In this episode of Revenue Insights, host Guy Rubin, CEO of Ebsta, sits down with Matt Hemingway, Vice President of Sales and Operations at Axcient, to explore how disciplined coaching, intentional leadership, and a culture-first mindset drive sustainable sales performance. Drawing on his background as an Olympic silver medalist, Matt shares how the mindset of elite athletes translates into building high-performing sales teams and driving consistent revenue growth.

From implementing the SPAC qualification framework to developing future sales leaders through strategic hiring and internal promotion, Matt unpacks the essential elements of operational success. He also discusses the importance of eliminating “luggage deals,” aligning team incentives, and building psychological safety that allows for learning and growth. With 60% year-over-year new business revenue growth under his leadership, Matt brings a unique and actionable perspective on transforming underperforming teams into top-tier performers.

Whether you're leading a sales organization or looking to develop future revenue leaders, this episode is packed with practical insights to help you build a culture of excellence and drive measurable results.

Ebsta is a revenue intelligence platform that helps B2B sales teams drive predictable growth by leveraging relationship and activity data. With real-time insights into pipeline health and sales performance, Ebsta empowers leaders to make informed, data-backed decisions. Find out more: https://www.ebsta.com/get-a-demo 

The SPAC Framework for Sales Qualification
 Matt Hemingway introduces SPAC—Situation, Pain point, Authority, Consequence, Timeline—as a relationship-driven alternative to BANT. Instead of beginning with budget conversations, SPAC encourages deeper discovery by understanding the customer’s story first. Every deal must have full SPAC criteria before advancing, ensuring the team consistently qualifies real opportunities and avoids wasting time on “luggage deals” that bloat the pipeline.

Building a Culture of Continuous Development
 Matt explains how shifting focus from short-term metrics to long-term growth transformed SDR performance. His team conducts structured weekly coaching: Mondays for metrics review, later in the week for skill development. This approach fosters accountability and psychological safety, resulting in high promotion rates and stronger performance by prioritizing people development over pure activity tracking.

Hiring for Character and Cultural Fit
 Matt’s hiring strategy focuses on grit, coachability, and perseverance—often found in collegiate athletes, military veterans, and others with nontraditional backgrounds. Rather than prioritizing sales experience, he seeks cultural alignment and growth potential, starting interviews with honest conversations about expectations. This philosophy has enabled his team to consistently ramp high-performing reps with the right mindset and support.

Results Flow from Culture and Connection
 Matt believes sustainable sales success stems from human connection—not just process. While systems and KPIs are important, the true differentiator is a leader’s ability to understand, coach, and care for individuals. Building trust, maintaining high standards, and supporting growth leads to stronger teams and better customer outcomes.