Colin Specter shares his experiencing becoming the top seller at his company and a formative deal that he fell short on and what he learned from it. Background: Colin Specter started his career in SaaS sales at Namely where he became a top 1% seller and progressed to a leadership role now at Orum. The deal involved namely, a tech company specializing in HR software, to the CFO of a large financial services company Challenges: Failing to better understand a company’s broader culture and norms. Facing to check overconfidence when a deal seems to be made already Key learnings: Research and adapt to the corporate culture and expectations of potential clients, especially regarding dress codes. Building a strong relationship with various stakeholders, not just the primary contact, to navigate corporate dynamics effectively. Timestamps: (0:10:25) Immediate Judgment Based on Attire... Colin describes the moment his attire led to a snap judgment by the CFO. (0:13:09) Cultural Missteps and Adaptations... Colin discusses adapting to different corporate cultures. (0:13:56) East Coast vs West Coast Business Culture Differences... Insights into differing business practices between "New York" and "California" businesses and startups. (0:16:47) Building Partnerships and Networks... The importance of building networks and how past connections influence current opportunities. (0:19:23) Learning from Losses... Reflecting on how losses can be more memorable and educational than wins. Resources: Colin's LinkedIn The Nazare Wave  Episode with Ewing Gillaspy Thank you to OrgChartHub for Sponsoring this episode. OrgChartHub helps HubSpot customers get big deals done since 2018. Learn more at OrgChartHub.com/Podcast Questions, comments, ideas - reach out to Andrew Kappel