Ep 11 - The Moment Selling Became Strategy with Lee Paries (Part 1)

"It's only your limitation if you impose it on yourself." — Lee Paries Dennis Sorenson, CEO of Cove Group and host of Think Big, Win Bigger, welcomes co-founder of Horizons West and longtime sales leader Lee Paries for Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Lee built his career from a $19,000-a-year first job in healthcare, earning early mentorship from sales leader Hugh McBride, who saw in him an intensity and drive to eliminate the competition entirely — not just win some of it. Lee went on to lead national sales teams, close a $350 million contract representing 50% company growth, and build multi-million dollar enterprise books at Teradata with accounts including eBay, PayPal, and T-Mobile. His conviction? "That doesn't mean that's your limitation. It's only your limitation if you impose it on yourself. This episode covers the full arc of strategic selling — from the dangers of transactional thinking to the discipline of narrowing your focus to win bigger. Dennis and Lee discuss how they moved their teams beyond chasing transactions toward building long-term enterprise relationships at accounts like Wells Fargo, MGM Casinos, and Visa. What does it take to shift from a 12-month sales mindset to a three-to-five-year strategic account plan? How did a two-word email subject line — "coffee" — generate an 85–90% executive meeting acceptance rate? And how did the Lunch VITO and Coffee VITO strategies evolve into the frameworks Lee and Dennis now deploy through Horizons West? All of that, and more, in this episode. In This Episode: (00:00) From hustle to strategy — Dennis introduces Lee Paries and their 28-year partnership (07:06) A $19,000 salary and a $350 million contract — Lee's early career and Hugh McBride's mentorship (12:22) Do more with less — redirecting teams from transactions to strategic opportunities (17:20) Removing self-imposed limits — how to help sellers think beyond their quota (22:23) The personal lesson — how narrowing focus at Teradata turned into a $35–50 million business (28:54) Building a business, not just making sales — the shift to a three-to-five-year strategic plan (34:01) The Lunch VITO, the Coffee VITO, and a meeting with the CIO of MGM Studios (40:31) No shortcuts — why preparation, planning, and practice are the price of the executive meeting Share with a sales leader or seller who's ready to build something that lasts. Subscribe to hear all future episodes! About the Show Think Big. Win Bigger is hosted by Dennis Sorenson, CEO of Cove Group, a strategic partner for companies seeking to optimize sales performance and achieve sustainable growth. With deep expertise in enterprise sales and fractional CRO leadership, Dennis specializes in addressing challenges at the point of friction—where inefficiencies, misalignment, or resistance occur within the sales process. The podcast is built on Process-Driven Sales and the three pillars of Ambition, Strategy, and Execution. Each episode breaks down the systems and operating rhythms that drive predictable performance, giving leaders and sellers practical insights they can use immediately. This is for professionals who are ready to stop improvising, start operating with intention, and build repeatable success over time. Resources: Lee Paries on LinkedIn:   / leeparies   Horizons West (co-founded by Lee Paries and Dennis Sorenson): https://horizonswest.com/ Dennis Sorenson: LinkedIn Cove Group Horizons West