We The Sales Engineers: A Resource for Sales Engineers, by Sales Engineers Stop Being an Amateur Solution Engineer, Join the Professionals
Sep 22, 2025
Bill Balnave, an experienced leader in solution engineering and customer success, shares invaluable insights into the divide between amateur and professional solution engineers. He highlights the importance of continual skill development and the need for the right environment to thrive. The conversation dives into essential competencies like demos and soft skills, the significance of personal motivation, and the role of team dynamics. Bill emphasizes self-education and setting high standards, illustrating how professionalism can dramatically enhance career success.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Treat SE As A Continual Craft
- A professional SE treats the role like a craft and constantly trains core skills such as demos, discovery, and soft skills.
- Bill Balnave ties effort directly to outcomes and says pros invest time because compensation and opportunity follow results.
Start With Existing Training Resources
- Do pursue training and books because many quality resources exist like Six Habits and Tech Sales Mastery.
- Decide to take your career seriously and invest time in structured learning before it becomes urgent.
Woke Up By A Tough Performance Call
- Bill became motivated after his VP told him he didn't even do discovery and he realized he was failing as an SE.
- That confrontation made him obsessed with improving his sales engineering skills.
