A sales outsourcing firm builds a business by – you guessed it - outsourcing.

Jack Sands had a great idea: reinvent business-to-business telemarketing and create a thriving inside sales outsourcing company – but he also had two major hurdles to overcome:  limited capital and just a handful of full-time employees.

“I looked to local companies for help, but I had concerns about their expertise… and to be honest we couldn't afford them,” the CEO of Intrep, Inc., said.  “If we hadn't found Elance we never would have gotten off the ground.”

Working conditions for inside sales and telemarketers are often, well, less than ideal.  Many work under constant pressure at cramped cubicles inside cavernous, warehouse-like buildings.  Add to that an average wage of $8 an hour and attrition is predictably high:  the typical firm experiences a 100% turnover rate each year. 

Jack's idea?  Tap into the pool of experienced sales consultants across the U.S., pay premium wages… and let employees work from the comfort and convenience of their home. 

“For my concept to work, our employees needed access to a sophisticated web-based database application and automated phone system.  I had to find a way to effectively merge diverse technologies in a brand-new way.”

Jack posted the project on Elance.  He chose an Elancer in the Ukraine to develop Intrep's proprietary software system.  Today employees access the server with a web browser and calls are automatically placed (and recorded), leads are tracked, appointments are scheduled, and clients access real-time updates on sales efforts.  “Because my team is spread across the country, cutting-edge communication tools help me overcome the communication and management gap.”

Once his technology infrastructure was in place, Jack needed sophisticated marketing materials.  “We don't get face time with potential customers, so our marketing pieces are the face of the company.  In the beginning I needed to make a small company appear huge – but without spending huge dollars.  Elance providers created and manage our website and develop brochures, multimedia presentations, and other sales collateral.”

Jack also frequently turns to Elance for rapid turnaround, high-quality work.  “One night around ten o'clock I realized I needed a PowerPoint presentation for a meeting the next day.  Since Elance lets me quickly access the best specialists in the world, I posted the project for a provider in India and the presentation was sitting in my inbox at 9:00 a.m. the next morning.”

So, how great was Jack's idea to reinvent the inside sales industry? 

Today Intrep is a leader in business-to-business marketing, boasting cutting-edge web-based technology and sophisticated sales and advertising tools.  Intrep's turnover rate is in the single digits and its customer base continues to expand. 

And Jack?  He's been nominated for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award – two years in a row.