Speaking Three Languages: How Helix Intel Sells to Insurers, Property Managers, and Utilities

Selling to multiple stakeholders isn’t just about having the right product – it’s about speaking the right language. In a recent Category Visionaries episode, Jon DeWald revealed how Helix Intel navigates the complex world of multi-industry sales.

The Language Barrier “It is a different language, and you probably say that about every industry,” Jon explains. “The way I think about it… they speak utility, right? Insurer speak insure property. Speak property. And having the ability to understand and communicate value to each one of them is instrumental.”

Understanding Each Stakeholder’s Pain Points For insurers, the challenge was clear: “What’s happening in the insurance industry right now is there is a substantial increase in risk happening, meaning that claims are increasing and they’re outpacing premiums.” This understanding led to positioning their platform as a preventive solution.

Creating Aligned Incentives Jon identifies his core strategy: “The ability to align incentives… It’s why do I want it and why do they want it and what’s in it for everybody, and then how do you align them?” This focus on mutual benefit helps bridge the communication gap between different stakeholders.

Building Strategic Partnerships The company leveraged corporate partnerships to enhance credibility with each stakeholder group. “Our seed round was led by a company called Munich Reventures… and our series A was led by National Grid Partners, which is the venture capital national grid. And they’re a massive utility in the US and the United Kingdom,” Jon shares.

The Distribution Model Rather than selling directly to each stakeholder, Helix Intel created an efficient distribution model: “We provide solutions for insurers who then in turn provide our solutions to the customers that they insure.” This approach simplified the sales process while maintaining value for all parties.

Scaling Through Understanding The results validate their approach: “So far this year, we’ve added over 100,000 buildings onto our platform,” compared to approximately 15,000 the previous year. This growth came through deep understanding of each stakeholder’s needs and language.

Building the Platform “We’re building operating software that brings multiple ecosystems together under one platform,” Jon explains. This vision extends beyond just connecting stakeholders – it’s about creating a shared language for collaboration.

For B2B founders selling to multiple stakeholders, Helix Intel’s approach offers valuable lessons. Success comes from more than just technical excellence – it requires understanding and addressing each stakeholder’s unique concerns in their own language.

The key is creating value that transcends industry boundaries. As Jon puts it, “We’re in this unique space where we don’t compete with anyone. We’re really a new business model and a new ecosystem that collaborates.” This collaborative approach, combined with strategic partnerships and deep industry understanding, provides a blueprint for complex B2B sales.

By mastering the language of each stakeholder group and aligning incentives across industries, Helix Intel has created a model for efficient multi-stakeholder sales that drives rapid adoption while maintaining reasonable customer acquisition costs.