Building Future-Ready Sales Teams: Why Growth-Stage Companies Can't Afford to Wait on AI Implementation

Summer Poletti
Mar 26
4 min read

Right now, growth-stage businesses are at a crossroads. Buyer expectations have radically shifted, AI is changing the game, and sales teams must adapt. Fast.

A futuristic office scene shows a man with a digital AI robot by computers, and a woman working in a warm-toned office; text reads "AI Efficiency."

The companies that modernize will outcompete, close faster, attract top talent, and retain more clients. Those that hesitate? They’ll waste time on inefficient processes while their competitors move ahead.

AI isn’t just an efficiency tool, it’s the biggest opportunity to remove friction from your sales process. But without a strategy, it can create more noise. The question isn’t whether to integrate AI into your sales process... it’s how to do it in a way that actually moves the needle.

What You’ll Get From This Blog

Why ignoring AI in sales isn’t an option—and neither is letting it run unchecked.
The new reality of sales talent—why Gen Z and top-performing reps expect AI-enabled tools.
The high cost of "Bring Your Own AI" (BYOAI)—and how to prevent security and compliance risks.
How leading sales teams are using AI to shorten deal cycles, improve messaging, and close more revenue.
A sneak peek into our conversation with Fleur Prince on the future of work and AI-driven sales.
Why companies are partnering with Rise of Us to future-proof their revenue operations.

The Digital-First Expectation of Emerging Sales Talent

The next generation of sales professionals expects AI-powered tools—not because they’re optional, but because they make the job more effective.

Recent research shows:

34% of Gen Z and 25% of Millennials use AI for work tasks—outpacing older generations【Randstad USA】.

Man in suit at computer, stressed, surrounded by paper stacks. AI robot with glowing eyes stands behind him. Office setting with boxes labeled "AI".

In the absence of employer-provided AI tools, employees might seek external solutions, especially digital natives who are already actively engaging in AI usage on a daily basis. This leads to a Bring Your Own AI (BYOAI) environment. According to Tara Bonhorst, founder of Do That Dave:

"75% of knowledge workers are using AI at work. And 78% of those people are bringing their own tools."

The Risks of a BYOAI (Bring Your Own AI) Culture

AI adoption is inevitable, but without clear guidelines, it becomes a compliance and security nightmare.

SaaS companies risk client lists being accidentally exposed in unregulated AI tools.
Financial services firms face major compliance violations if PII is uploaded to an unsecured model.
Business owners put their trade secrets at risk when employees use AI that also trains their competitors.

Here’s the real danger: While you’re debating AI policy, your competitors are already integrating AI into lead scoring, outbound messaging, and customer engagement. And they’re seeing results.

From Risk to Reward: The AI Advantage in Sales

AI is a force multiplier when deployed correctly. Companies that leverage it intentionally are seeing:

Faster Deal Cycles: AI-assisted research and follow-ups free up sales reps to focus on closing.
Stronger Personalization: AI-generated insights enable hyper-targeted messaging.
Better Lead Prioritization: Sales teams stop wasting time on low-potential deals.

Instead of fighting AI adoption, the smartest companies are guiding it, turning it from an unregulated risk into a scalable revenue advantage.

How Growth-Stage Companies Are Using AI to Sell Smarter

Some of the businesses we work with are already proving what’s possible:

Financial Services Firm: Reduced time spent on admin tasks and cut meeting lengths by 50%, while keeping the same level of effectiveness.
Solo Business Owner: Automated follow-ups so long-cycle deals don’t slip through the cracks.
Owner-Managed Sales Team: Used AI to streamline marketing, while the Smart Sales Playbook Program helped train their first salesperson for independent success.
SaaS Startup: Leveraged AI to personalize outreach, automate lead nurturing, and proactively monitor customer health. Without a full-time sales staff.

These aren’t abstract theories. They’re real implementations delivering real results, and we’re just getting started.

The Smart Sales Playbook: Your Competitive Advantage

Our Founder and CRO, Summer Poletti, has spent years helping growth-stage companies modernize their sales operations. Through fractional leadership, coaching, and AI-driven process improvements, we’ve helped companies:

Eliminate friction from their sales process.
Align teams to shorten deal cycles and reduce churn.
Implement AI strategically, so sales teams work smarter, not harder.

The results have been so consistently game-changing that we decided to make it widely available. That’s why we created the Smart Sales Playbook Program: a proven system that gives business owners and sales teams everything they need to sell more, faster, with less effort.

Two men in suits shake hands, smiling, with "Smart Sales Playbook" charts. A woman sits, observing. Bright office, modern design.

What Makes This Different?

Most sales playbooks are static, outdated, and ignored.

This isn’t just another PDF sitting in a shared drive, it’s an adaptive, AI-powered playbook that sales teams actually use. It is updated as buyer trends change, integrates into daily workflows, and includes coaching from a real sales expert, not just automation.

Summer is famous for her approaches on using AI to automate and create efficiency, while leveraging the personal touch only a human salesperson can provide. AI+HI

And unlike other AI-based sales programs, it’s built for real business owners and revenue leaders who need AI to work for them, not the other way around.

Sneak Peek: Upcoming Podcast with Fleur Prince, AI Community Builder and Co-Founder of AI Insights

Fleur Prince is proof that the future of work isn’t something business leaders can afford to ignore. As a Gen Z AI leader, she shares why her generation approaches work differently, how they expect AI to be integrated into their jobs, and what businesses must do to stay competitive.

We discuss:

Why AI isn’t a replacement for human intelligence
How automation is freeing up time for more meaningful work
The critical balance of AI + HI (Human Intelligence) in modern sales strategies

Tune in for a conversation that will challenge the way you think about AI in sales and the future of work. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.

Your Next Move: Stop Falling Behind, Start Selling Smarter

AI isn’t replacing salespeople. It’s making the best ones unstoppable.

If you want your sales team to be future-ready, apply now for early access to the Smart Sales Playbook.

Rise of Us is a practice run by Summer Poletti, specializing in revenue growth: sales, strategic partnerships, customer success, marketing alignment. We generally work with financial services and SaaS companies from $2MM - $10MM ARR and help them plan and execute for their next stage of revenue growth. We concentrate on strategy, coaching, and organizational alignment.