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For founder-led B2B companies

You don’t have to figure out sales on your own.

For founder-led B2B companies up to $75M in revenue. Find what’s limiting revenue, then get the level of leadership needed to fix it.
Start with a conversation
Founder working on the production floor of a B2B company

Sound familiar?

The business has outgrown the founder as the sales engine

That’s a good problem, and a fixable one.

Start with a conversation

If this is you

You’re still the company’s top salesperson.

The biggest deals close because you are in the room.

The key customer relationships run through you.

Accounts know the founder, not the team.

You step in to save deals your team should be closing.

Rescues have become part of the job.

Each seller works their own way, and results depend on who is on the deal.

There is no shared process to manage or coach to.

The forecast is closer to a hope than a number.

Nobody is sure the number will land.

What changes

You step out of every deal.

The team carries the number without you.

Your team sells the same way.

Results stop depending on who is on the deal.

You can see what’s coming.

A pipeline and forecast you can rely on.

A permanent sales leader, when you’re ready.

We build the role and prepare the team for the hire.

Revenue Ascent™: four levels

Each company starts where its situation requires

Four levels. Each company starts where its situation requires. The levels are not a required sequence, and each engagement includes some degree of diagnosis.

  1. 01 · Expedition Prep

    Advise

    Experienced advice

    For
    Leaders at companies of any size, including startups, seeking experienced guidance.
    What happens
    Working sessions to align on decisions, priorities, and next steps.
    You get
    Clearer priorities and better revenue decisions.
    Format
    Ongoing advisory, typically a fixed monthly retainer.

    Most accessible starting point.

    Learn more

  2. 02 · Trailhead

    Diagnose

    A clear assessment and plan

    For
    Companies with underperforming revenue that need clarity.
    What happens
    A focused 30-day review of strategy, pipeline, process, people, and founder dependence.
    You get
    A clear view of what’s constraining revenue, what to fix first, and a recommended path forward.
    Format
    Fixed fee, typically 30 days. 75% in advance, 25% on completion.

    Still the top salesperson? Get a clear path to step out without revenue slipping.

    Learn more

  3. 03 · Base Camp

    Build

    Help putting it into practice

    For
    Companies that know what to change and need help putting it in place.
    What happens
    Design and install the sales process, CRM discipline, scorecards, compensation, hiring profiles, and management routines.
    You get
    A repeatable sales system and a team better equipped to execute.
    Format
    Defined project, typically 4 to 6 months, with a monthly retainer.
    Learn more

  4. 04 · Summit Push

    Lead

    Someone to lead sales

    For
    Companies where revenue is a strategic risk or a critical part of a growth or exit plan.
    What happens
    John E. Spencer serves as an embedded Fractional CRO, leads the team, executes the plan, and prepares the organization for a permanent sales leader.
    You get
    Senior revenue leadership without the cost or commitment of a full-time CRO.
    Format
    Embedded, part-time, typically 12+ months, with a monthly retainer based on scope and complexity.
    Learn more

Across all levels

One person accountable

  • John E. Spencer leads every engagement.
  • Vetted specialists in CRM, compensation, recruiting, and assessments are brought in when the work calls for them.

Moving between levels

The levels are not a required sequence

  • The organization changes. A company that builds a sales force for the first time may later need sales leadership.
  • Rapid growth. Scaling quickly often requires someone to step in and lead.
  • Speed and urgency. A company that needs to move fast can move quickly to Build or Lead after a focused diagnosis.

Proof

What changed inside a founder-led company

Food serviceTexas

Texas Food Service Company

Double-digit revenue growth and new accounts in all five major Texas cities.

A Texas-based food service company with over 50 years of success recognized it needed outside expertise to address growing gaps in sales infrastructure and revenue. Sales leadership had been managed directly by the President, a model that was no longer sustainable for future growth.

Sales infrastructureSales team rebuildFounder-led

Read the case study
“For the past three months I have had the privilege of working closely with John Spencer. He is a brilliant Fractional VP of Sales. I cannot emphasize enough how impressed I am with his expertise and dedication to driving sales and marketing success. His ability to grasp the intricacies of the IT Managed Services Provider industry and apply his knowledge to CMIT Solution’s specific needs was truly remarkable. I would wholeheartedly recommend Clear Direction Sales Development as a Fractional VP of Sales.”
Yusuf Ujjainwala · Owner/President, CMIT Solutions
“Clear Direction Sales and John Spencer is exceptional! Most consultants have never really worked a business day to day as an actual operator or executive, that is not the case with John Spencer. John has worked in the c-suite at the highest level and has helped 10x growth for companies leading to market leadership and meaningful exits. John knows what he’s talking about and is battle tested. You will find him to be insightful and will provide practical step by step plans to help any business go to the next level. Highly recommend him as a human being and a professional”
Eric Negron · CEO/Founder, Forefront
John E. Spencer, founder of Clear Direction

About John E. Spencer

He leads every engagement personally

John E. Spencer has spent more than 28 years in commercial leadership, from major corporations to family-owned businesses, after 10 years as a U.S. Air Force officer. He works inside the business alongside the founder and team, and he leads every engagement personally.

More about Clear Direction

Start with a conversation.

Sometimes you need an outside perspective. Sometimes you need hands-on help. We’ll agree on the scope, investment, and what completion looks like.

Start with a conversationSend a message