Podcasts about b2b sales

This is episode 859. Read the complete transcription on the Sales Game Changers Podcast website. This is an AI and Sales Brief episode, a sub-brand of the Sales Game Changers Podcast. Watch the video of this podcast on YouTube here. The Sales Game Changers Podcast was recognized by YesWare as the top sales podcast. Read the announcement here. FeedSpot named the Sales Game Changers Podcast at a top 20 Sales Podcast and top 8 Sales Leadership Podcast! Subscribe to the Sales Game Changers Podcast now on Apple Podcasts! Purchase Fred Diamond's best-sellers Love, Hope, Lyme: What Family Members, Partners, and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor Need to Know and Insights for Sales Game Changers now! Today's show featured an interview with AI expert Zeev Wexler, CEO at Wexler, and sales expert Tom Snyder, Founder of Funnel Clarity. Find Zeev on LinkedIn. Find Tom on LinkedIn. ZEEV'S TIP: "You are not just using AI to send more emails that do not work. You are using AI with what has been scientifically proven to work at a higher percentage." TOM'S TIP: "Do you know why people say it's a numbers game? Because they do not know what the best practices of sales are. The science tells us what the best performance direction is."

Late-stage deals can appear secure once the buyer has accepted the product and the business case, but that is often when the risk feels most personal. In today's segment, Randy Riemersma explains why deals inside the final 10 yards are won or lost on buyer confidence and how elite sellers remove doubt through executive alignment, credible proof points, consistent communication with the champion, and a clear business-level point of view. The conversation gives revenue leaders a sharper way to evaluate late-stage deal risk and reinforces why belief, preparation, and execution matter when the buyer is preparing to make a high-stakes decision. Randy Riemersma is the founder of Sell with Precision, where he helps sales leaders strengthen go-to-market execution, leadership effectiveness, and sales operating discipline. He has spent decades in B2B sales, leadership, consulting, and executive coaching, with a focus on helping teams sell with greater clarity, precision, and business relevance. Connect with Randy: LinkedIn Website Resources mentioned: The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos - The Hidden Beliefs That Shape Your Happiness with Shawn Achor Listen to the full episode: The Hidden Cost of False Velocity with Randy Riemersma Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Sales organizations stall when knowledge stays trapped in the heads of a few experienced people. In this Revenue Builders replay, Frederik Maris explains how leaders turn field experience into repeatable execution through sharper qualification, stronger frontline management, and deliberate coaching. He shares how conscious competence helps managers teach what top performers do instinctively, why early wins matter for new reps, and where leaders must take accountability when talent fails to develop. The conversation gives CROs a practical view of the systems, behaviors, and management discipline required to build a team that can scale. Frederik Maris is the Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of EliteGTM, where he helps founders and revenue leaders build more predictable go-to-market organizations through advisory, recruiting, and enablement. His career includes senior leadership roles at Splunk, Zoom, DataRobot, BMC, Veritas, and PTC, giving him firsthand experience building and transforming complex enterprise sales teams. Connect with Frederik: LinkedIn Resources mentioned: The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor Key takeaways from this episode:  08:44 – What it really takes to uncover the customer pain and internal support that move complex deals forward. 04:51 – Why sales leaders need a clear understanding of the methods behind their own success. 26:16 – What CROs often overlook about the frontline manager's role in seller ramp and retention. 28:13 – Why a new rep's first deal can shape confidence, momentum, and long-term performance. 40:36 – Frederik Maris's perspective on the traits that matter most when hiring for growth. 45:06 – A look inside the interview signals that reveal self-awareness and emotional intelligence. 01:01:07 – The leadership question that creates accountability when performance falls short. Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

You are guaranteed to face sales objections in almost every interaction with prospects. We will show you how to get around these objections to keep conversations going and generate more leads. Watch the video for this here https://youtube.com/live/8AjM6HIZ9JM

If you've ever wished you could flip a switch and instantly generate more leads, this episode is for you. Guy Bauer explains why "getting leads" is the wrong goal, and why leads are actually the byproduct of a disciplined, long-term marketing system. Using Umault's own experience, he shares why it took more than a year to generate the agency's first inbound lead, introduces David C. Baker's water pump analogy for building marketing momentum, and explains why consistency beats quick fixes every time. Then, Guy delivers on the promise with two practical ways to generate leads faster: targeting the 5% of buyers who are already in-market through bottom-of-funnel marketing, and creating one bold, opinionated video that earns attention and fills your pipeline. If you're tired of "get leads fast" marketing promises and want a more realistic framework for building demand, this episode is for you.

Automation has increased sales activity while reducing effectiveness, as AI-driven outreach floods the market and drives conversion rates down. In this segment, Greg Casale explains why outbound phone calling remains a critical channel for pipeline generation, especially in complex B2B environments where live conversations create immediate learning and engagement. He outlines the discipline required to make phone work, from hiring and training to technology and compliance, and why this channel continues to perform when easier options break down. The discussion highlights a clear operational reality for sales leaders: teams that invest early in outbound phones build a durable advantage when selling gets harder. Greg Casale is the Founder and CEO of Reveneer Inc., where he leads a system-driven approach to outbound pipeline generation through embedded SDR teams. He began his career as a chemical engineer and brings a manufacturing and process control mindset to building repeatable, data-driven sales operations. Connect with Greg: LinkedIn Resources mentioned: Hyperbound TitanX Listen to the full episode here: How to Build a Predictable Pipeline Engine Without Sales Heroics with Greg Casale Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Ian Selbie is a globally recognized sales expert, author, speaker, and podcast host with more than 25 years of experience helping organizations improve sales performance and sustainable growth.He has trained and coached more than 17,000 sales professionals worldwide and previously worked at Apple, where he was named the company's Top Salesperson in the World in 1990.Ian is the author of If You Were Arrested for Selling, Would There Be Enough Evidence to Convict You? and the host of Confessions of a Sales Pro.SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode of Selling from the Heart, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy welcome Ian Selbie to discuss selling with curiosity, compassion, and strong fundamentals.Ian shares his framework: “Call high, find the pain, bring the gain, and do it again and again.” He explains why salespeople should begin with decision-makers, uncover real business challenges before presenting solutions, and avoid sending proposals to unqualified opportunities.The conversation also explores several of Ian's “Seven Deadly Sins in Selling,” including calling too low, proposing too early, and expecting CRM technology to fix a broken sales process.KEY TAKEAWAYSSelling from the heart begins with genuine curiosity, compassion, and a commitment to helping customers succeed.Start every opportunity at the highest level possible—decision-makers can say yes, while influencers often cannot."Call high, find the pain, bring the gain" provides a simple framework for creating meaningful customer conversations.Never present a proposal before you've fully qualified the opportunity and uncovered the customer's true business challenges.Technology doesn't fix poor sales fundamentals—a CRM only amplifies the quality of your existing sales process.The strongest path into executive leadership is through earned referrals built on trust and consistent value.HIGHLIGHT QUOTESCall high, find the pain, bring the gain, then do it again and again.Influencers can say no. Decision-makers can say yes.If your sales team were arrested for selling, would there be enough evidence to convict them?A CRM doesn't fix broken sales processes—it magnifies them.Value grows when you increase the benefit, not when you decrease the price.ADDITIONAL RESOURCESExplore the secrets of heart-centered leadership and thriving workplace cultures with Culture from the Heart Podcast! Nominate a visionary CEO at www.culturefromtheheart.com!Listen to Larry Levine's Bestselling Book: Selling in a Post-Trust World! Now available on Audible! Transform your sales approach with insights that matter.  Subscribe to The Selling from the Heart Podcast Youtube Channel! Stay updated with the latest episodes and leadership tips: Selling from the Heart YouTubeGet Your Daily Dose of Inspiration:Click Here for Your Daily Dose

Building a great sales organization has always been difficult, and the pace of AI has only raised the stakes. Chad Peets and Chris Degnan join John McMahon and John Kaplan to share what they're seeing as founders race to build go-to-market teams in one of the fastest-moving markets in software. They discuss why companies overhire, how leaders should evaluate revenue quality, what separates "patriots" from "mercenaries" in the hiring process, and the operating principles that produce durable sales organizations. Chad Peets is the Managing Partner of RPT Partners and has spent more than 25 years helping software companies build world-class go-to-market organizations. Previously Managing Director at Sutter Hill Ventures, he helped hire more than 7,500 software sales executives, including more than 500 who joined Snowflake during its growth. Connect with Chad: LinkedIn Chris Degnan is a Partner at RPT Partners and the former Chief Revenue Officer of Snowflake, where he helped build the company's go-to-market organization from its earliest stages to more than $4 billion in revenue. He is the co-author of Make It Snow: From Zero to Billions: How Snowflake Scaled its Go-to-Market Organization. Connect with Chris: LinkedIn "Make It Snow" by Denise Persson and Chris Degnan Connect with RPT Partners: Website info@rptpartners.com More from Revenue Builders: Hiring to Ensure Success featuring Chad Peets What It Really Takes to Build a Billion-Dollar Revenue Engine featuring Chris Degnan Key takeaways from this episode: 00:00 – Why the best sales careers are built through mastery, not compensation. 10:48 – Why hiring for tomorrow's org chart often creates today's leadership problem. 12:12 – Why many AI companies are overstating revenue quality, and what leaders should look for instead. 25:58 – What leaders often overlook when separating long-term builders from short-term opportunists in the hiring process. 35:17 – A practical framework for evaluating whether a company is worth joining before you sign the offer. 41:37 – Why great technology and great sales organizations create a competitive advantage together. 45:14 – What the next generation of elite sellers will need to master to stay relevant as buying evolves. Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

In this workshop, we show you how to create a cold email sequence that generates leads. We show you how to create a story for your product or service, then break it into a series of cold email messages.  Watch the video here https://youtu.be/sdCVtxYaGsw?si=Tjoi06QVH-I6nRn3

Today's conversation features Brian McCarthy, President of Global Revenue and Field Operations at Cursor and former CRO at Rubrik, where he helped scale the business from $118 million to $1.5 billion in ARR. In this segment, Brian breaks down the rapid evolution of AI in software development, from simple code autocomplete to fully autonomous agent-driven environments, and what that shift means for competition, product strategy, and go-to-market execution. He also explains how Cursor's multi-model approach creates a unique advantage in a fast-moving market, and why aligning that innovation with focused sales execution is critical to winning. Brian McCarthy is President of Global Revenue and Field Operations at Cursor and former CRO at Rubrik, where he helped scale the company from $118M to $1.5B in ARR. He is known for building high-performance revenue organizations and execution-focused cultures in complex enterprise environments. Connect with Brian: LinkedIn Resources mentioned: Ep. 71 - What the Best Sales Leaders Do with Brian McCarthy All In Podcast with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg Listen to the full episode: Why Sales Execution Wins in an AI-First World with Brian McCarthy, President of Global Revenue and Field Operations at Cursor Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Many stalled deals do not fail because the solution is weak. They fail because the team moved too fast before the buyer had a reason to care, a sponsor willing to mobilize, and enough confidence to take the risk. Randy Riemersma joins John McMahon and John Kaplan to unpack how false velocity, shallow discovery, and weak executive alignment create fragile opportunities that collapse late. He explains why elite sellers slow down early, uncover real business pain, connect operational problems to strategic outcomes, and manage the emotional side of buying when the decision starts to feel personal. Randy Riemersma is the founder of Sell with Precision, where he helps sales leaders strengthen go-to-market execution, leadership effectiveness, and sales operating discipline. He has spent decades in B2B sales, leadership, consulting, and executive coaching, with a focus on helping teams sell with greater clarity, precision, and business relevance. Connect with Randy: LinkedIn Website Resources mentioned: The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos - The Hidden Beliefs That Shape Your Happiness with Shawn Achor Key takeaways from this episode:  00:00 - Why many late-stage deals are lost long after the buyer has agreed with the business case. 02:37 - What leaders often overlook when early deal momentum feels too good to be true. 03:51 - A look inside the moment elite sellers create the urgency that average reps never uncover. 12:53 - Why many CROs see strong operational engagement fail to translate into executive sponsorship. 16:41 - The six emotions that drive buyer decisions and how to leverage them across deal stages. 28:24 - What it really takes to build buyer belief when the risk of saying yes starts to feel personal. 40:28 - Why the best discovery conversations feel less like qualification and more like understanding. Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

This is from our weekly livestream on How to Create the Best Cold Call Script. You can watch the video here https://youtu.be/V4YVPwKp-c4?si=U8cFhmc09gRImY_q

For this episode, let's revisit a strategy skills classic interview with the co-author of Persuade: The 4-Step Process to Influence People and Decisions, Andres Lares. This book delivers a concise and insightful take on how to transform your ability to persuade others regardless of the setting. Persuade is perfect for executives, managers, entrepreneurs, and other business leaders who negotiate or influence regularly. It is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to improve their persuasion or deal-making abilities. Andres Lares is the Managing Partner at Shapiro Negotiations Institute. Lares' expertise ranges from coaching live negotiations for sports clients, including the Cleveland Browns, Brooklyn Nets, and more, to developing online content for facilitating real estate, advisory, media, banking, and pharmaceutical programs. He is a guest lecturer on negotiation and influencing at various universities, including Ohio University, and annually teaches a sports negotiation course at Johns Hopkins University. Lares is a recognized contributor to numerous national media outlets, including Forbes, Entrepreneur, Selling Power, Sales and Marketing Management, Training Mag, and many more. He is quoted in Forbes, Business Insider, Fast Company, MarketWatch, and Huffington Post.  Get Andres's book, Persuade: The 4-Step Process to Influence People and Decisions, here: https://www.shapironegotiations.com/resources/books/persuade/ Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Action, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

Most episodes of this show feature a single guest sharing their unique path through the industry, but today we are completely flipping the script. In this special roundtable edition of Restoration Pros Unplugged, host Clinton James brings together two of the sharpest tactical minds in the home services space: Chris Nordyke of Floodlight Consulting Group and Nikole Mackenzie of Momentum Accounting. If you are a restoration business owner generating anywhere from two million to ten million plus in annual revenue and you feel like you have hit a glass ceiling, this transparent, no-nonsense conversation is your blueprint to breaking through.The panel tackles the real friction points that keep growing companies stuck in a loop of high stress and stagnant margins, unpacking the business across three critical domains: sales, marketing, and financials.- Chris Nordyke targets the foundational flaws in traditional B2B sales pipelines, challenging owners to aggressively move past the old school "candy and smiles" route marketing model. He explains how minor behavioral changes can transform underperforming field reps into high-producing B2B sales assets. Chris introduces the power of the "pain-seeking question" as the definitive tool to disrupt entrenched vendor relationships and secure lucrative commercial accounts. Furthermore, he analyzes the toxic internal friction between sales reps and operations teams, outlining how to build a unified system where fulfillment consistently executes on the promises made in the field.- Nikole Mackenzie exposes the operational vulnerabilities hidden within fragmented back-office structures. From relying on well-meaning spouses and office managers to fighting chaotic data streams inside job management software, many operators are completely blind to their job-level profitability. Nikole demystifies cost structures by introducing the 50/30/20 framework, designed to inject simplicity into complex financials. She details how clean, standardized charts of accounts enable companies to implement precise department-level benchmarks and execute technician incentive programs that maximize cash flow. Crucially, she explains how tracking true cash health protects growing businesses from looking profitable on paper while bleeding capital in reality.- Clinton James grounds the conversation in the shifting realities of digital lead generation, detailing how rapid developments in AI search engines threaten to make legacy marketing tactics obsolete. He breaks down what it takes to prevent your brand from becoming an "invisible restorer" to modern consumers and outlines how to claim dominant local visibility outside of low-margin third-party administrator networks.To bridge the gap between theory and execution, Clinton, Chris, and Nikole pull back the curtain on a collaborative, highly exclusive live intensive they are hosting this summer. The Restore Scale Dominate workshop is a rigorous, two-day event taking place on August 27th and 28th in San Diego, California. Hosted inside a functioning multi-million dollar restoration facility, this application-only masterclass is strictly limited to forward-thinking owners who want to walk away with fully customized strategic asset toolkits, standard charts of accounts, and live interactive operational audits. Listen in for a masterclass on cross-department execution, and discover how to claim your market before your competitors beat you to the punch.-----Apply for the Live Intensive Workshop:Ready to sit in a room with elite peers, dissect your market's data, and install these frameworks directly into your business? Space is strictly limited to ensure high-level collaboration. Secure your seat before the early bird pricing expires on July 18th.Apply to attend here: restorescaledominate.com-----Scale Your Lead Generation:If you want to stop guessing on your ad spend, optimize your local maps presence, and ensure your business dominates both Google and AI search engines, let's look at your market together. Book a free digital strategy session with the Water Restoration Marketing team:waterrestorationmarketing.com/discovery-call/

Mandya Aziz erklärt, wie Banxware Plattformpartner wie Amazon, Lieferando und Qonto für Embedded Lending gewinnt – und welche Learnings hinter jedem dieser Deals stecken.

Revenue growth becomes harder to sustain when leadership relies on a handful of top performers, inconsistent processes, or reactive decision-making. Jason Forget, President and CRO of Cockroach Labs, shares lessons from building revenue organizations from the earliest startup stages through large-scale growth, explaining why sales motions must continuously evolve as companies scale. The conversation explores the role of RevOps as a strategic advisor to leadership, the importance of building a strong middle class of sellers, hiring for adaptability and coachability, and creating cultures where problems surface early. Jason also shares how open-source adoption can be transformed into enterprise-wide business outcomes through disciplined account planning, executive engagement, and scalable go-to-market execution. Jason Forget is President and CRO of Cockroach Labs and has spent his career building revenue organizations from multiple vantage points, including finance, RevOps, sales, and executive leadership. That uncommon path has shaped his approach to predictable growth, helping companies scale from early-stage startups to enterprise revenue organizations through operational discipline, coaching, and repeatable sales systems. Connect with Jason: LinkedIn Resources mentioned: "The Locker Room is Not for Sale" by Coach Brian White Key takeaways from this episode:  00:00 – Why the most effective RevOps leaders act less like operators and more like trusted advisors to the business. 02:52 – What it really takes to turn product adoption into an executive-level business conversation. 05:26 – A look inside how enterprise momentum is built long before an executive meeting is secured. 12:26 – Why many CROs underestimate how dramatically a sales motion must evolve as a company scales. 21:38 – What leaders often overlook about the group that drives the most predictable revenue growth. 37:08 – Why the best hires are not always the most experienced candidates on paper. 54:31 – The mistake many leaders make when performance issues appear without understanding the full context. Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Stop surrendering your commission to buyers demanding unearned discounts at the goal line. In this episode, Todd Caponi breaks down his exact playbook, including:

Most sales teams are using AI to do more. The best teams are using AI in Sales to do better. In this episode of the B2B Sales Trends Podcast, Harry sits down with Fred Schwark, Chief Growth Officer at Coderio, to discuss how AI is helping modern sellers become more prepared, more consultative, and more effective without losing the human connection that drives trust. From AI Sales Coaching and role play simulations to value based selling and objection handling, Fred shares how high performing B2B sales teams are using AI to enhance performance rather than replace people.

The key to generating leads in B2B sales is being able to find prospects who have the pain you help to solve. This can sometimes seem difficult to do, but make it easy with the three steps we take you through in this video https://youtu.be/BzznZXJgl98?si=XXKEMuIqpQpDGNTe

In this minisode, we hear from Lou Shipley, a three-time CEO, Harvard Business School professor, and author who has spent his career building and scaling venture-backed companies. This clip focuses on a critical mistake early-stage founders make: delegating sales before they truly understand the problem they're solving. Lou walks through how he validated a company by getting directly in front of customers, why founders have to act as the first salesperson, and how real product-market fit only emerges through those early conversations. For leaders, this is a reminder that sales is not something you hand off. It's how you learn, refine, and prove the business. Lou Shipley is a three-time CEO, Harvard Business School professor, and author of Unlikely Entrepreneurs. He has led multiple startups and previously taught sales at MIT. Connect with Lou:  LinkedIn Website Resources mentioned: Unlikely Entrepreneurs: Wins, Losses, and Crucial Lessons on Building Great Companies by N. Louis Shipley and Patricia Favreau Listen to the full episode: Sales as the System and Why Founders Must Own the Problem with Lou Shipley Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Thisi s from our video on the Best Cold Call I've Received (With Analysis): Marketing Consulting Services. You can watch the video here https://youtu.be/JetIxH5wfRA?si=foZDWTvRLbfQ3Hoq

Enterprise AI buying has moved quickly, but durable adoption still depends on context, security, workflow fit, and measurable business impact. Daniel Simon, Enterprise Account Executive at Glean, joins John Kaplan and John McMahon to discuss what it takes to sell AI in complex enterprise environments, why multi-threading matters more when buyers are evaluating broad organizational change, and how strong sellers build trust by tying use cases to productivity, governance, and ROI instead of relying on product excitement alone. Daniel Simon is an Enterprise Account Executive at Glean, where he works with large enterprises on AI adoption, knowledge discovery, and productivity across complex organizations. He brings experience selling enterprise technology into multi-stakeholder buying environments. Connect with Dan: LinkedIn Resources mentioned: The Qualified Sales Leader by by John McMahon  The Go-Giver by by Bob Burg  Key takeaways from this episode:  00:00 – Introduction 02:40 – What it really takes to move from product fluency to business impact in enterprise sales. 06:35 – Why many sellers mistake a strong champion for a qualified enterprise deal. 08:47 – A look inside how AI can expose qualification gaps without replacing sales fundamentals. 18:12 – What leaders often overlook about context as the real differentiator in enterprise AI. 30:51 – Why face-to-face engagement quietly creates leverage in a crowded AI market. 42:58 – Dan Simon's perspective on why consumption-based pricing raises the bar for customer success. 57:12 – Why AI will amplify strong sales discipline and expose weak execution. Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

This is from our live workshop on Work on This One Thing to Immediately Sell More. Watch the video here https://www.youtube.com/live/wKqPny_Mr74?si=73pF5x17VzVVhoyj

In this today's segment, Dan Sperring, founder and CEO of Align ICP, breaks down a mistake most revenue leaders make when defining their ideal customer profile. The instinct is to chase the highest lifetime value customers, but those segments are often the hardest to win, the slowest to close, and the first to break when the market shifts. This clip focuses on how to balance three critical factors inside your ICP: lifetime value, ease of acquisition, and market health. Dan explains why ignoring any one of these creates pipeline risk, and how leaders can avoid over-rotating into segments that look great on paper but fail in execution. For leaders responsible for predictable growth, this is about making smarter tradeoffs, not just better targeting. Dan Sperring is the founder and CEO of AlignICP, a company focused on helping revenue teams align around high-value customer segments to drive predictable growth. He brings experience across customer success, revenue leadership, and scaling SaaS businesses through product-market and go-to-market alignment. Connect with Dan: AlignICP LinkedIn Books mentioned: The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen The Innovator's Solution by Clayton M. Christensen and Michael E. Raynor Predictable Revenue by Aaron Ross and ​​Marylou Tyler  Amp It Up by Frank Slootman Tools and podcasts mentioned: clay.com zoominfo.com The Science of Scaling Podcast Listen to the full episode: Aligning Pipeline to Ideal Customer Profile with Dan Sperring Get the Force Management framework for aligning your ICP, sales motion, and customer lifecycle around high-value use cases and measurable business outcomes: The Predictable Revenue Framework: Guide for Leaders Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

This is an example of a cold call for business insurance. We provide a real cold call example with a salesperson who sells business insurance. After the call recording, we offer three tips for improvement, then a recommended cold call script for the salesperson. Watch the video here https://youtu.be/OZR2UcrS-N4?si=LLjW46MXEoWuV6Wi

Consumption pricing and AI adoption are forcing revenue teams to prove value faster, with less room to hide behind contracts, pilots, or broad technical promises. Seong Park, Senior Vice President of Customer Support and Services at Cursor, joins John Kaplan and John McMahon to examine how customer success has become a consultative, technical, and commercial function in modern go-to-market. The conversation explores why post-sale execution is now central to retention, how teams need to embed into customer workflows, what finance scrutiny means for consumption models, and why the fundamentals of pain, champions, outcomes, and evidence still matter in a market moving at unusual speed. Seong Park is the Senior Vice President of Customer Support and Services at Cursor. His background spans pre-sales, customer success, and go-to-market leadership across companies including MongoDB, ThoughtSpot, and now Cursor. Connect with Seong: LinkedIn Key takeaways from this episode:  00:00 – Seong Park's perspective on how pre-sales, open source SaaS, and customer success shaped his view of enterprise go-to-market. 02:26 – Why consumption models force revenue teams to re-earn the customer's business through usage and realized value. 08:00 – The value realization test every revenue leader should care about: what happens if the solution gets unplugged. 11:04 – Why workflow depth quietly becomes a moat in enterprise accounts. 18:04 – Why the real selling often starts after the customer signs. 23:50 – A look inside where Cursor is finding technical go-to-market talent, and what it takes to build that talent into customer-facing operators. 34:38 – Why finance scrutiny quietly changes the standard of proof for AI investments. 52:00 – The three things post-sale teams need to understand before value delivery can begin. Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

In this episode of CRO Spotlight, Warren Zenna sits down with MK Marsden, CEO of Sales-Sleuth, to diagnose the root causes of the modern B2B sales crisis. They explore how the shift toward cheap, automated mass communication has eroded buyer trust and forced buyers to rely on independent research. As buyers become increasingly overwhelmed by digital noise, revenue leaders must fundamentally rethink their outbound approaches.The conversation tackles the systemic issues created by misaligned software solutions and arbitrary key performance indicators. MK argues that treating complex sales relationships as a series of isolated events—measured by clicks, opens, and call volumes—has detached sellers from true relationship building. When finance teams and software engineers dictate sales metrics, organizations lose sight of genuine buyer satisfaction.To counteract this dysfunction, leaders need to empower their teams with deep insights before a conversation ever occurs. The discussion shifts toward leveraging advanced sales intelligence platforms that analyze public buyer signals, eliminating the need for cold discovery calls. By equipping sellers with accurate data regarding a prospect's technical environment and immediate needs, companies can level the playing field.Ultimately, restoring effectiveness in sales requires a commitment to long-term value over instant gratification. Warren and MK highlight the challenges newly appointed revenue leaders face when balancing immediate expectations against the time required to genuinely turn a strategy around. They conclude by discussing how measuring long-term impact and sustained trust is the only sustainable path forward for modern businesses.

Is AI Giving Buyers the Right Information About Your Company? For years, your website was the first place buyers went to learn about your business. Today, buyers are also asking AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, and Perplexity questions about suppliers, products, services, and industry challenges before they ever contact a salesperson. In this episode of Grounding AI, Donna Peterson explores a question every business leader should be asking: When buyers ask AI about your company, is AI giving them the right answer? You'll learn: Why AI may now be your company's first impression How industrial buyers are using AI during research and supplier selection Questions every company should test across multiple AI platforms Why generic content hurts visibility in AI-generated answers How to identify gaps between your messaging and what AI understands A simple exercise to evaluate your company's AI presence Ways to improve how AI describes your brand over time Action Step - Open three AI tools and ask: What does our company do? What problems do we solve? What makes us different? What industries do we serve? Why would someone choose us? Compare the answers and identify opportunities to strengthen your messaging. About Grounding AI: Grounding AI is a podcast for business leaders navigating artificial intelligence in practical ways. Hosted by Donna Peterson, each episode focuses on helping organizations use AI responsibly while strengthening relationships, communication, and business growth. *** Reach out to dpeterson@worldinnovators.com if you'd like help building a marketing strategy that builds relationships and/or AI training for individuals or full teams.*** Visit www.worldinnovators.com for more resources on building stronger marketing and leadership strategies.*** Subscribe to the Grounding AI podcast for weekly insights into marketing, leadership, and the future of AI.

In every sales appointment I have been a part of, the salesperson shows up and jumps into talking about their product and company. They completely skip over talking about me, the prospect. Not only is this very "all about me", but it is a missed opportunity to learn about the prospect and gather valuable information. We explain an alternative way to handle sales appointments in the full video here https://youtu.be/OkSG7ALmyRg?si=qVTcofcmfNKqjWC_ 

Brent Peterson sits down with Chet Silverman, aka Mr. eTail, the Director of Sponsorships at eTail. With 25 years in the e-commerce conference space, Chet shares stories from the early dot-com crash days, how he convinced Google to exhibit before they were a household name, and why conferences remain the best way to connect with retail executives in a post-COVID world. He also breaks down the current AI startup boom and predicts where the technology is heading.Chapters00:00 - Meet Mr. eTail: Chet's origin story and joining eTail after the dot-com bust01:05 - The evolution of e-commerce technology over 25 years01:59 - Cold-calling Google and convincing them to sponsor eTail Boston03:07 - The rise and fall of hot tech categories: CRM, mobile shopping, social commerce03:56 - Watching companies grow up at eTail, from startups to acquisitions05:12 - The AI explosion and why it will follow the mobile shopping pattern06:15 - Why companies should sponsor eTail and how COVID changed B2B sales07:23 - Quality vs. quantity: the 50/50 retailer-to-vendor ratio07:56 - Strategic timing: Palm Springs in February, Boston in August09:08 - eTail as a community and kicking off the e-commerce conference seasonKey TakeawayseTail maintains a rare 50/50 ratio of retailers to solution providersCOVID made conferences essential since decision-makers now work from homeAI will eventually become a standard feature from every retail tech vendor, not a standalone categoryeTail actively supports startups by offering free passes to help them enter the ecosystemPalm Springs kicks off the e-commerce season; Boston is the last stop before holiday lockdownGuest InfoChet Silverman - Director of Sponsorships, eTailKnown as Mr. eTail | 25 years in e-commerce eventsThis has been produced in cooperation with Content Cucumberhttps://www.contentcucumber.com/Follow Talk Commerce on your favorite platform:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talkcommerceBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/talkcommerce.bsky.socialApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talk-commerce/id1561204656Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7Alx6N7ERrPEXIBb41FZ1nTwitter: @talkingcommerceLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talk-commerceFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/talkingcommerceWebsite: https://talk-commerce.com/

This is from our video on Deflect Sales Objections Back to the Prospect. In this video, we discuss how to deflect sales objections back to the prospect. Instead of trying to overcome the objection by talking more about your product and company, deflect the objection by asking a question. Not only does this keep conversations going, but it will also help you to learn more about the prospect. Watch the video here https://youtu.be/e07LrvbRTTc?si=VxO3QV3DlAovggu3

Die meisten Verkäufer glauben, ihre Kunden zu kennen. Tun sie aber nicht. In dieser Folge erfährst du, warum Einkäufer nicht einfach nur billig einkaufen wollen, wie du in 10 Minuten starke Personas erstellst und weshalb unterschiedliche Entscheider völlig unterschiedlich ticken. „Unser Einkäufer will einfach nur den billigsten Preis.“ Wenn du das glaubst, hast du vermutlich schon Deals verloren, ohne zu verstehen warum. Denn die Wahrheit ist: Einkäufer, CEOs, CFOs oder Tech-Leads verfolgen völlig unterschiedliche Ziele, haben unterschiedliche Ängste, Denkweisen und Erwartungen an dich als Verkäufer. Und genau hier liegt einer der grössten Fehler im B2B-Sales:

Today's episode features Sahir Azam, Partner at Index Ventures and former Chief Product Officer at MongoDB, where he helped scale Atlas into a multi-billion-dollar platform. This conversation breaks down what actually separates top enterprise sellers, from intellectual curiosity to resource orchestration, and why those traits alone aren't enough without leadership building the right operating model around them. Sahir also explains how sales leaders create scale through enablement, accountability, and structured engagement, not just hiring more talent. For leaders trying to build repeatability in complex sales, this is a clear look at what it takes. Sahir Azam is a Partner at Index Ventures investing in AI infrastructure, and former Chief Product Officer at MongoDB where he led the Atlas transformation into a multi-billion-dollar platform. He brings a rare operator's perspective on building go-to-market discipline, scaling sales culture, and navigating the product-distribution balance that separates winners from founders who fail. Connect with Sahir: Index Ventures LinkedIn Get the Force Management framework for navigating product-go-to-market fit and building the sales discipline that separates scaling companies from those that fail: The Predictable Revenue Framework: Guide for Leaders Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Revenue leaders are under increasing pressure to grow without adding headcount at the same rate, and AI is forcing a deeper conversation about productivity, consistency, governance, and organizational design. Alex Bilmes, CEO of Endgame, joins John Kaplan and John McMahon to discuss what his team learned from analyzing more than 30,000 real AI workflows across go-to-market teams. The conversation moves beyond tool adoption and into the harder leadership questions: how to create a centralized intelligence layer, how to prevent inconsistent messaging at scale, how RevOps must evolve, where AI can accelerate ramp and account coverage, and why human judgment becomes more important as automation gets better. Alex Bilmes is the CEO and founder of Endgame, a revenue intelligence platform built for go-to-market teams. His work focuses on helping revenue organizations centralize customer, methodology, and account knowledge so both humans and AI agents can operate from a consistent foundation. Connect with Alex: LinkedIn Key takeaways from this episode:  00:00 - A look inside what happens when AI agents move from task automation to managing real revenue workflows. 06:02 - Why agent sprawl quietly creates new execution risks for CROs trying to scale AI across the revenue organization. 09:09 - What leaders often overlook about the knowledge foundation required to keep humans and AI working from the same truth. 29:29 - Why RevOps has to evolve from fulfilling requests to building systems that change how revenue teams operate. 35:04 - What it really takes for AI to improve productivity beyond simple headcount reduction. 48:28 - The governance risk many revenue leaders underestimate when AI adoption moves faster than controls. 51:26 - Why human judgment becomes more important, not less, as AI takes on more of the sales workflow. Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Fixing Revenue Growth with Tom Gersic With over 26 years in enterprise software and AI, Tom Gersic has led go-to-market strategy for some of tech's most complex deployments. This year he founded YouEx.ai — an AI-native platform designed to become the single destination for every lead a B2B sales team generates, turning pipeline chaos into revenue.Links:https://youex.ai/https://www.instagram.com/teg.312Tags:podcast for creatives,creative podcast,podcast creator interviews,professional podcast,creative podcasts,podcast host interviews,creative podcast ideas,Agentic Artificial Intelligence (AAI),Artificial Intelligence (AI),B2B Sales,Business Development,Entrepreneurial Mindset,Entrepreneurship,Founder,Internet Sales,Software as a Service (SaaS),StartupSupport PEG by checking out our Sponsors:Download and use Newsly for free now from www.newsly.me or from the link in the description, and use promo code “GHOST” and receive a 1-month free premium subscription.The best tool for getting podcast guests:https://podmatch.com/signup/phantomelectricghostSubscribe to our Instagram for exclusive content:https://www.instagram.com/expansive_sound_experiments/Subscribe to our YouTube https://youtube.com/@phantomelectricghost?si=rEyT56WQvDsAoRprRSShttps://anchor.fm/s/3b31908/podcast/rssSubstackhttps://substack.com/@phantomelectricghost?utm_source=edit-profile-page

What you'll learn in this episode: Why being “60% right and 40% wrong” can still destroy a business The biggest mistake founders make during customer development Why product-market fit exists on a spectrum—not as a yes/no answer The customer development funnel that creates referrals naturally How to know when your product is ready to scale The danger of building based on your own assumptions instead of customer pain Why entrepreneurs struggle to balance confidence with humility The exact questions to ask customers before investing in growth How Uber Eats generated 33x stronger sales results than average clients Why slowing down can actually help you grow faster About Collin Stewart Founder, CEO, podcast host & failed musician How can he help you? Bootstrapped PR to millions in revenue Built a revenue team to 11 Grew 3 companies from $0–$1M as the only sales hire Hosts a podcast with 120+ episodes Nailed product-market fit but whiffed on building it (and learned a tonne from it) Connect with Collin Stewart: Predictable Revenue Founder's Edition The Terrifying Art Collin Stewart LinkedIn Predictable Revenue Podcast

Reengineering the Revenue Engine: Scaling Sales Leadership with Greg GrandIn a recent episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur Podcast, host Josh Elledge sat down with Greg Grand, the Founder and CEO of G Squared Advisors, to dismantle the operational inefficiencies plaguing modern sales organizations. Greg, an electrical engineer turned revenue architect who has built $200M sales teams for giants like Google and Apple, shares his expert perspective on why traditional sales management playbooks are collapsing in the digital age. This conversation serves as a data-driven masterclass for founders, fractional leaders, and executives looking to future-proof their pipelines by integrating advanced AI workflows, establishing strict tech governance, and maintaining the irreplaceable human element of high-ticket B2B sales.The Augmented Enterprise: Architecting the Future of B2B Sales through AI GovernanceThe current corporate directive to roll out an artificial intelligence strategy has left many sales leaders paralyzed, resulting in a dangerous disconnect where over 75% of organizations acknowledge the need for a tech-forward playbook but fewer than 10% successfully execute one. Greg Grand explains that this adoption gap stems from an initial failure in leadership philosophy; companies routinely make the mistake of chasing the trendiest software tools rather than mapping their existing sales processes to identify true operational bottlenecks. When executive teams fail to take ownership of technological integration, sales forces organically slide into "shadow AI"—a high-risk environment where individual contributors deploy unauthorized apps that leak proprietary data and fracture client messaging. True scale is achieved only when leadership builds a standardized, vetted suite of AI tools that act as strategic coworkers, taking over administrative tasks like prospect data compilation, first-draft content creation, and meeting preparation.By automating the time-consuming administrative debt that typically consumes a sales rep's day, an organization can radically reallocate its human capital toward real-time relationship building and strategic accounts. For instance, rather than forcing a representative to lose hours digging through LinkedIn profiles and recent financial statements before a pitch, customized AI workflows can instantly analyze prospect data to generate hyper-personalized agendas and predictive objection-handling guides. This shift moves AI out of the realm of basic data automation and into a role of strategic empowerment, even facilitating continuous internal coaching through automated sales simulations and role-play modules. Frontline reps can safely test their pitch mechanics against sophisticated digital personas, sharpening their communication skills in a controlled environment long before entering high-stakes client negotiations.Transitioning into an AI-forward organization also creates unique authority-building opportunities for executive leaders looking to capture market share through strategic earned media. Greg notes that while software optimizes internal pipelines, external growth requires thought leadership initiatives—such as intentional podcast guesting—to plant long-term authority seeds that attract high-quality inbound leads over months and years. However, much like corporate technology stacks, media outreach demands rigorous filtering; leaders must look past clunky, unverified matching databases and focus strictly on high-quality programs where their direct industry peers are actively contributing. When automated operational efficiency is paired with an authoritative, human-centric media strategy, small and medium-sized businesses can successfully strip away the operational friction that stalls growth, allowing the executive team to eventually exit tactical operations entirely.About Greg GrandGreg Grand is the Founder and CEO of G Squared Advisors and a veteran revenue strategist with an extensive background in electrical engineering and high-tech manufacturing sales. Having engineered multi-million dollar business lines for global enterprises, Greg now serves as a fractional Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and consultant for small-to-mid-sized companies. He is the creator of the AI Sales Leader program, a specialized training ecosystem that helps modern corporate leaders combine structured execution frameworks with artificial intelligence to scale revenue.About G Squared AdvisorsG Squared Advisors is an elite strategic advisory firm that specializes in sales training, operational process engineering, and fractional sales leadership for mid-market businesses. The firm bridges the infrastructure gap facing rapidly growing sales teams by providing custom playbooks for account expansion, new business acquisition, and advanced technology adoption. Through their comprehensive corporate training programs, G Squared Advisors helps organizations build high-performing, self-sustaining sales engines that drive predictable enterprise valuation.Links Mentioned in This EpisodeG Squared Advisors Official Website: gsquaredadvisors.comGreg Grand on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/greggrandKey Episode HighlightsThe Process-First Mandate: Why successful AI integration requires mapping human sales workflows and identifying bottlenecks before purchasing software licenses.The Shadow AI Security Risk: Navigating the hidden liabilities of employee tool sprawl and establishing strong data governance with your legal team.AI as a Strategic Coworker: Utilizing tailored automation for real-time prospect research, messaging drafts, and instant presentation assembly.Automated Sales Role-Play: Leveraging artificial intelligence to simulate complex client objections and scale training across the frontline team.High-Value Media Authority: Shunning unverified pitching platforms to focus on high-quality podcast appearances that build long-term industry credibility.ConclusionThe conversation with Greg Grand highlights that artificial intelligence is not a threat to the human sales professional, but rather the ultimate vehicle for liberating their strategic capacity. By building a robust corporate framework around data governance and automated preparation, leaders can ensure their teams spend less time handling administrative tasks and more time securing high-value client relationships.More from The Thoughtful Entrepreneur

On this episode of Noob School, I sit down with Jean-Michel Moreau — entrepreneur, growth strategist, and host of the Rapid Product Growth podcast — to talk about what actually helps businesses scale sustainably. Jean-Michel's background is anything but typical. Starting in device physics and the Bay Area startup world, he eventually led global tech commercialization efforts for billion-dollar companies before shifting his focus to helping mid-market businesses grow through smarter sales systems, technology, and marketing strategy. In this conversation, we break down why so many businesses fail with paid ads, the massive difference between marketing and advertising, and why understanding real customer pain points matters more than building “brand awareness.” Jean-Michel also explains: Why “foot in the door” offers dramatically shorten sales cycles How SaaS and consulting businesses can scale more predictably Why Meta ads can outperform LinkedIn for B2B growth The metrics he looks for before taking on a client Why founder mindset is often the biggest growth bottleneck How companies can identify the fastest path to sustainable growth This episode is packed with practical advice for entrepreneurs, founders, consultants, and business owners who want to grow intelligently instead of just spending more money on marketing. Subscribe to Noob School for conversations with entrepreneurs, operators, athletes, and leaders who've learned what works through real experience.

In this episode of Noob School, I sit down with Jay Jackson—a former Major League pitcher who spent nearly two decades grinding it out across the MLB, minor leagues, and international baseball circuits. Jay's story isn't just about baseball—it's about resilience. From getting drafted later than expected to navigating the ups and downs of a global career that took him from the U.S. to Japan, Mexico, and beyond, he learned how to stay grounded, positive, and focused when most people would've quit. Over a 17+ year professional career, he played for multiple MLB organizations and built a reputation not just for performance—but for mindset. We talk about what it really takes to last that long in a high-pressure environment—and why success has less to do with talent and more to do with discipline, intentionality, and the people you surround yourself with. Jay also shares the philosophy behind his book, 9 Innings to Living Your Best Life—a framework for living with purpose, maintaining a positive mindset, and leading both on and off the field. The book breaks life into “innings,” each focused on habits like gratitude, accountability, and mental toughness. We get into: Why adversity is your biggest advantage (if you let it be) The power of starting your day with intention How elite performers stay mentally locked in Why “being where your feet are” might be the most important skill you can build The role of mentorship in long-term success Jay is now transitioning into his next chapter—focusing on coaching, mentorship, and helping the next generation develop both as athletes and as people. If you're trying to build something, lead a team, or just get better every day, this conversation will hit home.

25. That's the number of consecutive Presidents Clubs Lucy Williams-Jones has qualified for. Across some of the greatest companies in our industry, BMC, MongoDB, Datadog and now Astronomer, Lucy has built one of the most consistent and decorated careers in enterprise sales. In this episode, Andy Whyte sits down with Lucy to unpack what separates a lucky career from a legendary one. From the impact of AI on modern selling to the growing complexity of buying committees, Economic Buyer engagement and what it really takes to build a champion, this is a masterclass in consistency. You'll learn: ✅ Why AI is making salespeople lazy and what the best sellers do differently ✅ How buying committees have grown from 1-2 people to 10-15 and what that means for how you sell ✅ Why your Economic Buyer should be your champion and how to get there early ✅ The traits that separate A Players from the rest ✅ How to use MEDDPICC as a personal framework, even when job hunting ✅ Why you can't build a champion on WhatsApp 

How can HR leaders learn to sell without selling?Why should every HR leader think of themselves as a salesperson?My guest on this episode is Brendan McAdams, B2B Sales Coach & Consultant and author of ‘Sales Craft'During our conversation Brendan and I discuss the following: Why every HR leader is already in sales, whether they call it that or notHow sales is really the work of helping someone make a better decision that is right for themWhy status quo is often the strongest competitor to any HR initiative, and what to do about it.How surfacing objections out loud ("killing the deal") builds trust and accelerates real buy-inWhy "if we do this, who loses?" is one of the most useful questions an HR leader can askConnecting with Brendan: Connect with Brendan on LinkedInLearn more about Brendan's company KiineticsDownload Brendan's Stakeholder Meeting Prep Worksheet Episode Sponsor: Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leadersHR Leader's Blueprint - 18 pages of real-world advice from 100+ HR thought leaders. Simple, actionable, and proven strategies to advance your career.Succession Planning Playbook: In this focused 1-page resource, I cut through the noise to give you the vital elements that define what “great” succession planning looks like.

This week's throwback episode guest studied Sociology, Cultural Relations and Global Politics at University of Montana before taking the jump into B2B Sales and Marketing where she has spent most of her career. She has been a Sales Director, Head of Sales, Employee #1 to CRO all leading up to the work she does now as the Founder of Sales-Led GTM Agency. At Sales-Led GTM Agency, she focuses on building the outbound sales strategy, processes & skill sets your sales-led organization needs to thrive, and provides B2B Sales Training & GTM Consulting for B2B SaaS & Service orgs between 15 - 50 M in annual revenue. Last time we spoke, she just left corporate, but since then has been building in public, and now we are 2 years in and will be talking about her journey today! Please join me in welcoming Leslie Venetz to The 20% Podcast. In this week's episode, we discussed:Trusting Your Gut Why Become An EntrepreneurA New Wave of EntrepreneursGet Clear On WorkGetting Specific With Your AsksMuch MorePlease enjoy this week's episode with Leslie VenetzI am now in the early stages of writing my first book! It will cover my journey into sales, the lessons learned, and include stories and advice from top sales professionals around the world. I'm excited to share these interviews and bring you along on this journey!Like the show? Subscribe to the email: Subscribe HereI want your feedback! Reach out at 20percentpodcastquestions@gmail.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.If you know anyone who would benefit from this show, please share it! If you have suggestions for guests, let me know!Enjoy the show!

In this segment, Marcy Stoudt, Founder of Revel Companies, breaks down how AI is changing one of the most important responsibilities in sales leadership: coaching. This conversation focuses on a simple but critical shift. For years, managers struggled to observe real customer interactions and give meaningful feedback at scale. With AI, that constraint is gone. At the same time, leaders are dealing with constant meetings and cognitive overload. Marcy explains how top operators are using AI not just to increase productivity, but to create space to think, coach, and lead more effectively. For CROs and frontline managers, this raises the standard. The tools are here. The question is how you use them. Marcy Stoudt is Founder of Revel Companies, where she advises revenue leaders on AI adoption, talent strategy, and organizational alignment. With deep experience in executive recruiting and sales leadership, she helps organizations shift from treating AI as a technology decision to embedding it into how work gets done across teams. Connect with Marcy:  LinkedIn Website Get the Force Management framework for building and scaling predictable pipeline and revenue systems, with a focus on execution, alignment, and repeatability:  The Predictable Revenue Framework: Guide for Leaders Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Pipeline generation breaks down when sales organizations rely on individual performance instead of building controlled, repeatable systems. In this episode, Greg Casale shares how his background in engineering shaped a system-first approach to sales, applying principles of process control, data capture, and structured training to reduce variability and improve consistency. The conversation explores why outbound phone remains a critical channel despite its difficulty, how over-automation has saturated the market and reduced conversion rates, and where AI fits as a tool to strengthen preparation and execution without replacing human interaction.  Greg Casale is the Founder and CEO of Reveneer Inc., where he leads a system-driven approach to outbound pipeline generation through embedded SDR teams. He began his career as a chemical engineer and brings a manufacturing and process control mindset to building repeatable, data-driven sales operations. Connect with Greg: LinkedIn Resources mentioned: Hyperbound TitanX Key takeaways from this episode:  03:00 – Why many CROs over-index on hiring instead of addressing the system driving performance 33:30 – What it really takes to build an outbound channel competitors can't easily replicate 49:00 – Why leaders risk losing differentiation when AI replaces human-driven sales behavior 01:00:00 – A look inside how top SDRs control conversations in the first 30 seconds of a cold call 09:33 – The mistake many CROs make when relying on fractional SDR models for pipeline generation 01:07:24 – Why cutting SDR capacity during downturns quietly weakens your ability to recover 18:11 – What leaders often overlook when measuring SDR success beyond meeting volume Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Strategic accounts expose where most sales approaches break down, especially when technical capability fails to connect to enterprise-wide value. In this replay segment, Jane Thompson unpacks what it actually takes to navigate complex, multi-division organizations, from building aligned champions to translating solutions into outcomes that matter at the board level. The conversation highlights why intellectual curiosity, multi-threaded engagement, and disciplined account mapping remain non-negotiable for sellers operating at the highest level. Jane Thompson is a sales leader at BigPanda with deep experience selling into complex, multi-division enterprise accounts and building high-impact strategic sales motions. Connect with Jane: LinkedIn Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

AI is shifting from model development to real-world usage, exposing a new bottleneck that most sales teams are not prepared to understand or sell against. As inference speed, memory bandwidth, and infrastructure become the true differentiators, traditional software playbooks begin to break down. Alex Varel joins John Kaplan and John McMahon to unpack what it takes to sell in this new environment, where technical depth, curiosity, and adaptability are no longer optional. The conversation explores how AI is reshaping productivity, why ICPs must evolve weekly, and how elite sellers distinguish themselves by orchestrating value across increasingly complex buying groups. Alex Varel is EVP of Worldwide Sales at Cerebras Systems, where he leads global go-to-market efforts at the forefront of AI infrastructure. He has built and scaled high-performing teams across MongoDB, Zscaler, and Multiverse, driving growth through IPO, hyper-scale expansion, and emerging technology shifts. Connect with Alex: LinkedIn Resources mentioned: "The Power of Myth" by Joseph Campbell "AI Superpowers" by Kai-Fu Lee “Leonardo da Vinci” by Walter Isaacson "No Country for Old Men" by Cormac McCarthy "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy “The Founders: The Story of Paypal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley” by Jimmy Soni Key takeaways from this episode: 00:00 – A look inside what it really takes to rethink computing architecture when speed, not scale, becomes the constraint 13:09 – Why many leaders underestimate how the shift from training to inference is redefining where competitive advantage actually lives 25:27 – The mistake many CROs make when applying legacy software playbooks to markets that require constant recalibration 21:33 – What it really takes to turn AI from a concept into a daily productivity multiplier inside a revenue organization 31:34 – Why most sales organizations quietly accept a broken productivity model and what changes when that assumption is challenged 34:26 – A look inside the evolving role of the AE as a multi-dimensional operator across technical, business, and interpersonal domains 49:41 – Why treating ICP as a static exercise leads to missed growth opportunities in markets that are shifting in real time Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Here is a FAQ Video on the Courses: https://youtu.be/0F7imrzjXWs Here is a deep dive into which course is best for you: https://youtu.be/JM_jgS8M-iU https://www.b2bRevenue.com - Get Your Free E-Book on How Companies make Decisions. FAQ: 1 YEAR ACCESS, PAY MONTHLY OR ANNUALLY NOT A SUBSCRIPTION OFFICE HOURS EVERY  OTHER WEEK VIA ZOOM. 1 HOUR GROUP Q&A. UNLIMITED 1-ON-1'S  ARE FREE AS LONG AS THEY CAN BE SHARED IN THE COURSE. 1-ON-1 ARE FULL ACCESS ON DAY ONE - NOTHING IS GATED OR TIME RELEASED. ALL CONTENT IS VIDEO BASED AND SELF PACED I RECOMMEND TAKE COURSE ONCE WITHOUT NOTES OR APPLYING IT SO YOU UNDERSTAND THE BIG PICTURE FIRST. THEN TAKE AND APPLY IT STEP BY STEP. YOU START WHEN YOU WANT AND GO AS FAST OR SLOW AS NEEDED.   Email me additional questions: briangburns@me.com     — SAMPLE EMAIL TO EXPENSE THE COURSE MGR,   I have been listening to the brutal truth about sales podcast for X months and it speaks to the issues we face.   They currently offer a course that includes video instruction, group Q&A and One-on-One coaching. I'm committed to my own personal development and would like your help in expensing the course.   It would pay for itself if I closed only one new deal of $X value.   Please let me know by Friday if I can move forward with this 1 year course.   Thanks, ME Here are some student interviews from the courses:      ———————————————————————————————————— Audible 30 day Free Trial: http://www.audibletrial.com/BrutalTruth  

Sales isn't about persuasion, and that misunderstanding is what keeps most founders stuck. In this episode of FOMO Sapiens, Patrick talks with Rob Snyder, a serial B2B founder, Harvard Business School alum, and venture partner, to break down what actually drives revenue in zero-to-one startups. Rob shares how two years of brutal rejection forced him to unlearn everything business school taught him about sales, and how discovering real demand (instead of trying to create it) unlocked rapid growth. Together, they unpack why founders over-invest in product and pitch decks, why customers don't want to be convinced, and how the best sales conversations feel effortless. If you've ever built something you believed in, only to find no one buying, this episode will fundamentally change how you think about sales, demand, and product-market fit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices