
Great Sales Leaders Drive Change and Growth | Rodrigo Hijar, Vilore Foods
What does it take to drive growth, lead change, and build winning sales organizations? In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Rodrigo Hijar, Head of Sales Strategy and Planning at Vilore Foods Company, to discuss sales leadership, growth strategy, change management, consumer behavior, CRM, and the future impact of AI on sales organizations. Rodrigo shares lessons from his journey through management consulting, revenue growth strategy, and consumer goods leadership. He explains why showing up consistently, staying ready for opportunity, and embracing change are critical to long-term success. The conversation explores how sales strategy teams can partner more effectively with sales leaders, why change management often fails, and how AI is beginning to reshape the role of CRM and sales planning. What You'll Learn • Why showing up consistently is one of the biggest drivers of success • How luck and preparation work together to create opportunities • The difference between B2B and consumer-focused sales organizations • Why sales leadership requires a unique approach to management • How sales strategy teams can create greater organizational impact • The keys to successful change management initiatives • Why sales and strategy teams must operate as one organization • How CRM should help predict what happens next, not just track activity • Why AI will transform sales planning and decision-making • How high-performing teams embrace growth and change About Rodrigo Hijar Rodrigo Hijar is Head of Sales Strategy and Planning at Vilore Foods Company, where he helps drive commercial growth, organizational transformation, and strategic planning initiatives. With more than 12 years of experience advising and leading consumer goods organizations across the United States and the Americas, Rodrigo brings deep expertise in revenue growth management, pricing strategy, pack-price architecture, promotional optimization, trade terms, and commercial strategy. His career spans management consulting and consumer goods leadership, helping organizations unlock growth opportunities while building sustainable commercial capabilities. Connect with Rodrigo Hijar LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodrigo-hijar/ Learn More About Vilore Foods: https://www.vilore.com/ About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value: 👍 Hit Like and help more sales professionals find this conversation. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss a Sales Lead Dog episode. 💬 Drop your biggest takeaway in the comments. What has been the biggest factor in your career growth: preparation, opportunity, or persistence?













