Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in sales but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Rebecca Parry, Founder of Sales Savvy, located in Los Angeles, CA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Sales Savvy is a sales coaching business. Our customers are entrepreneurs, start-ups, and individuals looking to develop their sales capability and overall sales strategy.

Tell us about yourself

I have been in sales and sales leadership for over 30 years. I decided to transition into sales coaching a couple of years ago as I could see the need in the market. I had always loved the coaching aspect of my Sales Leadership roles. It's something I am passionate about, and I really enjoy helping people and seeing tangible results from coaching.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

When I decided to make the transition to sales coaching, I wrote a book, "Sales Savvy The How-to Sales Handbook," which is like a series of coaching sessions in one book. The process of writing the book and getting it picked up by a Publisher was very satisfying, and it has set a good foundation for my coaching business. What bought me to the US in the first place (I am originally from New Zealand) was a small New Zealand Entertainment Technology start-up Moxion, in which I invested in and spearheaded the entry into the US market, including the major Hollywood studios. This was quite a journey, given I had no Entertainment industry experience and, at the time, I hadn't even visited Los Angeles. I literally arrived at an empty apartment and three suitcases to build a business, and within 4 years, we were acquired by Autodesk.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

For me, it was the first leap of faith to move from earning a regular income to the uncertainty that comes with owning your own business. But the freedom that comes with charting your own course in life far outweighs any initial fear.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Know your target audience and what value you bring to them.
  2. Do your due diligence on the market to make sure your offering meets a genuine need and that there is sufficient demand.
  3. Spend time understanding your point of difference and how to articulate that in a simple way that resonates with your target audience.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

With start-ups, it's often the Founder that has to lead the sales effort before they are in a position to hire and build a sales team. Often this is not their core skill set, but I have seen successful Founders develop their own sales capability, making them better at identifying and retaining sales talent in the future. For some people, sales can seem more magic than logic, but for all, it's a mystery; it's actually a very systematic and straightforward process with well-defined steps that just about anyone can learn.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: http://salessavvy.biz/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sales-Savvy-109562591211695
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorrebeccaparry/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccafparry/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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