The short answer
Josh Sweeney shares how he built, scaled, and exited a CRM and marketing automation software business, including how AI is reshaping both the product landscape and the valuation conversation in this space.
Key takeaways
- The value, importance, and – frankly – necessity of sales and marketing automation
- Technology acceleration trends around ChatGPT
- Creating the foundation for success: Contractors VS employees
- How to ride the lows of business growth (and come out the other side)
Listen to the podcast
57 minWatch the full interview
About this episode
A CRM is the engine of your business. It’s the superpower that juices up your marketing and your sales teams, and it’s the system that lets you show prospective buyers that you have a method to your madness. Yet some businesses still aren’t leveraging the power of CRMs, marketing automation, and other technologies that have a real impact on your bottom line.
Josh Sweeney has stayed not just on top of, but ahead of the trends shaping the marketing industry. He was the Founder and CEO of Atcore Systems that provided consulting and CRM systems before scaling, and then exiting to one of the biggest players in the space. His expertise on trends and tactics coming over the horizon are important for all businesses, whether you’re small, medium, or enterprise-level.
Chapters
- 7:13A tremendous opportunity for Josh was “Brand Piggybacking” off a larger player in the space. They’ve taken the money, they’re doing all the marketing, and you can become a part of their ecosystem to help you catapult your own business
- 15:07Want to bring your sales skills into the modern day? It becomes harder to compete unless you’re using the tools and tactics as described by Josh here
- 23:50The future of marketing. If AI can automate everything, then how can you continue to create unique and authentic content? Tune in for a lively discussion on tech trends
- 29:29Starting a business is rarely referred to as “a blast” in the early days, but Josh’s growth trajectory saw 3 and 4-digit growth numbers year-over-year until he hit his first snag after a few years. Here’s what happened and how he overcame it
- 50:43Ready to value your tech business? If you’re planning to exit, you’ll need to shape your business model around the end game. Check out our checklist to determine what buyers look for
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About Josh Sweeney
Josh Sweeney is a seasoned entrepreneur whose relentless drive has given him the platform to build big ideas, and even bigger companies. One of his successes, Atcore Systems, was acquired in 2016 by a leading partner in the CRM industry.
Experiencing the impact of various sales and marketing challenges over the years, Josh founded FounderScale. He has made it his mission to help founder-led organisations increase sales. Because of his passion for growth and forward-thinking, he donates his time to the Entrepreneur Organization of Atlanta, guiding and promoting other entrepreneurs through experience sharing and camaraderie.
When Josh is not driving his business or mingling with business leaders, you can find him in the recording booth, where he has recorded over 100 pieces of educational content about B2B sales and marketing.
Connect with Josh Sweeney
About the show
Buy Grow Sell is hosted by Simon Bedard, founder and managing director of Exit Advisory Group, a boutique mergers and acquisitions advisory firm that helps Australian business owners value, prepare for and navigate a sale. Every conversation draws on real deals and the patterns behind them.
