Training vs. Coaching

In Major League Baseball, spring training brings together coaches, staff and scouts whose role is to evaluate talent, instill fundamentals and elevate the overall performance of the team. Even seasoned players benefit, as spring training reinforces what elite play looks like. The relationship between players and coaches doesn’t end when spring training concludes — it continues through the long grind of the regular season.

Now imagine if, after spring training, all the coaches and support staff simply disappeared. Players would be left to self-diagnose their swing mechanics, adjust their pitching motion or strategize base running—all on their own. You’d assume the team had lost its mind.

The same is true in startup SaaS companies. If a founder is leading sales, he/she should see themselves as a manager-in-training. Enterprise software sales is its own category of performance, and real mastery only comes through observing experienced mentors and internalizing their approach. Just like in baseball, founders should start as bench coaches — learning the game pitch by pitch — before stepping up to manage.

You can’t just send your sales team through a few training sessions and expect to become a great sales leader through osmosis. It’s no surprise that some of the best managers were once players. They’ve seen the game up close and know how to spot issues before they snowball.

Once spring training ends, the regular season begins. The games count. Expectations rise. The coaching gets more targeted — less about fundamentals, more about situational execution, resilience and consistency. Performance is tracked daily, and those who can’t keep up are sent back to the minors or released.

The same intensity applies to SaaS enterprise sales. Onboarding is just the beginning. The real work starts when the stakes go up — when pipeline matters and quota becomes real. Salespeople need consistent coaching to refine their approach, avoid bad habits and stay sharp from one deal cycle to the next. Even the best reps need guidance to keep swinging with purpose.

If your sales team is stuck in spring training mode — practicing but not executing — it’s time to bring in a coach. Ask Virtual Dave or reach out to dave@moicpartners.com for guidance.