---
title: Mark Roberge, Bob Richards & You
description: Startup salespeople or salespeople are startups
image: https://www.rickroberge.com/hubfs/Screenshot%202025-06-11%207.40.27%20AM.png
---

# [SELLING IN THE 21ST CENTURY](https://www.rickroberge.com/)

[![header-sm-linkedin-blue](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-465400397-png/images/header-sm-linkedin-blue.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickroberge) [![header-sm-twitter-blue](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-465371692-png/images/header-sm-twitter-blue.png)](https://twitter.com/RainMakerMaker) [![header-sm-google-plus-red](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-462412948-png/images/header-sm-google-plus-red.png)](https://plus.google.com/+RickRoberge/posts) [![header-sm-rss](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-480298330-png/images/header-sm-rss.png)](https://www.rickroberge.com/rss.xml)

# [Science for Sales Rock Stars](https://www.rickroberge.com/)

## [Mark Roberge, Bob Richards & You](https://www.rickroberge.com/mark-roberge-bob-richards-you)

![](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/hubfs/RR.jpg?width=35&height=35&name=RR.jpg)

 By [Rick Roberge](https://www.rickroberge.com/author/rick-roberge)   Jun 11, 2025, 7:44:42 AM

I seldom reference [Mark](https://www.linkedin.com/in/markroberge/). He's all about scaling and not about selling, but this morning he wrote something that salespeople need to know.

Here's what he wrote:

> If your startup uses an annual revenue plan, you may be working with a broken model.
> 
> The truth is, annual plans don’t fit with startup-sized teams. They’re great for big business, but early-stage startups need to be able to adjust on a smaller scale.
> 
> Look at your quarterly numbers. Find your capacity and reset for the next quarter. Keep your startup agile and your revenue goals realistic.

![Screenshot 2025-06-11 7.40.27 AM](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202025-06-11%207.40.27%20AM.png?width=331&height=230&name=Screenshot%202025-06-11%207.40.27%20AM.png)

Do you know [Bob Richards](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Richards)? He was winning medals when I was learning how to walk. He was also a motivational speaker and in the early 70's I heard him say that salespeople should think of themselves as You, Yourself, Inc. From that day forward, in my mind, I was a company. I was responsible. I made the rules.

It worked for me.

 

Are you a startup? How do startups grow? Mark helps companies grow by making one good hire at a time. That doesn't help You, Yourself, Inc. You grow one customer at a time. One conversation at a time. One relationship at a time. One referral at a time. What do you want to get done before September? When you do that, then you can decide how you can use that to get what you want to get done by December.

So, are you ready to be a startup? Do you want to hang out with other people like you?

[Sales Junto](https://www.rickroberge.com/sales-junto-rick-elliott)

[Mark's post](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/markroberge_salesleadership-startuptips-saas-activity-7328830484312956930-YXv4/)

- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)

### Want updates as they're published?

#### Enter your email:

<https://plus.google.com/116082120720832878924/posts?rel=author>BTW, do you have an idea or question that would make a good article? Would you like to write or co-author it? Either way, **[send me an email](mailto:therainmakermaker@gmail.com?Subject=Blog%20article/author%20idea)**.

**[Rick Roberge](https://plus.google.com/116082120720832878924/posts?rel=author)**

## About this blog

*This blog is for, by and about  
Sales Rock Stars,  
RainMakers,  
Entrepreneurs  
(and/or those that strive to be)*

## [Read My Articles on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/rickroberge)

## [About Rick](https://www.rickroberge.com/contact-me)

**[The Original](http://therainmakermaker.com/)[RainMaker Maker Blog (pre-2012)](http://therainmakermaker.com/)**  
[**Remote Bookkeeping**](http://www.slcbookkeeping.com/blog/bid/116710/remote-bookkeeping-made-easy)[**Made Easy**](http://www.slcbookkeeping.com/blog/bid/116710/remote-bookkeeping-made-easy)  
[**Awesome Website Design**](https://www.inbounddesignstudio.com/contact/)

Search RainMakers & Sales Rock Stars

Search

### Subscribe to Email Updates

### Posts by Month

- [November 2025 (19)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2025/11)
- [October 2025 (18)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2025/10)
- [June 2025 (8)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2025/06)
- [May 2025 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2025/05)
- [April 2025 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2025/04)
- [July 2023 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2023/07)
- [June 2023 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2023/06)
- [May 2023 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2023/05)
- [March 2023 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2023/03)
- [January 2023 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2023/01)
- [November 2022 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2022/11)
- [May 2022 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2022/05)
- [April 2022 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2022/04)
- [March 2022 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2022/03)
- [February 2022 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2022/02)
- [January 2022 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2022/01)
- [December 2021 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/12)
- [November 2021 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/11)
- [October 2021 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/10)
- [September 2021 (13)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/09)
- [August 2021 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/08)
- [July 2021 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/07)
- [June 2021 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/06)
- [May 2021 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/05)
- [April 2021 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/04)
- [March 2021 (4)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/03)
- [January 2021 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/01)
- [December 2020 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/12)
- [November 2020 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/11)
- [October 2020 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/10)
- [September 2020 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/09)
- [August 2020 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/08)
- [July 2020 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/07)
- [June 2020 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/06)
- [May 2020 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/05)
- [April 2020 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/04)
- [March 2020 (7)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/03)
- [February 2020 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/02)
- [January 2020 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/01)
- [December 2019 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/12)
- [November 2019 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/11)
- [October 2019 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/10)
- [September 2019 (4)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/09)
- [August 2019 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/08)
- [July 2019 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/07)
- [June 2019 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/06)
- [April 2019 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/04)
- [March 2019 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/03)
- [February 2019 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/02)
- [January 2019 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/01)
- [December 2018 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/12)
- [November 2018 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/11)
- [October 2018 (4)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/10)
- [September 2018 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/09)
- [August 2018 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/08)
- [July 2018 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/07)
- [June 2018 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/06)
- [May 2018 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/05)
- [April 2018 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/04)
- [March 2018 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/03)
- [February 2018 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/02)
- [January 2018 (4)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/01)
- [December 2017 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/12)
- [November 2017 (9)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/11)
- [October 2017 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/10)
- [September 2017 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/09)
- [August 2017 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/08)
- [July 2017 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/07)
- [June 2017 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/06)
- [May 2017 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/05)
- [April 2017 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/04)
- [March 2017 (8)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/03)
- [February 2017 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/02)
- [January 2017 (4)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/01)
- [December 2016 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/12)
- [November 2016 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/11)
- [October 2016 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/10)
- [September 2016 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/09)
- [August 2016 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/08)
- [July 2016 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/07)
- [June 2016 (4)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/06)
- [May 2016 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/05)
- [April 2016 (4)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/04)
- [March 2016 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/03)
- [February 2016 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/02)
- [January 2016 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/01)
- [December 2015 (8)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/12)
- [November 2015 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/11)
- [October 2015 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/10)
- [September 2015 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/09)
- [August 2015 (7)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/08)
- [July 2015 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/07)
- [June 2015 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/06)
- [May 2015 (4)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/05)
- [April 2015 (10)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/04)
- [March 2015 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/03)
- [February 2015 (4)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/02)
- [January 2015 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/01)
- [December 2014 (10)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/12)
- [November 2014 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/11)
- [October 2014 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/10)
- [September 2014 (10)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/09)
- [August 2014 (7)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/08)
- [July 2014 (7)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/07)
- [June 2014 (11)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/06)
- [May 2014 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/05)
- [April 2014 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/04)
- [March 2014 (8)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/03)
- [February 2014 (9)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/02)
- [January 2014 (14)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/01)
- [December 2013 (9)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/12)
- [November 2013 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/11)
- [October 2013 (9)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/10)
- [September 2013 (10)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/09)
- [August 2013 (13)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/08)
- [July 2013 (11)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/07)
- [June 2013 (12)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/06)
- [May 2013 (12)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/05)
- [April 2013 (13)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/04)
- [March 2013 (10)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/03)
- [February 2013 (10)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/02)
- [January 2013 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/01)

see all

© 2026 Rick Roberge

Website designed by [Inbound Design Partners](https://www.inbounddesignpartners.com/)