How to master founder-led sales motion - A fireside chat w/ Mike Pinkel
For early-stage founders, sales isn’t optional, it’s survival. You can’t outsource conviction. You have to pitch, persuade, and close long before a sales team exists.
In this fireside chat, we’re joined by Mike Pinkel to unpack what it really takes to sell as a founder. Mike has spent decades helping startups and scale-ups refine their pitches, build persuasive messaging, and grow revenue, and he believes sales is a skill every founder can master.
We’ll cover:
How to design a pitch/demo that actually lands
The Problem–Solution–Impact framework for messaging
Sales writing that converts curiosity into commitment
When and how to make your first sales hires
Expect sharp insights, practical frameworks, and stories from the frontlines of startup sales. The format will be an interview + live Q&A so bring your questions.
About the guest:
Mike Pinkel is a sales expert, consultant, and author of Theme Selling on Substack. He is the founder of P.S.I. Selling, where he helps founders and GTM leaders improve pitch design, sales messaging, and team performance.
Previously, Mike was a key player at Coursera, where he scaled enterprise revenue from $3M to $180M and built repeatable sales playbooks. He leverages his sales expertise to help startups tell better stories, build stronger sales teams, and close bigger deals.
About the host:
Sharath is a repeat founder who has built and sold two SaaS products. He previously led community at Product Hunt and now hosts Undefeated Underdogs, a podcast where he interviews ambitious founders and VCs. Sharath is deeply embedded in the startup ecosystem—curious, candid, and always building. Currently he is a fractional community lead at Thera.