EP51: Building a $1Billion Sales Organization with Al West

The Motivational Intelligence Podcast

Join David Naylor and Shawn Johnson in this episode of the Motivational Intelligence Podcast as they sit down with Al West, who shares his incredible journey from a challenging upbringing to becoming a pivotal part of a successful tech startup. Al discusses the significant hurdles he faced, including growing up in poverty, dropping out of college, and navigating a career shift into sales. He also delves into the strategic growth and development of Aptus, revealing the secrets behind building a hypergrowth organization and the importance of finding your passion. Whether you're interested in personal development, sales strategies, or startup growth, this episode offers valuable insights and inspiration.
00:00 Introduction and Guest Overview
01:01 Al's Early Life and Upbringing
08:29 Transition to High School and College
12:51 Entering the Workforce and Career Shifts
16:02 Discovering a Passion for Sales
19:46 Challenges and Success in Sales
29:06 Navigating Career Disruptions
30:32 Joining an Early Stage Startup
33:27 The Early Sales Struggles
36:10 First Big Breakthrough
38:16 Facing Personal Adversity
39:59 Returning Stronger
42:40 Building a Sales Army
46:27 Managing Hyper-Growth
49:09 Hiring the Right Talent
54:42 Maintaining Company Culture
59:03 Lessons Learned and Future Plans