The Most Common Mistake Founders Make When Running Sales Themselves
- Kit Merkley
- Oct 23
- 2 min read
If you run a small business, you probably started it because you love the product or service. So when it’s time to sell, you step in. You hustle. You close.
That works… until it doesn’t.
The problem: Founders often build sales around themselves, not around a repeatable process. Which means when the founder is the engine, the business can’t run without them.
Why It Becomes a Problem
Leads dry up if you're busy or unavailable.
Everything depends on your personality, not a consistent system.
Hiring other people becomes harder because there’s no blueprint for what “good” looks like.
You end up trapped: working in the business instead of leading it.
How to Fix It (Without Going Big Too Fast)
Write down your exact steps From lead generation to follow-up to closing. Even bullet points or checklists count.
Separate passion from process What you do because you love it or because you believe in it? Great. But what you do because someone else needs to do it someday? Turn that into a repeatable process.
Use simple tools Even a lightweight CRM or spreadsheet can serve. Track deals, status, and next steps.
Pilot with someone else Give your playbook to a salesperson or junior team member. If they struggle, it’s proof the process needs tweaking.
Why This Matters for Phoenix SMBs
We live in a market where community reputation spreads fast - and missed follow-ups or inconsistent messaging show up just as fast.
If only you know how everything works, your business is fragile. If more people understand and can act using your system, your business becomes resilient.
Final Thought
Being great at closing deals is powerful. Being able to walk away and have your process still perform is transformational.
Structure scales. Passion excites. Clarity empowers.
Would your processes survive if you stepped away for a week?
Further reading: Entrepreneur magazine’s “When Founders Need to Build a Repeatable Sales System” has some great practical steps. 👉 https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/320279
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