Hey there,

If you’re a mission-led founder, you’ve probably felt this tension:
You care deeply about why your business exists, cutting carbon emissions, ending waste, reshaping industries.

But the people you’re selling to often don’t care about your mission. They care about budgets, efficiency, risk, and operational headaches. Totally frustrating.

Recently, I’ve been following the work of Amanda Zhu, a tech leader who shares sharp insights on B2B sales and AI. Her posts aren’t about sustainability at all. But when I looked at them through the lens of climate tech and sustainable brands, they turned into powerful sales insights that mission-led founders can use to close bigger, better deals, on their own terms.

I shared the lessons online yesterday, and I thought I'd add some extra examples for the newsletter - feel free to use this in your next procurement meeting!  

1- Lead with value and skip the TED talk

Scenario: A compostable packaging startup opens with “We’ll cut 10 tonnes of plastic waste.” The buyer only asks, “Will it run on my machines, and what does it cost?”

Fix: Start with their outcomes: efficiency and cost savings. Then add sustainability as the bonus. “We cut logistics costs by 15%. That also removes 10 tonnes of plastic waste.”

2- Aim for the second call, not the close

Scenario: A founder floods the first meeting with carbon data, spreadsheets, and technical details. The buyer leaves overwhelmed... and never replies.

Fix: The goal of call one is just to earn call two. Share enough to spark curiosity, then say: “Why don’t we bring in your ops team next week to see how this could work in practice?”

3- Scope bigger than you think

Scenario: A climate tech startup pitches a £50K pilot. The buyer already has £300K set aside for energy transition projects. The founder leaves money (and impact) on the table.

Fix: Always present two options:

1. A pilot for risk-averse buyers.
2. A full rollout for maximum value. Anchor higher, and let them choose.

4- Match your effort to your deal stage 

Scenario: A founder spends weeks building custom carbon models before the buyer is even qualified. The deal fizzles, but the founder has already burned huge energy.

Fix: Work like an AI model:

• Mini mode: quick discovery chats.

• Full mode: ROI or pilot proposals.

• Thinking mode: deep analyses for board-level deals.
  Save your heavy effort for when the deal deserves it.

5- Multi-thread every deal

Scenario: A founder relies on one sustainability manager. But procurement blocks the budget, and the deal stalls.

Fix: Always ask:
“Who else should be in this conversation?”
Bring in procurement, ops, finance, and execs early — and tailor follow-ups to each perspective.

These five lessons have saved me from wasting time, underselling value, and burning out. They don’t dilute your mission — they protect it by helping you win the resources to scale your impact.

>> Credit to Amanda Zhu for the inspiration.

Which of these lessons feels most relevant to your sales challenges right now? Hit reply and tell me,  I’d love to hear.