What Baseball Cards Taught Me About Sales (and Why Your Business Might Be in Trouble)
I was a stats nerd before I ever ran a business.
As a kid, my brother and I would rip open fresh packs of Topps baseball cards, spread them out on the floor, and pore over every stat like we were building fantasy teams that actually mattered. Vince Coleman. Ozzie Smith. We'd memorize their stolen bases, doubles, RBIs—the whole back of the card.
We knew what greatness looked like. And more importantly, we could measure it.
Turns out that habit stuck with me.
And recently, I was reminded why it matters so much—especially in business—when I sat down with Justin Gallo, a fractional VP of sales with 360 Consulting, for the latest episode of the TrustBuilt Podcast.
Sales Shouldn’t Be a Black Box
When I ran my own businesses, I knew what good sales felt like. You could tell when momentum was picking up… when the team was clicking… when customers were saying yes.
But I’ll be honest—feeling it wasn’t enough.
I hired consultants. I sat through their presentations. I paid $30,000 for binders full of data that told me what I already knew, and still didn’t help me move the needle.
So when Justin said he actually gets in the weeds with clients to build a real sales system—not just give advice—I sat up a little straighter.
Because what he described was the thing I wish I’d had years ago.
The 4 Pillars That Make Sales Systems Work
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
According to Justin, every scalable sales organization—whether it’s a butcher shop, a SaaS startup, or anything in between—needs four things:
A Clear Sales Strategy: Who’s your ideal customer? What makes you different? What do you say when you meet them for the first time?
A Defined Sales Organization: Who’s doing what? How are your reps compensated? Are you expecting one person to be a closer, account manager, project lead, and janitor?
A Documented Sales Process: When a lead walks in the door, what happens next? How do you move from interest to close?
Strong Sales Execution: Are your reps reviewing their pipeline like it's a baseball card stat sheet? Do they know what to expect, what to aim for, and how to improve?
Justin builds all of that with his clients, not for them, not in a vacuum. And he wraps it into a playbook the team can use long after he’s gone.
Owner Dependency Is the Real Sales Killer
Here’s where it got real personal.
A lot of owners I talk to feel like they have to stay in the sales process. Maybe because they’re good at it. Maybe because they’ve always done it. Maybe because they don’t trust anyone else to do it right.
I get it. I’ve been there. I once found myself measuring steaks at 2 a.m. because I didn’t trust my team to cut them right.
But here’s the truth: if sales can’t happen without you, your business can’t scale.
And worse? It’s not sellable. No buyer wants to pay top dollar for a business where the owner is the sales engine.
Justin put it perfectly—predictability equals freedom. That’s true for revenue, for operations, and for your exit plan.
Sound familiar?
You’re not alone. Nearly half of all business owners hit this wall.
I break this down in more detail in my free guide:
The Rainmaker’s Dilemma: Why Being Your Own Best Salesperson Is the Fastest Way to Burn Out
Download the free guide to learn how to stop being the Rainmaker and start becoming the Architect of your business.
The Bottom Line
If you’re tired of being the bottleneck in your business—and especially if sales still run through you—it’s time for a different playbook.
One with clear roles. Predictable results. Real autonomy for your team.
One that lets you stop measuring steaks at 2 a.m. and start living like the business owner you set out to be.
🎧 Listen to the episode here:
The Sales Playbook That Makes Your Business Scalable with Justin Gallo
▶️ Listen now
📞 Want to talk through what’s getting in your way?
Let’s do it. Book a free strategy call with me here.
👋 Like what you’re hearing?
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BONUS FREE GUIDE
The Rainmaker’s Dilemma
Why Doing All the Selling Yourself Is Costing You More Than You Think
Almost half of all business owners fall into the Rainmaker trap—where you become the #1 driver of revenue, and nothing happens without you.
It works... until it doesn’t.
Learn how to shift from being the Rainmaker to becoming the Architect of a business that scales—and sells—without your constant involvement.
