Solution Heroes: Michael Townsend on Building Great Presales Teams

In the latest Solution Heroes episode, I sat down with Michael Townsend, Senior Director of Solutions Engineering at Egnyte, for an honest, energizing conversation about what it takes to build high-performing presales teams that thrive through change.

Michael’s career spans more than a decade at Egnyte, growing the SE organization more than tenfold while helping the company mature into a true category leader. What stood out to me most wasn’t just his operational excellence, it was his deep belief that great people and thoughtful processes are the foundation of every strong SE organization.

Adapting to a New Buyer Journey

Michael began by flipping the perspective: not as a seller, but as a buyer. He emphasized that modern buyers want access to product experiences earlier and on their own terms, often before a live call. “I don’t need to be on a call every single time,” he said. “Give me a product tour, or something interactive that lets me learn on my own.”

For SE leaders, that means evolving past traditional “demo-first” approaches and leveraging product-led discovery — guided tours, on-demand demos, and tools like Reprise — to meet buyers where they are. This shift helps sales and SE teams build credibility faster and tailor live interactions to deeper conversations.

Earning Internal Buy-In

When I asked how he champions new tools and methods internally, Michael connected success back to business pain and timing. “The key is to capitalize on a pain that’s intense and timely,” he explained. “You have to show how solving that pain benefits the entire organization, not just your department.”

At Egnyte, fiscal prudence isn’t a constraint; it’s a framework for smart growth. Michael builds business cases that align SE initiatives to cross-functional impact — from marketing and demand gen to partner enablement — turning enablement investments into enterprise wins.

Doubling Down on People

Across ten years and multiple org redesigns, Michael’s focus hasn’t wavered: hire the right people and set them up for success.

Egnyte’s SE hiring process has become a model of intentional design, built around what Michael calls the Four C’s: Competence, Confidence, Curiosity, and Coachability.

“You can’t be coachable without emotional maturity,” he said. “We don’t expect people to know everything — we want to see how they learn.”

Candidates at Egnyte complete a midpoint check-in during their demo prep, a simple but powerful step that reveals preparation habits, adaptability, and openness to feedback. The process isn’t just about selecting talent; it’s about showing candidates what great looks like.

AI, Tools, and the Future of Solutions Engineering

While AI isn’t changing who Egnyte hires, it’s changing how they enable and amplify great SEs. Michael’s team uses AI across call intelligence, content activation, and workflow optimization — not as a replacement, but as an enhancer.

“The world is changing,” he said. “Our customers expect bigger and better every time. The people who succeed are the ones who activate the tools they have, and teach others to do the same.”

Career Longevity and Listening as a Superpower

When asked for his best career advice, Michael didn’t hesitate: “Learn to listen.”

He credits his success to staying curious, surrounding himself with people who challenge him, and committing to continuous improvement. “Be okay with being in the same place for a while,” he added. “Keep learning, keep growing. You’re in the best career — literally.”

Key Takeaways

• Meet buyers earlier: Use interactive, self-guided demos to accelerate trust and discovery.
• Align with business pain: Build cross-functional business cases to drive buy-in.
• Invest in people: Hiring for competence and coachability pays compounding dividends.
• Leverage AI thoughtfully: Use it to amplify insight, not replace empathy.
• Listen deeply: The best SEs and leaders grow by truly hearing their teams and their customers.

Want to hear the full conversation with Michael Townsend? Watch the full Solution Heroes episode here or listen on Spotify here.