The Physics of Startups with Rob Snyder The 3 sales pathologies (Helpful, Noble, Smart)
Nov 14, 2025
The hosts tackle three common yet destructive sales mindsets that founders often adopt. The 'Helpful' founder mistakenly believes showing value will drive sales, leading to wasted calls. Meanwhile, the 'Smart' founder's urge to impress can alienate customers who feel unheard. Lastly, the 'Noble' founder prioritizes their mission over customer needs, creating moral lectures that push potential buyers away. Listeners get tactical advice on correcting these pathologies to better understand demand and improve sales outcomes.
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Default Sales Pathologies Distract From Demand
- Founders default to being helpful, noble, or smart because these feel like the right way to sell.
- These defaults distract from the real aim: diagnosing and serving customer demand.
Peer Consultant Improved Conversion By Shifting Focus
- Rob describes a consultant peer who ran inbound calls aimed at proving helpful and had only 10–20% close rates.
- After changing his approach to focus on demand, conversion rose to ~50% and calls became shorter.
Pathologies Sink Sales Unless Demand Is Intense
- Pathologies make it unlikely that casual buyers will convert unless they have intense demand.
- Removing these pathologies shortens cycles, reduces effort, and reveals product-market fit faster.
