Grit

VP and GM at Shopify, Loren Padelford: Breaking the Rules in Sales

Oct 5, 2020

Loren Padelford, a VP and GM at Shopify, is known for challenging conventional sales doctrines. In this discussion, he reveals the limitations of traditional sales hiring practices and emphasizes that past success doesn't guarantee future performance. Loren shares Shopify’s remarkable journey from a billion-dollar valuation to a $120 billion titan, highlighting the importance of data-driven sales strategies. He also advocates for hiring creative and curious individuals over seasoned salespeople, reshaping how companies approach talent acquisition.

52:48

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Episode guests

Loren Padelford

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Quick takeaways

Sales success depends more on hard work and resilience than on innate talent or past performance history.

Shopify's rapid growth is driven by lowering barriers for entrepreneurs, fostering innovation through their accessible platform.

A contrarian hiring approach that values creativity and resilience over traditional sales experience can lead to exceptional sales outcomes.

Deep dives

Resilience in Sales

Sales often requires resilience, as rejection is a common part of the process. Successful sales professionals must be prepared to hear 'no' repeatedly and persistently approach their tasks despite challenges. The speaker emphasizes that achieving success in sales is not about innate talent but about hard work and determination. By viewing setbacks as opportunities for growth, salespeople can cultivate a mindset that enhances their overall performance.

Efficiency in Sales through Saying No

01:56

Strategic Sales Approach: Avoiding Standard Pools

00:42

Long-term Customer Relationship

01:34

Success is More Than Achieving Numbers

01:23

Intro

2min

Reframing Sales: From Art to Science

3min

The Rise of Shopify: From Snowboards to Software

11min

Innovative Sales Recruitment Strategies

9min

Rethinking Success in Sales: Beyond Traditional Metrics

4min

Rethinking Sales Hiring Strategies

24min

Sales is full of doctrines, or commonly shared beliefs, that are repeated over and over again, often without question — from hiring to business development. And blindly following can inhibit growth and lead to missed opportunities.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, Shopify VP and GM Loren Padelford points out some of these doctrines and explains why he recommends avoiding them. Loren also sheds some light on Shopify’s unique approach to sourcing talent and driving sales.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover:

Shopify’s rapid ascent to a $120 billion organization. Loren also provides an overview of Shopify.
What contributed to Shopify’s growth.
Why sales is science, not magic — and why the best salespeople are always math junkies and hard workers.
The idea that someone’s past sales performance may not guarantee future success, or justify their hiring. Joubin and Loren debate the idea.
Why companies shouldn’t necessarily go where there are a lot of salespeople. Loren also explains the belief that it doesn’t make sense to hire salespeople.
The five behaviors that determine whether someone will be successful, and why companies should look for these traits when filling sales positions.
Common doctrines that exist in sales. For example, Loren explains the doctrine of getting customers to say yes — and why he disagrees with that approach.

Links

Follow Loren on Twitter
Connect with Loren on LinkedIn
Shopify
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

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Grit

VP and GM at Shopify, Loren Padelford: Breaking the Rules in Sales

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Resilience in Sales

The Science of Sales

Shopify's Growth Story

Hiring for Success

The Power of Saying 'No'

Efficiency in Sales through Saying No

Strategic Sales Approach: Avoiding Standard Pools

Long-term Customer Relationship

Success is More Than Achieving Numbers

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts