19 March 2026
4 Sales Mistakes and How to Avoid Them | Building a Sales Team with John Dinkel
Revenue Rascals | Sales Strategies for Business Growth
About
If you want to leave founder-led sales, here’s everything you need to know to build a successful sales team and avoid pitfalls along the way.
Michelle Terpstra sits down with John Dinkel, the founder of LaunchPod Media, to break down what it actually takes to grow a business. John opens up about the mistakes he made while trying to step out of founder-led sales and the lessons he learned (good and bad) while trying to hire and scale his sales team.
Michelle and John discuss the patterns that lead to these failures, and everything you need to know to avoid making them yourself—including how to hire the right people, build repeatable sales systems, and set clear expectations in your company. Michelle outlines the framework for building the correct foundation and avoiding pitfalls along the way.
This episode is part one of a two-part series. Part two will premiere in a few months after Michelle has helped LaunchPod reach their sales and revenue goals…so stay tuned.
Chapters
[Start] Introducing John: Michelle introduces John Dinkel, and he shares a little bit about himself.
06:47 Building LaunchPod Media: How local networking and partnerships helped grow LaunchPod Media into a thriving business.
17:08 Sales Season 1: Exploring John’s first “sales seasons” and the pitfalls he experienced.
24:26 Sales Season 2: Lessons from John’s second “sales season”, where he dealt with company overcompensation.
32:22 Sales Season 3: John’s third “sales season”, which he considers to be his hardest one yet.
40:25 Sales Season 4: The fourth “sales season”, where John learned the importance of customer relationships.
50:53 Coming in Part Two: Michelle teases what to expect in the next part of this conversation with John.
Links & Resources
High Performance Workshop (Live with Michelle)
Join Michelle Terpstra for a 2-part live workshop designed for founders, sales leaders, and high performers who want sustainable performance without burnout.
You’ll learn the High Performance Framework covering Fuel, Freedom, Thought Leadership, Leverage, Discipline, and Resilience—plus leave with your own 90-day high performance action plan.
Access All Revenue Rascals Resources for FREE at www.revenuerascals.com
One-time sign-up gives you everything you need.
Got a question for Michelle? Fill out this form for a chance to have your question answered during the coaching corner that drops inside each episode on Tuesdays. Submit a Question to Michelle
Want my eyes on your revenue strategy? Grab a call with Michelle.
Revenue Rascals Discovery Call with Michelle Terpstra
Check out three ways Michelle and her team can support your path to predictable growth.
Uncover your Sales Leadership IQ and get your personalized plan for leading through change. quiz.revenuerascals.com
Connect with Michelle:
Want to Start Your Podcast?
Schedule a call and mention Revenue Rascals for a free consultation on your podcast: https://www.launchpod.media/contact
Disclaimer: Some episodes of Revenue Rascals may include paid sponsorships or affiliate partnerships. We only feature brands, products, or services that align with our values and are relevant to helping founders, revenue leaders, and entrepreneurs grow. Sponsorships help support the show—opinions shared are always our own.
Michelle Terpstra's Privacy Policy
Michelle Terpstra sits down with John Dinkel, the founder of LaunchPod Media, to break down what it actually takes to grow a business. John opens up about the mistakes he made while trying to step out of founder-led sales and the lessons he learned (good and bad) while trying to hire and scale his sales team.
Michelle and John discuss the patterns that lead to these failures, and everything you need to know to avoid making them yourself—including how to hire the right people, build repeatable sales systems, and set clear expectations in your company. Michelle outlines the framework for building the correct foundation and avoiding pitfalls along the way.
This episode is part one of a two-part series. Part two will premiere in a few months after Michelle has helped LaunchPod reach their sales and revenue goals…so stay tuned.
Chapters
[Start] Introducing John: Michelle introduces John Dinkel, and he shares a little bit about himself.
06:47 Building LaunchPod Media: How local networking and partnerships helped grow LaunchPod Media into a thriving business.
17:08 Sales Season 1: Exploring John’s first “sales seasons” and the pitfalls he experienced.
24:26 Sales Season 2: Lessons from John’s second “sales season”, where he dealt with company overcompensation.
32:22 Sales Season 3: John’s third “sales season”, which he considers to be his hardest one yet.
40:25 Sales Season 4: The fourth “sales season”, where John learned the importance of customer relationships.
50:53 Coming in Part Two: Michelle teases what to expect in the next part of this conversation with John.
Links & Resources
High Performance Workshop (Live with Michelle)
Join Michelle Terpstra for a 2-part live workshop designed for founders, sales leaders, and high performers who want sustainable performance without burnout.
You’ll learn the High Performance Framework covering Fuel, Freedom, Thought Leadership, Leverage, Discipline, and Resilience—plus leave with your own 90-day high performance action plan.
- Session 1: April 30 · 1:00–5:00 PMSession 2: May 19 · 1:00–5:00 PMLocation: Kiln · Holladay, UT (30 minutes from SLC Airport)
Access All Revenue Rascals Resources for FREE at www.revenuerascals.com
One-time sign-up gives you everything you need.
Got a question for Michelle? Fill out this form for a chance to have your question answered during the coaching corner that drops inside each episode on Tuesdays. Submit a Question to Michelle
Want my eyes on your revenue strategy? Grab a call with Michelle.
Revenue Rascals Discovery Call with Michelle Terpstra
Check out three ways Michelle and her team can support your path to predictable growth.
Uncover your Sales Leadership IQ and get your personalized plan for leading through change. quiz.revenuerascals.com
Connect with Michelle:
- MichelleTerpstra.comLinkedInInstagram
Want to Start Your Podcast?
Schedule a call and mention Revenue Rascals for a free consultation on your podcast: https://www.launchpod.media/contact
Disclaimer: Some episodes of Revenue Rascals may include paid sponsorships or affiliate partnerships. We only feature brands, products, or services that align with our values and are relevant to helping founders, revenue leaders, and entrepreneurs grow. Sponsorships help support the show—opinions shared are always our own.
Michelle Terpstra's Privacy Policy