Matic Kuselj helps startups in the areas where sales are born: designing go-to-market strategies, identifying the ideal customer, building sales funnels using CRMs, tools, and strategies, tracking KPIs, automating processes, and of course, outbound and inbound sales. Negotiation is also one of his strongest skills.
In his view, labels like B2B, D2C, B2C … are not what really matters in the end.
“Sales is always H2H – human to human,” he says. “The psychology is the same: you need to understand the customer’s pain, ambitions, and culture.”
Throughout his career, he has already “closed down” and stopped several projects. But he doesn’t see that as failure.
“I learned a lot from each of them and gained top skills. Were they all profitable? Far from it!”
A couple of reminders he gives himself:
● A deal isn’t done until the invoice is paid.
● Underestimate your own abilities, overestimate how much time and effort something will take.
He overcomes doubts and concerns through honest conversations
Few people know that in the past he programmed microcontrollers for electric boats. Even though these technical skills are not at the forefront of his work today, they give him a unique perspective and a deep understanding of how products, systems, and processes function, which helps him in mentoring and advising startups.
If Matic could turn into a superhero, he would choose a rather unusual superpower: “Mind Reader.” In his words, no special explanation is needed. It’s the ability he would most like to develop, as it would help him understand people and situations even better.
He doesn’t hide doubts or concerns but prefers to say them out loud – ideally in conversation with close ones or those involved. In doing so, he remains true to his core value: family safety and respect for others. His life motto? “Treat others the way you would like them to treat you.”
His greatest childhood passion? Ice cream. And today? “After careful consideration … still ice cream.”
“Business” and the world of AI
If he were to start a new startup today, he would go into a “boring business” – something physical, connected to a healthy body and mind. He believes digitalization will only keep increasing, making physical experiences ever more valuable.
If he were to go in the direction of a typical “AI startup hype,” he would choose something with automation at its core, especially in industries that are still poorly digitalized today.
Matic says AI is a huge “hype” – and well deserved! In his opinion, we might already be in the “bubble” phase, where the balloon grows fast and could also burst. But that doesn’t mean many great things won’t be created. AI opens doors to new opportunities and innovations that will shape our daily lives. The question remains whether we will truly solve real problems or just create flashy stories without substance.
He regularly uses various AI tools, including Scribe, Granola, OrderVision (where he also contributed), GPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, Soniox, and OpusPro.
His favorite hobby… padel
His favorite hobby is padel – a sport that combines recreation, competitiveness, and relaxation. The perfect counterbalance to the entrepreneurial pace.
Knjige in podcasti, ki ga navdihujejo
When it comes to sales, Matic is most inspired by classics like How to Win Friends & Influence People, Never Split the Difference, and the content of Josh Braun’s B2B Sales Academy.
From an entrepreneurial perspective, he regularly follows podcasts and books such as My First Million, Founders, Millionaire Fastlane, SPRINT, and Nike’s story (Shoe Dog).
Why startups often “fail” at sales (and how to avoid it)
Most startups stumble in sales at a very simple step – they just don’t go “all in.” They ask themselves questions like: Who is our first customer? What exactly are we selling? And why haven’t they clicked “buy” yet? But too often, they leave the answers in their heads instead of testing them in the real world.
Matic Kuselj says that facing rejection is worth its weight in gold – every “no” is a new lesson that brings you one step closer to “yes.” His recommendation? Go out, run customer interviews, sell even if the product isn’t perfect yet, and come back with a stack of real feedback. Then adjust your product, pitch, or target customer and watch the success story unfold!
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