“The only way to truly be happy is to be free from any outcomes." -Stoic Philosophy
Steve Heroux
Founder & Chief Contrarian
Super Power:
My intentional disregard for what others think about me.
What You Won’t Learn from my Bio:
I won my 4th-grade spelling bee.
Specialties
Mixing public speaking with comedy to deliver dynamic, valuable, and entertaining content to audiences around the world.
Author of two books on sales and sales leadership, the latter reaching Best Seller status on Amazon in its first week.
Fishing, all kinds, does anything in life matter more than that? Nope :)
Pool. Thanks to my dad for teaching me how to hustle kids when I was a teenager.
Certifications
- Vistage Speaker (400+ workshops delivered)
As the Founder of The Sales Collective and author of The Sales Contrarian, I’m on a mission to transform the sales profession. I became a top 1% salesperson and sales leader in multiple industries by resisting the urge to perpetuate old-school, antiquated sales tactics and one-size-fits-all sales training. I envision a world where salespeople no longer manipulate prospects or chase numbers to feel successful—but instead sell with authenticity, integrity, and purpose. Through my books, companies, and keynotes across North America, I empower people to uncover what truly works in sales and rise above archaic sales methodologies that predate the moon landing. We’re not just changing how we sell; we’re shaping the future for the next generation.
I envision a world where salespeople no longer manipulate prospects or chase numbers to feel successful—but instead sell with authenticity, integrity, and purpose.
Let's Talk
Some Of My Work
Sales Growth Has Stalled? Rethink Your “Growth” Strategy
If your company isn’t growing, it’s not because you haven’t read enough books about 10X-ing. It’s because you haven’t mastered the 1X. We’ve been sold this fantasy that explosive growth comes from hustle, BHAGs, vision boards, and chasing excellence. “Hire more people!” “Buy more tech!” “Launch a new campaign!” “Go viral!” Those aren’t strategies, that’s desperation dressed up as ambition. Sales growth doesn’t come from doing more. It comes from doing the right things better.
The Three Biggest Mistakes of Sales Leaders That Lead to Turnover
If your sales team is underperforming or your sales turnover is sky-high, it’s not because you “hired the wrong people.” Most salespeople don’t fail in a vacuum — they fail in the system YOU, the sales leader, has created. Not always, but most of the time. After twenty-five years of evaluating thousands of salespeople and sales leaders across hundreds of organizations, I’ve identified the three biggest, most consistent, and most damaging leadership mistakes that lead to high sales turnover and low success when developing salespeople.
What I Look for in a Sales Hire (The Non-Negotiables)
While top sales performers may look different from the outside, there are core competencies — non-negotiables — that separate the contenders from the pretenders in today’s selling environment. I’m talking about characteristics that must be there if someone’s going to succeed long-term in sales. Over the years, I’ve coached, trained, and assessed thousands of salespeople. I’ve helped companies avoid making disastrous sales hires and watched others get burned because they “went with their gut.” Here’s what actually matters when I’m evaluating a potential sales hire.
