April 10, 2025

Salvatore Tirabassi – How to Make Your Sales Team 10X More Effective

Today, James sits down with private equity expert Salvatore Tirabassi. They explore what makes a founder investable, how private equity firms assess opportunities, and the key elements that drive value creation post-investment. Salvatore reflects on his career in investment banking and private equity, and what it really takes to scale a business with confidence. Packed with wisdom from years of working with founders, this episode is a must-listen for anyone considering taking on outside investment – or preparing to pitch.
The Gross Profit Podcast
The Gross Profit Podcast
Salvatore Tirabassi - How to Make Your Sales Team 10X More Effective
Loading
/

Show Notes

In this episode James Kennedy sits down with Salvatore Tirabassi, a seasoned private equity investor and advisor, to discuss the critical factors that drive business value and successful investment outcomes. Salvatore shares his experience in the world of private equity, what he looks for in a great founder, and the strategies that help companies scale with confidence.

About Salvatore Tirabassi:
Salvatore Tirabassi is a private equity investor with a career spanning two decades, advising and investing in high-growth businesses across sectors. With a focus on strategic value creation, Salvatore partners with founders and management teams to unlock long-term potential and build sustainable success. His insights are grounded in hands-on experience and a deep understanding of capital markets, operations, and entrepreneurship.

What You’ll Learn:

  • What Makes a Great Founder: Salvatore shares the traits and behaviors that make founders stand out and attract investment.
  • Private Equity Insights: Learn what private equity firms look for in potential portfolio companies and how deals are structured for long-term success.
  • Scaling with Purpose: Discover the key operational and strategic levers that help companies scale effectively after an investment.

Episode Highlights:

  • “Salvatore, when you’re evaluating a founder or a team, what qualities stand out the most?”
  • “Can you walk us through the investment process and how you determine if a company is the right fit?”
  • “What are some of the most common challenges you see companies face after taking on private equity funding?”

More about Salvatore’s Role:  With a strong background in both investment banking and private equity, Salvatore Tirabassi brings a strategic and pragmatic lens to building businesses. His approach focuses on aligning vision with execution, and partnering closely with leadership teams to navigate complex growth challenges. Whether advising or investing, Salvatore is committed to delivering lasting impact through thoughtful, founder-centric collaboration.

The Gross Profit Podcast

More Episodes

Merushka Chetty

Hillel Steiner – This Israeli CFO Secret Could Double Your Profits

This week James sits down with Hillel Steiner, founder of ProfitUp Financials and a fractional CFO based in Israel, to discuss the surprising advantages of working with international finance talent. Together, they dive into the differences between U.S. and Israeli business cultures, what founders often get wrong about funding, and how having a strong financial strategy can be the difference between staying stuck and scaling up.
Hillel also walks through a real-life case study of a BI company stuck in a high-revenue, low-profit cycle – and how he helped them transform by refocusing their service model and aligning their team more efficiently.
Stick around to the end for a massive bonus offer from Hillel that’s perfect for growing service-based companies.

Listen Now »
Merushka Chetty

Patrick Arnold – 7M Sales, Zero Profit: The Fix 

This week James sits down with Patrick Arnold, Director of Client Advisory Services at Elliott Davis, to explore the power of Client Advisory Services (CAS) and its game-changing impact on business profitability. Patrick shares an engaging case study of how he helped a golf cart business in South Carolina go from stagnant growth to seven-figure annual distributions – all by optimizing inventory, restructuring financial processes, and leveraging technology for smarter decision-making.
They also dive into the role of CAS in modern accounting, the evolution of public accounting firms to include more strategic, forward-thinking advisory, and how business owners can unlock hidden cash flow by better managing working capital.

Listen Now »
Merushka Chetty

Chris May – Fake CFOs Exposed: How to Spot the Difference

This week James sits down with Chris May, founder and CEO of Quadrant Advisory, to explore what separates real CFO strategy from everyday accounting. From turning around a $50M political consulting firm to navigating tricky incumbent finance teams, Chris shares practical advice for business leaders and fractional CFOs alike.
Together, they unpack key finance tools like sensitivity analysis, working capital management, and how to tell whether your books are just “done” – or actually useful. Chris also walks us through his own acquisition of a bookkeeping SaaS and what it taught him about keeping services laser-focused.

Listen Now »