MaximumMacEffort

Key Account Executive

Parent/Sales Life Balance

New #Daddy on the block and will be returning from Paternity Leave pretty soon. Curious to hear other current parents' advice/knowledge on keeping a solid sales life/home life balance. What hacks/tips/tricks do you have.

Also curious, at what point does bringing up your a new parent on sales calls become tired and overused? Is it just a feeling, or is there a cut off age like 6 months or something 😂😂. I know this is a sales strategy sometimes used by people to better humanize you as a salesperson, but I also don't want to become Jim and Pam when they were showing off Cece to Deangelo.

👑 Sales Strategy

🙏 Mental Wellness

🏡 WFH

10 comments

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Bandido

Politicker

Client Director

Love the office reference at the end haha

Couple things: as a new dad myself I'll tell you it will take time to discover what will work best for you and your partner. Your days no matter how well planned will go all over the place and you'll need to accept that. Eventually you'll learn what your new operating rhythm looks like. I will tell you however, daycares/home child care providers solve a lot of challenges but bring on astronomical costs....I feel its truly worth it but can't wait to not have to foot that bill one day.

As for your clients, nothing takes the edge off a call by telling them in your rapport "I'm running on no sleep thanks to our new born so fair warning my brain my stop working mid conversation"....clients tend to laugh along with you and let their guard down.

MaximumMacEffort

Executive

Key Account Executive

Thanks @CB21 on the advice! Already digging this platform.

1nbatopshotfan

Politicker

Sales

I find that clients are generally very sympathetic to anything with kids. Everyone who has a kid has run into the “late for a call my kid threw up” or “I was up late with a screaming baby”. I usually reference it and move on. “My kid wouldn’t sleep last night so bare with me, I may be slow today.” You’ll find that they are super supportive.

For the first few months, you’ll have no balance at all. You will probably feel like you’re drowning at work and home but it’s the process everyone goes through. Be sure to enjoy it! Also it’s helpful to be frank with your superiors. If you’re burnt out or getting crushed because your kid has acid reflux and hasn’t slept without you holding them, mention it to your boss. Take it to them and take a morning off.

MMMGood

Celebrated Contributor

Senior Account Executive

Look, if a prospect likes me more because I’m a dad of 4 and I get even the smallest sympathy (read as “pity”) vote, I’ll take that all day. You’re contributing to keep another human being alive, and you might even be emotionally invested in their growth and success! I’ll drop that sh*t in the first sentence! “How’s it going today Matt?” “Oh man, not bad...one of those ‘juggle call schedule with kid schedule’ kind of days; hoping not to mix any of them up...but I got this one right and am happy to be here talking with you!”

You’d better believe they will remember your a parent. Own it. After all, your commission is now getting funneled off to that baby.

The moment a prospect knows you have a child it’s an immediate +1. “Well...he can’t be a completely selfish douche.” They may even remember that when it’s the last week of the quarter and you’re crossing all your fingers, hoping they will come through with a PO. “Ah, let’s help the dad out! <har, har>”

Also, congrats!

Also, don’t screw it up!

GlassSlinger

Opinionated

Carrier & Wholesale Development

All these savages nailed it. I already used my 3rd child (still in utero) as leverage w a client. Most old lady battle axes are suckers for babies!

Seriously enjoy the ride, kids are amazing and a ton of fun & work. Work when you can and put the family first. We have the luxury of a flexible schedule in sales. I would recommend turning it off in the evening, maybe pick up work again once kids are asleep.

I tend to work all the time and various times of day, I enjoy it so i don't mind. My wife is not a fan of it, especially when we are on vacation.

keep the family happy and keep your funnel full!

Welcome to the grind.

AnchorPoint

Politicker

Business Coach

Control your schedule. Use block scheduling and stick to it. A true sales pro never really "shuts it down" as our profession becomes who we are and integrates with our personal life. Being a father is now your number one job - treat it as such. You will never do anything greater than being a dad. Wish you the best.

Deckoaces55

Opinionated

Account Manager

Congrats achieving Papa Bear Sales Savagery!

Second son was just born last night so I say this from the hospital:

Quota will always be there but times with your little one won’t be. If you have a set end time, stick to it. Take breaks and check in with momma and baby. Also be communicative with what you need from your peers and partners in the office regarding unexpected time off, daycare, etc.

As for bringing up that you have a kid? That shit literally never gets old. Outside of the fact that the kids are now my why behind everything.... they FUCKING CLOSE DEALS. The only people it doesn’t work on are non-parents <35 years. But just about everyone is onboard for babies.

SiliconBBQ

Politicker

The Metal Rooster

here for the tips...have a two year old. first year was hard. wife was exclusively pumping bc baby siliconbbq never latched on the boob. the company i was working for essentially had the product start to be killed off when i came back from pat leave. (was tracking 125% to goal for the year and they promo'd me to the 'enterprise' roll with no pipe gave me a short window to close my deals towards the end of q3 just before she was born). lack of sleep led to some paternal post-partum depression - like an ass i thought that'd never happen to me when the male nurse mentioned it in paternity class.

she turned one late feb. 2020...then covid hit. that was 3 months into a new role at a new company.

i make good money and still close. but there's been tradeoffs too. have a tendency to run in the red, and i'd prefer not to be an overstressed asshole after work.

have closed some great deals in the interim but never really gotten the groove back. i used to just outwork some of my natural challenges (adhd) and inefficiencies....but it's tougher with a kid. and so is self care. and sleep. sleeps gotten a lot better.

i cut booze at the beginning of this year. it's really helped with sleep. i miss the occasional beer or cocktail. but less anxious and better rested. and getting away from dad bod.

still in decent shape. but physical exercise is key. that took a hit with kid too. but now i'm introducing her to my hobbies and passions so fitness has to be maintained.

and all that said, I wouldn't trade a thing for her. job, money, careers, everything is replaceable. she's not. she's a motivator. and sometimes a stressor but also the most amazing person i've ever met - her momma ain't bad either.

i think the most important phrases i understood eventually after a kid were:

"long days, short years"

&

"This too shall pass"

FromaBlankPerspective

Politicker

District Manager

The best parenting advice I received on this subject is to let go of the thought that every choice you make is "family vs work vs self."

You have to take each situation as it comes. For example, there are some happy hours that are more important than a singular bedtime. That doesn't mean that you are a bad parent and choosing work over family, just that in this instance you mad a decision. Other days (like one I had yesterday), I moved a meeting so I could make pancakes for my son.

I think taking it situationally helps with actually getting closer to the balance.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

For the most part they have empathy for parents.

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MaximumMacEffort

Parent/Sales Life Balance

10 comments

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