Sales Revamped: Tarkenton Financial’s New Approach to Growth

Learn how Runway’s young, coachable talent revitalized Tarkenton Financial’s sales efforts, driving growth and transforming their business development strategy.

Create Business Project

$785,000

Revenue Generated

New business closed during the 90-day trial period.

30,000

Emails Sent

Total email activity completed by both Runway hires.

7,500

Calls Made

Total call activity completed by both Runway hires.

Problem

Tarkenton Financial, a 20-year-old firm, had achieved steady growth by maintaining its existing book of business, relying on a team of experienced sales representatives. While effective at deepening relationships with current clients, this approach left little bandwidth to actively pursue new accounts.

Recognizing the need to expand their outreach and acquire new clients, Tarkenton sought to build a sales team of younger, coachable professionals who could focus on business development. The goal was to bring in fresh energy and competition to complement the existing team while helping grow the business beyond its current trajectory.

Solution

Tarkenton partnered with Runway to identify and hire two young, competitive Business Development Representatives (BDRs) for a 90-day trial project. The hiring process was thorough: 10 candidates were initially considered, with 5 interviewed and 2 ultimately selected—Jennings and James.

The two hires had distinct qualities that stood out: backgrounds in competitive sports, previous sales experience, and a strong drive to succeed. These traits aligned with Tarkenton’s vision of hiring “hungry” talent that could be molded to fit their specific needs.

During the 90-day period, the BDRs were tasked with generating leads through cold outreach, targeting financial advisors to bring in new business opportunities. Utilizing HubSpot to track activity and performance, the two hires were set up for success with clear expectations and an environment of friendly competition.

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Results

Runway’s hires exceeded expectations, delivering impressive results that validated Tarkenton’s decision to invest in younger talent:

Revenue Impact:

Jennings closed a $605,000 deal within the first 30 days.
James closed a $180,000 deal by the end of the 90-day project.
Combined, the two generated $785,000 in new business, representing a major contribution to the firm’s growth.

Outreach Productivity:

Over 7,500 calls made and 30,000 emails sent during the 90-day period, averaging 83 calls and 333 emails per day between them.

Cultural Fit and Coachability:

Both hires quickly integrated into Tarkenton’s team and adapted to coaching, dispelling initial concerns about hiring younger talent.
Their work ethic and competitive drive set a new standard for future hires, proving that young, hungry professionals could be a transformative force for the company.

Tarkenton is now eager to expand its sales team further, planning to partner with Runway again to build on this momentum.