What a 6-Day Gravel Bike Ride Taught Me About Sales Leadership, Strategy, and Purpose
Lessons from Co-Founding the Ride4Diversity on Building Resilient Teams, Sustainable Growth, and Meaningful Impact
I’ve taken a year off from doing multi-day bike rides, but one experience continues to shape how I lead and coach sales teams today: my time planning and riding in the ACRP Ride4Diversity — a six-day, multi-state cycling event that raised over $250,000 across four years to fund scholarships for a more diverse and inclusive clinical research workforce.
It wasn’t just a ride. It was a logistical feat, a physical challenge, and a cause that mattered.
We planned every detail — the route, the support structure, the daily targets, and of course, the fundraising strategy. In many ways, it felt like launching a commercial campaign with high stakes and limited resources — something I’ve seen countless times in clinical research sales environments.
Here are five core leadership lessons that still shape how I help sites, vendors, and growth-stage companies build smart, scalable sales strategies:
1. Vision Without a Route is Just a Dream
Before we ever put tire to gravel trail, we mapped the entire journey — state by state, day by day. We accounted for terrain, rest stops, lodging, and recovery.
Too often, sales teams know what they want (more revenue, better sponsor relationships), but lack a clear route to get there. Strong leadership means defining the milestones, forecasting challenges, and preparing teams with the right tools and expectations.
Lesson: Sales growth requires a clear, actionable plan — not just ambition.
2. Fundraising is Sales, at Its Core
To raise over $250,000 over four years, we had to do more than ride. We had to build a compelling story, engage stakeholders, and ask for support in a way that connected with people’s values.
That’s what sales is at its best: connecting what you do to what your audience cares about. For clinical research companies, this means aligning your value proposition with a sponsor’s goals — whether that’s diversity, efficiency, or enrollment success.
Lesson: Sales isn't about pushing — it’s about aligning. Storytelling and relationship-building are everything.
3. Execution Requires Teamwork and Trust
Even with perfect planning, we relied on the people around us — riders, the ACRP Team, and donors — to execute every mile.
Sales leaders must foster that same ecosystem. High-performing teams aren’t built on micromanagement or heroics — they’re built on trust, communication, and shared purpose.
Lesson: You go farther when every part of the team is aligned and empowered.
4. Purpose Drives Endurance
There were moments on that ride — day four, legs burning, miles to go — when the only thing keeping me going was remembering why we were doing it: to open doors for future leaders in clinical research.
In sales, the same is true. When teams understand the purpose behind their work — the impact they have on patients, sponsors, and communities — they work harder, bounce back faster, and stay committed longer.
Lesson: Performance without purpose burns out. Purpose without execution falls flat. You need both.
5. Rest is Part of the Plan
Every ride had built-in recovery. Every night, we regrouped, refueled, and prepared for the next day.
In sales, rest is often neglected — but it’s essential. Burnout ruins great reps and derails growth. Smart leaders build in space to breathe, reflect, and reset.
Lesson: Sustainable growth requires pacing — for individuals and organizations alike.
Final Thoughts
The Ride4Diversity was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life — not just because of the miles we covered, but because of the impact we created and the strategic execution it required.
Those same principles — planning, purpose, execution, and endurance — are what I bring to sales strategy work at ACG-Clinical. Whether you’re a site trying to stand out, a vendor looking to scale, or a leader building your team from the ground up, you don’t have to guess your way forward.
There’s always a smarter route. Let’s map it together.
The Ride4Diversity has been renamed this year to the ACRP Rally4Researches. For more information about the ride, its mission and the riders, please visit https://acrpnet.org/rally4researchers.
To make a donation this year’s ride, please visit https://acrp.rallyup.com/7aed93/Campaign/Details