Let me analyze "The Sales Acceleration Formula" by Mark Roberge through first principles and distill the most impactful insights for a startup entrepreneur. ### key insights from a founder's perspective #sales #business #startup 1. **data-driven hiring > gut feeling** - score candidates on key traits - create repeatable evaluation rubric - track correlation between scores & performance - iterate on hiring criteria based on data 2. **training is a science, not an art** - define clear metrics for success - break down top performer behaviors - create predictable training programs - measure training ROI religiously 3. **sales compensation drives behavior** ```markdown formula = base salary (survival) + commission (motivation) + accelerators (exceptional performance) ``` 4. **demand generation framework** - ideal customer profile first - content mapped to buyer journey - inbound > outbound - track metrics obsessively 5. **sales tools stack matters** - crm as single source of truth - automation where possible - [[tools/sales-stack|recommended tools]] - measure tool ROI 6. **predictable pipeline = predictable revenue** - define stages clearly - track conversion rates - forecast based on data - identify bottlenecks early 7. **customer success is pre-sales** - align sales with post-sale reality - compensation tied to customer success - measure net revenue retention - feedback loop to sales process 8. **experimentation > tradition** - test everything - measure everything - iterate fast - kill what doesn't work 9. **sales metrics hierarchy** ```markdown revenue └── pipeline └── activities └── behaviors ``` 10. **culture eats strategy** - transparency in metrics - coaching > managing - celebrate learning from failure - data-driven decisions