Tiina Lükk: “My only regret is not starting in sales sooner”

Tiina Lükk is the heart and soul of Upsell: a woman who makes you feel that anything is possible, if only you want it badly enough. Tiina moves purposefully towards her dreams, while inspiring everyone around her to do bigger things and always aim higher.

Tiina has helped grow the Upsell team from zero to its current 30 members. She has supported dozens of people new to sales in discovering their true potential, helping them reach five-figure incomes and beyond!

Alongside her busy working life, Tiina competes in bikini fitness, is a loyal friend and a devoted family person. What is the secret behind Tiina’s and Upsell’s success in multiplying the incomes of people who are new to sales? What challenges has the company had to overcome, and what solutions has it found? We took a closer look at her daily routine, her principles and her advice for anyone who wants to make their dreams come true, even if those dreams seem far too wild.

How did your journey in sales unfold? How did you find your way into sales?

My path into sales began years ago, when I was doing my master’s at EBS, where most of my coursemates were top performers in their fields. They all advised me to start in sales. Around the same time, I heard about an acquaintance who was earning five-figure sums in field sales, and that inspired me. The decision was quick and firm, and now, six years later, I’m at Upsell, also earning five-figure incomes and more!

Tell us about the beginnings of Upsell. Where were you three years ago, and where are you now?

Before we founded Upsell, we had already been doing field sales for years, until at one point we got the opportunity to start our own sales agency. That’s when the real work began. We started out as three, but soon we needed a bigger team, and pretty quickly there were eight of us.

People see our value, as the large number of applicants shows. To make the best choices, we focus on quality: continuous self-development, coaching, training and self-analysis help us grow talent that is later highly valued on the job market too. Today our team has grown to 30 members, and it keeps growing.

We invest a great deal in every team member. We want Upsell’s people to be successful financially and also to achieve their dreams in every area of life. Sales is a unique set of communication skills, and without it, it’s hard to reach the top in any field.

How have you helped people new to sales succeed?

It all starts at the very first meeting. Our job interview is a mini coaching session in itself: the person gains clarity, maps out what they want and sets clear goals, working out the direction they want to take. So for many people, it has already been a hugely important starting point. Even if they aren’t selected, they leave with some very useful thoughts for the future.

The second key to success is regular sales training, daily contact with the salespeople and keeping track of goals. If a person has ambition, they will definitely reach their goals and earn sums that exceed all expectations.

It depends on the person. With some, you need a personal conversation and a thorough analysis. With others, you hand over the direction and the materials and step in as little as possible, letting them grow through their own mistakes. I see that it’s always different, because everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. But you could say we genuinely create talent.

At interviews we’ve also met people full of doubt who have “been burnt” in sales before. Yet you can see they have huge potential. Then it’s up to me how well I can steer their thinking and show them that their goals have to be stronger than their fears. What sets winners apart is that they act despite their fear.

What qualities do you value in your people? How and where do you find talent?

A team is only as strong as its weakest link. Even on their worst days, our people perform at a high level. What we value most in our people is ambition: either you have it or you don’t. There’s a common belief that you need previous experience. For us, it’s the opposite. Someone without experience, for example, can take in information on a completely different level. That’s also a skill we value highly: the ability to take in information and put it into practice. I understand that everyone needs a different amount of time to succeed, but being able to listen to feedback and analyse yourself definitely moves you forward a lot.

As for finding talent, the answer is simple. We don’t find talent, we create it!

What have been the biggest challenges in growing the company? What were the solutions?

Covid forced us to start from zero twice. I’m grateful to those who have been with us since the very first days, helping us through the ups and downs. A big thank you to Roman and Jessica! The solution has always been to keep moving forward and to believe both in ourselves and in the team.

As well as growing the business, you’re also active in bikini fitness and are the Estonian vice-champion. How do you balance work, training and family life? What does a typical day look like for you?

I’m still finding that balance, and there’s never enough time, is there? You simply have to make time and set your priorities. I live like this: in the morning I’m an athlete, during the day a businesswoman, in the evening a family woman. I keep maximum focus in every area of my life. That matters to me, because any kind of routine, stability and “staying within a framework” also helps me get the very most out of myself at work.

There have definitely been hard moments. For example, when I was on 1300 kcal, the training was tough and my workdays were over 10 hours long. But it got done, admittedly with a few sacrifices.

I’d also like to mention loving what you do, every single aspect of it. Research has shown that second- and third-place “champions” didn’t love every aspect of what they did. Usually people only want to sign dividend cheques, be in great shape and drive a nice car. But few want to deal with difficult clients, take part in negotiations or solve problems. Just give them to me!

Your 3 “non-negotiable” daily habits (the ones you simply can’t do without…)

1. Work and everything that comes with it. In three years I haven’t had a single day when I didn’t work with the team. I’ve stepped onto the stage at the European Championships having written feedback to a team member just before. How quickly I respond affects how people organise their work and, at the end of the day, their results, so I make no excuses.

2. Healthy eating. However busy the day is, I make sure all the nutrients are in my diet. Protein is especially important, whether from milk, eggs or meat. What we eat has the biggest effect on how we feel and how we perceive the world around us. That’s exactly why I do everything I can to feel good.

3. And of course I can’t leave out that my skincare always has to be top level. I NEVER go to bed without a proper skincare routine. I love pampering myself with quality face and hair products.

If you could, what would you advise 20-year-old Tiina to do differently?

Nothing. Everything happened exactly the way it was meant to, and thanks to her I’m who I am today.

Although getting into sales a few years earlier wouldn’t have been a bad idea. My only regret is not starting in sales sooner. Your 20s are for hustling: in your 20s, you learn. In your 30s, you earn, so go for it!

How would you describe your best friends?

My best friends are truly impressive women. They’re all very driven, experts in their fields and, you could say, absolute top performers by Estonian standards. Very feminine, VERY beautiful inside and out. Creative, entrepreneurial, inspiring!

3 qualities that describe you best. What’s the first thing you notice in other people?

For this one I brought in a friend, and she describes me with these words:

First: DETERMINED.

Second: open and a great person to talk to (both as a listener and as a talker).

Third: feminine and elegant. A friend who always has something kind and beautiful to say.

Like many others, I judge people by what my eyes see first. They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. But like it or not, I do notice how other people look. It says a lot about a person before I’ve even started talking to them: their posture, their overall presence, the way they carry themselves. I don’t mean beauty in an aesthetic sense, but taking care of yourself in general. And of course energy. It speaks before anyone has said a word!

What do you recommend to those who are still thinking about starting in sales?

Stop thinking and start! The best time to start was yesterday, the second best time is today.

Your all-time favourite quote, the one that speaks to you most:

Henry Ford: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.”