12. Mastering the long game in sales
Fredrik Kastenholm, CRO & Co-founder of Omnitas Consulting, shares his career journey from law student to CEO. He dives into the mindset shift needed to play the long game in your career and explores how to overcome the hidden costs of siloed systems.
Mastering the long game in sales with Fredrik Kastenholm at Omnitas Consulting
“Sales isn’t about pushing a product. It’s about helping someone become better.” – Fredrik Kastenholm
Success in sales isn’t about having the perfect pitch or the slickest closing tactics. It’s about problem-solving, persistence, and playing the long game. Fredrik Kastenholm, Co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer at Omnitas Consulting, has spent over 20 years in sales, learning firsthand what it takes to thrive.
His journey from law school to running multiple companies shows that there’s no single path to success in sales. What matters most is how you approach challenges, how you keep learning, and how you build relationships. Here’s what young sales professionals can take away from his experiences.
1. Sales is about problem-solving, not selling
Many people think sales is about convincing someone to buy. Fredrik sees it differently. “Sales is not about actually doing the selling. It’s about helping someone to become better.”
He describes his approach as a form of consulting—understanding clients’ problems and finding the best solutions for them. This mindset shift is key for young salespeople. Instead of focusing on what you want to sell, focus on how you can provide value.
This aligns with modern sales research from Indeed, which shows that top-performing salespeople focus more on solving customer pain points rather than pushing a sale.
2. Persistence is what sets great salespeople apart
Fredrik emphasizes that tenacity is a common trait among successful professionals. “What joins us all in leadership is persistence. We keep going even when it gets tough.”
Sales, especially in the early years, are full of rejections. The difference between those who succeed and those who give up is the ability to push through setbacks. “There is always something more to improve, something more to do,” he says. He also warns against impatience. Many young professionals want to climb the ladder fast, but he advises taking time to develop real expertise. “You can’t just switch jobs like flipping apartments. You need to build skills in each role before moving forward.”
3. The best salespeople are always learning
Fredrik attributes much of his success to continuous learning. “The habit that has contributed most to my success? I love documentaries and fact-based non-fiction books.”
He believes that learning shouldn’t just come from structured training but from everyday interactions. “There’s always something to be learned from every conversation… if you actually listen.”
This applies directly to sales. The best salespeople don’t just learn about their product; they study industries, customer behaviors, and business trends. They ask more questions than they answer.
4. Success in sales comes from building trust
Fredrik believes that the most successful salespeople position themselves as trusted advisors. “I’ve never seen sales as just selling a product. It’s always been about relieving pain points and helping someone improve.”
He shares that, in consulting, the best way to win business is to build credibility over time. Customers don’t just want a solution, they want someone they can trust to guide them. This is especially important for younger salespeople who may not have years of experience to rely on. Being honest, reliable, and knowledgeable can go a long way in establishing credibility.
Conclusions
Fredrik Kastenholm’s career proves that sales isn’t about quick wins. It’s about long-term thinking, persistence, and problem-solving. Young sales professionals should focus on learning, building trust, and becoming advisors rather than just sellers. As he puts it, “The hardest part is getting there the first time. After that, you build off your experiences.”
