Strengthening Sales from the Inside Out: Insights from Mike Belin of Nacre Consulting

By: Hilario Caro, Talent Optimization at StaffBuffalo

In this episode of the Pain Points Podcast, I sat down with Mike Belin, seasoned sales leader and consultant with Nacre Consulting, to talk about the challenges organizations face when scaling sales operations. From aligning sales and marketing to building compensation structures that work, Mike shared powerful lessons on how businesses can improve performance, empower their teams, and drive long-term growth.

With over 15 years of experience in sales, marketing, and leadership, Mike began his career in inside and outside sales before moving into training and management. Along the way, he discovered his true passion: helping others succeed. That passion ultimately led him to partner with Jason Pearl at Nacre Consulting, a firm dedicated to building customized sales strategies for businesses of all sizes.

The company’s name itself has special meaning. Nacre is the crystalline substance that gives a pearl its strength, a fitting tribute to co-founder Jason Pearl’s last name—and a reflection of the firm’s mission to strengthen companies from the inside out.

Common Sales Pain Points

Every business is unique, but Mike noted that many organizations face similar challenges. Among the most common:

• Lack of standardized processes – Without consistency, sales teams often work in silos, leading to confusion and inefficiency.

• Sales and marketing misalignment – “It’s like a rowing team out of sync,” Mike explained. “If both sides aren’t pulling in the same direction, you stall.”

• CEO-led sales – Founders often struggle to hand off sales responsibilities, which can hinder scalability.

• Compensation issues – When pay structures don’t reward the right behaviors, top talent looks elsewhere.

“These are universal themes,” Mike said. “But the solutions always have to be customized. No two businesses are exactly alike.”

The Role of Communication and CRM

Mike emphasized that communication is the lifeblood of sales and marketing alignment. Without it, even strong teams can drift apart. A well-implemented CRM (Customer Relationship Management system) can provide the visibility needed for seamless collaboration.

“Think of it like a relay race,” Mike explained. “Marketing passes the baton to sales, sales passes it back with feedback, and the cycle continues. With the right system, leadership gets the transparency they need to guide the whole process.”

Keeping Sales Teams Motivated

When asked how companies can keep their teams engaged, Mike stressed the importance of culture and compensation. “Ping-pong tables and happy hours aren’t culture,” he said. “Culture is about how you coach, compensate, and support your people day-to-day.”

Organizations that pay fairly, provide consistent coaching, and create career pathways are far more likely to retain and motivate top performers.

Driving Growth with Custom Solutions

Nacre Consulting has worked with businesses ranging from startups to $100M companies across industries like SaaS, manufacturing, healthcare, and professional services. Their impact has included:

• Helping a manufacturer achieve 30% year-over-year growth

• Guiding a startup to its first $1M revenue month

• Supporting organizations through leadership transitions and sales realignments

“It’s never one-size-fits-all,” Mike emphasized. “Our job is to pop the hood, diagnose what’s going on, and build a strategy that fits the organization’s unique goals and challenges.”

A Takeaway for Leaders

Mike’s advice for CEOs and business leaders is simple: stay humble, keep learning, and don’t wait until sales stall before making a change. “Often, leaders know deep down that it’s time to do something different,” he said. “That’s where we come in—to help them take the next step with confidence.”

At StaffBuffalo, we share that commitment to growth. Just as Nacre strengthens companies through sales strategy, we help organizations thrive by recruiting and developing the right talent. Together, these efforts create stronger businesses and stronger communities.

If your organization is facing sales challenges or ready to level up its growth strategy, connect with us today. We’ll help you find the right partners, the right people, and the right path forward.