What Finance Gets Wrong About Sales Compensation with Josh Miller

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst and co-host Glenn Snyder sit down with Josh Miller to discuss effective sales compensation plans, aligning incentives with business goals, and avoiding common commission mistakes. They also explore balancing base salary and variable pay, setting realistic quotas, and improving collaboration between finance and sales teams. Josh Miller is the Head of Sales Compensation at CVS Health and Managing Principal at OnTarget Incentives, LLC. With over 20 years of experience in sales compensation, he is a Certified Sales Compensation Professional (CSCP) through WorldatWork and a frequent writer and speaker on industry best practices. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Arizona State University. Expect to Learn: How to design sales compensation plans that drive the right behaviors. Why finance, HR, and sales teams must collaborate. How to balance base salary and variable pay. Why commission caps and unrealistic quotas can discourage salespeople. How to avoid common sales compensation mistakes. Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode: “I'm definitely not a fan of overall payout caps.” - Josh Miller “You want it to be as clear and simple as possible, and that does not happen by default.” - Josh Miller Josh explains why successful compensation plans start with clear sales responsibilities and realistic incentives. He also shares how simple plan structures, fair performance targets, and cross-functional collaboration can improve sales performance and prevent costly mistakes. Follow Josh: Website: ontargetincentives.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmilleraz/ Follow Glenn: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/glenntsnyder Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review. Explore Lineos Reporting Intelligence: Ready to transform financial reporting? See how Lineos Reporting Intelligence helps finance teams connect ERP data directly to Excel, access current data, and spend less time assembling reports. Watch the Reporting Intelligence demo: https://www.insightsoftware.com/lineos/resources/Reporting-intelligence-demo/?utm_source=thefpaguy&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=lineos-influencer-oct&utm_content=newsletter1 Earn Your CPE Credit For CPE credit, please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on Earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details. In Today's Episode: [00:00] - Trailer [01:17] - Hard Coded Opinion [06:04] - Introduction to Josh Miller [07:27] - What is a great FP&A? [12:43] - Structuring Sales Compensation Teams [17:18] - Sales Compensation Plan Design [26:28] - Commission Sharing & Pay Structures [34:49] - Compensating New Salespeople [46:09] - Commission Payment Timing [59:49] - Sales Compensation Resources [01:07:24] - Closing Remarks & Thanks