---
id: "action-tie-to-revenue"
type: "action-item"
source_timestamps: ["§ What the Best Sellers Did Differently"]
tags: ["value-proposition", "enterprise-sales"]
related: ["entity-mathis-stolz", "entity-org-nexwise", "framework-sprint"]
action: "Map your solution directly to a C-level problem, such as revenue at risk."
outcome: "Keeps executives engaged and moves deals through long enterprise cycles."
speakers: ["Dave Rubinstein", "Vincent Onyemah"]
sources: ["commercial"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-commercial"
originDay: 5
articleStem: "hbr-ext-21-founders-new-sales-playbook"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/06/startup-founders-need-a-new-sales-playbook"
sourceTitle: "Startup Founders Need a New Sales Playbook"
---
# Tie Solutions to Revenue at Risk

**Action:** As demonstrated by the [[entity-org-nexwise|Nexwise]] case study, stop pitching generic projects or features and instead map your solution **directly to a C-level problem** — such as *revenue at risk* or the tension between *growth and service quality*. This elevates the conversation to decision-makers who control budgets.

**Why it works:** It keeps executives engaged and moves deals through long enterprise cycles. See the case founder [[entity-mathis-stolz]] and the **Problem**/**Results** elements of [[framework-sprint]].

**Outcome:** Keeps executives engaged and moves deals through long enterprise cycles.