What if you could transform your mid-sized business's IT capabilities and leap ahead of your competitors? Tune in as we chat with Erik Carlsen from Meriplex, who sheds light on how his company fills a crucial gap for mid-market companies struggling with IT management. Erik reveals the forces behind the rising demand for Meriplex's services, including private equity-fueled acquisitions and the difficulties businesses encounter when scaling without adequate IT infrastructure. Hear Erik's invaluable career advice on taking initiative, embracing continuous learning, and keeping a long-term perspective.    Erik takes us on an intriguing journey by applying the hero's journey to sales, where your client is the hero, and you are the guide. Discover how this narrative framework, inspired by movies, helps build a common language and clearer communication within sales teams. Learn strategies for empowering clients to champion solutions within their companies, aligning with their goals, and fostering sustainable, long-term relationships. This approach transcends traditional sales pitches, focusing instead on the client's ultimate success and satisfaction.    Leadership and empathy form the heart of this episode as Erik discusses building a unique workplace culture that balances hard work with fun. He shares insights on hiring empathetic, proactive leaders and emphasizes the importance of mentoring teams and encouraging innovation through initiatives like "King for a Day." Additionally, we tackle CRM challenges, offering solutions for overcoming poor-quality data and departmental silos. Finally, Erik shares his passion for learning from industry peers, inviting listeners to join the Sales Lead Dog Pack and stay connected through various social media platforms. Don't miss this episode packed with actionable insights and inspiring leadership philosophies.    With a dynamic career trajectory spanning diverse roles, Erik dedicated to driving rapid organizational excellence and sustainable growth. His expertise lies in aligning sales, marketing, and customer success functions to steer companies towards enduring revenue expansion. Leveraging data analytics with traditional people skills, Erik has crafted targeted strategies for customer segmentation, pricing optimization, and scalable process implementation, delivering tangible bottom-line results. Renowned for transforming culture, executing go-to-market strategies, and securing multi-million-dollar contracts, Erik has propelled revenue growth for high-tech enterprises ranging from $250 million to $10 billion in sales. As a growth specialist, Erik excels in building and leading go-to-market engines aligned with corporate goals. Over his career he has developed a skill for revitalizing underperforming businesses, PE investments and influencing executive teams and investors with strategic foresight to turn known challenges into opportunities for innovation. With a commitment to continuous learning, Erik dedicated to sharing his experience, providing innovative solutions, and driving success in collaboration with peers and stakeholders alike.    Quotes: "Meriplex's business is really to take on the responsibility of running IT, applications, managed services, and professional services for those mid-market clients who have outgrown their own capabilities but are too small for giants like IBM."  "Private equity-fueled acquisitions are making companies two, three times as big overnight, and scaling with that growth is impossible without robust IT support."  "Positioning the client as the hero and the seller as the guide can revolutionize sales strategies. It's about aligning with the client's desired outcomes and emphasizing the benefits of your solutions."   "In a rapidly growing organization, humor can foster honest communication and make tough conversations easier. It's all about having a balance between hard work and having fun."    Links:   Erik’s LinkedIn - http