What Founders Get Wrong About Sales Compensation

What Founders Get Wrong About Sales Compensation

Author: Aleasha Bahr November 27, 2025 Duration: 9:31
One of the most expensive mistakes founders make happens the moment a salesperson starts performing.  Revenue rises. Momentum builds. …and then the first large commission check appears.  Instead of celebrating the growth, the owner panics. They see the payout instead of the profit. Here’s the thing: a big commission check is not the problem. It is proof your business is scaling and that’s something to celebrate!  If your sales person is making good money - that means you’re making good money. You should definitely be making more than when they weren’t there.  And if you’re not - that’s a problem with the plan - not the rep. In this episode of Sales is Not a Dirty Word, common comp plan issues, how owners unintentionally sabotage their best performers and the ripple effect that can end up costing you a lot more money than you save.  Listen in to discover:  ✔ Why flat commission plans cap performance✔ The mindset shift that makes big commission checks feel good, not scary✔ How changing a working plan destroys trust and pushes talent out✔ Why competitive compensation attracts the top 1 percent of salespeople✔ How to create a tiered monthly ladder that encourages performance✔ Why reducing commission always costs more through turnover and lost deals✔ The real financial impact of replacing a salesperson and why sales has the highest churn rate You’ll learn how to design a comp plan you never resent paying and how to use incentives to shape the behaviors that move your business forward. If you want a compensation plan that matches your margins and growth strategy, book a Black Sheep Sales Audit at calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup  #SalesIsNotADirtyWord #SalesCompensation #SalesLeadership #CommissionPlan #SalesStrategy #SalesTeamSuccess #BlackSheepSales #SalesManagement #SalesHiring #SalesCoaching #SalesCompensationPlan #BusinessGrowth #FounderTips #SalesRetention #AuthenticSelling

Ever feel like the whole idea of "selling" makes your skin crawl? You're not alone, but what if everything you've been told about sales is wrong? Sales is NOT a Dirty Word is built on the idea that genuine connection, not manipulation, is the real engine of business growth. Host Aleasha Bahr, creator of the Matchmaker Sales method™, dismantles the high-pressure stereotypes one conversation at a time. Instead of scripts and tricks, she opens up her playbook, sharing insights and strategies typically reserved for her private coaching clients-where achieving an 80% conversion rate on sales calls isn't a fantasy, but a regular outcome. Each episode of this podcast features candid talks with experts who offer alternative, refreshingly human perspectives on the process. You'll hear real stories about building trust, understanding client needs deeply, and creating agreements that feel good for everyone involved. This isn't about learning to pretend; it's about discovering a framework where your authenticity becomes your greatest asset in closing deals. Tune in to transform your approach from something you dread into a natural, even enjoyable, part of your professional life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Sales is NOT a Dirty Word
Podcast Episodes
When You’re Not Talking To the Decision Maker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:48
Many times your first sales meeting is NOT with the decision maker or CEO at a company. That means your sales strategy needs to be different in that initial meeting in order to get the final meeting with the REAL decisio…
How to Start a Business Without Quitting Your Job [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:06
Do you need to quit your job to start a business? Nope. In this episode of Sales Is Not a Dirty Word, I talk with Delaney Thompson, co-founder of Bahia AI, about how she built a successful company before leaving her 9-to…
How Defining Your Anti-Audience Will Skyrocket Your Sales [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:17
Everyone focuses on their ideal audience and misses the huge opportunity lying in their ANTI audience. So, when you’ve got tons of leads and no one is buying, the problem often isn’t your offer—it’s who you’re selling to…
Objection Prevention: Stop Losing Sales by Fixing This One Mistake [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:57
Are you unknowingly pushing potential clients away? Most salespeople battle objections at the end of the conversation—when it’s too late. But what if you could prevent objections before they happen? In this episode of Sa…
How to Align Sales & Marketing Teams for Bigger Profits [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:44
Are your sales and marketing teams actually working together—or just pointing fingers? In this episode of Sales Is Not a Dirty Word, I break down why sales and marketing misalignment is costing businesses serious money a…