Revenue Builders

Pinned Golf: Making the Shift from Sales to Entrepreneurship

Apr 10, 2025

John Rowell, co-founder of Pinned Golf, shares his inspiring journey from a successful sales career at EMC and Dell Technologies to launching an innovative golf startup. He discusses critical skills like preparation and leadership that paved the way for his entrepreneurial success. Rowell explores the importance of defining customer profiles and the emotional connections in sales. He also highlights the unique challenges of working with friends and the thrill of creating market-defining golf products, showcasing a blend of passion and strategy in business.

01:08:19

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Episode guests

John Rowell

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Transitioning from enterprise sales to entrepreneurship requires leveraging customer pain point insights gained from tech sales experience.

Building confidence in early-career sales professionals is essential for fostering authentic connections during customer interactions.

Effective product development relies on understanding customer feedback, as seen with Pinned Golf's innovative offerings like the Caddy GPS tablet.

Deep dives

Career Transition from Enterprise Sales to Entrepreneurship

Transitioning from a successful career in enterprise sales to entrepreneurship involves crucial lessons that shape business acumen. The individual began their journey at EMC Dell Technologies, progressing through various sales roles, gaining experience in deal qualification and team building. This tech sales background provided a robust foundation for understanding customer pain points, which is essential in any business venture. Ultimately, the goal of transferring these skills into entrepreneurship became evident as they established Pinned Golf, aiming for innovation in the sporting goods industry.

Intro

4min

Lessons from Tech Sales to Entrepreneurship

19min

Inspiration and Vision: Bridging Sales and Entrepreneurship

4min

Enhancing Value Through Connection

6min

From Sales to Entrepreneurship: Identifying Market Gaps in Golfing Innovations

3min

From Sales to Entrepreneurship: Navigating Change

29min

Integrating Golf Products into Corporate Branding

3min

In this episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan are joined by John Rowell, co-founder of Pinned Golf, about his transition from a successful career in enterprise sales to entrepreneurship. Rowell shares his invaluable experiences from working at EMC Dell Technologies and Lacework, highlighting the importance of process and preparation. He discusses how these skills translated into building a thriving startup, explains the significance of defining an ideal customer profile, and offers insights into the challenges and rewards of making the leap to start his own company. The episode also delves into Pinned Golf’s innovative products, the dynamics of working with friends, and strategies for effective sales and management in both B2B and B2C environments.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Visit Pinned Golf! Check out their products here: https://pinnedgolf.com/

Connect with John Rowell:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnerowell/

Download the CRO Strategy Checklist: https://hubs.li/Q03f8LmX0

Read Force Management’s Guide to Increasing Company Valuation: https://hubs.li/Q038n0jT0

Enjoying the podcast? Sign up to receive new episodes straight to your inbox: https://hubs.li/Q02R10xN0

HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT

[00:01:39] John Rowell's Career Journey at EMC and Lacework
[00:05:21] Advice for BDRs and SDRs: Building Confidence and Authenticity
[00:07:37] The Importance of Pre-Call Preparation
[00:15:01] Process Equals Speed: Lessons from Lacework
[00:19:23] Transitioning to Entrepreneurship: Founding Pinned Golf
[00:25:19] Developing and Marketing Pinned Golf Products
[00:31:36] The Caddy: Revolutionizing Golf Technology
[00:34:17] Pre-Order and Market Gap
[00:35:46] Finding the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)
[00:38:26] Distribution Strategies
[00:41:14] Entrepreneurial Journey and Challenges
[00:46:56] Manufacturing and Role Segregation
[00:48:30] Partnership Dynamics and Decision Making
[00:57:50] Sales and Growth Mindset
[01:04:53] Product Customization and Corporate Gifts

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

"Process equals speed."
"If you're not prepared, you'll figure it out after the call, but then it's too late."
"The best way, the best connection you can make is to give that person space to be able to articulate what their challenges or problems are."
"If you can get the channel really working for you and selling on your behalf, you can touch so many more people."
"You can have three guys in a boat, but if only one's rowing, it's definitely not gonna work."

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Revenue Builders

Pinned Golf: Making the Shift from Sales to Entrepreneurship

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Career Transition from Enterprise Sales to Entrepreneurship

The Importance of Confidence and Authenticity in Sales

Strategies for Effective Preparation in Sales

Creating Successful Products through Customer Feedback

The Role of Team Dynamics in Business Growth

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts