Patrick O'Donnell Explains How to Hire and Onboard Sales Talent That Actually Performs

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales

In this high-impact episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales, hosts Kevin Lawson and Sean O'Shaughnessey welcome sales acceleration expert Patrick O'Donnell to tackle one of the toughest challenges facing small business CEOs: hiring and onboarding top-performing sales talent. Together, they dive deep into proven sales strategies that help CEOs find strong candidates and keep them engaged, successful, and driving revenue. If you’ve ever hired a salesperson who didn’t work out, or you’re planning to hire your first, this conversation is your roadmap to sales success. From creating a robust onboarding plan to integrating soft skills training and cultural alignment, this episode is packed with value-selling insights you can apply immediately.

Key Topics Discussed:

• [00:01:00] Why small business CEOs struggle to attract and retain top salespeople

• [00:03:00] Patrick’s proven hiring and onboarding process for sales roles

• [00:05:10] The importance of structured 30-60-90 day plans and Sean’s GUTS framework

• [00:07:00] Kevin’s NASA Plan for onboarding: A granular, hourly approach to early success

• [00:10:00] The role of soft skills and professional development in retaining talent

• [00:11:50] A lighthearted look at entrepreneurship: Why Patrick bought a historic Indianapolis tavern

Key Quotes:

"They're in such a hurry to take the sales hat off their head that they hire the first person who looks okay on the surface. That rushed approach almost always ends poorly." – Patrick O'Donnell [00:02:06]

"I hand every new rep a GUTS document—Getting Up To Speed. It’s a 30-60-90 plan that clearly spells out what they need to accomplish. They can be ahead, but they can’t fall behind." – Sean O'Shaughnessey [00:05:10]

"Most small business owners think they have a plan because it's in their head. But if it’s not written down, it doesn’t exist." – Kevin Lawson [00:07:29]

"We want every new hire to be the most professional person in the company, because it's their job to make everyone around them better." – Sean O'Shaughnessey [00:10:35]

Additional Resources:

• LinkedIn profile for Patrick O'Donnell https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickwodonnell/

• Soft skills training programs referenced by Sean for onboarding enrichment

• GUTS (Getting Up To Speed) framework and NASA Plan discussed during onboarding best practices

A Significant Actionable Item from this Podcast: Implement a Written 30-60-90 Onboarding Plan with a Two-Week NASA Schedule. Salespeople need clarity to succeed. Whether you're a first-time sales manager or a seasoned executive, stop relying on verbal plans or “tribal knowledge.” Create a written 30-60-90 onboarding plan that details expectations, milestones, and key outcomes. For the first two weeks, apply the NASA method: a daily, hour-by-hour schedule that aligns the new hire with every department, cultural cue, and technical requirement. Doing so sets a strong foundation for success and dramatically reduces early turnover.

Summary Paragraph: If you’re serious about improving your sales management, elevating your sales processes, and building a team that drives real revenue generation, this episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales is essential listening. Kevin, Sean, and Patrick break down what too many business owners get wrong—and how you can get it right. Whether you're scaling a team or hiring your first rep, these insights around onboarding, messaging, and business acumen will accelerate your journey toward consistent sales success. Press play now and walk away with tools you can use today.

To understand if your company is doing a great job in sales, take this quick and easy assessment: https://newsales.expert/b2b-sales-capability-assessment/

You can reach out to Sean at New Sales Expert, LLC - [email protected] - https://www.linkedin.com/in/soshaughnessey/

You can reach out to Kevin at Lighthouse Sales Advisors & Sales Xceleration - [email protected] - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwlawson/

You can book time on Kevin's calendar at https://lighthousesalesadvisors.pipedrive.com/scheduler/JP7rZXH3/virtual-meeting-booking-time-with-kevin

You can book time on Sean's calendar at http://newsales.expert/sean-oshaughnessey-calendar/