From Door Knocking to Six Figures: Mastering the SDR Role with Norman

04/09/25 • 39 min

In this episode of The Agile Coach Podcast, we sit down with Norman Rodriguez, a seasoned sales leader who shares his inspiring journey from political campaigns and B2C sales to thriving as an SDR (Sales Development Representative) at Google and eventually founding his own company.

Norman breaks down the nuances of the SDR role, offering practical advice for anyone looking to transition into high-paying B2B sales positions.

We explore the foundational skills needed to succeed in sales, the differences between B2C and B2B sales, and how resilience, energy, and coachability can set you apart in interviews. He also shares his insights on leveraging tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator, crafting compelling cold emails, and building long-term relationships with clients.

Key Takeaways:

What is an SDR? Understanding the role and why it’s crucial for businesses.
B2C vs. B2B Sales: Contrasting high-pressure commission-only roles with salaried SDR positions.
Norman’s Journey: How he landed an SDR role at Google without a college degree and used grit to succeed.
Prospecting Basics: Researching ideal client profiles (ICPs) and buyer personas effectively.
Outreach Techniques: Writing cold emails that stand out and optimizing subject lines for mobile readability.
Qualifying Leads: Asking the right questions to ensure meetings are valuable for both parties.
Mindset for Success: Why energy, resilience, and a learner’s mindset are key for landing your first SDR job.

Connect with Norman:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/norman-rodriguez/

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction to Norman & his background
02:00 - What is an SDR? Breaking down the role
05:00 - Transitioning from B2C to B2B sales
10:00 - Norman’s experience as an SDR at Google
15:00 - Prospecting basics: Ideal client profiles & buyer personas
20:00 - Cold emailing tips: Subject lines & mobile optimization
25:00 - Qualifying leads effectively
30:00 - Mindset for success: Energy & coachability in interviews
40:00 - Tools for SDRs: LinkedIn Sales Navigator, LeadIQ, ZoomInfo
50:00 - Final thoughts & Norman’s advice for aspiring SDRs

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and share it with your network!

Norman breaks down the nuances of the SDR role, offering practical advice for anyone looking to transition into high-paying B2B sales positions.

Key Takeaways:

What is an SDR? Understanding the role and why it’s crucial for businesses.
B2C vs. B2B Sales: Contrasting high-pressure commission-only roles with salaried SDR positions.
Norman’s Journey: How he landed an SDR role at Google without a college degree and used grit to succeed.
Prospecting Basics: Researching ideal client profiles (ICPs) and buyer personas effectively.
Outreach Techniques: Writing cold emails that stand out and optimizing subject lines for mobile readability.
Qualifying Leads: Asking the right questions to ensure meetings are valuable for both parties.
Mindset for Success: Why energy, resilience, and a learner’s mindset are key for landing your first SDR job.

Connect with Norman:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/norman-rodriguez/

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and share it with your network!

Previous Episode

From Coaching Courts to Agile Leadership with Darian Riley

In this episode of The Agile Coach Podcast, we sit down with Darian Riley, a former Division I basketball coach turned agile leader, who shares his inspiring journey from the sports world to guiding teams in major organizations. Darian opens up about how his coaching background naturally translated into agile leadership, emphasizing servant leadership, team building, and fostering high-performing, self-organizing teams.

They dive deep into topics like transitioning careers, empowering teams to deliver business value without feeling overwhelmed, and navigating the challenges of scaling agile practices across organizations. Darian also shares his insights on leveraging AI in agile workflows and how Scrum Masters can evolve their roles to contribute to product strategy and organizational innovation.

Key Takeaways:

Darian’s Transition from Coaching Basketball to Agile Leadership: How coaching skills like mentoring and team building naturally transferred to agile practices.

Empowering Teams: Strategies for helping teams focus on business value while avoiding overwhelm.

Upskilling Through Pair Programming: How senior team members can mentor others effectively.

AI in Agile: Practical ways to integrate AI into agile workflows for efficiency and collaboration.

Scrum Master Evolution: Moving beyond facilitation to contribute to product strategy and innovation.

Creating Wins: Small shifts like transitioning from Scrum to Kanban for better team alignment.

Advice for New Agile Leaders: Building relationships through one-on-ones and understanding the technical and human sides of teamwork.

Connect with Darian:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darian-riley-b1915349/

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to Darian & his background

02:00 - Transitioning from coaching basketball to agile leadership

05:00 - Empowering teams to focus on business value without overwhelm

10:00 - Pair programming and strategies for upskilling teams

15:00 - Coaching teams on ownership and continuous improvement

20:00 - Leveraging AI in agile workflows for efficiency

25:00 - Aligning with leadership goals as a Scrum Master

30:00 - Evolving the Scrum Master role to influence product strategy

40:00 - Creating wins through small shifts in team practices

50:00 - Final thoughts & Darian’s reflections on his career journey

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and share it with your network!

Next Episode

Mastering Product Strategy with Marcelo

In this episode, Vivek sat down with Marcelo, a product leader with over 25 years of experience in technology, including key roles at Microsoft and Amazon. Marcelo shares insights on building innovative products, the importance of product vision and strategy, and his PRFAQ framework, a method used at Amazon to align teams, validate ideas, and drive successful product development.

They also discuss how new and aspiring product managers can think strategically, set meaningful OKRs, and develop the right mindset for success.

Whether you’re a startup founder or part of a large-scale enterprise, this conversation will leave you with actionable takeaways on how to structure your product thinking for impact.

Key Takeaways:
✅ The PRFAQ Framework: Amazon’s structured approach to idea validation and strategic product development.
✅ How writing narratives instead of presentations fosters better decision-making.
✅ The difference between product vision and strategy—and why both are essential.
✅ The role of customer-centric thinking in creating successful products.
✅ How new product managers can quickly ramp up and add value to their teams.
✅ Best practices for setting OKRs and tracking meaningful product metrics.
✅ Marcelo’s personal journey from engineering to product leadership and the lessons he learned along the way.

Connect and learn more about Marcelo Calbucci.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcelocalbucci/

Resources & Links:
📖 Marcelo’s Book on the PRFAQ Framework: https://www.theprfaq.com/
📄 Example PRFAQ Templates: https://www.theprfaq.com/examples
📧 Marcelo’s Website: https://calbucci.com/