Podcasts about former ceo

I was on a coaching call with people selling IT services, and someone had an opportunity to dig deeper into what the prospect said. Another person suggested, "We could have asked 'Why is that important to you?'" The response? "I thought we weren't supposed to ask 'why' questions. It's what I heard from Chris Voss." Look, I love Chris Voss—phenomenal hostage negotiator, great book (Never Split the Difference)—and I fundamentally agree with most of what he says. He's right that "why" questions can make people defensive because we're trained from childhood that "Why did you do that?" means we're being accused of something. But here's my slightly different perspective: Chris comes from negotiating with terrorists and hostages—there's inherent conflict between the two parties. That's not consultative sales. Your prospect's money isn't being held hostage. This episode breaks down why the advice gets implemented too broadly without understanding the context. If you ask with curiosity—"Interesting, I haven't seen that before... why do you guys do it that way?"—versus accusation—"Well... what's the purpose of that?"—your tonality changes everything. I hereby give you permission to use "why" at the beginning of questions, so long as you deliver it with curiosity and not accusation. Don't overthink it. Use it strategically.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

If you're nervous when you fire up the camera, I'm going to share a piece of advice Dan Martell gave me three years ago that I absolutely did not want to hear: go live for 30 days in a row. I was terrified of video—I could write great scripts, set up the tech perfectly, get the lighting and mic just right, then hit record and completely blank. Stage fright. So when Dan told me to go live with no retakes, no edits, where if I look dumb I'm stuck with it? That was the LAST thing I wanted. But I did it anyway. And I credit that exercise for paving the way for the hundreds of videos I've created since—YouTube every week for two and a half years, LinkedIn, Instagram, webinars, VSLs, you name it. This episode breaks down why it works: (1) it eliminates excuses and procrastination—I couldn't waste time buying new lights or tweaking camera angles, I had to go live by end of day even if it was just my iPhone, (2) it's forced exposure therapy that builds tolerance to your fear, and (3) it compresses learning—30 videos in 30 days versus taking 60 weeks to publish 30 videos spreads that learning over a year. I was surprised how supportive people were, and I even got a client from it. But don't expect applause or followers—the real ROI is internal. Your only goal is to finish. Fire up a live right now, announce you're doing 30 days, and that's your first video done.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

This is probably the most unfiltered view I've posted since changing this podcast format. I saw a LinkedIn post with the hook: "My wife died at 39. Her doctors never tested the one thing that could have saved her." I started reading—retired pharmacist, tired of Western medicine, quotes, problems—and thought "this smells like a sales letter." I scroll to the bottom and there's a CTA: "Leave a note of 'Energy' below and I'll send you the clinical research." Are you fucking kidding me? Did we really just leverage someone's spouse dying as a hand-raiser post to generate leads? This made me both frustrated and nervous. This episode breaks down three critical principles: (1) Why principles matter more than tactics—understanding WHY that hook works lets you adapt it without being disgusting, rather than just copy-pasting cringeworthy garbage, (2) Trust your intuition—if something feels cringeworthy, that's a warning sign (not always a limiting belief to push through), and (3) The digital marketing landscape is changing drastically—AI makes it too easy to create fake testimonials and look real for a few grand, which means more scammers and harder differentiation. Learn why I'm shifting away from traditional online marketing playbooks toward creating authentic content that gives me energy, why following everyone else means you're using a playbook from three years ago, and how to bob when they weave instead of racing to the bottom with 72-month guarantees for 99 cents.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

One benefit of getting older? You see patterns over a longer horizon. And here's one I keep seeing in sales and marketing: people proclaiming channels are dead. Cold calling is dead—nobody answers their phone. Webinars don't work. Cold email is ruined by spam filters. LinkedIn organic content doesn't work. Canvassing is impossible. DM selling has been destroyed by automation. I've heard every single one of these channels proclaimed dead—sometimes by people I actually respect who used to crush it in that channel, then didn't evolve with it, and now their message is "it doesn't work." Here's what I know from seeing inside 500 MSPs last year: when we do attribution exercises on closed deals, every single fucking one of those "dead" channels is represented. Which means they DO work. The question isn't "does it work?" It's "do you know how to make it work?" This episode breaks down why the biggest mistake is looking for a channel that works instead of picking one and committing to making it work. Learn the cycle every channel goes through (hard learning curve → figure it out → generate results → shit changes → adapt), why that cycle is actually good because if it was easy everyone would do it, and why harder channels give you longer reward cycles. Stop saying "this doesn't work" and start saying "I don't know how to make this work yet." The reframe matters. I saw someone post "cold calling's dead" on LinkedIn and thought "God, here we go again." So that's my drop for today.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

This may be one of the most important podcasts I record for you. I'm sharing my system for taking control of my calendar—and I say most important because time is your most valuable asset. When you master how to manage it, it affects everything: your business, your family time, your health. This year alone, I started MSP Sales Partners from zero to $800K, added five full-time hires and 50+ customers, created content every week without missing a newsletter or YouTube video, had dinner with my kids almost every night, traveled for two and a half months over summer, took a fully-unplugged family trip to Spain and France, and managed 90 minutes to two hours of exercise seven days a week. I attribute ruthless time management to being able to do all of that. This episode breaks down my system: shift from reactive to proactive calendar management—stop playing defense and go on offense by designing "The Perfect Week" where you map out your ideal calendar with everything that matters (prospecting time, team meetings, exercise, kids' dinners, date nights), then lock those blocks in as busy so nobody can steal them back. Every Sunday, audit how the week went versus your perfect week, identify what's off and why, then fix it for the upcoming week. I also do quarterly off-site planning to identify the major business constraint and update my perfect week accordingly. Learn how to have the hard conversations to protect your time, why managing up and down requires showing people what's in it for them, and how this prevents the slow creep back to homeostasis where your calendar gets stolen again.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Joining Sean Defoe to go through the main stories from the Saturday papers is Barry Kenny, Head of Corporate Communications at Iarnród Eireann; Valerie Cox, author & journalist; Fergus Finlay, columnist with the Irish Examiner & Former CEO of Barnardos; and Louisa Meehan of Woodview.

Is your team outsourcing their thinking to ChatGPT? In this video, I break down why relying on AI for answers is leading to "thought atrophy" and killing expertise in the workplace. While AI is an incredible tool for efficiency, it cannot replace the nuance, context, and experience that I hire my team for.I share the story of a recent project where an AI-generated response missed the mark, and I outline the 4 New AI Guidelines I've implemented to ensure we use technology to amplify our intelligence—not replace it.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

I used to be an idea gangster with my team—I'd do drive-bys every single week. I'd read a book, get super excited about the takeaways, and come in firing: "All right team, let's execute!" They were genuinely good ideas. But we never got enough traction with any of them before I'd pop in with the next one. My COO finally leveled with me: "Dude, we gotta stop. People are exhausted. We're not doing great work. That great idea eight ideas ago? We still never saw it produce fruit, and we're on to seven more since then." Here's what I learned: every new idea has an exponential curve—it's really hard on the front end, but weeks or months later is when the curve bends and the really good shit happens. We never gave anything time to get there. Then I came across this clip of Jeff Bezos explaining it perfectly: his VP of operations told him "You have enough ideas per minute to destroy Amazon. You have to release work at the rate the organization can accept it. Every idea you release creates a backlog that adds no value—it creates distraction." This episode breaks down why good ideas can fuel your company or kill it, how I created systems (an idea bank, a dedicated filter person) to stop injecting my ADHD into the business, and why I fired a fractional client this year because we couldn't execute through their constant idea churn. Your ideas are either an asset or a liability—which one are they?//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

True story: I forgot my car in a parking lot today. Made it all the way home. My wife asked "where's the jeep?" and my first thought was "oh shit, did someone steal it?" This isn't the first time I've forgotten a car. I have ADHD and level one autism, which means I get wildly obsessed with things I care about—it's why I learn things so quickly and see patterns in complex systems—but I also completely forget shit that's not in my focus. I've flown to the wrong cities, forgotten to eat all day, and yes, forgotten multiple cars. Extreme weaknesses always come with extreme strengths. I'm really good at systematizing complex sales models and building businesses, but I can't remember to take out the trash. This episode shares what I've learned at 45 after years of beating myself up trying to "fix" it: accepting it instead of fighting it, stopping the guilt, not trusting my memory (I tie hoodies around my waist as reminders), thinking in teams where people offset my weaknesses, and using tactics like walking, fidget toys, and no-device Sundays. I don't have this figured out—I just forgot a car—but I've created an environment where my business thrives, my marriage thrives, and I can focus on my superpowers. Sharing this in case it helps you too.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

I just wrapped a full day of calls with 75 MSP business owners about goal setting, and I heard all the mistakes I've made myself over 20+ years—from leading eight sales turnarounds to turning around a 40-year-old PE-backed company to its highest revenue ever. The most common mistakes? Inaccurate goals where the math doesn't map. Unrealistic goals that look good in December but are dead by March. Setting them too high so your team quietly thinks "that's never happening," or too low creating a complacent half-ass culture. Or worst of all—not setting goals at all. Here's why I'm passionate about this: the right goals manage for you, change behavior, and help people make decisions when you're not around. But bad goals make terrible people look good and great people look bad, which ruins your culture. This episode breaks down why I don't believe in "shoot for the moon, hit the stars"—that just means you're constantly missing and creating a losing culture. Learn why starting small and building a winning habit matters more than big aspirational numbers, why your goals need integrity (not pencil marks that change when you're behind), and how to rebuild momentum with bite-sized wins instead of resetting the whole target.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

A friend who does M&A for MSPs asked me: if you've got a team of five hunters, what's a good hiring and firing process that keeps top performers, pushes average reps, and weeds out the bottom? Here's my answer—and it's all about having a system that manages for you. The best approach consists of two parts: First, separate your minimum standards from actual goals. Your goal might be $24K/month where commission incentives kick in, but your minimum standard is $18K—the threshold below which the business economics don't work. Top performers never notice this number. Average performers are aware of it but rarely dip below. Bottom performers struggle to hit it consistently. Second, create a clearly documented escalation policy: miss the minimum once, it's a discussion; twice in three months, written warning; three times in five months, termination. This episode breaks down why you want a standard that top performers never notice, average performers can maintain, and bottom performers systematically get rooted out—without you having to crack the activity whip every day. Learn how to adjust this for different sales cycles (like using 90-day rolling averages for MSPs), why average is actually good and you don't want high churn, and how the right system diminishes your need to micromanage while keeping the team steady and high-performing.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

I spent two years scaling the wrong business and one conversation with Alex Hormozi's Chief Strategy Officer reframed everything. Here's what happened: I'd built a consulting business to $50K/month doing sales audits and fractional management, but I thought "this isn't scalable." So I pivoted—created courses, built a community, started teaching people how to turn expertise into income. I ended up in a sea of competition selling to the wrong audience at the wrong price point. His CSO said: "Dude, you solved the wrong problem. The problem wasn't 'this isn't scalable.' The problem was 'you didn't know how to scale it yet.'" He showed me around their 20,000 square foot building with 400 people and said, "We don't use the word 'scalable' here. Some things are just way harder to scale than others. That's why Alex and Leila own 50 companies." This episode breaks down what happened next: I killed the community, threw the courses on YouTube, and said "I don't teach this shit, I do this shit." We launched MSP Sales Partners doing fractional sales management—the thing I was actually great at—and spent a year refining the product before stepping on the gas. Learn why I'm intentionally running net neutral right now to build a moat nobody else will, why being picky with hiring and delaying profits creates competitive advantage, and how that subtle twist of words—"you didn't know how to scale it" versus "it isn't scalable"—changes everything.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Benny Higgins is a Scottish Banker and Former CEO of RBS, Bank of Scotland and Tesco Bank. He is also the chairman of a portfolio of companies. He's a lover of Art and Poetry. He is also my good friend.Benny Higgins grew up in Toryglen tower blocks, captained Celtic's youth team, and became a defining force in modern Scottish business — from CEO of RBS during the NatWest takeover, to building Tesco Bank from the ground up. But what makes Benny different is the paradox: a numbers man with a lifelong devotion to poetry, art, and culture — and a Glaswegian accent that never moved an inch.We recorded this in Kelvingrove Art Gallery, a place that shaped Benny as a 10-year-old at his first ever art competition — and still represents the thread running through his life: curiosity, pride, and the desire to win.We get into Celtic, class, and leadership… the reality of boardrooms at scale… why he hires through trust over “perfect CVs”… and the stories you genuinely couldn't script: Maya Angelou, the Golden Globes, Soho, and a cocktail named after his fifth wife Sharon.Why Kelvingrove is symbolic to Benny's origin storyToryglen tower blocks: toughness, community, and confidence through footballCeltic youth captaincy and the first leadership lessons that stuck“I just wanted to win”: the mindset behind academic dominanceActuarial exams in 2.5 years (when the average was ~7)RBS context + how the NatWest hostile takeover happenedBuilding Tesco Bank from scratch: 140 people → 5,000 → 8m customersHiring “the best people I knew” and why trust beats processSocial mobility: money, identity, and why he treats everyone the sameSoho stories: tailors, members clubs, and the “Higgins No.5” cocktailThe Golden Globes: Jon Hamm photo… taken by Bradley CooperLunch with Maya Angelou: poetry, Burns, and an unforgettable momentWhat people think is true about him (but isn't)What's next — and the ambition that still drives himGuestBenny Higgins — former senior leader at RBS, creator of Tesco Bank, chair/board roles across culture and business.Subscribe on YouTube + hit the bellFollow the podcast on Spotify/Apple: https://open.spotify.com/show/6DV9tUfz5nGCmH0bfZUFrMJoin the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/davidmcintoshjrFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmcintoshjr/If you enjoyed this give me a follow:Sponsor — Slater Menswear (Made To Order)Quick shoutout to Slater Menswear's Made To Order service — they've been part of some of the biggest moments in my own origin story: first job interview suit, first corporate role, big talks, and now sitting across from guests I genuinely admire. They measure you properly, you choose every detail, and you get a suit that actually feels like it fits the life you're stepping into.If you've got a moment coming up — wedding, promotion, graduation, or a first interview — check out Slaters Made To Order. It's a belter.

Revisited Episode (Recorded April 2021)A Tribute to Lea MilliganThis revisited episode of Purposely is shared as a tribute to Lea Milligan, who passed away unexpectedly in April 2024.From Purposely host Mark LongbottomBefore returning to this conversation, I wanted to pause and honour someone truly special. I first met Lea in London in 2016 when he was working at Mercy Ships UK, and I was at the St James's Place Foundation. He reached out in a fundraising role, but it quickly became clear that Lea was far more than that - a phenomenal relationship-builder, a deeply human leader, and someone you always enjoyed talking with. He was a natural connector of people, with an unwavering focus on mission and purpose.Lea would go on to become an impressive leader in the mental health sector, serving as CEO of MQ Mental Health Research. News of his passing came as a real shock, and with great sadness. Re-sharing this conversation feels like a meaningful way to honour his impact and leadership.In this episode, Lea shares:The mission of MQ Mental Health Research and why it was establishedWhy mental health research remains chronically underfunded compared to other health areasThe parallels between the journey of cancer research and where mental health research is todayThe role of stigma in slowing progress — and why research is the first step toward real system changeWhy research may not deliver quick returns, but offers extraordinary long-term impactThis conversation captures Lea's clarity of thought, humility, and deep commitment to improving mental health outcomes globally.

I was on a coaching call yesterday with a bunch of people selling IT services, and the question came up: how do you handle price objections? When somebody says "that's expensive" or "more than we're paying now" or "higher than other bids," what do you do? I've got a really simple framework that works across any competitive selling situation—IT services, professional services, whatever. Here's how it works: First, ask "What makes you say that?" to understand if this is a negotiation tactic, a stall, or a real gap. Then clarify what it's relative to—get them to tell you the actual number they're comparing against. Here's the key move: minimize the amount psychologically. If you quoted $60K and they're at $42K, stop talking about $60K—now you're negotiating the $18K gap. Then slice it even smaller: "So we're $1,500 a month apart, or about 50 bucks a day for compliance?" That sounds way better than a $60K contract. Finally, isolate it: "If we can bridge that gap, are you ready to go ahead?" This episode breaks down the psychology of reframing price conversations so you're not defending your number—you're making the gap feel manageable relative to the benefits they want. Works across industries once you understand what we're actually doing here.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Earlier this year journalist Ben Makuch caught a glimpse of Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, dancing at a club in Kyiv. It was a surreal moment, a snapshot of a tragic war that the West thinks is defining the future of conflict. Tech executives have flocked to Ukraine, courting the country in an attempt to get at a resource more precious than gold: data. Makuch was just there and has written about what he saw for The New Republic and he's on the show today to talk about it.Some light smoking banterBen's timelineGoogle's CEO dancing in a bar in KyivUkraine as laboratory for war techThe JSOC era is overIn defense of the majestic American turkeyThe great America vs China speculationWar, cheaperOn the actual frontlineWheat fields of fiber optic lineThe buzz of the droneLife in the bloodlandsThe human suffering of living in UkraineFPV-made propaganda“Never underestimate human innovation when it comes to killing other humans.”What's Erik Prince doing in Ukraine?New York Times on Military ReformThe Medieval—and Highly Effective—Tactics of the Ukrainian ProtestsWho Is St. Javelin and Why Is She a Symbol of the War in Ukraine?‘Cope Cages' on Busted Tanks Are a Symbol of Russia's Military Failures‘Unauthorized' Edit to Ukraine's Frontline Maps Point to Polymarket's War BettingSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dave Hersh, co-founder and former CEO of Jive Software, shares the real story behind bootstrapping Jive to $12M in revenue before raising venture capital and scaling aggressively. He explains how fear, comparison, and the pressure to "go big" drove him to abandon his profitable core business and pursue a new upmarket strategy that ultimately cost the company its soul.  After growing to $60 million, Jive eventually went public, but not without internal strain, personal turmoil, and ultimately the realization that the company had drifted away from what made it successful.  Dave discusses how overexpansion, premature scaling, hiring missteps, and market-chasing derail both VC-backed and bootstrapped companies—along with the psychological patterns founders rarely acknowledge.  He shares lessons from his book "Reignition: Transforming Stuck Startups Into Breakout Winners" on why most stuck companies don't need a new strategy—they need a wiser founder who understands their inner operating system and is willing to grow alongside the business. Today Dave coaches founders, writes about the emotional foundations of leadership, and acquires underperforming SaaS companies to "refound" them with more clarity, connection, and human-first strategy. Key Takeaways Founder Psychology Matters — Most stuck companies trace back to subconscious patterns, not strategy failures, and founders must address these to grow. Premature Scaling Kills — Expanding markets or teams too quickly dilutes the core and creates complexity most companies cannot absorb. Core Before Expansion — Winning in a beachhead and protecting the core creates more durable growth than chasing adjacent market too early. Better Growth Pace — Sustainable companies grow at the pace the market allows; forced hypergrowth often destabilizes otherwise healthy businesses. Quote from Dave Hersh, Co-founder and Former CEO of Jive Software "I realized that 90% of stuck companies and failed companies are not the reasons that we say they failed. Like they didn't have product market fit or they ran out of cash or the founders didn't get along. It's the psychology underneath. If you actually look at the source of those problems, It was these very consistent psychological patterns that founders run into. "So hero complex, warrior, imposter syndrome, over identification with the company. It was all of these things that I kept seeing over and over again that led to the decisions that got them stuck. And so, yes, while it's true, they got out competed. Why did they go after the big market? What led them to do that? Why did they try to compete against these companies they were competing against? "And then you start to tap into what's really going on and you see: They're trying to earn validation. They are trying to get redeemed as an entrepreneur. They're trying to live up to their parents, their older sibling, their peer group. And it was that desire that led to them trying to go after this big market and raising too much money that got them stuck. And so I like to work with the source material, which is, Why did you do that?" Links Dave Hersh on LinkedIn Book by Dave Hersh: Reignition: Transforming Stuck Startups into Breakout Winners Dave Hersh website Podcast Sponsor – Fraction This podcast is sponsored by Fraction. Fraction gives you access to senior US-based engineers and CTOs — without full-time costs or hiring risks. Get 10 to 30 hours per week from vetted and experienced US-based talent. Find your next fractional senior engineer or CTO at fraction.work. You can start with a one-week, risk-free trial to test it out. The Practical Founders Podcast Tune into the Practical Founders Podcast for weekly in-depth interviews with founders who have built valuable software companies without big funding. Subscribe to the Practical Founders Podcast using your favorite podcast app or view on our YouTube channel. Get the weekly Practical Founders newsletter and podcast updates at practicalfounders.com. Practical Founders CEO Peer Groups Be part of a committed and confidential group of practical founders creating valuable software companies without big VC funding.  A Practical Founders Peer Group is a committed and confidential group of founders/CEOs who want to help you succeed on your terms. Each Practical Founders Peer Group is personally curated and moderated by Greg Head.

Ray Green answers a thought-provoking question from a friend: Is there a real difference between "play to win" and "play to not lose" people, and can you build an entire team of aggressive risk-takers? In this episode, Ray breaks down why he believes there are two distinct types of "play to not lose" people - Type 1 who are well-intentioned and think through proper risk mitigation, and Type 2 who operate from fear and lack of confidence. He explains why Type 1 people are actually assets who balance out aggressive play-to-win leaders, while Type 2 people are toxic liabilities that drain your organization. Ray shares a personal story from his first CEO role about constantly fighting with his co-founder, who drove him crazy but ultimately made him a better leader by having the confidence to speak truth to power. This is about understanding the balance you need on your team, knowing the difference between healthy defensive thinking and toxic negativity, and why you don't want a team of only one type of person.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Physics defines work as force times distance times alignment. In sales, that's effort times results times whether those results actually get you what you want. I saw a junior SDR post on LinkedIn saying "sales training is a joke—just dial your face off." He's one-third right. Volume matters. But here's what gets lost: you drive to work every day, doesn't make you a Formula One racer. It's intentional volume that matters. Josh Braun responded with something so well-written I had to share it: "Drop someone in a pool with no training and they'll kick really hard, flail harder, and burn out in 20 seconds. Put them with a coach who adjusts their breathing, reach, and timing, and suddenly they move further, faster, with less effort. Top reps don't just make more calls—they make better calls." I'll share my own riptide story from last summer: I got caught surfing with my kids, swam as hard as I could, made zero progress—actually went backwards. Two surfers pulled me sideways along the shore to escape it. I could have swam all day and never made it. That's alignment. This episode breaks down why volume reveals your gaps but technique closes them, why I've wasted $30K on useless sales training but still believe in the right coaching, and why physics would say if you're booking appointments that don't convert, no work has actually been done.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Physics defines work as force times distance times alignment. In sales, that's effort times results times whether those results actually get you what you want. I saw a junior SDR post on LinkedIn saying "sales training is a joke—just dial your face off." He's one-third right. Volume matters. But here's what gets lost: you drive to work every day, doesn't make you a Formula One racer. It's intentional volume that matters. Josh Braun responded with something so well-written I had to share it: "Drop someone in a pool with no training and they'll kick really hard, flail harder, and burn out in 20 seconds. Put them with a coach who adjusts their breathing, reach, and timing, and suddenly they move further, faster, with less effort. Top reps don't just make more calls—they make better calls." I'll share my own riptide story from last summer: I got caught surfing with my kids, swam as hard as I could, made zero progress—actually went backwards. Two surfers pulled me sideways along the shore to escape it. I could have swam all day and never made it. That's alignment. This episode breaks down why volume reveals your gaps but technique closes them, why I've wasted $30K on useless sales training but still believe in the right coaching, and why physics would say if you're booking appointments that don't convert, no work has actually been done.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Former CEO Of PayPal & TurboTax Is Using AI & Technology To Disrupt The Wealth Management BusinessName: Bill HarrisTitle: Founder, CEOBill's Book: https://a.co/d/aILiU0uCompany Name: Evergreen Wealth AUM: $100M AUM Website: www.evergreenwealth.com About Evergreen Wealth: Evergreen Wealth is a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that provides investment management and financial advice to affluent and high-net-worth individuals and families. We build custom-engineered, tax-optimized Dynamic Portfolios for our clients, purposefully designed to deliver higher after-tax performance, and financial advice through the combination of investment advisors and Evergreen Intelligence, an agentic AI advice engine. Founded by fintech pioneer Bill Harris, the Evergreen Wealth team has offices in Miami, Dallas, and Raleigh, NC. Follow Evergreen Wealth on LinkedIn or visit evergreenwealth.com to learn more. About Bill Harris: Bill Harris is the Founder and CEO of Evergreen Wealth, a digital Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) delivering hyper-personalized, tax-optimized Dynamic Portfolios™ for high-earning professionals and affluent families, particularly those in high-tax states, helping them build long-term, generational wealth. A fintech pioneer with over three decades of leadership at the intersection of finance and technology, Bill has founded and led multiple companies that have become household names, reshaping how people manage, protect, and grow their money. Before founding Evergreen Wealth, he was the former CEO of PayPal, guiding the company through its launch and early growth; the former CEO of Intuit, where he oversaw the expansion of TurboTax, Quicken, and QuickBooks; and the founder of Personal Capital, which scaled to $23 billion in assets before its $1 billion acquisition by Empower Retirement.Beyond Evergreen Wealth, Bill has launched and scaled several other companies, including MyVest, PassMark Security, IronKey, and One Finance (acquired by Walmart in 2022). He has also served on the boards of Macromedia, SuccessFactors, Care.com, Yodlee, GoDaddy, Avalara and Business.com. Bill is the author of Investment Tax Guide: How to Slash Your Taxes, which emphasizes after-tax returns as the most critical measure of investment success, a principle that underpins Evergreen Wealth's approach to Dynamic Portfolios. Bill holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Middlebury College.

We just spent six weeks migrating our email newsletter from Beehiiv to Substack. Within one day of going live, I realized I'd made a mistake and had to course-correct. This episode opens up what happened, why it was a mistake, and more importantly—the framework for deciding when to pivot versus when to persevere. Because I've always struggled with this: am I being frantic and erratic by changing course? Or am I being stubborn and falling into sunk cost fallacy by staying? Here's what went wrong: Day One on Substack, I realized the audience is mostly creators writing for other creators, the growth engine requires building another Twitter-like feed (the exact treadmill email newsletters were supposed to solve), and I risked diluting my most valuable asset—my list—with the wrong audience while having no analytics to detect it. I break down the exact questions I ask myself at these decision points: What core problem was I solving? Why was it really a problem? Does this actually solve the underlying issue? What will make me regret this in six months? The lesson: perpetual pivots destroy progress, but stubborn perseverance does too. Learn how to course-correct strategically instead of emotionally, and be aware of your own tendencies—I tend to pivot too quickly, maybe you stick too long.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Harry Brouwer is the former CEO of Unilever Food Solutions, where he led a global team through transformative moments, including the turbulence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Harry reflects on his journey of bringing purpose to leadership, both inside and outside the corporate world. He shares his transition from managing corporate "kingdoms" to embracing personal freedom in his next chapter, exploring impactful projects like investing in social initiatives and creating a lasting family legacy.In this episode, we discuss:●       Defining personal purpose and its evolution over time●       The transition from corporate leadership to a purpose-driven “freedom” chapter●       Leading Unilever Food Solutions through COVID-19●       Investing in social ventures, including a restaurant for young people with different abilities●       A legacy project for seven generations and embracing long-term impact●       The differences in purpose between multinationals and family-owned businesses.  

On November 7, Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California, the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum, will host The Asian American Foundation's (TAAF) first-ever AAPI Youth Mental Health Summit. Under the theme “Sparking Solutions Together,” the summit will convene hundreds of experts, advocates, funders, and business executives to address the urgent and often overlooked mental health challenges facing Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) youth. From 2018 through 2022, suicide was the leading cause of death among Asian Americans aged 15–24, and the second leading cause of death among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. Yet despite being deeply impacted by the nation's mental health crisis, AAPI youth remain largely invisible in the national mental health conversation, and the data needed to understand their mental health is scarce at best. To fill the gap, TAAF released "Beyond the Surface" in December 2024, the most comprehensive study to date on AAPI youth mental health, which revealed: Nearly 1 in 2 AAPI youth screen positive for moderate depression; 1 in 3 have planned or attempted suicide; Stigma, family pressure, and silence keep many from seeking help; Only 53 percent feel comfortable talking with their parents; Just 1 in 4 have accessed formal care; and 46 percent have never seen a mental health provider. Building on these findings, the November 7 summit will bring together leading experts to spark dialogue on breaking stigma, closing gaps in care, and exploring how community partners and technology are reshaping the ways young people seek and receive support.  Join us online to hear from: Midori Francis, Actor, "Grey's Anatomy" Ryan Alexander Holmes Owin Pierson, Creator and Mental Health Advocate Lisa Ling, Journalist Noopur Agarwal, VP of Social Impact, MTV Norman Chen, CEO, The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) Philip Yun, Co-President and Co-CEO, Commonwealth Club World Affairs Rushika Fernandopulle, MD, Practicing Physician; Co-Founder and Former CEO, Iora Health; TAAF Board Member Juliana Chen, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Cartwheel Perry Chen,Director of Programs and Partnerships, Behavioral Health at Blue Shield of California Rachel Miller, Founder & CEO, Closegap Meena Srinivasan, Founding Executive Director, Transformative Educational Leadership Ayesha Meer, Executive Director, Asian Mental Health Collective Henry Ha, Program Director, Community Youth Center of San Francisco Anne Saw, PhD, HOPE Program Reid Bowman, MPH, CHES, Outreach & Program Manager, UCA Waves Rupesh Shah, COO of Crisis Text Line Tone Va'i, LCSW, Clinician, Samoan Community Development Center Amy Grace Lam, PhD, Chief Program Strategist, Korean Community Center of East Bay Christine Yang, ASW, Korean Community Center of East Bay Christina Yu, LCSW, Clinical Supervisor, Korean Community Center of East Bay William Tsai, PhD, Associate Professor, New York University Cindy H. Liu, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, BOBA Project, Harvard Medical School Tiffany Yip, Professor of Psychology, Fordham University Quynh Nguyen, TALA (Thriving AANHPI Leadership Accelerator) Fellow   This program is presented by The Asian American Foundation and Commonwealth Club World Affairs.   For full program, please visit:  https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/archive/video/youth-mental-health-summit-sparking-solutions-together Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Should I niche down in my prospecting to a vertical or an industry?" That question came up on an office hours call yesterday with a bunch of MSP business owners. Here's what I told them based on managing 50 different IT companies in our fractional sales program and listening to thousands of prospecting calls: Yes, you should absolutely niche down—but you don't have to rebrand your entire company to do it. Most people think going vertical means becoming "the law firm IT company" and changing everything. That's wrong. You niche at the campaign level, not the company level. This episode breaks down how to compartmentalize your outbound: build a law firm-specific list, create landing pages with their language and acronyms, develop messaging that speaks to their specific IT fears and problems—all without touching your homepage or inbound script. The benefits are massive: your scripting has immediate relevance, you stand out from the 100 other calls they're getting, and you can feed patterns back into your campaigns through AI analysis of recorded calls. Learn why law firms have different IT concerns than manufacturing companies, how to stack verticals over time without getting diluted, and why this approach lets you leverage specialization into better specialization once the flywheel starts moving//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Ray Green breaks down why both hustle culture and the "deep work only" mindset miss the mark, using a simple physics formula to explain what real work actually is. The equation? Force times Distance times Alignment. In this episode, Ray explains why effort alone doesn't equal results, why you can bust your ass and go nowhere, and why even getting results doesn't matter if they're not aligned with your actual goal. He walks through practical examples—from salespeople making calls to authors writing books—to illustrate why some people accomplish massive results while others stay stuck forever despite working just as hard. Ray shares how to clarify your real goal, define the right distance metrics to track meaningful progress, and apply the necessary force to actually get there. This is about understanding what real productivity looks like and making sure the time and energy you're investing is actually moving you in the right direction.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

I just had dinner with four really successful business owners—all running businesses bigger than mine—and we got talking about sales compensation plans. Once I started sharing things I honestly take for granted after 20 years in sales leadership, they were like "we hadn't thought about that." These are very smart, very successful guys, just not from the sales world. So if they found it helpful, maybe you will too. Here's the foundation: the only purpose of your comp plan is to change behavior. Charlie Munger said it perfectly: "Show me the incentive and I will show you the outcome." This episode breaks down three critical comp plan mistakes I see constantly: (1) Long-term commissions that look generous to you but don't change behavior next week because salespeople don't think like business owners—they think in cash, not equity or 36-month payouts, (2) Perpetual residuals that create permanent misalignment as your costs go up while their incentive to do the hard work (hunting) goes down, and (3) Having hunters farm instead of separating the roles, which misallocates both money and results. Learn why you need to reward behavior closest to when it happens, why saying "I'll fix it later" is fucked up, and how to align effort, difficulty, and value with what you're actually paying for.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

I just wrapped up several hours of difficult conversations stacked back-to-back, and I want to share something that changed my entire management career: the conversations that are going to have the biggest impact on your business are the ones that are really fucking hard. There's almost a direct correlation between how difficult a conversation is and how much impact it has. Yet we avoid them—for days, weeks, months, sometimes years. I've talked to business owners who've let problems fester for years because they don't want the discomfort of a 30-minute conversation. Here's what helped me: reframing these conversations entirely. When you avoid the hard talk, you're not actually avoiding discomfort—you're just reducing its intensity and spreading it out over time, sometimes forever. That nagging voice in your head saying "you know you should be doing that" never goes away until you do it. But after you have that conversation? You feel stronger, empowered, and you immediately wonder who else you need to talk to. This episode breaks down why avoiding these conversations is negligence, how to reframe the temporary discomfort versus permanent relief, and why this muscle becomes addictive once you experience the benefits. If there's a conversation you're avoiding right now, consider this your sign.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

"It's now obvious to me that it's harder to maintain that sense of community unless you've got things like parkrun that are driving that connection." This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous CEO guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Tim Oberg, former CEO of parkrun Australia. His full episode is titled Escaping the rat race, building a vibrant community and managing anxiety. You can find the full audio and show notes here:

I keep hearing this incomplete advice everywhere: "All sales is about the transference of emotion." It's a Tony Robbins thing, and it's not wrong—but it's dangerously incomplete. I work with a lot of MSP and IT sellers who rely purely on their tech stack, response times, and spotting network problems, thinking logic alone will close deals. Spoiler: it won't. But here's where the "emotion-only" crowd gets it wrong too. People make buying decisions emotionally—they want the transformation, the feeling, the status—but then they justify it logically. Think about wanting a sports car: you want the feeling of driving it, but you justify it to your wife with "special deal, waitlist, investment value." If you only appeal to emotion without giving buyers the rational argument they need to justify the purchase to themselves (or their boss, or the committee), they'll want your stuff but never commit. This episode breaks down why technical sellers need to get past logic and understand the deeper transformation buyers want, and why emotion-focused sellers need to give the logical case that enables people to say yes. You need both.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Bill George, former CEO of Medtronic and Harvard Business School Executive Fellow, explains how leaders can stay grounded, principled, and effective in chaotic times. "It's a world of chaos and it requires a very different kind of leader than in more stable times." The skills that once mattered (process control, long-term plans) are now secondary to courage, self-awareness, and moral clarity. George says most executives still lead comfortably "inside the walls" but fear the external world (media, public scrutiny, and rapid change). "Today, if you're a leader, you are a public figure. You have to face that reality." Leadership now starts with knowing your True North, your values and principles. "When everything's going your way, you start to think you're better than you are. When you lose, you learn your weaknesses." He warns: "The people who will struggle are those faking it to make it. They're trying to impress the outside world but aren't grounded inside." Purpose, not position, defines identity. "A CEO once said, 'Without a title, I'm nothing.' You won't hold that title forever. Who are you then?" True fulfillment comes from alignment between personal purpose and work. "Every business has a deep sense of purpose if it's well run. The ones that only make money, like GE, go away." He lists five traits of leaders who thrive in crisis: Face reality. Stay true to values. Adapt strategies fast. Engage your team. Go on offense when others retreat. Each requires courage. "You can't teach courage in a classroom. It has to come from within." He urges humility: "Leadership is all about relationships, it's a two-way street." His turning point came when he stopped "building a résumé" and started building people. He defines authentic leadership as growth through feedback: "I never walk into a classroom unless I'm going to learn from everyone there." And he closes with the core message: "You don't have to be CEO. If you can do great work and help others, you'll feel fulfilled. Leaders make the difference between success and failure."   Key Insights (Verbatim Quotes) 1. Chaos demands a new kind of leader. "It's a world of chaos and it requires a very different kind of leader than in more stable times." 2. Authenticity starts with grounding. "Our true north is our principles, our beliefs, and our values all rolled into one." 3. Titles are temporary. "I am not the CEO of Best Buy. …That's the title I hold. I won't hold that forever." 4. Courage separates real leaders. "You can't teach courage in a classroom. It has to come from within." 5. Purpose drives resilience. "Every business has a deep sense of purpose if it's well run." 6. Leadership is relational. "I was building a résumé, not relationships. Leadership is all about relationships." 7. Fear destroys authenticity. "A lot of people are living in fear. That's no way to live your life." 8. Great leaders empower others. "You want everyone on your team to be better than you are at what they do." 9. Growth never ends. "Anyone who's authentic knows they have to continue to grow as a human being." 10. True success is internal. "You'll never have enough power, fame, or money. You find fulfillment within."   Action Items "Face reality, starting with yourself." Look in the mirror and ask, "Maybe I'm creating this negative culture. What did I do wrong?" "Stay true to your purpose and your values." Never abandon principles when pressure rises. "Adapt your strategies and tactics." What worked yesterday may not work today. "Get your team involved." Say, "Hey guys, we've got a real problem. What ideas do you have to keep it going?" "Go on offense when everyone else is pulling back." Make bold moves when others retreat. "Have the courage to look yourself in the mirror." Courage starts with self-reflection. Ask, "What's the worst case? What do I have to lose?" and move forward without fear. "If one door closes, maybe another one's going to open that I never even saw." "Know who you are." Reflect on your life story, relationships, and crucibles that shaped you. "Don't get caught up in titles or money." Remember, "Without a title I'm nothing" leads nowhere. "Find a congruence between your purpose and the organization's purpose." "Every business has a deep sense of purpose if it's well run." Identify how yours helps people. "Get away from toxic leaders." If they drive you down, take credit for your work, or never support you, move on. "Work for people you feel really good about working with." "Learn all aspects of the business and how to integrate them creatively." "Pull together a cross-disciplinary team" and act as the integrator. "Have everyone on your team be better than you are at what they do." "Be the glue." Integrate experts to solve tough problems. "Care about your people first." They must know you care before they'll perform. "Get everyone into their sweet spot" — where they use all their skills and are highly motivated. "Align everyone around purpose and goals." "Challenge people to reach their full potential." Say, "I know you can do better. Let's take your game to the next level." "Get out there and be with the people." Don't hide behind PowerPoints. "Help your people do better." Work beside them. "Believe in someone who doesn't believe in themselves." Tell them, "You have this potential. Go for it." "Find someone who believes in you." A mentor, boss, or spouse who sees your potential. "As a leader, be that person who believes in others." "Face your blind spots." Ask people who care about you for honest feedback. "If you get feedback from people that care about you, take it in." "Stop building a résumé and start building relationships." "Take time for people. Ask, 'How are you doing today? What challenges are you facing?'" "Leadership is all about relationships — it's a two-way street." "Tell the truth — the good, the bad, and the ugly." "Stay away from blame." Take responsibility instead of pointing fingers. "Be transparent." Don't hide problems; fix them. "Never fake it to make it." "Keep growing as a human being." "Take feedback and adapt." Growth requires awareness of impact on others. "Believe in yourself even if you fail." Failure is learning. "Spend time reflecting on your purpose and the person you are becoming." "Help other people reach their full potential." "Measure success by how many people you help every day." "Remember: leadership is about who you are, not what title you hold." Get Bills book, True North, here: https://shorturl.at/bRXsK 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    

While most companies obsess over removing their contact centers to eliminate friction, they may actually be creating it. Sometimes the most frictionless experience is talking to another human who can say, "This hotel is perfect for you, you're going to love it."Join hosts Chuck Moxley and Nick Paladino as they sit down with Joe Megibow, a veteran executive who started as an engineer, discovered data-driven marketing at business school, and co-founded Tealeaf Technology. Joe shares war stories from leading digital transformations at Expedia, American Eagle Outfitters, Casper and Purple (mattresses), revealing how removing a single "business name" field generated millions in incremental revenue, why omnichannel strategies often create more channel conflict than customer value, and how American Eagle built a $100 million sales channel through their contact center after everyone said it was impossible.He explains the critical difference between page load metrics and meeting customer expectations, why Square's magic email receipt moment reset consumer benchmarks forever, and how selling mattresses online requires deliberately introducing friction (like encouraging store visits) to reduce friction across the entire purchase journey.Key Actionable Takeaways:Audit form fields and test removing "optional" fields that confuse customers - Even optional fields prompt users to fill them out, and misplaced fields (like "business name" near billing address) can tank conversion by making customers enter wrong information, costing millions in lost revenueAlign P&L incentives across channels to eliminate organizational friction - When store associates get no credit for online sales made in-store, they create artificial barriers for customers; true omnichannel means the same customer should experience consistent rules regardless of how they choose to transactInvest in contact centers as conversion engines, not cost centers - Human interaction excels at high-consideration purchases where empathy and reassurance matter; contact center conversion rates (30-40%) often dwarf digital (2-3%) for complex products, and trained agents can become your highest-performing salesforceNick & Chuck's previous conversation with David Cost from Rainbow Apparel Co: https://youtu.be/yhMd3M3jOpo Want more tips and strategies about creating frictionless digital experiences?Subscribe to our newsletter! https://www.thefrictionlessexperience.com/frictionless/Download the Five Step Site Speed Target Playbook: http://bluetriangle.com/playbookJoe Megibow's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megibow/Nick Paladino's LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/npaladinoChuck Moxley's LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/chuck-moxleyChapters:(00:00) Introduction(02:35) Joe's journey - From engineer to data-driven marketing pioneer(04:30) Founding Tealeaf Technology(07:00) The evolution from static to dynamic web pages(09:00) Experience-based monitoring and perceived performance(11:15) Tying friction to economic impact(13:45) The business name field disaster - $1M monthly revenue recovery(15:15) Shopify checkout consistency vs. innovation trade-offs(16:15) Square's magic moment(17:00) Financing friction in locked checkout flows(19:41) Omnichannel alignment challenges at American Eagle(21:00) P&L misalignment creates customer friction(22:45) Buy online, ship from store(25:15) DTC turnarounds - Low frequency, high risk purchases(27:00) Considered purchases require different friction strategies(29:00) The Purple Pillow story(30:00) Marketing high-touch products digitally(31:15) Breaking through the "best ever" noise(32:10) The greatest pillow ever invented - Provocative marketing(34:30) Contact centers as strategic assets, not failure points(35:45) Expedia's 30-40% contact center conversion rates(37:30) American Eagle's $100M contact center sales channel(38:20) Conclusion

I had to call my wife to pick me up yesterday after re-injuring my knee by pushing six miles when my physical therapist said three. Sitting on that corner waiting for her, I realized something uncomfortable: sometimes the hardest thing you need to do is quit. We glorify resilience, grit, and stick-to-itiveness because they work... until they don't. If you've achieved success through raw determination and sheer will like I have, you've been rewarded for pushing through—which makes it even harder to stop when stopping is exactly what you need. I break down why business model problems and product-market fit issues can't be solved with more effort or longer hours, why pushing harder on the wrong problem makes it worse, and how to recognize when your most reliable tool (perseverance) has become a hammer making you see every problem as a nail. This is honestly as much a message to myself as it is to you—for anyone whose feedback loop of "don't quit, push harder" has become so ingrained that knowing when to pause, pivot, or walk away feels impossible.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Earlier this year, I enjoyed a delicious lunch in Mexico City with Luis Lozano,  the former CEO of Toyota de Mexico. Luis immediately impressed me with his knowledge of the Mexican car market, the shock of hundreds of thousands of Chinese imports since 2020 and the possibilities that Chinese automakers will try to make Mexico a production base for exports to the United States. One of his goals, Luis told me, was to open American eyes to the current realities of Chinese cars. They are good value for money, they are coming our way. And they are not turning back. So, which companies are ones to watch? Are they going to build plants in Mexico as they have done in Brazil, Spain and Thailand? How soon? In today's conversation we get answers to those questions here on the Driving With Dunne podcast. 

First-of-the-month accountability check reveals a brutal reality: a salesperson with nothing on the scoreboard, no pipeline, no meetings, and no real plan beyond "follow up with four people" and "pack boxes for Thursday's event." This episode is a wake-up call for anyone in sales responsible for generating their own pipeline. Learn why treating your time like a precious resource isn't optional—it's survival. Discover the two critical mindsets that separate top performers from struggling reps: (1) strategic calendar planning with "The Perfect Week" framework, and (2) complete ownership mentality that refuses to accept passive excuses like "this week's basically shot." If you're carrying a "shit happens to me" mentality instead of "I make shit happen," this unfiltered conversation will either light a fire under you or make you realize sales isn't for you.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

After years of struggling with content that either grew the business but burned him out, or stayed authentic but didn't generate leads, this episode reveals a new strategy that solves both problems. The challenge: three goals kept conflicting—grow the business, teach what you're learning, and actually enjoy creating content. The breakthrough? Create unfiltered content on dedicated channels (daily podcasts, raw thoughts on X) without worrying about hooks, thumbnails, or "ideal client" topics, then let the team mine that library to extract and reposition the business-growing content. Learn why quality comes from quantity, why ghostwriters and AI shortcuts weren't working, and how this approach finally addresses the fundamental tension between authentic voice and scalable growth—especially for founders using personal brands to grow real businesses, not just creator businesses.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

In this episode of the Investing in Integrity podcast, Ross Overline, CEO and co-founder of Scholars of Finance, welcomes Jonathan Weiss, former CEO of Corporate and Investment Bank at Wells Fargo, and former MD of JPMorgan Chase, to reflect on leadership, trust, and ethics across a 45-year career in finance. From his unlikely start as a romance languages major to leading a $20B business, Weiss shares lessons on building ethical cultures, leading through influence, and navigating shifting political and market dynamics. He offers candid insights on rebuilding institutional trust, fostering transparency, and prioritizing customers' best interests, not just avoiding harm. Listeners will learn how humility, emotional intelligence, and consistent values shape resilient leadership and sustainable success. Whether you're early in your career or leading teams at scale, this conversation offers deep insights into balancing performance with integrity in today's financial world.Meet Jonathan Weiss:Jonathan Weiss is the former CEO of Wells Fargo Corporate & Investment Banking, where he led a $20 billion revenue business before retiring in June 2025 after two decades with the firm. Over his 45-year career, he also headed Wells Fargo's Wealth & Investment Management and Wells Fargo Securities divisions, following 25 years at J.P. Morgan and its predecessors. A Princeton graduate in Romance Languages, Weiss is recognised for his ethical leadership and service on boards including Youth I.N.C., the Lawrenceville School, and the National Humanities Center.

When a team member quoted the host's own content back to him—"focus on one thing, use one metric"—it would have actually been counterproductive. This episode clarifies a critical nuance that changes everything: yes, focus on ONE constraint (the biggest problem blocking your business), but measure it with at least TWO competing metrics. Why? Because single metrics get gamed, even unintentionally. Focus only on close rate? Sales reps start disqualifying opportunities. Only track appointments set? You get garbage meetings with terrible show rates. Only measure YouTube followers? You end up with 100,000 subscribers and 3 views per video. Learn how to identify your true constraint, why diluting efforts across multiple initiatives kills velocity, and how to set up balanced metrics that actually move your business forward instead of just moving numbers on a dashboard.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Watching his wife spend weeks building custom Christmas decorations from scratch—with zero blueprint and no clear plan beyond a color theme—revealed a powerful business truth. We glorify the Bezos-style crystal clear vision, thinking that's what you need to succeed. But the reality? Most wildly successful entrepreneurs will tell you their business took on a life of its own. Building a business is more art than science—more Steve Jobs ("you can only connect the dots in hindsight") than detailed master plan. This episode explores why loving the process matters more than having perfect clarity, how the process itself reveals options you couldn't have predicted, and why energy to push through inevitable frustrations comes from one of two sources: either a vision so clear it pulls you through, or genuine love for the creative journey itself.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Ray Green shares why he eliminated call minimums when he took over his first sales team - and how revenue per sale doubled as a result. Most sales managers crack the whip on volume and activity metrics, but Ray argues this comes at the expense of optimizing for what you actually want: results. In this episode, he breaks down the policy change he implemented, the cultural shift required to make it work, and how he recruited differently to build a team that took ownership of outcomes instead of just checking boxes on activity. Ray introduces the Laffer Curve framework for understanding when increased volume starts decreasing results, shares how his team went on to hit their numbers for 10 consecutive years, and explains why this approach is more critical than ever as AI threatens to replace volume-based sales roles. This isn't about having no standards - it's about having the right standards on the things that actually matter.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Can a team be made up entirely of aggressive, play-to-win people? Or do you need the balance of risk-conscious players who pump the brakes? This episode breaks down a fascinating leadership question: the fundamental difference between people who play to win versus those who play not to lose—and why it matters for building your team. Discover the critical distinction between two types of "play not to lose" people: Type 1 who intelligently mitigate risk with confidence versus Type 2 who operate from fear and low self-esteem. Learn why the best CEO partnerships involve a play-to-win leader paired with a Type 1 risk calculator (like the CFO who fought like cats and dogs but made the organization stronger), and why Type 2 players create toxic opportunity cost that kills long-term growth.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

When a team member fed me pure ChatGPT fluff instead of their actual expertise, it was time to draw a line. As an early adopter and power user of AI, this episode reveals the exact guidelines now required for using AI in the business—from protecting proprietary knowledge on closed systems to owning every output you submit, even if AI generated it. Learn when AI is brilliant (research, refining messages, automating tasks) versus when it's a road to mediocrity (outsourcing your thinking). The uncomfortable truth: AI has all the information but doesn't really know anything, and lazy AI habits are causing thought atrophy in otherwise smart people. These framework guidelines will help you leverage AI's strengths while protecting what actually makes you valuable.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

After hiring hundreds of people across 20 years—from reversing a decade-long sales decline at the US Chamber of Commerce to leading executive turnarounds—here's the uncomfortable truth nobody admits: hiring isn't just science, it's feeling. Sure, use scorecards and screening processes to get to your final candidates, but when you're looking at five people who all score between 80-85, what separates the good from the absolute killers? This episode shares the real stories: the purple-haired sales guy HR said not to hire who became the top performer, the economics grad hired without a role who helped Moneyball a 45-year-old company, and the bar conversation that led to a hire so good it changed where the host lives today. Learn why gut decisions produce outliers and how to strengthen your hiring intuition.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Feeling stretched thin trying to do everything in your business? You're not alone. Many MSP owners ask how to remove themselves from sales, but that's the wrong question. Sales is the oxygen your business needs—you never fully step away from it. The real question is: how do you get your time back while keeping sales flowing? This episode breaks down the exact phases of promoting yourself through your sales organization, from doing everything yourself, to hiring your first SDR, to building a team where you operate as a true sales leader. Learn why each role funds the next, why abdication kills results, and how to build a self-sustaining sales machine without losing control of your company's lifeline.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

What separates a good brand from a timeless one? In this episode, Coach’s longtime CEO Lew Frankfort joins Danielle to share the lifetime of lessons he documents in his new memoir Bagman. Lew breaks down why an outsider’s perspective can be an advantage, how “magic and logic” shaped Coach, and what scaling a $6 million leather goods company into a $5 billion global lifestyle brand really took: personally and professionally. In this episode, Lew shares: How a stroller-ready diaper bag sparked his first entrepreneurial lesson Why immersive curiosity must precede data and analytics Life lessons he took away from his struggles with a speech impediment as a child, and how they had a long lasting impact How being an outsider helped him see the fashion world through a different (and valuable) lens The hidden costs of growth—including health, mindset, and family time The techniques he used to help him navigate depressive episodes throughout his life and career A haunting fear of failure that fueled his drive for excellence but came at a personal cost A values-first philosophy on leadership and legacy amid short-term pressures What Gen Z is getting right Follow Lew on Instagram @LewFrankfort Book recommendation: Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein Check out Lew’s book BagmanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeetu Patel is President and Chief Product Officer at Cisco. He previously served there as Executive Vice President and General Manager of Security and Collaboration.He joined Cisco in 2020 after serving as Chief Product Officer and Chief Strategy Officer at Box, where he played a key role in expanding the company into a multi-product platform used by more than 100,000 customers. He currently sits on the board of real estate services company JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle) and holds a B.S. in Information Decision Sciences from the University of Illinois.In this conversation, we discuss:How Cisco is becoming an AI-first company and why fully embracing AI is now a requirement, not a choiceHow AI will reshape every job, and which human skills will matter most in the decade aheadThe real constraints slowing enterprise AI adoption: power, trust, and dataThe infrastructure, security, and data gaps limiting AI's potential, and how Cisco is closing themWhy skill gaps are growing, and what workers can do to stay relevant as AI changes the workplaceHow Cisco approaches new markets, strategic focus, and building products people love at global scaleResourcesSubscribe to the AI & The Future of Work NewsletterConnect with Jeetu on LinkedInAI fun fact articleOn How AI helps serve 70 million meals every dayPast guests mentioned on this show:Box´s CTO Ben Kus on Responsible AI Use, Innovation Culture, and Future AI TrendsBox's Global CIO Ravi Malick on Why Every Problem Doesn't Need an AppCisco´s Former CEO on the Future of AI-Driven Work and Investing in PeopleReign

Affordable Care Act health insurance premiums expire on December 31st, but Congress has yet to come to a bipartisan agreement on policy ahead of that deadline. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) explains his party's strategy and the affordability crisis for many Americans. Former CEO of the Cleveland Clinic Dr. Toby Cosgrove has hope for AI's impact on health care costs; he discusses the future of hospitals and medical innovation. Plus, leaders in the industry have penned a concerned letter to President Trump, the HHS, and the FDA about rare disease research and investment. Outside of health care, President Trump will lower tariffs on some Argentinian food products, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will work with the U.S. on a peace plan between Russia and Ukraine.  Rep. Hakeem Jeffries - 13:48Dr. Toby Cosgrove - 26:16 In this episode:James Lankford, @SenatorLankfordHakeem Jeffries, @RepJeffriesBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinCameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's cruise ships are floating cities – complete with waterslides, sushi bars, and even roller skating rinks.  But it wasn't always that way. Today, we're joined by the leader who helped pioneer the megaship era and transform Royal Caribbean into a global vacation powerhouse. Richard Fain served as CEO for 33 years, building a culture where big ideas could thrive and the whole team was willing to push past what was comfortable or passable in order to deliver truly “wow” experiences. If you want to create a culture that's big on innovation, don't miss this episode.  You'll also learn: What “UFB” stands for (you can probably guess the middle letter) The surprisingly simple strategy that can help your internal initiatives take off How to apply the rule of thirds to your innovation strategy Why he got an emergency phone call from the Swedish Air Force Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The How Leaders Lead App⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daily Insight Emails⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you'll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.

Jim McCann didn't set out to become an entrepreneur. He was a social worker and bartender before finding his way into the floral business. But no matter what he did, he always found a way to connect with people. That instinct eventually led him to build 1-800-Flowers, where he expanded the business strategically, turned it into a household brand, and tapped into the power of customer relationships long before it became a buzzword. In this episode, he shares the lessons that have carried him through decades of reinvention – and why, no matter what technology disruptions may come, smart leadership always comes down to connection. You'll also learn: A simple philosophy for a smart product expansion strategy What it means to be an “engineer” of culture (and why it matters) Why working with teenagers gave him a crash course in leadership The #1 thing you need to do now to prepare your team for the disruption of AI Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The How Leaders Lead App⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daily Insight Emails⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you'll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.