The challenge

As the Founder and CEO of Ovation, Zack Oates felt stuck.

Despite his team's efforts, there was a gap in performance. Zack had some doubts about his recent VP of Sales hire, but wasn’t sure how to evaluate him properly.

"I didn't trust my sales leader, but I didn’t have the tools to know if he truly wasn't the right fit.”

Zack needed clarity — not just in his sales department, but across the entire organization.

Through some mutual connections, he was introduced to Ram at the Progress Advantage, and soon was on his way to significantly reshaping Ovation’s approach to revenue generation.

Why the Progress Advantage?

Ram's approach is tactical and action-oriented, distinguishing him from traditional consultants who often only deal in high-level strategy.

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Many companies might consider hiring a consultant for strategy alone, but what sets the Progress Advantage apart is Ram’s willingness to get into the weeds — working directly with "doers" at every level, not just the C-suite.

Zack was impressed:

"I’ve worked with a lot of consultants, and I’ve been unimpressed by most. But Ram wasn’t afraid to roll his sleeves up — there was never a moment where he said, 'Nah, I don’t do that.'"

For many founders, there’s a bit of trepidation when it comes to bringing in a third party to change things up; this company is their baby, and they’ve worked hard to get it where it is. Zack knew that if he wanted to take Ovation to the next level, he needed help — and part of that would require being open to hearing hard truths.

"If you don't want to hear that your baby is ugly, don't work with Ram,” Zack joked. “Ram will be honest with you and tell you that your baby is ugly — but he won’t stop there. He’ll give you an action plan, and the numbers for the best plastic surgeons in town.”

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In short: he’ll tell you the truth about what’s not working, identify what is, and then help you build a plan to get the entire business operating more efficiently and effectively.

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The solution

Ram began by diving deep into Ovation’s sales operations, starting with a comprehensive review of the sales process, and an objective evaluation of the VP of Sales.

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Was this leader the right fit for the market? Ram’s objectivity and expertise made a significant difference in making this decision. “He came in to help me figure out if this person could lead us or if we needed to move on,” Zack shared. Ultimately, Ram facilitated the transition of the VP of Sales out of the company and leveled up the existing Sales Manager to become head of sales.

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Ram being present for this transition was critical — because he had developed a relationship with the entire sales team and was able to lead them through the change, so that there was no disruption to operations. Ram did 1:1 trainings with the Sales Manager to get him to where he needed to be, and did intensives with the entire sales team to help them create smarter workflows.

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From daily stand-ups with enterprise sales reps to win/loss meetings, Ram’s presence instilled focus and momentum.

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But Ram’s impact didn’t stop at sales. His "department by department" approach extended into marketing, customer success, and partnerships. Ram ran experiments, established best practices, and ensured that Zack’s team members were moving in the right direction. "He was really good at sifting out who was right for the job, and for my dependable people, he gave them clear direction."

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A key factor was Ram’s speed.

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"Ram has a quick pace about things," Zack said.

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In a fast-growth company, urgency is critical, and Ram ensured that the right cadence and expectations were set across teams.

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The result

Ram’s work provided clarity and direction, giving Zack confidence in his team and processes.

"By the time our engagement with Ram wrapped up, we had the right experiments, the right cadence, and win/loss meetings in place,”.

Ram’s willingness to engage with every department, set priorities, and get his hands dirty meant that Ovation never missed a beat, even during leadership transitions.

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When asked what makes Ram’s approach unique, Zack was clear:

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"He’s not just here to give advice and leave. He’s actually tactical. If you’re wondering if your sales leader is the right person, Ram will either help them level up or help you transition. And your team will trust him in the process."