The State of Sales Enablement

In this episode of Troubleshooting Enablement, Devon McDermott sits down with Ciara Byrne - VP of Revenue at SupportNinja - to explore how enablers can scale smarter by partnering with outsourced teams.Ciara's career has spanned sales enablement, operations, pricing, and executive leadership across global organizations. Today, she's building high-performing teams and enablement strategies that actually move the needle—and she's bringing that wisdom to help listeners navigate one of the most debated topics in enablement today: outsourcing.If you've ever found yourself buried in priorities, asked to scale without headcount, or wondered how to grow your program without burning out your team… this episode is for you.

In this episode of Troubleshooting Enablement, Devon McDermott sits down with Felix Krueger—former consultant, startup founder, and longtime enabler—to explore what it really takes to go from in-house to independent.From his early days in enterprise enablement to building and selling his own company, Felix has worn nearly every hat in go-to-market. Today, he's back in-house at CarSales while continuing to advise enablers looking to branch out on their own.If you've ever considered becoming a consultant, questioned how to package your skills, or wondered how to find clients without selling your soul… this episode is for you.Here's what we cover:✅ Where to start – Why defining your niche, auditing your past wins, and leveraging your network are non-negotiables.✅ What to offer – The three consulting models enablers should consider: diagnostic projects, structured implementations, and retainers.✅ Who to sell to – Why CROs and founders are more likely buyers than enablement leads (and how to navigate both worlds).✅ How to set your rate – Why you should charge more than you think—and how to scope and price engagements to avoid burnout.✅ What to avoid – Common mistakes new consultants make—from getting lost in branding to underestimating the power of execution.Whether you're enablement-curious, actively exploring your next move, or simply want to better understand what makes a successful consultant tick, this episode is packed with practical insight.

In this episode of The State of Sales Enablement, Coach K sits down with Dr. Tom Tonkin—sales enablement OG, academic, and data whisperer—to explore what truly makes enablement work.From his early days as a sales leader at Oracle to earning a PhD in Organizational Leadership, Tom's unique journey has equipped him with rare insight into what actually moves the needle in sales performance. Today, he's on a mission to bring statistical rigor to the world of enablement—and help practitioners avoid chasing shiny objects.If you've ever relied on vendor reports, built programs based on industry surveys, or wondered why your initiatives aren't getting the results you expected… this episode is for you.Here's what we cover:✅ Why most industry surveys are statistically useless – The difference between descriptive and predictive data—and how to spot flawed claims.✅ Charters, methodologies, and other myths – The surprising things that don't actually move the revenue needle.✅ The 4 levels of insight – Descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive—what they are and why most enablement teams are stuck at level one.✅ What enablers need to learn next – Why basic statistical literacy might be the most underrated skill in enablement today.Whether you're an enabler, sales leader, or data-curious professional, this episode will change the way you think about metrics, measurement, and what it truly means to be "data-driven."Episode LinksConnect with Dr. Tom Tonkin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drtomtonkin/Connect with Coach K on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmkmba/Mentioned in this episode:

In this episode, host Felix Krueger sits down with Kunal Pandya, VP of Global Revenue Enablement at Corsearch and Founder of Sales Velocity Labs, to break down the strategy behind running a highly effective SKO.With 17+ years in enablement, Kunal has refined an approach that aligns SKOs with business outcomes, maximizes engagement, and ensures key learnings translate into real sales impact.Here's what we cover in this episode:The 5 golden rules of SKOs – why focusing on how teams feel can make all the differenceConnecting SKO content to business strategy – how to align keynotes and training sessions with sales objectivesThe ‘Hit My Number' framework – a practical SKO workshop structure that helps sales teams break down their quota into actionable stepsThe role of frontline sales leaders – how to ensure ongoing coaching and reinforcement post-SKOAvoiding SKO pitfalls – why too many slides, generic messaging, and a lack of interactivity kill engagementDon't miss this episode if you plan on making your next SKO the best one yet!Episode Links: Corsearch – corsearch.comSales Velocity Labs – salesvelocitylabs.comConect with Kunal Pandya – linkedin.com/in/kunalpandyaConnect with Felix Krueger – linkedin.com/in/hfkruegerMentioned in this episode:

How do you build a scalable, effective sales process—without overcomplicating it?In this episode of The State of Sales Enablement, Coach K (Jonathan Kvarfordt) sits down with April Petrey, sales enablement consultant and creator of the SPARE Method, to talk about building minimum viable sales processes and onboarding programs for fast-growing businesses.What you'll learn in this episode:✅ The SPARE Method – A framework for scalable, resource-light sales processes✅ Why alignment across sales, marketing, and product is critical for growth✅ The importance of exit criteria and why most sales processes fail without it✅ The hidden power of enablement and why empathy is key to driving change✅ How startups can set up a foundational sales process that attracts investorsConnect with April: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilpetrey/Learn more about Allonsy Innovation: linkedin.com/company/allonsy-innovation-llc/Connect with Coach K: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmkmba/Mentioned in this episode:

In this special episode of The State of Sales Enablement, Felix Krueger flips the script and welcomes the show's own co-host, Jonathan Kvarfordt (Coach K), to the other side of the mic. Known for his deep insights into AI, sales enablement, and go-to-market strategies, Coach K shares his vision for AI in sales, the evolution of AI agents, and the intersection of human connection and automation.We dive into his latest role as Head of GTM Growth at Momentum, the launch of the AI Business Network, and how AI is reshaping everything from customer interactions to sales enablement workflows.Here's what we'll cover:✅ The role of AI in sales—how AI is shifting from a tool to a co-pilot for sales teams.✅ GPTs vs. AI Agents—the key differences and why agents are the next big leap.✅ AI automation in sales enablement—how enablers can amplify their impact using AI.✅ The future of AI in customer interactions—can AI replace sales teams, or does human connection still reign?✅ Momentum's approach to AI-driven sales workflows—why real-time conversation intelligence is a game-changer.✅ The risks of AI over-reliance—how to maintain critical thinking in an AI-first world.✅ Why authenticity will become a premium experience—how live interactions and in-person events will stand out in an AI-saturated world.Tune in to hear Coach K's unique perspective on where AI is headed, how it's already impacting sales and enablement, and what the future holds for human-AI collaboration.Connect with Coach K:

In this episode of The State of Sales Enablement, Felix sits down with Carolyn Breeze (CEO) and Lauren Calautti (Chief Revenue Rocketeer) from Scalare Partners, an ASX-listed investment firm operating in Australia and USA. Unlike traditional VC firms, Scolari Partners takes a hands-on approach—providing commercial services that help startup founders and scale-ups build and refine their sales motions for sustainable revenue growth.Carolyn and Lauren share their unique perspectives on sales enablement in the startup world, emphasizing why sales is just as critical as product development. Whether you're a founder, enabler, or sales leader, this episode is packed with insights on how to build scalable sales strategies from day one and how corporates can learn from startup agility.Here's what we'll cover:✅ The biggest sales challenges for startup founders—why sales is often an afterthought and how to correct that.✅ Building scalable sales functions—the process VC firms use to diagnose sales issues and implement effective strategies.✅ Sales acceleration in startups vs. enterprises—why corporate sales teams often lack the scrappy, high-impact approach of startups.✅ Technology for sales enablement—which tools are transforming sales efficiency and effectiveness.✅ VC firms as sales enablers—how VC firms can embed commercial success into their investment strategy.

In this episode of The State of Sales Enablement, Coach K welcomes Alex Matyushenko, a seasoned enablement leader with experience at AWS, Google, and Microsoft. From driving sales excellence to leveraging AI for scalable impact, Alex shares his expertise on influencing at scale, enabling leaders, and building high-performing teams—even when those teams don't report directly to you.Here's what we'll cover:Enablement in 2025: What modern enablement really is and why it's more critical than ever.AI as an Enablement Superpower: How AI can enhance onboarding, sales readiness, and skill-building at scale.Influencing Without Authority: How to drive meaningful change even when you don't manage the sales team directly.The Power of Research: How Alex prepares for leadership conversations, identifies performance gaps, and builds enablement strategies that work.Execution Over Advice: Why enablement fails when it stays in “consulting mode” and how to ensure you deliver tangible business impact.The 3 Leadership Principles: Alex's framework for inspiring and leading teams effectively.Tune in for an insightful conversation packed with practical enablement strategies, leadership lessons, and AI-driven innovations that can help any enabler increase their influence and impact in 2025 and beyond.Connect with Alexander Matyushenko:

In this episode of The State of Sales Enablement, Jonathan Kvarfordt (Coach K) welcomes Aaron Evans, co-founder of Flow State, a B2B sales performance and transformation consultancy. Aaron has spent 15 years in enablement, working across multinational corporations and fast-moving startups, and today he shares his insights on sales transformation, methodology adoption, and why enablement must be laser-focused on pipeline impact.Here's what Jonathan and Aaron discussed:

Devin McDermott welcomes Felix Krueger, the founder of this very podcast, former enablement consultant, and seasoned enablement leader, to discuss one of the hottest topics in sales enablement today: enablement maturity models. Felix shares practical advice and expert insights into what maturity models are, why they matter, and how enablers can leverage them to evolve their functions and drive measurable impact.Tune in to learn:How to assess where your enablement function stands on the maturity curveStrategies for gaining leadership buy-in and securing resourcesThe importance of connecting your initiatives to business goals and KPIsTips for scaling your function, whether you're a team of one or part of a global organizationConnect with Felix Krueger:LinkedIn: Felix KruegerConnect with Devin McDermott:LinkedIn: Devin McDermottMentioned in this episode:The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning ExperienceThe Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning Experience is the ultimate sales enablement learning experience based on the best-selling book by Mike Kunkle. This self-paced learning experience will provide you with the knowledge and guidance required to fast-track the sales enablement maturity levels of your organization and your career. - Gain the knowledge required to fast-track your sales enablement career - Create the impact associated with advanced enablement maturity levels - Certifications showcasing your ability to create business impact To find out more and to register for exclusive relaunch offers visit goffwd.com/blocks.

In this episode of The State of Sales Enablement, Jonathan Kvarfordt (Coach K) welcomes Kieran Smith, Senior Director of Enablement at TechnologyAdvice. With years of experience transitioning from sales leadership to a data-driven enablement leader, Kieran dives into the strategies that transformed his organization's enablement approach. From streamlining SDR onboarding to launching high-impact product enablement programs, Kieran shares the insights and frameworks that every enabler can use to drive measurable outcomes.Here's what Jonathan and Kieran discussed:Transitioning from sales leadership to enablement: How Kieran made the intentional pivot to enablement, bringing a data-driven mindset and hands-on approach to the role.Transforming SDR onboarding: The step-by-step overhaul that reduced ramp time by 63.75% and time-to-first-meeting by 80%, focusing on intentional training and skill-building.Launching a successful product enablement program: Kieran's framework for implementing a program that increased relevant conversations by 473% and drove nearly $1M in product revenue within a quarter.Data analytics in enablement: Why data ownership is critical for identifying problems, setting realistic goals, and earning leadership buy-in.The Enablement Effectiveness Equation: Kieran's innovative framework for measuring program impact through teaching, training, coaching, and metric improvements.Overcoming organizational challenges: Tips for gaining credibility, aligning with strategic business goals, and navigating resistance from stakeholders.Advice for enablement professionals: Where to start if you're new to enablement or looking to optimize your impact, with a focus on curiosity, collaboration, and metrics.Tune in to hear Kieran's proven strategies for turning enablement into a high-impact, data-driven function that drives measurable business results.Connect with Kieran Smith:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kieransmithvp/Connect with Jonathan Kvarfordt (Coach K):LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmkmba/Mentioned in this episode:The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning ExperienceThe Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning Experience is the ultimate sales enablement learning experience based on the best-selling book by Mike Kunkle. This self-paced learning experience will provide you with the knowledge and guidance required to fast-track the sales enablement maturity levels of your organization and your career. - Gain the knowledge required to fast-track your sales enablement career - Create the impact associated with advanced enablement maturity levels - Certifications showcasing your ability to create business impact To find out more and to register for exclusive relaunch offers visit goffwd.com/blocks.

In this episode of The State of Sales Enablement, Felix Krueger, your host, welcomes Alex Bedford, a seasoned enablement leader with extensive experience in scaling enablement functions globally. From managing regional enablement teams to leading global initiatives, Alex shares his unique insights on scaling impact, navigating organizational politics, and thriving as a team of one in a startup environment.Here's what Felix and Alex discussed:Scaling enablement globally: How Alex approached scaling enablement across regions while balancing global consistency and local needs.Building trusted enablement teams: The importance of hiring leaders who can engage senior stakeholders and deliver tangible results.Overcoming regional challenges: Strategies for managing local resistance and aligning regional enablement with global goals.Transitioning from a large enterprise to a startup: How Alex adapted to being a team of one and leveraged agility to drive faster impact.Leveraging AI for enablement: Practical ways AI can help scale enablement efforts, including virtual role-playing with AI avatars and account planning automation.Finding your champion: Alex's top tip for enablers—why finding and partnering with a senior champion is crucial for scaling your impact.Tune in to hear Alex's invaluable lessons on leadership, scaling enablement, and adapting to change in dynamic organizations.Connect with Alex Bedford:LinkedIn: Alex BedfordConnect with Felix Krueger:LinkedIn: Felix Krueger

In this episode of Troubleshooting Enablement, Devon McDermott, your host and EnableNerd, welcomes Federico Presicci, enablement strategist, leader of GetAccept's enablement team, and creator of the Enablement Insight blog. With extensive experience in building enablement functions and sharing best practices across the community, Federico dives deep into maximizing the value of enablement technology and AI-driven strategies.Here is what Devon and Federico discussed:Clarifying outcomes and aligning with GTM strategy: Why starting with clearly defined, measurable outcomes is critical for long-term success.Integrating tech into enablement strategy: How to connect sales technology, such as Gong and Seismic, to ensure scalable impact and behavior change.Prioritizing processes over tools: Before implementing any tech, understand the key processes that impact business outcomes and design your tech stack accordingly.Leveraging AI co-pilots and conversational intelligence: Insights into how AI-driven tools can automate workflows, improve data quality, and enhance GTM collaboration.Digital Sales Rooms vs. Traditional CMS: Federico shares why digital sales rooms offer a more effective, buyer-centric approach to engagement than legacy content management systems.Using generative AI as a thinking partner: Federico's unique take on using AI tools like ChatGPT for brainstorming, performance management, and skill-building.Adapting enablement strategies based on organizational readiness: How to assess the maturity level of your organization to create realistic enablement roadmaps.Tune in to hear Federico's invaluable insights on aligning enablement with business priorities, selecting the right tools, and building a future-ready enablement function.Connect with Federico Presicci:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/federico-presicci/Blog: federicopresicci.comNewsletter: federicopresicci.com/newsletter/Connect with Devon:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devonmcdermott/Do you have a complex enablement challenge you want to troubleshoot? Submit your questions to Devon at devon@troubleshootingenablement.com.

In this episode of The State of Sales Enablement, Jonathan Kvarfordt, a.k.a. Coach K, sits down with Krystina Moustakis, an organizational psychologist and enablement expert, to dive into how enablement can drive performance through a unique people-centric approach.Krystina shares her journey from teaching to organizational psychology and how her background shapes her refreshing perspective on enablement and business performance. They explore how to define and align enablement metrics to business outcomes, change organizational mindsets, and create sustainable, high-impact initiatives.Here is what Jonathan and Krystina discussed:Krystina's journey: from high school teacher to organizational psychologist and sales enablement consultant.Why understanding behavior change is critical to improving performance.How to align enablement programs with strategic business metrics for executive buy-in.The importance of defining outcomes versus simply delivering skills.Building enablement as a "game maker" function: how to influence systems, processes, and behaviors.How sales principles and user-experience design can transform enablement's impact.Tips for driving long-term organizational change and value through enablement.Tune in to learn how Krystina's insights can help you elevate your enablement function to become a strategic driver of business success.Connect with Krystina Moustakis:Website: https://krystinam.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kmost/Connect with Jonathan Kvarfordt (Coach K):LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmkmba/

In this episode of The State of Sales Enablement, Coach K is joined by Federico Presicci, a prominent sales enablement leader and creator of insightful practitioner-led content in the enablement space. Federico shares his unique journey from arriving in the UK without speaking English to becoming a recognized voice in sales enablement. Together, they discuss the critical components of effective enablement, the importance of strategy, and how to leverage data to drive measurable outcomes.Here's what Coach K and Federico discussed:Federico's journey from mechanical engineering to sales and eventually to sales enablement, highlighting the transformative power of embracing challenges and personal growth.Why enablement is more than just training, content, and tools—and how strategic thinking and cross-functional collaboration drive scalable impact.The role of cultural shifts and mindset changes in embedding enablement into organizational structures and leadership approaches.Federico's blog and collaborative projects, including his focus on gathering insights from practitioners and creating practical, unbiased resources for the enablement community.How advanced tracking, conversational intelligence, and AI-driven role-playing tools can provide actionable insights and leading indicators for enablement success.The balance between short-term execution and long-term scalability in enablement strategy and program design.Connect with Federico Presicci:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/federico-presicci/Blog: federicopresicci.comNewsletter: federicopresicci.com/newsletter/Connect with Coach K:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jmkmba/Tune in to hear Federico's actionable insights and how his holistic approach to enablement can help organizations align strategy, culture, and execution for sustainable success.

In this episode of The State of Sales Enablement, your host Dannii Mathers is joined by Lawrence Wayne O'Connor, a sales enablement leader and advocate for leveraging culture to drive sales success. Based in the UK, Lawrence shares his unique journey into sales enablement, his perspectives on cultural assets, and how these can be harnessed to empower sales teams and create lasting impact.Here is what Dannii and Lawrence discussed:Lawrence's journey from basketball and business school to sales enablement, and how sociology shaped his approach to understanding people and culture in sales.What cultural assets are and how they differ from traditional sales and marketing assets.The importance of storytelling in sales and how to engineer an environment that fosters sharing and leveraging buyer-focused stories.Tactical strategies to create, deploy, and sustain cultural assets, including using deal reviews, customer success stories, and conversational intelligence tools.The IKEA effect: how involving teams in the creation of training and assets drives ownership, engagement, and better results.And more…Tune in to learn how Lawrence's creative approach to sales enablement can help you foster a culture of learning, storytelling, and bottom-up innovation in your sales organization.Connect with Lawrence Wayne O'Connor:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sirlawrencewayneSales Training Effectiveness Scorecard: https://storytechr.com/quizConnect with Dani Mathers:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dannii-mathers/

In this episode of Troubleshooting Enablement, Devon McDermott, your host and EnableNerd, welcomes Sean Lane, RevOps expert, co-author of The Revenue Operations Manual, and host of The Operations Podcast. Sean is also a founding partner at Beacon GTM, where he helps early-stage companies optimize their go-to-market strategies. With over a decade of experience in RevOps and SaaS, Sean dives deep into the synergies between enablement and operations.Here is what Devon and Sean discussed:How to align enablement and RevOps around shared goals to eliminate silos and duplication of effort.The importance of focusing on measurable outcomes instead of solely processes or training programs.Strategies for clearly defining team charters, roles, and responsibilities to foster internal alignment and stakeholder trust.The value of leveraging operational routines and technology to streamline go-to-market strategies and foster cross-functional collaboration.Key insights into structuring RevOps and enablement teams to maximize their impact while navigating organizational complexities.And more…Tune in to hear Sean's invaluable perspectives on how RevOps and enablement teams can work together to drive measurable business success and operational excellence.Connect with Sean Lane:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanlane/Learn about Beacon GTM: https://www.beacongtm.com/The Revenue Operations Manual (book): https://www.amazon.com/Revenue-Operations-Manual-High-Growth-Spiral-bound/dp/B0DJ3H3X94The Operations Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/operations-with-sean-lane/id1462659431Connect with Devon McDermott:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devonmcdermott/Connect with Sean on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanrlane/

In this episode of The State of Sales Enablement, Coach K sits down with Samantha McKenna, founder of SamSales Consulting, to explore the evolving dynamics of sales enablement and leadership alignment. Samantha, a well-known expert in sales strategy and enablement, shares valuable insights into what makes enablement effective, how to measure its impact, and why it's essential to tie enablement efforts to business objectives.Samantha and Coach K dive deep into:Samantha's Career Journey: From her Swiss upbringing to becoming a sales enablement leader, Samantha discusses her experiences in both the C-suite and as an enabler, along with her philanthropic work supporting veterans and teachers.The Disconnect Between Leaders and Enablement: Samantha addresses the common disconnect between leadership and enablement teams, focusing on the challenges of defining enablement's role and measuring its impact within organizations.Measuring Enablement ROI: Samantha shares how her team at SamSales Consulting tracks the success of enablement initiatives, emphasizing the importance of balancing qualitative feedback from sellers with hard metrics like response rates and conversion improvements.Personalization and Prospecting: Discussing her "Show Me You Know Me" methodology, Samantha explains how personalized, research-driven approaches to sales outreach can drastically improve engagement and conversion rates.Bringing in External Expertise: Samantha highlights the benefits of enablement teams leveraging external specialists to enhance their effectiveness, emphasizing that the role of enablement is not to know everything but to source the best resources.Practical Strategies for Enablement: From improving email outreach to redefining discovery calls, Samantha offers actionable advice on how enablers can drive success within their teams, focusing on practical steps rather than just theory.Connect with Samantha McKenna:Website: SamSales ConsultingLinkedIn: Samantha McKennaConnect with Coach K:LinkedIn: Coach KTune in to learn how to shift sales enablement from a cost center to a strategic driver of business success and improve sales performance across your organization!

In this episode of The State of Sales Enablement, Coach K welcomes Tina Teodorescu, a behavioral science expert and founder of Talent Edge Advisors. Tina shares her fascinating career journey, from her background in psychology and behavioral science to becoming a fractional Chief People Officer, advising small businesses on talent strategy and organizational performance.Tina and Coach K dive deep into:Tina's Career Path: How her passion for psychology and behavior science led her to organizational behavior management and performance optimization.Behavioral Science in Business: Tina's early experiences working with top sales performers to create performance improvement models and her continued use of these principles today.Enablement and Competency Models: The importance of starting with business outcomes, working backward to identify the skills and behaviors needed, and building training and enablement programs that align with top performance.AI and Performance Improvement: Tina shares her perspective on AI's role in optimizing performance and talent strategies, and why the human element remains critical in coaching and mentorship.Inside-Out vs. Outside-In Approach: Tina explains the benefits of working from the business's desired outcomes to define necessary roles and skills, rather than building enablement programs in a vacuum.Connect with Tina Tiodorescu:LinkedIn: Tina TeodorescuWebsite: Talent Edge AdvisorsConnect with Coach K:LinkedIn: Coach K

In this episode of Troubleshooting Enablement, Devon McDermott, your host and EnableNerd, welcomes Mike Kunkle, Vice President of Sales Effectiveness Services at SPARXiQ, author of The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement, and the mastermind behind the Sales Effectiveness Straight Talk newsletter. With decades of experience, Mike shares his views on how to maximise the impact of the sales enablement function.Here is what Devon and Mike discussed:How to effectively measure the business impact of enablement initiatives.The importance of understanding top performers and differentiating them from top producers.How to effectively diagnose and resolve gaps in enablement initiatives by focusing on what really drives performance.The critical role of sales managers in enabling their teams, including the challenges they face and how to support them in coaching and development.And more...Tune in to hear Mike's invaluable insights and strategies that can help you drive meaningful impact within your enablement function and beyond.Connect with Mike Kunkle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikekunkle/Read Mike Kunkle's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Building-Blocks-Sales-Enablement/dp/1952157625/Subscribe to Mike's Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6958899285706821632/Mike Kunkle's Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/mikekunkleConnect with Devon McDermott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devonmcdermott/

In this episode of the State of Sales Enablement, Jonathan Kvarfordt, aka Coach K, sits down with Cory Bray, a prominent voice in the sales enablement space and co-founder of CoachCRM. Corey shares his candid thoughts on the current state of enablement, discussing its challenges, inefficiencies, and the need for a more streamlined approach. With years of experience in sales and enablement, Corey offers a refreshingly direct perspective on what works and what doesn't in the industry.Here are some of the questions Corey and Jonathan attempted to tackle:What is Corey's background, and how has his experience shaped his approach to sales enablement?What is the current state of sales enablement, and why does Cory believe it has become bloated?Why does Cory challenge the idea of sales enablement being a true "community" and what are the implications of this view?How does Cory differentiate between building and operating enablement functions, and why does he see this distinction as crucial?What is Cory's approach to solving enablement problems quickly and effectively?How does Cory view the role of sales experience in leading an enablement function, and why does he believe it's critical?What should enablement professionals focus on to prove the value of their work within an organisation?Tune in to hear Corey's unfiltered opinions on the enablement landscape and his practical advice on making enablement more effective and results-driven.Connect with Coach K: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmkmba/Connect with Cory Bray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/buy-triangleselling/The Sales Enablement Playbook: https://www.amazon.com/Sales-Enablement-Playbook-Cory-Bray/dp/1546744762The Sales Management Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sales-management-podcast/id1631765942

In this episode of the State of Sales Enablement, Coach K sits down with Christina Brady, CEO of Luster.ai, to explore the intersection of AI and sales enablement. Christina brings her extensive experience in sales leadership and enablement to the conversation, offering insights into the evolving role of AI in enhancing sales performance and training.Here are some of the questions Coach K and Christina attempted to tackle:How can AI be effectively integrated into sales enablement without overwhelming sales teams with too many tools?What strategies can be used to ensure that AI tools support, rather than replace, essential human elements in enablement?How can enablement professionals maintain control over the tech their teams use in the face of rapidly evolving AI tools?What does "perfect practice" look like in sales enablement, and how can AI facilitate it?Tune in to hear Christina's insights on leveraging AI to enhance sales enablement and her vision for the future of learning and development in the workplace.Connect with Coach K: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmkmba/Connect with Christina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinapbrady/

In this episode of Troubleshooting Enablement, Devon McDermott, aka EnableNerd, sits down with Eric Mingorance, Senior Director of Sales and Field Enablement at Zixi. Eric shares his vast experience, from working in media and tech to leading enablement teams in various capacities. They dive into the challenges of being a "Team of One" in enablement, offering practical strategies for managing workload, creating scalable programs, and maintaining effectiveness despite limited resources.Here are some of the questions Eric and Devon attempted to tackle:What has Eric's enablement journey looked like, and how has his diverse background shaped his approach?How can a one-person enablement team balance onboarding new hires and providing ongoing support to experienced reps?What strategies can be used to create scalable, customised enablement programs with limited resources?How can enablement professionals set boundaries and manage expectations with leadership regarding what can realistically be achieved by a small team?What role does an enablement charter play in setting the stage for success, and how can it be effectively used?How can enablement leaders leverage cross-functional collaboration and peer learning to scale their efforts and improve team performance?Tune in to hear Eric's insights on navigating the enablement landscape as a solo practitioner and how to drive meaningful impact within your organisation.Connect with Eric Mingorance: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emingoConnect with Devon McDermott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devonmcdermott/

In this episode of the State of Sales Enablement podcast, Dannii Mathers sits down with Celine Gray, a seasoned sales enablement leader with over 25 years of experience. Currently serving as a sales enablement leader at Personio, Celine has also been recognized as one of the top leaders to watch and has delivered impactful keynotes at the Sales Enablement Collective.During their conversation, Dannii and Celine dive deep into several key topics:What are the critical gaps in how sales enablement is approached in organizations today?Who holds the responsibility for ensuring that sales leaders are properly equipped to coach and guide their teams?How can sales enablement professionals encourage sales leaders to be more actively involved in the enablement process?What are the most effective ways to measure the impact of leadership enablement?Why is it crucial to establish a strong alignment between leadership enablement and overall sales performance?Connect with Celine Grey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/celinegreypelissier/Connect with Dannii Mathers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannii-mathers/

In this episode, Coach K interviews one of his favorite voices in the enablement community, Senait Isaac, who shares her extensive experience from customer success to tools enablement at PagerDuty. Senait delves into her strategies for effectively utilizing tools such as LinkedIn Sales Navigator and Gong to make sales teams more efficient and successful. They also discuss the challenges in defining the role of enablement in organizations and how leaders can better support and coach their teams. Connect with Senait: https://www.linkedin.com/in/senaitisaac/Connect with Coach K: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmkmba/

What do CROs expect from enablement? Well, what better way to find out than to ask one?! In this episode of the State of Sales Enablement podcast, Coach K speaks to Kevin "KD" Dorsey, a Demandbase top 25 sales leader and one of Salesforce's top 16 sales influencers to follow. KD has built teams from 0-$100M several times and insists that enablement reports to him at every organisation he works for.Here are some of the questions this episode tackles: Why is there a disconnect in the industry about the role and responsibilities of sales enablement?How can sales enablement teams influence metrics they do not have full control over?What is the role of sales leaders in defining and guiding sales enablement activities?What is the importance of top performer analysis in sales enablement?What methodologies and frameworks can be used to improve sales manager performance?Connect with Kevin "KD" Dorsey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kddorsey3/Explore KDs Sales Leadership Accelerator: https://www.salesleadershipaccelerator.com/slamembershipoverviewExplore KDs community: https://www.patreon.com/insidesalesexcellenceConnect with Coach K: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmkmba/

In this episode of Troubleshooting Enablement, host Devon McDermott dives into the complexities of behavior mapping and competency tracking with special guest Nick Lawrence from Snowflake. Here are some of the questions they attempt to tackle: What recommendations do you have for someone starting from scratch with behavior mapping and impact tracking?What recommendations do you have for enablers working in an environment with questionable data?What are some tips for enablement folks who don't have the power and authority to drive change?What is the best enablement advice you've ever received?Want to submit a confidential question? Simply fill in this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScwcrkKKiFS6vbLbgt2S4jn9bCLkIc-KZaMqXdisdPb5F3CTg/viewformConnect with Nick Lawrence:https://www.linkedin.com/in/elevatingenablement/Connect with Devon McDermott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devonmcdermott/Resources Featured in this Episode:"Human Competence: Engineering Worthy Performance" by Thomas F. Gilberthttps://www.amazon.com/Human-Competence-Engineering-Worthy-Performance/dp/0787971580"Design for How People Learn" by Julie Dirksenhttps://www.amazon.com/Design-People-Voices-Matter-DIrksen/dp/0134211286"Talk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behavior Change" by Julie Dirksenhttps://www.amazon.com/Talk-Elephant-Design-Learning-Behavior/dp/1953845013"Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning" by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDanielhttps://www.amazon.com/Make-Stick-Science-Successful-Learning/dp/0674729013"Performance-Focused Learner Surveys: Using Distinctive Questioning to Get Actionable Data and Guide Learning Programs" by Will Thalheimerhttps://www.amazon.com/Performance-Focused-Learner-Surveys-Distinctive-Questioning/dp/1941577136"The Success Case Method: Find Out Quickly What's Working and What's Not" by Robert O. Brinkerhoffhttps://www.amazon.com/Success-Case-Method-Working-Whats/dp/1576751856"The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement" by Mike Kunklehttps://www.amazon.com/Building-Blocks-Sales-Enablement-Transformative/dp/1645438645

In this episode of the State of Sales Enablement, Coach K chats with Greg Qualls, a seasoned revenue enablement expert and currently the Director of Global Enablement at Platform.sh. Greg shares his extensive journey from direct sales at UPS to his global revenue enablement leadership role, emphasizing his transition into tech sales and his passion for comprehensive enablement strategies that extend beyond just the sales team.Here are some of the questions Greg and Coach K explored:What inspired Greg's shift from traditional sales enablement to a broader revenue enablement role, and how has his journey influenced his approach?How can organizations effectively implement enablement across various departments to enhance overall customer experience?What challenges do enablement leaders face when trying to shift the focus from sales to a more holistic customer journey?Why is it essential for companies to adopt a customer-centric enablement approach, and how does this compare to traditional sales training methods?How can enablement leaders demonstrate the value of a revenue enablement strategy to executive leadership?Connect with Greg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregqualls/Watch Greg's talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_joQ1J9TfMConnect with Jonathan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmkmba/

In this episode of the State of Sales Enablement, Felix Krueger talks with Paul Butterfield and Keenan, two veterans in the sales enablement space. Paul Butterfield, known for his work at the Revenue Enablement Society, and Keenan, the author of "Gap Selling," bring their extensive experience to discuss the Revenue S.P.E.E.D. Model and how it can help can bridge the divide between skill development, opportunity management, and forecasting. Here are some of the questions Paul and Keenan tackled:What are the common disconnects between the skills management layer and the opportunity management layer in sales enablement?How can sales enablement professionals ensure their efforts are directly connected to revenue outcomes?How can organizations effectively capture and utilize buyer input data to improve sales outcomes?What are the key elements of a successful sales enablement strategy that aligns with both skills development and business objectives?Connect with Keenan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimkeenan/Learn more about the S.P.E.E.D. model:https://salesgrowth.com/revenue-speed-model/Connect with Paul Butterfield: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulrbutterfield/Connect with Felix Kruegerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hfkrueger/

In this episode of the State of Sales Enablement, Dannii Mathers talks with Ravi Rajani, one of the most captivating storytellers in the tech revenue world and the host of The Influential Communicator podcast. Ravi shares his journey from corporate sales at Citibank to becoming a renowned keynote speaker and storytelling coach, focusing on helping tech revenue teams ditch feature selling in favor of storytelling to build trust with buyers.Here are some of the questions Ravi and Dannii tackled:What drives Ravi's passion for storytelling, and how has his journey shaped his approach to sales and enablement?How can storytelling be implemented effectively within sales teams to enhance trust and connection with buyers?What are the challenges sales teams face in adopting storytelling, and how can these be overcome?Why is it crucial for organizations to foster a culture of storytelling, and how does this compare to traditional learning and coaching cultures?How can leaders use storytelling not just to sell, but to inspire and drive change within their organizations?Connect with Ravi Rajani: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravirajani/https://www.theravirajani.com/Connect with Dannii Mathers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannii-mathers/

In this episode of the State of Sales Enablement, Jonathan Kvarfordt aka Coach K talks with Lauren Brownstone, an enabler with a wealth of experience and author of "Enabling Enablement: Executing a Strategic Learning and Readiness Function to Launch Your Organization to New Heights." Lauren shares her journey from education to corporate enablement, discusses her multi-faceted definition of enablement, and delves into the importance of behavior change in driving organizational success.Here are some of the questions Lauren and Jonathan attempted to tackle:What is the difference between skills and competencies, and why is this distinction important?What is the Kirkpatrick methodology, and how can it be used to measure the impact of enablement?How can organizations move from subjective to objective measures of skills and behavior change?What are the common challenges in the enablement community, and how can a clearer definition of enablement help address these?Why can enablement serve the entire organisation, not just sales?Connect with Lauren Brownstone: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenbrownstone/https://www.heartwisedev.com/Read Lauren's book:https://www.amazon.com/Enabling-Enablement-Executing-Strategic-Organization/dp/B0CQ17B8R3Connect with Jonathan Kvarfordt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmkmba/

In this thought-provoking episode of Troubleshooting Enablement, we delve into the complex world of navigating layoffs and maintaining momentum in a challenging job market. Joining host Devin McDermott is the insightful Phil Putnam, an acclaimed coach, consultant, and advocate for enablers in transition. Phil shares his wealth of knowledge on how enablers can adapt their strategies to not only survive but thrive in an evolving job landscape.Want to submit a confidential question? Simply fill in this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScwcrkKKiFS6vbLbgt2S4jn9bCLkIc-KZaMqXdisdPb5F3CTg/viewformConnect with Phil Putnam:https://www.linkedin.com/in/philputnamcoach/https://www.philputnam.com/Connect with Devon McDermott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devonmcdermott/

In this episode of the State of Sales Enablement, Jonathan Kvarfordt aka Coach K talks with Stephanie White, an enabler known for her outstanding contributions to the community and recently nominated for the 2024 SEC Ones to Watch. Stephanie shares insights from her experience in sales enablement, introduces her new initiative, Enablement Reimagined, and discusses common challenges and effective strategies for enablers.Here are some of the questions Stephanie and Jonathan attempted to tackle:What is Stephanie's approach in enabling enablers?What is Enablement Reimagined, and what does it aim to change about the support available to enablers?What are the typical obstacles that enablers encounter, and how can they address these to enhance their strategic role?How can enablers secure the development tools they need and get the right support within their businesses?Connect with Stephanie White: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-white-sales/Learn more about Enablement Reimagined: https://www.linkedin.com/company/enablement-reimagined/Connect with Jonathan Kvarfordt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmkmba/

Conversational Intelligence is one of the rapidly emerging categories in the sales tech space. However, as with any other technology tool, the same rule applies: A fool with a tool is still a fool. To understand how to maximize the value of Conversational Intelligence platforms, navigate common pitfalls, and align all key stakeholders, Dannii has caught up with Keiran Smith, an enabler who has lots of stories from the CI implementation trenches to tell.Here are some of the questions Keiran and Danny attempted to tackle:What makes a great Conversational Intelligence platform implementation, and what are the potential challenges enablers should be mindful of?How do you ensure buy-in and adoption for Conversational Intelligence?What role do sales leaders play in the Conversational Intelligence journey?

Navigating the ever evolving landscape of enablement can feel like uncharted territory. That's where Troubleshooting Enablement comes in. This podcast is a safe space to tackle those nagging questions you've been hesitant to ask in public spaces like LinkedIn, social media, or enablement forums, if you've ever felt like everybody's got it all figured out, except me.In this episode, Jennifer Ryan joins Devon to troubleshoot your questions and speaks about how to maintain senior leadership support, corporate parenting, finding your personal "yes", and more. Want to submit a confidential question? Simply fill in this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScwcrkKKiFS6vbLbgt2S4jn9bCLkIc-KZaMqXdisdPb5F3CTg/viewform

An Englishwoman, an Aussie, and two Americans walk into a podcast studio...This is not the beginning of a bad joke but the beginning of season 3 of The State of Sales Enablement podcast. With two new hosts, familiar faces, and a brand new episode format, this season promises to be the best one yet. Join Felix Krueger, Devon McDermott, and now also Jonathan Kvarfordt and Dannii Mathers for a 360 view on each of the hosts' enablement adventures and what's in store for enablement in 2024 and beyond!

Enablers! It's time for yet another edition of This Month In Sales Enablement with all the resources you need to stay up to date with the Sales Enablement space including insights, reports, jobs, and more! Brought to you by Devon McDermott and Felix Krueger.Here is what we talked about this month: FLSM engagementManaging senior stakeholder expectations Enablement researchWhy Revenue Enablement is not just sales enablement Why sales enablement must embrace AIAiming high in enablementUnethical LayoffsSubscribe to the FFWD newsletter for all the resources mentioned in this episode: http://eepurl.com/h4ymJvConnect with Devon McDermott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devonmcdermott/Connect with Felix Krueger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hfkrueger/Connect with Steffaney Zohrabyan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steffaneyzohrabyan/Where to find The State of Sales Enablement:Website - http://thestateofsalesenablement.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-state-of-sales-enablement-podcast/Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-state-of-sales-enablement/id1558307853Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4ceCJYJLuCbTNbRTriOFpe?si=avn_E9EGSNu3gmHfoqJ_6gMentioned in this episode:The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning ExperienceIf you want to stop reinventing the wheel, maximize business impact, and fast-track your career, consider joining a growing community of Enablers at The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning Experience. To learn more visit goffwd.com/blocks.Webinar: 7 Steps to Maximizing Enablement's Business ImpactSome of the topics Mike Kunkle and Felix Krueger cover include: - Understand the maturity level of your sales enablement team - A simple framework that will help you identify current shortfalls - How to get more done with less by effectively managing stakeholders - An overview of the sales performance levers you should consider - How to formalize a plan that delivers results and helps you gain momentum fast If making a business impact with enablement is your priority going into 2023, visit goffwd.com/impact to watch this webinar.

Enablers! It's time for yet another edition of This Month In Sales Enablement with all the resources you need to stay up to date with the Sales Enablement space including insights, reports, jobs, and more! Brought to you by Devon McDermott and Felix Krueger.Here is what we talked about this month: Stakeholder management17 key revenue enablement statsShopify's best practices to reduce meeting bloatSales enablement vs revenue enablement vs business enablementEnablement jobs boardsCS layoffsChatGPT Plugin recommendationAI-powered interview practiceExploring opportunities in the generative AI value chainSubscribe to the FFWD newsletter for all the resources mentioned in this episode: http://eepurl.com/h4ymJvConnect with Devon McDermott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devonmcdermott/Connect with Felix Krueger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hfkrueger/Connect with Steffaney Zohrabyan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steffaneyzohrabyan/Where to find The State of Sales Enablement:Website - http://thestateofsalesenablement.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-state-of-sales-enablement-podcast/Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-state-of-sales-enablement/id1558307853Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4ceCJYJLuCbTNbRTriOFpe?si=avn_E9EGSNu3gmHfoqJ_6gMentioned in this episode:Webinar: 7 Steps to Maximizing Enablement's Business ImpactSome of the topics Mike Kunkle and Felix Krueger cover include: - Understand the maturity level of your sales enablement team - A simple framework that will help you identify current shortfalls - How to get more done with less by effectively managing stakeholders - An overview of the sales performance levers you should consider - How to formalize a plan that delivers results and helps you gain momentum fast If making a business impact with enablement is your priority going into 2023, visit goffwd.com/impact to watch this webinar. The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning ExperienceIf you want to stop reinventing the wheel, maximize business impact, and fast-track your career, consider joining a growing community of Enablers at The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning Experience. To learn more visit goffwd.com/blocks.

This episode was originally published on September 28th 2022. The Sales Enablement discipline is experiencing astronomical growth around the world. A lot of businesses want to kickstart their enablement efforts but they are missing the sales enablement talent to make things happen. Our guest in this week's episode connects enablers and businesses in his daily work as a recruiter specialised in sales enablement. He'll share his unique insight into what it takes for sales enablement professionals to put their best foot forward in interviews and how businesses can make better hiring decisions. Please welcome the CEO of Enablematch, Dave Lichtman. Here are some of the questions we've covered: - There is a lot of talk about redundancies in Sales Enablement right now. What is the state of the Sales Enablement talent market in 2022?- Based on the JDs you come across, has the profile of Sales Enablement talent evolved? - What is your advice to businesses that attempt to fill a Sales Enablement role for the first time? What does best practice in the recruitment process look like? - What advice can you give candidates to nail the interview process for SE roles? Here are some of the resources referenced in this episode:Connect with Dave Lichtman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davelichtman/Dave's recruitment business, Enablematch: https://www.enablematch.com/Connect with Felix Krueger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hfkrueger/Where to find The State of Sales Enablement:Website - http://thestateofsalesenablement.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-state-of-sales-enablement-podcast/Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-state-of-sales-enablement/id1558307853Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4ceCJYJLuCbTNbRTriOFpe?si=avn_E9EGSNu3gmHfoqJ_6gMentioned in this episode:Webinar: 7 Steps to Maximizing Enablement's Business ImpactSome of the topics Mike Kunkle and Felix Krueger cover include: - Understand the maturity level of your sales enablement team - A simple framework that will help you identify current shortfalls - How to get more done with less by effectively managing stakeholders - An overview of the sales performance levers you should consider - How to formalize a plan that delivers results and helps you gain momentum fast If making a business impact with enablement is your priority going into 2023, visit goffwd.com/impact to watch this webinar. The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning ExperienceIf you want to stop reinventing the wheel, maximize business impact, and fast-track your career, consider joining a growing community of Enablers at The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning Experience. To learn more visit goffwd.com/blocks.

Enablers! It's time for yet another edition of This Month In Sales Enablement with all the resources you need to stay up to date with the Sales Enablement space including insights, reports, jobs, and more! Brought to you by Devon McDermott and Felix Krueger.Here is what we talked about this month: The top 10 most downloaded podcast episodes Skills-Based Hiring - LinkedIn ReportEnablement jobsNYT: AI Poses Risk of ExtinctionBCG AI in the workplace reportEnablement eventsBook review: What got you here won't get you thereSubscribe to the This Month In Sales Enablement newsletter for all the resources mentioned in this episode: http://eepurl.com/h4ymJvConnect with Devon McDermott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devonmcdermott/Connect with Felix Krueger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hfkrueger/Connect with Steffaney Zohrabyan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steffaneyzohrabyan/Where to find The State of Sales Enablement:Website - http://thestateofsalesenablement.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-state-of-sales-enablement-podcast/Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-state-of-sales-enablement/id1558307853Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4ceCJYJLuCbTNbRTriOFpe?si=avn_E9EGSNu3gmHfoqJ_6gMentioned in this episode:Building Blocks EOFY Special (30% OFF)If you've previously been on the fence about the Building Blocks of Sales Enablement learning experience, now is the time to get involved. For the next 2 weeks, we offer a 30% discount on all plans as part of our EOFY sale. Simply enter the discount code EOFY30 on the checkout page by June 30 to save. Individual plans USD $1,187/year (instead of USD $1,695/year) Corporate plans (up to 5 seats) USD $4,407/year (instead of USD $6,295/year) This is your chance to become certified in a proven sales enablement framework AND gain access to optional group coaching calls for the next 12 months. To learn more about the Building Blocks of Sales Enablement learning experience and to take advantage of our 30% end-of-financial-year discounts, visit goffwd.com/eofy.EOFY SpecialWebinar: 7 Steps to Maximizing Enablement's Business ImpactSome of the topics Mike Kunkle and Felix Krueger cover include: - Understand the maturity level of your sales enablement team - A simple framework that will help you identify current shortfalls - How to get more done with less by effectively managing stakeholders - An overview of the sales performance levers you should consider - How to formalize a plan that...

This episode was originally published on 10/5/2022.The old saying, “Time is money,” couldn't be more true for ramping up your new sales hires as quickly and effectively as possible. That's why sales onboarding is always a hot topic in Enablement. In this week's episode, I'm joined by two experts who have previously designed high-performing onboarding programs. They represent the two ends of the spectrum of onboarding programs, the large-scale data-driven onboarding approach required in global enterprises and the fast-moving agile approach required in the start-up world. Please welcome IBM's Sales Enablement Leader for Australia, South East Asia, New Zealand, and Korea, Georgia Watson and Dandy's Head of Enablement, Devon McDermott.Here are some of the questions we have covered: What makes a good onboarding program?How can businesses that hire sales reps without existing solution category expertise strike a balance between product training and other onboarding content? How do you ensure that your onboarding programs remain effective and improve over time?How do you go about designing a program that scales but accommodates cultural nuances as well as personal learning preferences?What are some of the innovations in onboarding you've come across?What resources can you recommend to our listeners if they want to learn how to design cutting-edge onboarding programs?Here are some of the resources referenced in this episode:Connect with Georgia Watson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiawatson/Connect with Devon McDermott on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/devonmcdermott/Connect with Felix Krueger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hfkrueger/Where to find The State of Sales Enablement:Website - http://thestateofsalesenablement.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-state-of-sales-enablement-podcast/Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-state-of-sales-enablement/id1558307853Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4ceCJYJLuCbTNbRTriOFpe?si=avn_E9EGSNu3gmHfoqJ_6gMentioned in this episode:Building Blocks EOFY Special (30% OFF)If you've previously been on the fence about the Building Blocks of Sales Enablement learning experience, now is the time to get involved. For the next 2 weeks, we offer a 30% discount on all plans as part of our EOFY sale. Simply enter the discount code EOFY30 on the checkout page by June 30 to save. Individual plans USD $1,187/year (instead of USD $1,695/year) Corporate plans (up to 5 seats) USD $4,407/year (instead of USD $6,295/year) This is your chance to become certified in a proven sales enablement framework AND gain access to optional group coaching calls for the next 12 months. To learn more about the Building Blocks of Sales Enablement learning experience and to take advantage of our 30% end-of-financial-year discounts, visit goffwd.com/eofy.EOFY SpecialWebinar: 7 Steps to Maximizing Enablement's Business ImpactSome of the topics Mike Kunkle and Felix Krueger cover include: - Understand the maturity level of your sales enablement team - A simple framework that will help you identify current shortfalls - How to get more done with less by effectively managing stakeholders - An overview of the sales performance levers you should consider - How to formalize a plan that delivers results and helps you gain momentum fast If making a business impact with enablement is your priority going into 2023, visit goffwd.com/impact to watch this webinar.

Enablers! It's time for yet another edition of This Month In Sales Enablement with all the resources you need to stay up to date with the Sales Enablement space including insights, reports, jobs, and more! Brought to you by Devon McDermott and Felix Krueger.Here is what we talked about this month: How to build enablement teamsThings to consider when scaling coaching programsHow to go about updating chartersWhy being funny can pay off more for women than menThe dangers of AI Why businesses overspend on SaaSBook reviews of Atomic Habits and Never Split The DifferenceSubscribe to the This Month In Sales Enablement newsletter for all the resources mentioned in this episode: http://eepurl.com/h4ymJvHere are some of the resources referenced in this episode:Connect with Devon McDermott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devonmcdermott/Connect with Felix Krueger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hfkrueger/Connect with Steffaney Zohrabyan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steffaneyzohrabyan/Where to find The State of Sales Enablement:Newsletter - http://eepurl.com/h4ymJvWebsite - http://thestateofsalesenablement.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-state-of-sales-enablement-podcast/Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-state-of-sales-enablement/id1558307853Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4ceCJYJLuCbTNbRTriOFpe?si=avn_E9EGSNu3gmHfoqJ_6gMentioned in this episode:Webinar: 7 Steps to Maximizing Enablement's Business ImpactSome of the topics Mike Kunkle and Felix Krueger cover include: - Understand the maturity level of your sales enablement team - A simple framework that will help you identify current shortfalls - How to get more done with less by effectively managing stakeholders - An overview of the sales performance levers you should consider - How to formalize a plan that delivers results and helps you gain momentum fast If making a business impact with enablement is your priority going into 2023, visit goffwd.com/impact to watch this webinar. The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning ExperienceIf you want to stop reinventing the wheel, maximize business impact, and fast-track your career, consider joining a growing community of Enablers at The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning Experience. To learn more visit goffwd.com/blocks.

Imposter syndrome, that nagging inner voice suggesting that your success is nothing more than a fluke, can be a real hurdle to both personal and professional fulfilment. It's like a pesky shadow that no matter how much light you shine, never fully disappears. In this episode, Felix draws from personal experiences and proven strategies to provide you with hands-on tools to manage and lessen the effects of imposter syndrome.Where to find The State of Sales Enablement:Website - http://thestateofsalesenablement.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-state-of-sales-enablement-podcast/Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-state-of-sales-enablement/id1558307853Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4ceCJYJLuCbTNbRTriOFpe?si=avn_E9EGSNu3gmHfoqJ_6gMentioned in this episode:The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning ExperienceIf you want to stop reinventing the wheel, maximize business impact, and fast-track your career, consider joining a growing community of Enablers at The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning Experience. To learn more visit goffwd.com/blocks.Webinar: 7 Steps to Maximizing Enablement's Business ImpactSome of the topics Mike Kunkle and Felix Krueger cover include: - Understand the maturity level of your sales enablement team - A simple framework that will help you identify current shortfalls - How to get more done with less by effectively managing stakeholders - An overview of the sales performance levers you should consider - How to formalize a plan that delivers results and helps you gain momentum fast If making a business impact with enablement is your priority going into 2023, visit goffwd.com/impact to watch this webinar.

Aligning sales enablement stakeholders can feel like herding cats if you don't make sure that everybody is on the same page. The sales enablement charter is an extremely powerful tool to overcome this challenge to achieve collaboration, transparency, and alignment. Our guest in today's episode has successfully developed and implemented multiple enablement charters and she'll share with us her insights into the process and how to use the charter as a tool to maximize enablement's business impact. Please welcome the Revenue Enablement Director at Assent, Aimee Roberson.Some of the questions we tackle in this episode:What is the definition and purpose of a sales enablement charter? What should be covered in a good enablement charter?How do you go about developing a sales enablement charter? Who is involved? Which steps do you take?How do you recommend a charter for large enablement teams to be structured? (e.g. sales, CS, partners, etc)How do you make sure the charter is continuously updated?Here are some of the resources referenced in this episode:Connect with Aimee Roberson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aimeealidaroberson1978Connect with Felix Krueger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hfkrueger/Where to find The State of Sales Enablement:Website - http://thestateofsalesenablement.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-state-of-sales-enablement-podcast/Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-state-of-sales-enablement/id1558307853Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4ceCJYJLuCbTNbRTriOFpe?si=avn_E9EGSNu3gmHfoqJ_6gMentioned in this episode:The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning ExperienceIf you want to stop reinventing the wheel, maximize business impact, and fast-track your career, consider joining a growing community of Enablers at The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning Experience. To learn more visit goffwd.com/blocks.Webinar: 7 Steps to Maximizing Enablement's Business ImpactSome of the topics Mike Kunkle and Felix Krueger cover include: - Understand the maturity level of your sales enablement team - A simple framework that will help you identify current shortfalls - How to get more done with less by effectively managing stakeholders - An overview of the sales performance levers you should consider - How to formalize a plan that delivers results and helps you gain momentum fast If making a business impact with enablement is your priority going into 2023, visit goffwd.com/impact to watch this webinar.

If you are an enablement leader and you have the budget to hire a team, chances are that you have proven enablement's business value. The hiring decisions you make next will determine if you can take things to the next level and maintain momentum, or if the CFO will crash the party and start a discussion around budget cuts. Our guest in this week's episode is an enablement superstar who has built a number of teams throughout her career. She'll share her insights into what it takes to build a team of A players that manage to make your strategic enablement vision a reality. Please welcome, Sheryl Buscheck. Some of the questions we tackle in this episode:How do you structure your enablement team (in an ideal world with an unlimited budget)? What makes top enablement talent and how do you go about identifying these traits when hiring? How do you ensure your team remains focused on business impact? Joining a new organisation as an enablement leader, how do you make sure the business goals align with the willingness to invest in the enablement function? What is a step sales enablement leaders can take today to fast forward the assembly of their all-star enablement team? Here are some of the resources referenced in this episode:Connect with Sheryl Buscheck on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-buscheck-6b86162/Connect with Felix Krueger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hfkrueger/Where to find The State of Sales Enablement:Website - http://thestateofsalesenablement.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-state-of-sales-enablement-podcast/Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-state-of-sales-enablement/id1558307853Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4ceCJYJLuCbTNbRTriOFpe?si=avn_E9EGSNu3gmHfoqJ_6gMentioned in this episode:Webinar: 7 Steps to Maximizing Enablement's Business ImpactSome of the topics Mike Kunkle and Felix Krueger cover include: - Understand the maturity level of your sales enablement team - A simple framework that will help you identify current shortfalls - How to get more done with less by effectively managing stakeholders - An overview of the sales performance levers you should consider - How to formalize a plan that delivers results and helps you gain momentum fast If making a business impact with enablement is your priority going into 2023, visit goffwd.com/impact to watch this webinar. The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning ExperienceIf you want to stop reinventing the wheel, maximize business impact, and fast-track your career, consider joining a growing community of Enablers at The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning Experience. To learn more visit goffwd.com/blocks.

Here's the thing: any coaching is better than no coaching at all. However, when it comes to supporting the transformation journey of an entire sales organization, a scalable coaching program is necessary to improve competencies, change behaviors, and ultimately, drive business impact. Our guest in today's episode is a sales enablement leader who has orchestrated several successful coaching programs in the past, and he'll share his secrets for making coaching an integral part of an organization's culture instead of a random act of enablement. Please welcome Jothan Kvarford, also known as "Coach K"! Some of the questions we tackle in this episode:- Have you ever seen an approach work where the only coaching provided came from enablement?- How do you engage stakeholders across the organisation in preparation for rolling out a large-scale coaching program?- What are the steps involved in rolling out a coaching program?- How do you train and coach the coaches?- How do you ensure ongoing coaching excellence and accountability?- What is one step enablers listening today can take to fast forward their journey to a scalable coaching program?Here are some of the resources referenced in this episode:Connect with Jonathan Kvarfordt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmkmba/Connect with Felix Krueger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hfkrueger/Where to find The State of Sales Enablement:Website - http://thestateofsalesenablement.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-state-of-sales-enablement-podcast/Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-state-of-sales-enablement/id1558307853Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4ceCJYJLuCbTNbRTriOFpe?si=avn_E9EGSNu3gmHfoqJ_6g

Enablers! It's time for yet another edition of This Month In Sales Enablement with all the resources you need to stay up to date with the Sales Enablement space including insights, reports, jobs, and more! Brought to you by Devon McDermott and Felix Krueger.Here is what we talked about this month: What enablement can learn from the US Coast GuardWhy sales process and methodology are still neededSales Enablement Salaries ReportLearning Trends for 2023 eBookJob market updates with Steffaney ZohrabyanHow to become an expert on AI Hubspot debuts ChatSpot generative AI toolThe sales enablement of well-being Subscribe to the This Month In Sales Enablement newsletter for all the resources mentioned in this episode: Here are some of the resources referenced in this episode:Connect with Devon McDermott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devonmcdermott/Connect with Felix Krueger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hfkrueger/Connect with Steffaney Zohrabyan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steffaneyzohrabyan/Where to find The State of Sales Enablement:Website - http://thestateofsalesenablement.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-state-of-sales-enablement-podcast/Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-state-of-sales-enablement/id1558307853Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4ceCJYJLuCbTNbRTriOFpe?si=avn_E9EGSNu3gmHfoqJ_6gMentioned in this episode:Webinar: 7 Steps to Maximizing Enablement's Business ImpactSome of the topics Mike Kunkle and Felix Krueger cover include: - Understand the maturity level of your sales enablement team - A simple framework that will help you identify current shortfalls - How to get more done with less by effectively managing stakeholders - An overview of the sales performance levers you should consider - How to formalize a plan that delivers results and helps you gain momentum fast If making a business impact with enablement is your priority going into 2023, visit goffwd.com/impact to watch this webinar. The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning ExperienceIf you want to stop reinventing the wheel, maximize business impact, and fast-track your career, consider joining a growing community of Enablers at The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning Experience. To learn more visit goffwd.com/blocks.

In the fast-moving SaaS space, mergers and acquisitions are business as usual. Our guest in today's episode has led teams through nine acquisitions over the years and will share his insights on how enablement leaders can effectively navigate the challenges and capitalize on the opportunities that come with M&As. Please welcome the Executive Board President of the Sales Enablement Society and the Host of the "Stories From The Trenches" podcast, Paul Butterfield.These are some of the questions we cover:On a high level, what is the role of enablement in the context of M&As?What are the key challenges and opportunities for the sales enablement function during an acquisition?How do you make sure the acquired company's sales effectiveness doesn't suffer during the integration process?What role does communication play in sales enablement during acquisitions, both internally and with external customers and partners?Can you share a success story or case study where sales enablement played a critical role in the successful integration of an acquired company?What advice would you give to sales enablement professionals who are navigating the complex landscape of acquisitions and mergers, and what are the top factors that contribute to success?Here are some of the resources referenced in this episode:Connect with Paul Butterfield on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulrbutterfield/The SES Stories From The Trenches Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sales-enablement-society-stories-from-the-trenches/id1510380341Connect with Felix Krueger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hfkrueger/Where to find The State of Sales Enablement:Website - http://thestateofsalesenablement.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-state-of-sales-enablement-podcast/Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-state-of-sales-enablement/id1558307853Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4ceCJYJLuCbTNbRTriOFpe?si=avn_E9EGSNu3gmHfoqJ_6gMentioned in this episode:The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning ExperienceIf you want to stop reinventing the wheel, maximize business impact, and fast-track your career, consider joining a growing community of Enablers at The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning Experience. To learn more visit goffwd.com/blocks.Webinar: 7 Steps to Maximizing Enablement's Business ImpactSome of the topics Mike Kunkle and Felix Krueger cover include: - Understand the maturity level of your sales enablement team - A simple framework that will help you identify current shortfalls - How to get more done with less by effectively managing stakeholders - An overview of the sales performance levers you should consider - How to formalize a plan that delivers results and helps you gain momentum fast If making a business impact with enablement is your priority going into 2023,...

If you believe that the sources of information on enablement best practices are a reflection of the industries practising enablement, you would be excused for thinking that it's a discipline exclusive to SaaS. What is often neglected, however, is that enablement, even though it might be a relatively new profession, is not exactly reinventing the wheel and we can build on existing best practices from other industries. Our guest in today's episode started his career at the US Coast Guard and will share how this experience has shaped his enablement approach. Please welcome Privitar's Director of Sales Enablement, Bill Parry. Here are some of the questions we tackle: What made your coast guard learning experience a good one?Did you realise it at the time or was this a revelation once you transitioned into sales?What were some of the best practices you've been able to apply in your enablement work? Are you able to share any results you've been able to achieve with your approach? How can enablers be intentional about identifying existing best practices in other industries?Here are some of the resources referenced in this episode:Connect with Bill Parry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parryinc/Connect with Felix Krueger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hfkrueger/Where to find The State of Sales Enablement:Website - http://thestateofsalesenablement.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-state-of-sales-enablement-podcast/Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-state-of-sales-enablement/id1558307853Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4ceCJYJLuCbTNbRTriOFpe?si=avn_E9EGSNu3gmHfoqJ_6gMentioned in this episode:Webinar: 7 Steps to Maximizing Enablement's Business ImpactSome of the topics Mike Kunkle and Felix Krueger cover include: - Understand the maturity level of your sales enablement team - A simple framework that will help you identify current shortfalls - How to get more done with less by effectively managing stakeholders - An overview of the sales performance levers you should consider - How to formalize a plan that delivers results and helps you gain momentum fast If making a business impact with enablement is your priority going into 2023, visit goffwd.com/impact to watch this webinar. The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning ExperienceIf you want to stop reinventing the wheel, maximize business impact, and fast-track your career, consider joining a growing community of Enablers at The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning Experience. To learn more visit goffwd.com/blocks.

Written by Mike Kunkle, read by Felix Krueger. Hardly a week goes by without somebody claiming on LinkedIn that B2B buying has become so convoluted and non-linear, that sales process has become irrelevant. This episode breaks down why believing this narrative can be a costly mistake for enablement leaders and which approach to sales process management makes sense in modern B2B sales.The article this episode is based on appeared first in the Building Blocks, Close Up! newsletter.Resources:The Ultimate Guide to Mutual Action Plans (How to Use MAPs to Transform Your Sales Process)The JOLT Effect: How High Performers Overcome Customer Indecision by Dixon and McKennaDiscovery Skills + Patience = The Superpowers of SellingHow to Navigate the Buyer LandscapeBuilding Blocks, Close Up! Buyer Acumen - Spotlight: Exit CriteriaBuilding Blocks, Close Up! Spotlight on Personalizing Solution MessagingWhere to find The State of Sales Enablement:Website - http://thestateofsalesenablement.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-state-of-sales-enablement-podcast/Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-state-of-sales-enablement/id1558307853Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4ceCJYJLuCbTNbRTriOFpe?si=avn_E9EGSNu3gmHfoqJ_6g

Enablers! It's time for yet another edition of This Month In Sales Enablement with all the resources you need to stay up to date with the Sales Enablement space including insights, reports, jobs, and more! Brought to you by Devon McDermott and Felix Krueger.Mentioned in this episode:The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning ExperienceIf you want to stop reinventing the wheel, maximize business impact, and fast-track your career, consider joining a growing community of Enablers at The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning Experience. To learn more visit goffwd.com/blocks.Webinar: 7 Steps to Maximizing Enablement's Business ImpactSome of the topics Mike Kunkle and Felix Krueger cover include: - Understand the maturity level of your sales enablement team - A simple framework that will help you identify current shortfalls - How to get more done with less by effectively managing stakeholders - An overview of the sales performance levers you should consider - How to formalize a plan that delivers results and helps you gain momentum fast If making a business impact with enablement is your priority going into 2023, visit goffwd.com/impact to watch this webinar.