Rice crispy treats sell themselves.
But most products are not like rice crispy treats. They need selling. That’s especially true of tech products. Some of the most successful companies in the LA tech scene are complex — a description of even the most basic product wouldn’t fit on the back of a business card.
All that to say: Selling isn’t easy. It’s why sales teams famously ring gongs and stage victory dances. These quirky, at times elaborate, customs and traditions are the mark of an uphill battle.
To learn more about LA’s sales culture, we sat down with members of four sales teams in the city. Here’s what they told us about quotas, closing and how they celebrate that cash money.
HQ: Santa Monica
Industry: E-commerce and consumer web
Year founded: 2011
BloomNation champions local florists while helping consumers buy the flowers they want, when they want them. The platform, which was launched in 2011, is a marketplace that connects independent florists and flower buyers all over the country, while also providing customer service and managing the logistics of floral shipments — no easy feat. The company has one of the most gorgeous Instagram’s around, and (according to the team at Marketplace) is considered one of Silicon Beach’s flagship companies.
We were joined by two members of the BloomNation team — a sales associate named Garrett Bilich and Bill Groody, the company’s director of sales — to talk about sales and the teams driving it.
Most candidates ask about the timelines of promotions and it’s great to be able to honestly say back: That is 100 percent up to you.”
What constitutes sales success at BloomNation?
For us, sales success is all about growth — both for our team members and customers. We set out to build something different for our teams: a built-out career path that starts day one as a member of our sales team. It’s not about tenure here at BloomNation; it’s about performance.
The goals for promotion are clear and so transparent that we wrote them on our walls for everyone to see. Most candidates ask about the timelines of promotions and it’s great to be able to honestly say back: “That is 100 percent up to you.”
Our goal was to tap into the incredible entry-level talent pool here in Los Angeles and create a program that offered hands-on training and coaching, combined with accelerated career growth for those who deliver to the expectation.
– Bill Groody, Director of Sales
What are some of the memorable ways your team celebrates big wins?
Every time a customer signs up with a demo, the employee behind the sale is greeted with a lineup of high fives, and every account that’s closed is physically applauded by the team. We actually have a Hoopla (scoreboard) that reminds me of an athlete’s stat sheet that we use to champion each reps success across the business.
Hitting your monthly goals at BloomNation is accompanied by celebratory dinners, and weekly extraordinary successes are acknowledged in sales meetings and — of course — with a spin on our Wheel of Fortune-style prize wheel.
A huge part of success at BloomNation happens when members of the SDR team not only hit ramp quotas but crush it, resulting in promotions. One of my SDR classmates got things done, crushed goals and moved from an SDR to an enterprise rep in less than eight months. What other company does that?
– Garrett Bilich, SDR
HQ: Los Angeles
Industry: Adtech
Year founded: 2009
The Trade Desk helps companies around the globe understand what their ad dollars are actually buying them — and how to get more for that ad spend. Thanks to in-depth data on placements and an online ad buying marketplace, The Trade Desk has a market cap of over $5 billion and offices in some of the world’s biggest advertising hubs: New York, London and Tokyo included. The company opened a new LA office in November that can house roughly 80 employees, leaving its 40-person LA team with room to grow.
We sat down with Kelly Davies, The Trade Desk’s director of business development, to learn more about the global company’s sales culture.
As a global company, it’s important to our leadership that we all think globally — what better way than a truly immersive experience in countries you typically don’t live in?”
What constitutes sales success at The Trade Desk?
A sales success at The Trade Desk is so many different things! We are built to support clients in a self-serve fashion, so every time our client wins, it feels like we win for the team. We invest so much in our agency and brand partners which makes it extremely rewarding to witness.
We love it when our clients grab hold of a new product or inventory format and create meaningful results for their clients, whether its performance related or even just saves them money. We always look for ways to save our partners’ time so if someone gets home to their kids earlier because the platform is easy to use, we celebrate!
What are some of the memorable ways your team celebrates big wins?
The Trade Desk hosts the best company event ever. It’s called Palooza and brings the whole company together once a year. This year we were in downtown Los Angeles and next year we’re trekking to Singapore! As a global company, it’s important to our leadership that we all think globally — what better way than a truly immersive experience in countries you typically don’t live in?
The event ends with a performance by the Bad Impressions, our insanely talented in-house band. There is nothing more amazing than watching your colleagues jam out with C-levels during this concert-caliber event.
I can’t wait for this year’s Palooza. We achieved some major milestones in 2018 with ConnectedTV, and I can’t wait to celebrate launching in China this year just in time for our 10 year anniversary.
HQ: West Hollywood
Industry: HR tech
Year founded: 2006
Criteria Corp’s software tests job applicants to help companies narrow in on the candidates they’re looking for. The company’s pre-employment personality, aptitude and skill tests help companies of all stripes find the gems hiding in the stack of application paperwork by using data as an initial filter. With customers including Farmer’s Insurance, Harley Davidson, Ocean Spray and Wendy’s, the company has effectively covered all four corners of the working world.
We were joined by Criteria Corp’s VP of sales and strategic partnerships, Amyra Rand, to discuss wins, losses and the culture underpinning it all.
Those who are willing and able to put their egos aside, work on their craft and embrace both feedback and coaching opportunities will thrive.”
What constitutes sales success at Criteria Corp?
Teamwork. Coachability. Drive. Of course there’s also the numbers you put on the board, but it’s more than that. We are a team here, and we expect people to play accordingly. It’s not just about putting the most points on the board, but about helping your teammates be their best.
Coaching is also core to our sales culture. Those who are willing and able to put their egos aside, work on their craft and embrace both feedback and coaching opportunities will thrive. With our new hire training, we provide a solid foundation for success — just add some hustle and you’ll far exceed expectations.
What are some of the memorable ways your team celebrates big wins?
Green hoodies are the holy grail here at Criteria! Any sales rep who brings in a certain amount in sales in a given quarter gets a green hoodie in honor of their achievement. After that first win, reps earn a chevron to add to their sleeves to commemorate the achievement.
HQ: Arts District (DTLA)
Industry: Cloud and productivity
Year founded: 2015
RealtimeBoard is a visual collaboration platform for cross-functional teams. It’s great for companies who work together across different offices, remote teams and even for inter-office collaboration. Think of it as whiteboarding — but virtual, integrative and, well, real-time. Their customers include IKEA, UpWork, Netflix and Airbnb. The company raised $25 million in late 2018 and is using the money to expand their marketing and sales (yes, sales!) teams in 2019.
We were joined by Stephen Krikorian and Erika Schultz of RealtimeBoard’s sales team to discuss what it’s like selling for the company.
It’s a sales success when I see our sales reps helping each other — providing tips, tricks and hacks that help them do their job better.”
What constitutes a sales success at RealtimeBoard?
It’s a sales success when I see our sales reps helping each other — providing tips, tricks and hacks that help them do their job better.
– Stephen Krikorian, Sales Ops Lead
What are some of the memorable ways your team celebrates big wins?
We have a gong! And I think companywide we do a great job of meeting virtually and in person to celebrate our wins and forecast what’s ahead, especially given our team’s distribution. Our sales kickoff meeting on the Sunset Strip was a memorable week for me — I was able to meet my colleagues from all over the world, recap 2018 and plan for 2019, all while having fun.
– Erika Schultz, Account Executive
