The Primary Reason I See Innovators Fail​

A primary reason I see many small businesses fail to grow, or even fail completely, is the reluctance of their founders to embrace sales as the most critical function for their success. When acting as a fractional leader, I’m frequently introduced to companies with excellent products which are struggling to generate meaningful revenue. This predicament often arises because innovators, the individuals behind these products, have destructive misconceptions about sales and selling.

The innovators I’ve met would never call themselves ‘anti-sales’, but they hold two important beliefs that belittle and devalue that function. First, they don’t believe their product requires active selling. The innovators see the value and benefits to the customer so clearly that they think all that’s necessary is marketing. Second, they think sales can be outsourced so they don’t need to be involved themselves. Neither of these beliefs are true, but convincing innovators otherwise can be a formidable challenge.

What small businesses, especially their leaders, must grasp is that once innovation is complete, their primary focus must shift sales. Furthermore, for innovative products, the most effective salesperson is often the creator themselves. This is especially crucial when the innovation is highly disruptive and doesn’t neatly fit into an existing sales process and competitive landscape.

Regrettably, many founders struggle to overcome this challenge. As a fractional leader, my role is to persuade them to step out of their comfort zones and embrace a task they might consider beneath them or an inefficient use of their time. Contrary to their beliefs, doing so is essential for the success of their businesses.