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Mark Roberge’s Formula for Smarter Sales and Safer Growth
Most sales problems start when the seller won’t stop talking. Mark Roberge (HubSpot’s founding CRO, Harvard Business School lecturer, and co-founder of Stage 2 Capital) joins Matt and Luigi to challenge the loudest myths in sales and startup growth. His take is simple: great selling is not about pressure, slick pitches, or talking someone into a bad deal.    It’s about asking better questions, finding the real problem, and knowing when to walk away. The conversation also tackles a mistake that kills promising companies: scaling before customers are getting real value. Mark breaks down why rising revenue can fool founders, how to test product-market fit, and what must be true before a business earns the right to grow faster.   🍸 What you'll hear in this episode: Why sales is about discovery, not persuasion The questions that expose what a buyer really needs How to reframe a bad decision without sounding like a jerk Where ethical selling ends and buyer responsibility begins Why cold calls still work better than people claim The tradeoff between outreach volume and personalization Why small dinners and face-to-face meetings are making a comeback The danger of using revenue as your only scoreboard Product-market fit, go-to-market fit, and building a durable moat Why scaling too early can wreck a good company The HubSpot negotiation move involving a handful of M&M’s Why Mark is donating the proceeds from The Science of Scaling to McLean Hospital   💡 Notable takeaway: “Selling is about buying. It’s about helping the buyer buy and solve their problems.”   👤 About our guest: Mark Roberge helped grow HubSpot from zero revenue to IPO as its founding Chief Revenue Officer. He now teaches at Harvard Business School, leads Stage 2 Capital, and created The Science of Scaling, an evidence-based framework for growing companies without outrunning customer value.   🎧 Why listen? Because this episode will help you sell smarter, spot bad growth early, and avoid scaling your business before it’s ready.   🔗 Links + Stuff Mentioned Sales Acceleration Formula: https://www.amazon.com/Sales-Acceleration-Formula-Technology-Companies/dp/1119047072 Stage 2 Capital: https://www.stage2.capital/ Winning by Design Frameworks: https://winningbydesign.com Force Management MEDIC Framework: https://forcemanagement.com Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markroberge/ Follow on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ScienceofScaling     🔔 Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations on business growth, funding, strategy, and the stuff most people don’t explain clearly. If this episode helped, a quick rating or review goes a long way. It helps the show reach more business owners who actually care about getting this right.     🎧 Listen or watch The Liquid Lunch Project Available on all major podcast and video platforms: • Official site: https://theliquidlunchproject.com • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-liquid-lunch-project/ • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/12HPEDMmsbfsp8tHt5LiZJ • Audible: https://shorturl.at/6j4vz• YouTube (full episodes + clips): https://www.youtube.com/@Credit_Banc     📬 Want more than just the podcast? Every Friday, we publish The Weekly. A fast, smart rundown of what actually matters in finance, tech, small business, and the economy…without the noise. Subscribe here: 👉 https://theweeklyfromshieldadvisory.substack.com/     💼 Need funding or working capital? If today’s conversation raised questions about capital, cash flow, or financing options, you can schedule a conversation with our sponsor, Credit Banc. Credit Banc helps business owners make sense of their options and move forward with a clear plan, without pressure or guesswork. 👉 Book a free 15-minute call here: https://tinyurl.com/3dh9vy86   📲 Connect with the hosts Follow along for behind-the-scenes clips, commentary, and things that don’t make it into the episode. • Matt Meehan: https://www.instagram.com/matthew.r.meehan • Luigi Rosabianca: https://www.instagram.com/luigi_rosabianca • The Liquid Lunch Project: https://www.instagram.com/theliquidlunchproject/     💬 One last thing Know a business owner who would appreciate this conversation? Send them the episode. That’s how this show grows. 
The Liquid Lunch Project
https://theliquidlunchproject.com
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