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Effortless Self-Service for your Knowledge & Support Needs
FM Tech: Knowledge & Support Center This new technology support center is part of our ongoing effort to streamline access to helpful content and improve your experience. This site offers an organized layout, quick search, and easy navigation—so you can find what you need, when you need it. Within the Knowledge & Support…
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Discovery in Today’s Selling Environment: Make Every Minute Count
The modern discovery call isn’t an hour-long exploration anymore. Buyers come with information, and time is short. You need to maximize the impact of every minute you get. Discovery today is about earning the right to go deeper. If your prospect doesn’t see value fast, you won’t get another meeting. That means your…
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Don’t Lose Sight of Why the Deal Started
One thing I’ve noticed lately in coaching my team is how easy it is to lose sight of why a customer came to us in the first place. Every deal starts with a reason. A problem. A goal. A frustration. A gap. Something wasn’t working, and they came to us to help fix it. But as the sales process unfolds, things get messy. New…
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Wrapping Up Carefrontation: My Top 10 Moments (Number 4)
At number 5, we talked about silence and how it can trick us into thinking we’ve reached agreement when really, we’ve just reached the end of someone’s willingness to speak. For number 4, we’re moving into a tougher but vital truth about Carefrontation: it takes courage to be clear. #4: Clarity Is Kindness, Vagueness Is…
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EdTech Sales
Do any fellow salespeople here work in EdTech? I'd love to create a space to collaborate/commiserate. It feels like our sector is unique, but I don't know if every vertical feels that way.
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MEDDICC Certification - Final Assessment
Dear Ascender Team, I hope you are well. I did all lectures in the MEDDICC Certification Course, however when I want to enroll in the final assessment it says the following: "You must complete all requirements prior to taking this assessment." Many thanks for your help in advance! Best, Sebastian Burgmeier
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Resource: Ascender Welcome Tour
We've moved to a new FM Tech: Knowledge & Support Center, check out the Start Here: Best Practices & General Information article there.
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Finding Another Gear When You’re Tired
I’ve had a few of those weeks lately — the kind where you feel like you’re pushing uphill every day. The meetings keep coming, deals keep changing direction, the inbox never stops filling up, and somehow you’re still trying to keep yourself motivated through it all. It’s easy in those moments to tell yourself to “dig deep”…
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Wrapping Up Carefrontation: My Top 10 Moments (Number 5)
When we talked about emotions at number 6, I said that one of the keys to Carefrontation is grounding yourself before you speak. At number 5, we’re moving into a different—but equally tricky—territory: silence. #5: Mistaking Silence for Agreement One of the sneakiest pitfalls in a Carefrontation moment is assuming that no…
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Introduce Yourself Here!
Hello and welcome to Ascender! You've taken a big step forward and I'm so happy that you're here! One of the things you can do to start connecting with others is to comment below with your intro post so others will be able to see what you're about! I recommend that you copy and paste the template below (Pro-tip: Copy…
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Finding the Power in Today’s Selling Environment
In today’s environment, budgets are tighter, hierarchies are flatter, and approvals are more complex. That means deals often stall unless you’ve engaged the right level early. Sellers need to navigate carefully — building credibility, uncovering priorities, and demonstrating business acumen before asking for the meeting.…
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Staying Steady When the Flow of a Deal Changes
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my years as a solutions engineer, it’s that no deal ever follows the exact path you expect. You can build the perfect mutual plan, outline your decision criteria, and map out every stakeholder — and then one conversation, one reorganization, or one new face in the room shifts…
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Wrapping Up Carefrontation: My Top 10 Moments (Number 6)
We’ve talked about consistency in feedback at number 7. Now, number 6 touches on something that makes or breaks a Carefrontation moment. It’s not about timing or frequency—it’s about emotional control. #6: Letting Emotions Run the Show One of the quickest ways to derail a productive conversation is letting your emotions…
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Assistance Required.
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Wrapping Up Carefrontation: My Top 10 Moments (Number 7)
We’ve talked about the importance of creating a safe environment at number 8. Now, number 7 is one of those subtle pitfalls that creeps up more often than we’d like to admit. It’s not about whether you give feedback, but how often. #7: The Pitfall of Inconsistent Feedback Inconsistent feedback is one of the quickest ways…
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Finding energy when I just don't have it
I’ll be honest — the last few days haven’t been my strongest. Not in a catastrophic way, just in that subtle, dragging kind of way where the energy isn’t quite there. You wake up, you hit the alarm, and you feel like you’re running at 70% capacity. It’s not burnout, it’s not crisis — it’s just… heavy. But I’ve been…
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Social Selling in Today’s Environment
Budgets are tight. Inboxes are full. But online networks are open 24/7. In this market, social selling isn’t optional — it’s essential. Buyers are doing more research and building trust online before engaging sellers. You can meet them there. Authentic engagement on LinkedIn builds mindshare. When prospects already see…
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Wrapping Up Carefrontation: My Top 10 Moments (Number 8)
We’ve already talked about the importance of following up after feedback at number 9. Now, let’s move to number 8 on my list of favorite Carefrontation moments. This one has to do with something that often goes overlooked, but it can make or break whether your feedback actually lands. #8: Creating a Safe Environment for…
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The Courage to Ask Up
Deals are more complex, budgets are tighter, and cycles are longer. That means you can’t afford to stay low in an account. To change deal momentum, you need to work higher and create urgency with people who actually have the authority to prioritize your solution. It takes courage, but the payoff is worth it. Three things…
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Finding energy heading into Q4
As we turn the corner from summer into fall, I’ve been reflecting on how I need to shift gears and help my team do the same. The summer months always have a different rhythm. Vacations, lighter schedules, and a slower pace in some industries can make it easier to lose momentum. But Q4 doesn’t wait for anyone. It’s often…
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Wrapping Up Carefrontation: My Top 10 Moments (Number 9)
Last time, we kicked off this Carefrontation countdown with number 10: the power of icebreakers in workshops. Today, we’re moving to number 9 on my list of favorite moments from this series. This one has less to do with the start of conversations and more to do with what happens after they take place. #9: Following Up…
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Identifying Customer Problems and Leveraging Technical Sellers for Big Wins
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned over the years is this: the best deals don’t get closed because we had the flashiest demo or the most persuasive pitch. The best deals get closed because we understood the customer’s pain better than anyone else. When we can pinpoint the real problem and articulate it back to…
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Adapting to AI’s Pace
The current environment rewards sellers who move quickly and stay relevant. AI has changed dramatically in just the last three months, giving you more tools to accelerate prep, research, and outreach. But speed doesn’t matter if the quality isn’t there. Sellers who can combine efficiency with insight will stand out. Three…
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What is the best way to break into the BDR/SDR remote tech industry?
Hi Everyone! My name is Kali and I am a speech-therapist and self-employed artist. I have a great set of transferable skills that pair really well with BDR/SDR positions. Based on your experience, what is the best way to break into the industry?
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Helping Without the Ask
In today’s environment, prospects are more protective of their time than ever. They don’t want another meeting request in their inbox unless it’s tied to something meaningful. That’s why offering value—without a request attached—is the easiest way to stand out. It shows you’re focused on their success, not just your quota.…
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Protecting Quota During the Holidays
The holiday season often means fewer selling days, more out-of-office replies, and a harder push to hit year-end numbers. In today’s environment, where cycles are already longer, waiting until December to realize this is too late. The smartest sellers are building their holiday game plan now. Three things you can do today:…
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Wrapping Up Carefrontation: My Top 10 Moments, Starting with #10
Over the past few months, we’ve dug deep into the concept of Carefrontation: How to give and receive feedback in a way that balances honesty with genuine care. We’ve explored everything from running workshops, to fostering safe environments, to creating personal action plans. And along the way, I’ve seen some incredible…
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I’m doubling down on focus and purpose for my team
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned leading sales engineering teams is that progress doesn’t happen by accident. Momentum is built call by call, meeting by meeting, and decision by decision. But lately, I’ve noticed a pattern that I think many of you might see in your own organizations: it’s easy for sellers to get…
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Carefrontation Workshops: How to Handle the Follow-Up
We’ve talked a lot about running Carefrontation workshops and how to make them engaging, valuable, and actionable. But here’s the truth: the workshop itself is only half the battle. What really matters is what happens after. If the insights, exercises, and action plans end the moment the session closes, you’ll see little…
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Entering calls with a clear objective
One theme I’ve been noticing more and more in coaching sessions is the lack of purpose on sales calls. At first, it seems like a simple concept: if a prospect is willing to talk, that’s a win, right? But the more calls I’ve sat in on—and the more deals I’ve run myself—the more I’ve realized that too many sellers are…
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Improving Prioritization
One of the challenges I’ve been wrestling with recently is how to get better at prioritization. Like many of you, I have a full plate: supporting my team, engaging with customers, partnering with cross-functional leaders, and contributing to long-term strategy. It’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to do everything,…