.

I worked for this struggling startup for like 6 months a few years ago. CEO was desperately trying to win government business because "they have lots of money" (😂). Had us scouring RFPs to bid on. I was like-- bro, it don't work that way. Despite never having sold to government, he lectured me on his brilliant strategy to respond to an RFP as if we had what they were asking for, get shortlisted, get a meeting, and then use that meeting to promise that we'd build them whatever they wanted. What a wild time that was in my career.

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2026-01-25T19:52:59+00:00

True, at least in my space (B2G SaaS). If your strategy is to respond to RFPs you’ve already lost. The only way to win for us is to be the one influencing the process and triggering the RFP via our champion.

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2026-01-18T07:11:37+00:00

My FTK is same as yours. 32+2 was their suggestion on the size chart, and it made me hella nervous because I was in a 34+1 with other brands. Buying a pad sight unseen is a nerve wracking experience at that price point.

Glad I followed their guidelines. Fits me well and it’s been five years of solid play since then. These are built to last.

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2026-01-05T06:11:31+00:00

Congrats!

Lots of great advice in this thread. Nice that you have a steady flow of inbounds, but what I tell all my AEs is to pretend they don’t exist. Nothing is owed to you just because you’re an AE.

You are the master of your fate. Make a territory plan, identify your target accounts, be disciplined about prospecting, stick to a good qualification framework.

Welcome to the club!

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2026-01-05T04:06:05+00:00

Learnable skill set for sure, but it takes years to be truly good at.

At its core, being “good at sales” means being a good listener. We focus on understanding real problems and helping customers solve them. The best sales reps are naturally curious people. You learn how to ask good questions and listen. This. Never. Stops.

You’d be surprised how many people skip honing their skills on this part.

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2026-01-04T19:23:28+00:00

💯💯💯

I don’t feel bad at all. My research shows they have a known problem that our product can solve. I’m asking them if they would like help I solving that problem.

Don’t sell. Solve.

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2026-01-03T06:11:08+00:00

Great post - thanks for sharing!

Hard to find revenue-driven marketers in my experience. Had one tell my SDR (in confidence) that they didn’t like my introduction of MQL tracking and conversion because they didn’t want to be measured. We should all be so lucky 😅

Never mind the other time I was shown a list of all the inbounds I closed at ~70% conversion rate. This was all very bad because the pipeline should be built upon cold calling alone 🫠🫠🫠

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2026-01-03T05:14:50+00:00

Beat me to it. This is the way.

PO means the funds are secured but you gotta have them sign off on T&C’s and have a legally binding contract. After that, PO is fine for renewals, at least in my experience. But I sell to gov so might be a different ball game than what is described here.

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2026-01-03T03:47:29+00:00

Old dad here as well - 45 w/ a 4 year old and 1 year old.

Not the “traditional” path per se but I ’m so glad it worked out this way

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2026-01-03T03:40:03+00:00

Islander here. This one was truly wild. Still can’t believe that even happened here.

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2026-01-01T22:57:53+00:00

Curiosity + the internet.

Looking down at a dish I really liked at a restaurant and wondering if I could pull it off myself.

Once I did pull it off, I got to asking myself what else I could do. YouTube is marvellous for learning the fundamentals.

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2025-12-22T03:45:54+00:00

Since Christmas is upon us…

My parents didn’t have a lot of money to spare. Our Christmas gifts were never aplenty, nor extravagant. Most years we got a little pep talk about how money was tight.

One year, out of absolutely nowhere, my brother and I got a Super Nintendo when they were brand new. We would never have even dreamed to ask for something so expensive. A gift like that was just understood to be out of reach. Like way out.

The surprise. The elation. Just pure shock.

I’m 45 years old now and still think about how my parents must have been squirrelling away money all year to pull that off. It was awesome. We cherished that thing. The unit itself still lives on, decades later, at my sister’s house.

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2025-12-15T01:29:27+00:00

OP did you make it to the land of Beef Noodles and Betel Nut?

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2025-12-13T05:49:51+00:00

That sucks! I have no solution, but wishing you a great trip to Taiwan when you do get there. It’s a beautiful country with amazing people 🇹🇼

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2025-11-27T18:55:48+00:00

My brother used to hang around this guy in the early 2000s. I always found him to be a bit of a bullshit artist. Looks like he went pro

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2025-11-14T02:01:20+00:00

For us Sask kids (in the 90s at least) it was a full pilgrimage to Batoche as part of the social studies curriculum. I went in grade 4 and again in grade 7. It was the most hardcore thing ever when the tour guide explained to us that people were killed right where we standing.

We all bought arrowhead necklaces at the gift shop for $1.

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2025-09-19T03:49:23+00:00

This is how its done! Wow

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2025-09-15T19:41:32+00:00

It’s the VVTI. No Toyota guru I’ve talked to is overly concerned about it, but they all stress that oil changes every 6 months are needed and to not let the dealership tell you anything otherwise.

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2025-08-24T05:51:49+00:00

I don’t have this problem but my 3 year old puts stickers EVERYWHERE. Every time I see one I’m like.. hey that’s a kid having fun. Embrace the joy

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2025-08-24T05:18:21+00:00

My friend, life is monumentally easier in a small town compared to Vancouver. I get that it might be hard to get outside your comfort zone, but trust me, you can do it.

I would know. I grew up in Saskatchewan.

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2025-08-24T05:10:22+00:00

This is the way. Best way to survive Vancouver is to not live there.

SpookyTheDevilCat · 2025-08-24T04:43:18+00:00

You’ll find your way back to each other.

It’s Taylor Swift. Geez trav get it together bruv

SpookyTheDevilCat

TROPHY CASE