This happened also. So, I do some research and find this interesting technology company that has an RPA solution for IT Service Management. One of the salespeople, a channel guy, is located in New Jersey – not far from me. I see that he is relatively new. With a little further investigation, I find that the company has like two very junior salespeople – the daughter of the owner and some kid who worked at Best Buy and like 8 people total. OK. I have knowledge in this space and thought he could use some more experienced prospecting help – particularly on the direct client side, especially enterprise level accounts where the solution would fit. I write an email and leave one of my “terrible voicemails” and get an email back asking to set up a call at the end of the week.

(Please note: my terrible emails and voicemails yielded me three potential opportunities – all shit with shit people and horrible prospects, but yield nonetheless. Ergo, I must be doing something right).

I briefly called the CEO – Kevin Foisy and connected with him before our scheduled meeting because I actually mis-spoke. I claimed to have worked with ITSM companies, when in fact, more of my experience was focused in ITAM – only one firm was ITSM focused. He said “OK” and said we will talk at the end of the week. He never accepted my meeting invite by the way.

I called Kevin. He answered and began to ask me what I wanted to do and peppered me with questions about how I work which I answered. He then asked about “whether I do pay for performance” and “guarantee results” (which as anyone knows with startups – you would be nuts to do, as they usually have little traction in the first place). He proceeds to rip me and say things like “I hired some really good people who did pay for performance and they delivered, his channel guy brought some good accounts to him already, he had a CRO in California and some ‘phone bangers’ who were doing well….plus proceeded to give me feedback “long emails did not work”…. I think that was when I said “I need to go back to work and hung up on him”. I also did manage to ask “why did you contact me” to which his response was “you reached out to me”. I also squeezed in that “phone banging did not work” either – prior to hanging up.

What the hell was that? I am looking for a job and this is how you treat me? He never asked the real questions – “what is your success rate”, “so you write long emails (I sent him one by the way) why do they get responses?”, “what companies in our space did you work with….etc.” Like the other crazy guy, I think this guy harbors resentment against business developers and wanted to assert his power to squish me. And I was worried that I may not have the right tech experience to help him????

Nowhere on social media did I find a CRO, only a guy that worked with him for less than 1.5 years as a VP of Sales/Marketing and apparently failed. Plus these junior people…and much of his small staff who possessed no relevant technology knowledge. For an innovative solution – banging the phone is not an ideal way to evangelize a new solution. Who knows how really successful this guy is.

I am mystified as to why he would even want to speak to me, given he is doing so well and clearly did not need my help. What is with these people too that they treat people so badly who are interested in working with them? They should be priviledged that someone of my background, knowledge, and expertise would even want to spend a minute helping to build their business….20 years in technology, proven success….what is up with that?

Jobseekers and consultants beware of the Kevin’s of the world.