Sales Empowerment Group Company Profile

Background

Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Sales Empowerment Group (SEG) is a sales and marketing consulting firm dedicated to accelerating revenue growth for businesses across various industries. SEG's mission is to create a sales-focused culture that drives faster revenue growth through strategic, time-tested approaches. The company serves a diverse clientele, including middle-market and larger companies in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, technology, and professional services.

Key Strategic Focus

SEG specializes in providing a comprehensive suite of services designed to enhance sales performance and revenue generation. These services include:

Outsourced Business Development and Marketing Resources: Deploying virtual sales teams to generate leads and drive sales.

Talent Acquisition: Recruiting and placing top sales talent tailored to client needs.

Sales Training: Offering programs to develop and enhance sales skills across all levels.

Sales Technology: Implementing and optimizing sales technologies to improve efficiency.

Sales DNA Assessments: Evaluating and understanding the inherent sales capabilities within client organizations.

Consulting Services: Providing fractional Chief Revenue Officers (CROs) and Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) to offer strategic guidance.

By integrating these services, SEG aims to create a cohesive and effective sales strategy for its clients, targeting markets that require robust sales and marketing solutions to drive growth.

Financials and Funding

In August 2022, SEG received a significant investment from RFE Investment Partners, a Connecticut-based private equity firm. This partnership was established to provide SEG with the resources and capital necessary to accelerate its growth model. The investment underscores RFE's confidence in SEG's unique value proposition and its potential for continued expansion.

Pipeline Development

SEG has demonstrated a commitment to growth and service enhancement through strategic acquisitions:

Action Selling Acquisition (April 2023): SEG acquired Action Selling, a Minnesota-based sales training company founded in 1990 by Duane Sparks. Action Selling has trained, assessed, and certified over 500,000 salespeople and has been recognized as a Top 20/25 Sales Training Company by Training Industry and SellingPower.com. This acquisition enhances SEG's training capabilities, allowing it to offer comprehensive sales training programs across all aspects of the sales lifecycle.

Square 2 Marketing Acquisition (November 2023): SEG acquired Square 2 Marketing, a Philadelphia-based marketing services agency founded in 2003. Square 2 is known for its strategic approach to lead generation and revenue growth, and it was HubSpot’s first Diamond-level partner. This acquisition enables SEG to provide a full "click to close" solution, integrating strategic marketing guidance with sales execution.

Technological Platform and Innovation

SEG leverages a suite of technologies to enhance its service offerings:

WordPress: For content management and website development.

HubSpot: For marketing automation and customer relationship management.

Backbone.js: A JavaScript framework for developing dynamic web applications.

Cloudflare Bot Management: For security and performance optimization.

Google Tag Manager: For efficient management of website tags.

These technologies support SEG's ability to deliver scalable and efficient sales and marketing solutions to its clients.

Leadership Team

Brian O'Neil, CEO & Founder: Brian has led SEG since its inception, focusing on building a company that drives revenue growth through innovative sales and marketing strategies.

Kevin Potrzeba, President: Kevin oversees SEG's operations and strategic initiatives, ensuring alignment with the company's growth objectives.

Jennifer Hogberg, VP of Sales Advisory: Jennifer provides strategic sales guidance and support to clients, leveraging her extensive experience in sales consulting.

Kurt Phillips, Chief Financial Officer: Kurt manages SEG's financial operations, ensuring fiscal responsibility and supporting the company's expansion efforts.

Leadership Changes

In recent years, SEG has expanded its leadership team to support its growth and diversification. Notably, the acquisitions of Action Selling and Square 2 Marketing have brought experienced leaders into the SEG fold, enhancing the company's capabilities in sales training and marketing services.

Competitor Profile

Market Insights and Dynamics

The sales and marketing consulting industry is characterized by a growing demand for outsourced services that can deliver measurable revenue growth. Companies are increasingly seeking partners that offer integrated solutions combining sales execution, training, and marketing strategies.

Competitor Analysis

SEG operates in a competitive landscape with several notable companies:

Wilson Learning: Specializes in sales training and development programs, focusing on improving sales effectiveness.

Corporate Visions: Offers consulting services aimed at enhancing sales messaging and customer conversations.

Force Management: Provides sales transformation services, emphasizing sales process optimization and talent development.

Carew International: Focuses on sales training and leadership development programs.

Sales Performance International: Offers sales training and performance improvement solutions.

Challenger: Provides sales training and consulting services based on the Challenger Sales methodology.

SellX: Develops platforms to source and manage remote sales specialists.

TeleReach: Specializes in business-to-business telemarketing and outbound sales services.

Revvix: Provides lead generation services for the B2B technology sector.

1st Leads: Offers actionable market intelligence services.

SEG differentiates itself through its comprehensive service offerings, strategic acquisitions, and a focus on creating a sales-focused culture within client organizations.

Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships

SEG's strategic acquisitions of Action Selling and Square 2 Marketing have significantly enhanced its service portfolio:

Action Selling: This acquisition has bolstered SEG's training capabilities, allowing it to offer world-class sales training programs that cover all aspects of the sales lifecycle.

Square 2 Marketing: By integrating Square 2's strategic marketing services, SEG can now provide clients with a full-spectrum solution that includes lead generation, marketing strategy, and sales execution.

Operational Insights

SEG's strategic considerations include:

Comprehensive Service Model: Offering a full suite of services that address every aspect of the sales and marketing process, from lead generation to closing deals.

Integrated Solutions: Combining sales training, marketing services, and sales execution to provide clients with cohesive and effective strategies.

Focus on Middle-Market and Larger Companies: Tailoring services to meet the unique needs of these segments, ensuring scalability and effectiveness.

Strategic Opportunities and Future Directions

Looking ahead, SEG is poised to:

Expand Service Offerings: Continue enhancing its portfolio through strategic acquisitions and partnerships.

Leverage Technology: Invest in advanced technologies to improve service delivery and client outcomes.

Strengthen Market Position: Solidify its standing as a leader in sales and marketing consulting by delivering measurable results and maintaining a client-centric approach.