Value-Coach

Essential sales skills for non-sales

Oracle

Adobe

Salesforce

Sitecore

Sultan Semlali

Value-Coach - Value Consulting Leader at Sitecore

whether it's budget approval, a project proposal, or getting a skeptical stakeholder on board.

How to pitch your ideas so people actually say yes

a simple framework for navigating objections that keeps the conversation moving forward instead of shutting it down.

How to handle pushback without folding or fighting

Stop showing up as an order-taker. Learn how to use provocative data points and reframes

How to lead conversations with insights, not just questions

Sell your ideas, manage up, gain buy-in, and increase your impact. Sharpen your skills via hands-on exercises, deep dives, scripts, and more

Co-founder of Maven (a16z, First Round)

Anthropic

Atlassian

DoorDash

Google

Wes Kao

Co-founder of Maven. Co-founder of altMBA. Followed by 300k+ operators in tech

Cohort 11 (May)

Cohort 12 (July)

Update: The May cohort is sold out, but the July cohort is now open for enrollment. Over 2,000 tech operators have taken this course. If you've been thinking about joining, I'd love to see you in class.___If you're a high performer, you likely got to where you are because of your raw talent and ability to execute.But now that your scope has grown, your ability to increase impact depends on how well you influence others.No one teaches you how to do this beyond the basics...Until now.In this 2-day intensive course, you will learn practical ways to:<ul><li>Influence stakeholders to get buy-in</li><li>Prevent avoidable back-and-forth, friction, pushback</li><li>Write/speak more clearly and concisely</li><li>Pitch your ideas to increase chances of getting a yes</li><li>Appeal to impatient executives with high expectations</li></ul>During the course, you will drink from the firehose.You won't become a different person overnight. But my goal is to help you dramatically improve your competence and confidence in a condensed period of time.You and your team can move faster. You can prevent avoidable friction.You can accomplish more of what you want--and have more fun in the process.

Strong communication is a force multiplier

Present to your CEO to maximize highly-visible moments

Managing up in day-to-day interactions

Frame your ideas and give the right amount of context in any situation

Identify ways to improve your own writing

Influence up and sideways to get things done

There's a difference between "I know this" vs "I do this."  This course is for operators who are strong and want to get even sharper.

You are open-minded and intellectually honest

This is not for you if you want a slower-paced course over several weeks. This is a 2-day intensive designed for busy operators.

You are looking for a condensed, intensive experience

This is not for you if you expect to become excellent in communication overnight. You will need to practice ongoing to build muscle memory.

You will continue practicing after the course

Senior individual contributors (ICs). Marketing leads, PMs, engineers, program managers, UX designers, etc. Minimum 3+ years of experience.

People managers and leaders (heads of, team leads, directors). You run a team and have to get buy-in upwards and x-functionally.

Teams who want shared language so you can move faster, give feedback faster, have shared expectations, and persuade folks outside your team.

Stop over-explaining and start guiding decisions. You'll become the professional who walks into senior rooms and walks out with a yes.

24-Year Banker -> Presentation Expert

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Commerzbank

Royal Bank

Mary Beth Hazeldine

24 years at JPMorgan, PwC, RBS. Now training executives to win decisions.

Cohort 4

Cohort 5

You've done the work. You know the material. You've prepared the slides.And yet the decision stalls.Polite nods. Reasonable questions. Then: "Let's take this offline." "We'll circle back." "Good discussion."Translation: No decision today.If this keeps happening, it's not because you lack expertise or presentation skills. It's because the way you're structuring your message doesn't match how senior people decide.Here's what nobody tells you: executives make their decision in the first few minutes, then spend the rest of the time looking for reasons to trust that instinct—or doubt it. When you lead with context, build to your recommendation, and back it up with extensive data, you're triggering doubt, not confidence.The unspoken question in their mind: "If they need this much explanation, is the recommendation actually solid?"This course gives you a different approach—a system built on how decisions actually happen in senior rooms. You'll learn to structure your message so that "yes" feels like the obvious, low-risk choice.Not through tips you'll forget under pressure. Through a repeatable system that works even when you're tired, rushed, or facing pushback.

Executives decide before your presentation ends. Structure accordingly

Structure presentations that win decisions

Remove the anxiety before you even start

Build credibility without over-explaining

Choose proof that reassures, not proof that defends

Handle pushback without becoming defensive

Use AI tools without sounding generic or losing authority

<code>You present to executives, boards, or steering committees—and need decisions, not "good discussions." Your credibility is on the line.</code>

You pitch to clients and present recommendations for a living. Stalled decisions cost you deals, revenue, and repeat business.

You're in relationship management, business development, or sales—presenting to win deals, budgets, or strategic alignment.

You'll learn to sell your expertise comfortably, build a premium pipeline, and close confidently — without pressure or feeling gross.

Founder & CEO, Level Up 

Amanda Northcutt

Founder of Level Up. I help coaches & consultants build boutique firms.

Cohort 1

Learn how to sell your own expertise comfortably, confidently, and at premium prices — in 8 weeks. This is sales as matchmaking: peer to peer, no ick, no pressure tactics, no corporate scripts.

Stop selling. Start matchmaking.

Battle-Tested Positioning

Productized Service Ladder

Lead Generation & Nurture System

Your Personalized Sales Playbook

AI for Sales & Marketing

The Skills to Close

You're stepping away from corporate with real expertise and a few network clients — but no system to turn that into consistent revenue.

You're fully out and working, but revenue is feast or famine and selling still feels gross. You're ready for a system that actually works.

<code>You're still in your day job but building on the side. You know what you want to do — you just need the sales system to make it real.</code>

Deliver a clear, compelling pitch, without rambling, or losing the room

Former VC | Helped startups raise $50M+

SoFi

MassChallenge

University of Michigan

Techstars

Mary Lemmer

Helped startups raise $50M+ 
Former VC turned storytelling & business strategist

June Cohort

You can have a great idea, product, or strategy—and still lose the room.I’ve seen this from both sides.As a former venture capitalist, I’ve heard thousands of pitches. As an operator and advisor, I’ve helped startups raise over $50M and been part of teams that have collectively raised over $3B.The difference between a "no", a “maybe” that eventually gets you ghosted, and a “yes” is rarely the idea itself—it’s the clarity, delivery, and adaptability of the pitch.This workshop exists to close that gap.In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn practical and proven improv-inspired techniques to sharpen your message and deliver your pitch with clarity and confidence. Whether you’re pitching investors, clients, leadership, or an idea, you’ll walk away with tools you can use immediately.You’ll learn how to:<ul><li>Get to the core of your message (and cut what doesn’t matter)</li><li>Structure a pitch that’s clear, concise, and engaging</li><li>Turn nerves into energy and confidence</li></ul>This isn’t just theory—you’ll actively practice, refine your pitch, and get real-time feedback during the session.With active engagement, by the end of the session, you’ll have a better pitch and confidence walking into your next pitch.

Whether you’re pitching investors, clients, leadership, or an idea, you’ll walk away with tools you can use immediately.

Clarify and simplify your pitch

Improve how you deliver your pitch

Deliver your pitch with more confidence and adaptability

Founders actively fundraising or preparing to raise. Your product is strong, but your pitch feels too long, complex, or isn’t landing.

Sales professionals pitching products or services. You know your offering, but struggle to communicate it clearly and close the deal.

Leaders presenting ideas or asking for resources. You need buy-in, but find yourself over-explaining, rambling, or losing the room.

Agentic AI

Coding with AI

AI Workflows

Claude Code

OpenClaw

Vibe Coding

AI Evals

AI Transformation

RAG & Search

AI for PMs

AI for Engineers

AI for Designers

AI for Marketers

AI for Founders

Product Sense

Product Discovery

User Research

Prototyping

Growth

Analytics

Tech Foundations

Strategy

Influence

Leadership

Career Growth

Machine Learning

LLM Ops

Context Eng

Security

System Design

Figma

Design Systems

Visual Design

Design Strategy

Automation

Content Marketing

Demand Gen

Go-to-Market

Product Marketing

Positioning

Social Media

Brand

B2B Marketing

SEO & AEO

AI for Leaders

AI Governance

Communication

Management

People Operations

Exec Presence

Storytelling

Goal-setting

Personal Brand

Fundraising

Everyone

Operators

Data Scientists

Business Analysts

User Researchers

Customer Success

Project Managers

HR Professionals

Sales People

Lawyers

Finance

Investors

Real Estate

Educators

Creators

Introduction to Essential Sales Skills for Professional Success

The Universality of Sales Skills in Everyday Life

Recognizing Common Communication Pitfalls

Three Core Skills to Steal from Sales Professionals

How to Pitch Effectively: The SCR Framework

Applying the SCR Framework: A Practical Example

Mastering the Pitch: More SCR Framework Examples

Handling Pushback: The Aikido Approach to Objections

Applying the ACR Framework to Common Objections

Overcoming Past Failures with the ACR Framework

Leading with Insights: Being a Doctor, Not a Pharmacist

The Provoke, Elevate, and Resolve Framework Explained

Applying the Framework: A Case Study on Product Launches

Framework in Action: Pitching a Platform Migration

Key Takeaways and Call to Action

Conclusion: Defending Your Best Ideas

Executives and senior leaders who set strategy, lead teams, and drive organizational outcomes.

Broad professional audience — content relevant across many roles and functions.

Marketers who drive brand awareness, customer acquisition, and growth across channels.

Executive communication — presenting to boards, writing memos, running all-hands, and high-stakes messaging.

Developing leadership skills — inspiring teams, building culture, navigating organizational complexity, and driving results through others.

Persuading stakeholders, presenting ideas, and getting buy-in across an organization without formal authority.

Essential sales skills for non-sales

What you'll learn

Why this topic matters

You'll learn from

Sultan Semlali