A B2B sales assignment came to us with a defined scope, timeframe and expected commitment. Within days, we had three relevant interim profiles on the table. Then the conversations started — and the original brief began to evolve. That turned out to be an important part of finding the right solution.
It started with a specific business problem
The company had an established B2B sales organisation: a Sales Director, five sales representatives and around 150 business partners across multiple international markets.
The infrastructure was there. The performance wasn’t where the company wanted it to be.
There was no clear long-term commercial strategy. Acquisition was low, quantitative KPIs weren’t being met and business opportunities were being left on the table.
The company wanted experienced external expertise to help assess the situation and strengthen the way its B2B function operated.
The initial parameters were quite specific: start as soon as possible, work with the business for up to three months and dedicate approximately 8–16 hours per week to the assignment.
We started the search.
Within a few days, TOP HEADS presented three relevant interim profiles.
And then the brief moved
Once the client started talking to the candidates, the assignment became more concrete.
Priorities shifted. Expectations were refined. Questions that hadn’t been obvious at the beginning started to emerge.
The solution the company needed at that point wasn’t necessarily identical to the solution described in the original brief.
For us, that wasn’t a complication.
It was useful information.
“A brief gives us a starting point. The real value comes from understanding what the business needs as the conversation develops. Interim management gives us the flexibility to respond to that — in the scope, intensity and even the final form of the cooperation.” Kamil Relovsky, COO, TOP HEADS
A brief is a starting point
Companies sometimes hesitate to approach an interim provider until they can describe the assignment down to the last detail.
This case is a useful reminder that they don’t always need to.
A company may know exactly where the problem is while still being uncertain about the right form of intervention. An experienced interim manager can bring another perspective into that discussion and, in some cases, help define the assignment before taking responsibility for delivering it.
The cooperation can evolve with that understanding.
A three-month project can change in scope. The weekly involvement can be adjusted. An assignment can be extended when there is more work to be done. And in the right circumstances, an interim relationship can even develop into a permanent role.
That flexibility is built into the model.
Move while the answer is still taking shape
There is a practical lesson in this case.
You can start with the business problem.
The precise scope, level of involvement and best form of cooperation can be shaped from there — without spending weeks trying to create the perfect brief before the first conversation even happens.
For a business that needs change now, that can make a significant difference.