How Scott Siegel Thinks About Systems & His Most Important Lessons Learned

As a continuation of my inspirational people interview series here on the blog, I'm excited to introduce you to Scott Siegel, founder of Beacon Sales Advisors (and powered by Sales XCeleration). Formerly from up north in Massachusetts, Scott moved to the Atlanta area in 2017 where he eventually launched his sales consulting business (working with companies from $1m-$50m to grow revenue).

Knowing a similar network of people in the Atlanta area, we eventually got connected and met up in-person.

Scott has a vast range of experience in the business world and is a reliable leader to know and hopefully work with (if you need guidance and support to grow your sales team and revenue).

So, without any further rambling from me, let's jump into my interview with Scott and hear what has to say about living better and working smarter.

Tell us about yourself, your story and what you do.

I grew up in Massapequa, NY (the south shore of Long Island). My brothers and I spent our time playing sports, fishing, and crabbing. One of my favorite jobs in high school was clamming. We’d go out during low tide and dig for clams, with our hands and feet. At the end of the day, we would sell bushels of clams to the local fish market. My first business venture.

I attended West Virginia Wesleyan – with the hope of winning a National Championship in Soccer. We competed in the championship in my junior year and came in 4th. The year after I graduated, they won, and I’m still not happy.  We were so close and to not win . . . aahhh! I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. The lessons I learned on competing at a high level and the power of working together as team…priceless!

I have four great kids Emily, Griffin, Jake, and Sabrina and a true partner and best friend in life, my wife, Hilary. They are the true purpose and passion in my life.

Over the last 30 years, I have held senior roles in great organizations such as Frito-Lay, Welch’s, Keurig Green Mountain and good2grow. I actually started my career as a Route Salesman for Frito-Lay. I would get up at 3 am (yes 3 am!) to run my route while attending school at night for my MBA (University of New Haven).  

I’ve had sales, marketing, and operations leadership roles in a variety of companies, ranging from small to large. For the last 20 years, I’ve held VP of Sales roles and spent a significant amount of time traveling, staying in hotels and renting cars. I was spending about 5 months each year away from my family – and during that time we moved 7 times.  

I have been fortunate to have had great mentors and to have worked for organizations that provided great developmental opportunities that prepared me for the future in many ways. I’ve been given a great gift from them, and would now like to give that back, to help others and really make a difference.

I started Beacon Sales Advisors, as a Fractional/Outsourced VP of Sales to help clients across all industries create sustainable revenue growth by building strong sales teams with properly aligned strategy, process, structure, talent, and accountability.

To you, what does it mean to live better and work smarter?  Is this something you strive for? Why? How do you go about it?

Living better and working smarter starts with having a purpose in life.  Understanding what’s important, staying true to your values, not wavering, staying focused on what truly matters and living a balanced life. I find time each day for quiet to think, read, plan and evaluate where I’m heading. I also make time for my family and those important to me.

I’ve seen too many people focus only on their job/business and at the end of the day they wish they had the chance to do it all over again. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say that they would have done things differently if they could go back.

As a leader, what does it look like for you to help others live better and work smarter?

I’ve been fortunate to work with a variety of teams. Helping others live a better life and working smarter starts with:

• Understand your true purpose and passion in life.
• Being generous with your time – ask questions and listen, be present.
• Do what you say you’re going to do – be a role model through your actions.
• 10-10-10 rule – when you make a decision, think about how you will feel in 10 minutes, 10 hours or 10 years.
• It’s OK to fail, learn from your failures.
• Take care of yourself physically, mentality, emotional and spiritually.

What is one of the many impactful stores you’ve experienced/heard over the years?  How did it resonate with you? How has it affected you?

I had a mentor in my first company.  I was very lucky he would have lunch with me once a month to just talk about what I was learning, what mistakes I made and how I could become a better leader. One day I walked into his office and there was a check on his desk, made out to him for $1M. Yes, a $1M check!!! I said, “Is that for me?” (remember I had four young kids and the looming prospect of college).

He laughed and said no. However, I have a story for you. I’m 60 years old. I’ve had four heart attacks and probably won’t live another 10 years. My wife and I don’t get along and my two boys want nothing to do with me because I was never home. I’m trying to bribe my grandkids, but it’s just not the same. Whatever you do, don’t make the same mistakes I’ve made. I would have done it differently knowing what I know now. It’s not about the money, it’s about your family and the relationships you develop.

What do think about systems?  How do you apply it to your life and work?  To Clients? Which are the most helpful and impactful?

Systems are a vital component of living a balanced life and work. Without a clear path, understanding how you’re going to get there and asking for help, it’s very hard to succeed. I think of systems as checks and balances.

When setting up systems make sure you establish your goals, how you plan to meet them (strategy & tactics) and to measure them. You need goals to know where you are going (what’s the plan?). The rule of thumb should be if you can’t measure it you can’t pursue it. Having a clear plan allows you to make decisions faster, and when necessary, when to adjust or when to move on. When describing your goals, be clear, concise and compelling.  

One of the most important aspects of systems is follow up. Are you doing what you said you would?

Develop a mindset of staying focused on what matters, adjusting when needed and having a commitment to flawless execution.  

As people traverse through this journey, we call life, what parting words of wisdom would you share with others.  

We juggle many balls but what makes all the difference is knowing which ones are made of rubber and which ones are made of glass. The ones to handle with great care are spirit, relationships and time.

Always take the high road, it will reward you in ways that you never expected. 

How To Connect With Scott Siegel

You can connect with Scott Siegel via Linkedin here, or visit his website here. If you're interested in connecting with Scott in-person or virtually, don't hesitate to reach out and explore how working with him could accelerate your company's sales.