How Is the Sales World Shifting From Seller-Centric to Buyer-Centric?

Rory Sadler, Co-founder and CEO of trumpet, joined the Make It Happen Mondays podcast, to catch up with host John Barrows and talk about sales and his journey.

Here is a recap of what was discussed.

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About trumpet

trumpet is the intelligent revenue collaboration platform that helps go-to-market teams close deals faster by making the buying experience effortless. With personalised Digital Sales Rooms, interactive Pods, and AI-powered insights, trumpet connects sellers, buyers and customer teams in one shared space - helping every deal move forward with clarity and collaboration.

‍What inspired Rory to build trumpet?

Rory’s journey began in SaaS sales, working at companies like Hotjar, where he saw first-hand how difficult it was for buyers to make purchasing decisions.

“Everything was scattered – decks, proposals, comparisons, follow-ups. Buyers were overwhelmed.”

He wanted to make buying easier, not just selling faster. That idea became trumpet a platform designed to simplify the buying experience through digital sales rooms, interactive Pods and real-time insights.

Rory’s aha moment came when he realised that most deals weren’t being lost to competitors, but to confusion. Buyers were stuck trying to align internal stakeholders, find the right information, and understand ROI. trumpet was built to give sellers a way to guide that process seamlessly, creating a single shared space where everything from proposals to onboarding lives together. It’s not just a tool for sales efficiency, it’s a solution for buying clarity.

What’s the difference between entrepreneurship and joining a startup?

Rory and John discussed how the word entrepreneur is often misused. Many people call themselves entrepreneurs when they join early-stage companies, but true entrepreneurship means taking the full risk of building something from the ground up.

Rory shared how his background, growing up with a single mum and learning self-reliance early, shaped his mindset.

“From a young age I understood that money meant security. That drive to provide for my family turned into a drive to build something meaningful.”

Rory believes successful entrepreneurs balance ambition with purpose and resilience. True entrepreneurship, he says, isn’t just about chasing growth or raising funding - it’s about solving problems that matter. Founders have to be comfortable taking on risk, wearing multiple hats, and making uncomfortable decisions daily. The difference between being an entrepreneur and working at a startup is ownership: one takes the risk and builds the vision from scratch, while the other helps to bring it to life. Both are valuable, but they’re not the same.

Why is buyer enablement more important than sales enablement?

Traditional sales enablement focuses on helping sellers perform better. Rory argues that the real focus should be on helping buyers buy.

“Modern buying is complex. There are more stakeholders, more information and more pressure. trumpet helps sellers guide that process by giving buyers a space to collaborate and move forward.”

With tools like Mutual Action Plans, insights and AI-powered collaboration, trumpet helps sales teams remove friction and create transparency across deals.

How has the buyer experience changed since the pandemic?

Rory believes the shift has been drastic. Buyers now expect B2B experiences to match the speed and simplicity of consumer buying.

“We’ve all become used to one-click purchasing and next-day delivery. In B2B, that expectation for ease has carried over, but most sales processes haven’t caught up.”

He explains that friction in the buying journey, from repetitive discovery calls to slow follow-ups, is now a deal-breaker. Buyers choose vendors who make it fast and easy to access the right information.

Why have predictable revenue models created friction?

Rory and John agreed that the rise of predictable revenue models and over-segmentation in sales (SDR, AE, CS) made the process efficient for sellers but painful for buyers.

Instead of a seamless journey, buyers face multiple hand-offs and repeated conversations. Rory believes the best sales teams today are breaking this pattern and focusing on collaboration, not control.

How should sellers adapt to AI and changing expectations?

When asked about the role of AI in sales, Rory said the biggest barrier is hesitation, not technology.

“Many sellers feel behind and don’t know where to start. Others are afraid to use AI because their company hasn’t set clear policies.”

He believes sales leaders should lead by example, showing their teams how to use AI safely and creatively.

“If you’re not experimenting with AI now, you’re already behind. Start small, learn, and keep building.”

What role will transparency and personalisation play in future sales?

According to Rory, the future of sales depends on trust. Buyers don’t want perfect pitches, they want honest, informed partners.

He encourages sellers to:

• Arrive prepared and informed about the buyer’s business
• Be transparent about pricing, process and competition
• Focus on partnership, not persuasion

“Transparency builds trust. Buyers don’t want to be sold to, they want to be understood.”

What’s in the future for sales reps ?

Rory predicts that the best reps will act more like project managers and consultants, guiding buyers through complexity and helping them sell internally.

“Our job isn’t to push products. It’s to remove friction, help buyers align internally and make confident decisions.”

He believes the sales role will evolve into one that blends enablement, insight and empathy, powered by intelligent tools like trumpet.

Final thoughts

Rory’s story is a reminder that great salespeople don’t just chase numbers, they solve problems.

From building trust through transparency to designing tools that make buying easier, he’s helping redefine what modern selling looks like.

🎺 Learn more about how trumpet helps revenue teams simplify the buying experience at sendtrumpet.com.