Podcasts about mid market

▸ Slides + every prompt from this talk (free): mspsalestoolbox.com ▸ Work with us: mspsalespartners.comAI has changed how companies prospect, research, and communicate, but many of the world's largest technology companies continue investing heavily in human sales teams. This episode explores what AI can automate, what it still struggles to do, and why trust, judgment, and complex buying decisions continue to require skilled people.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy automation hasn't eliminated the need for human sales conversationsWhich parts of the sales process AI handles well—and which parts it doesn'tWhat the hiring decisions of major technology companies suggest about the future of sales//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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 high close rate is rarely the result of charisma or talent alone. When Ray reviewed the top finalists for MSP Salesperson of the Year, a clear pattern emerged: the best performers were all running nearly the same sales process. This episode breaks down the exact five-step framework behind close rates that are 68% — a the lowest rate — and why consistency in process matters more than most sales teams realize.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeThe qualification mistake that causes many MSPs to leave deals on the tableWhy strong discovery creates higher close rates later in the processThe structure top performers use instead of overwhelming prospects with proposals and quotes//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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 if the reason your business feels harder than it should isn't because you need more clients, more marketing, or more discipline, but because you are operating far below your natural altitude?   Many highly capable women founders have built businesses that look successful on paper, yet still feel exhausting to run. The question is: are you tolerating a market position that is two or three levels below where you, your team, and your expertise actually belong?   In this episode, Eleanor explores the costly gap between authority and market position. She explains why so many women with what she calls 7-figure authority continue to operate in mid-market positions that suppress pricing, strain profitability, and attract buyers who cannot fully absorb the value they provide. She also shares the framework she uses to help founders reposition their companies, close the gap between authority and market perception, and build businesses that create greater wealth, leverage, and enterprise value.   Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/XqSXxj-RhGI Get full show notes and more information here: https://safimedia.co/WO103 Follow Eleanor on LinkedIn and Instagram here:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanorbeaton/ https://www.instagram.com/eleanorbeaton/

A lot of people feel stuck because they think they need more information, another strategy, or outside guidance. But often, the real problem is execution avoidance. This episode explores the growing gap between the things we know we should do and the things we actually complete — and how that gap quietly impacts business growth, health, relationships, and momentum.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy most people already know the decisions that would improve their livesThe hidden psychological cost of carrying an unfinished “should list”How scheduling difficult tasks shifts the brain into execution mode//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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 difficult decisions start showing up everywhere at once — business, marriage, parenting, finances, health — it's easy to assume life is breaking down. But often, those seasons are actually periods of transition and recalibration. In this episode, Ray explains why hard conversations and uncomfortable decisions are usually the entry point to meaningful progress, and how avoidance quietly creates long-term dissatisfaction.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy periods of intense pressure often happen right before major growthThe hidden long-term cost of avoiding uncomfortable decisionsHow to reframe difficult seasons as leverage points instead of warning signs//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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

(11) Gene Marks reports from Nashville that mid-market companies are aggressively adopting AI to supplement labor shortages rather than replace workers, while also navigating the complexities of receiving refunds for previously paid tariffs.1942 LANCASTER PA ARMISTICE DAY

A high close rate is rarely the result of charisma or talent alone. When Ray reviewed the top finalists for MSP Salesperson of the Year, a clear pattern emerged: the best performers were all running nearly the same sales process. This episode breaks down the exact five-step framework behind close rates as high as 76% — and why consistency in process matters more than most sales teams realize.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeThe qualification mistake that causes many MSPs to leave deals on the tableWhy strong discovery creates higher close rates later in the processThe structure top performers use instead of overwhelming prospects with proposals and quotes//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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, Nathan Freystaetter, CEO & Financial Analytics Engineer, Go Fig, joins the podcast to discuss how his company is helping mid-market CFOs modernize financial operations with AI-driven data infrastructure and automation.

In this episode, Nathan Freystaetter, CEO & Financial Analytics Engineer, Go Fig, joins the podcast to discuss how his company is helping mid-market CFOs modernize financial operations with AI-driven data infrastructure and automation.

The mid-market is where tech decisions get dangerous. You are big enough that uptime, security, and delivery speed matter every day, but you are not big enough to burn cash on massive consulting retainers or absorb the fallout from a shaky vendor. That “valley in the middle” is exactly where David Robinson lives, and it is why he built Stratos Development Group to offer right-fit technical leadership, managed services, and software development that feels structured without being out of reach. We walk through David's journey from building early electronic medical record software in healthcare to leading engineering at a venture-backed startup, and then into entrepreneurship. From there, we get practical about what mid-market teams actually struggle with: competitors using the same licensed infrastructure, product roadmaps hijacked by one or two big customers, and the need to own real intellectual property and architecture to keep a competitive edge. For payments, fintech, and ISO leaders, the conversation goes deep on what Stratos is seeing right now: consolidation, tougher differentiation, and the technical friction that can make or break net-new deals. David shares how ISOs can approach technology enablement and custom integrations, plus the bigger opportunity of moving from ISO to ISV. If you already have a book of business, you also have a built-in feedback loop, faster validation, and a clearer path to launching software that your clients will actually pay for. We also tackle AI and the “vibe coding” era, including why agentic development can boost productivity but cannot shortcut PCI, SOC, or HIPAA compliance. If you want to modernize safely and win in a more competitive market, this one is for you. 

Chris Ortega, Head of the Americas at Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners (MSIP), joins Crossroads to discuss the rise of mid-market infrastructure as a distinct and increasingly important investment strategy. He explains how the segment has evolved beyond size definitions to focus on sourcing and value creation. Ortega also explores how MSIP drives value through identifying businesses with robust, consistent earnings while preserving exit flexibility across a variety of financial and strategic buyers.

In questo episodio di Hike Up Conversations abbiamo ospitato Giuseppe Grasso, Amministratore Delegato di Equita Mid Cap Advisory, la divisione M&A e Mid Market del gruppo Equita. Con oltre 30 anni di esperienza nell'investment banking e un percorso da imprenditore in prima persona — ha fondato la boutique Key Finance, cresciuta fino all'ingresso nel gruppo Equita nel 2020, dove è rimasto come azionista — Giuseppe è una delle voci più autorevoli sul tema dell'M&A per le PMI italiane.Con lui abbiamo affrontato un tema che riguarda ogni imprenditore e ogni CEO: capire cosa significa davvero creare valore, come si misura con strumenti concreti, e come le operazioni di M&A — sia di acquisizione che di apertura del capitale — possono diventare una leva straordinaria di crescita, se affrontate nel modo giusto. Una conversazione densa, pratica e ricca di spunti per chi guida un'azienda di medie dimensioni e vuole portarla al livello successivo.Ecco cosa aspettarti da questa puntata:la formula del valore: EBITDA, multiplo e debito finanziarioperché raddoppiare il valore ogni 5 anni è necessario (e possibile) le macro-fasi di un'acquisizione e gli errori più comuniperché da acquirente devi prima saperti venderecosa significa comprare una tribùcessione e apertura del capitale: uno strumento di crescita, non una resacosa porta davvero un fondo di private equityLo speaker di oggi: Giuseppe GrassoGiuseppe Grasso è Amministratore Delegato di Equita Mid Cap Advisory, la divisione M&A e Mid Market del gruppo Equita, investment bank italiana quotata con oltre 100 milioni di fatturato e più di 20 milioni di utili. Dopo aver fondato 27 anni fa Key Finance, boutique specializzata in M&A e co-fondatore della partnership internazionale Clairefield International — presente in oltre 30 paesi — ha guidato l'integrazione della propria società nel gruppo Equita nel 2020, rimanendo azionista e partner. Da oltre tre decenni affianca imprenditori e famiglie imprenditoriali italiane nelle operazioni di crescita, acquisizione e apertura del capitale, portando alle PMI gli strumenti della finanza internazionale.Dopo l'ascolto, crea più valoreConosci qualcuno a cui può interessare questa puntata, oppure pensi che possa essere utile alla tua rete di contatti? Se pensi che ti abbia dato valore, condividila: in questo modo aiuterai loro e contribuirai alla crescita di questo progetto. (se scegli la via dei social non dimenticarti di taggarmi, così potrò ringraziarti di persona!)Contatta lo speakerHike Up Conversations è anche un modo per fare rete.Se vuoi metterti in contatto con Giuseppe Grasso, il nostro speaker di oggi, lo trovi qui:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giuseppe-r-grasso-a97456185Email: gr.grasso@equita.euSito web: https://midcap.equita.eu/ 

Dale Dupree sold copiers for 13 years and outsold his industry average by 11x — using a crumpled piece of paper instead of a thousand cold calls. After losing his father to cancer, he founded The Sales Rebellion.We got into why he thinks AI is making sales worse, how 20 letters outperformed a 4-person SDR team, why he'd hire a grocery bagger over a polished resume, and what servant leadership looks like when nobody's watching.What You'll LearnWhy a crumpled letter consistently outperforms thousands of cold emailsHow an Australian SDR booked 12 meetings with 20 letters — and got written up for itThe one interview question Dale uses to identify coachable hiresWhy the SDR model fundamentally breaks relationship-first sellingWhat Dale's father taught him about leadership at 5 AM without knowing anyone was watchingResourcesthesalesrebellion.comDale on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/copierwarrior//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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 lot of operators think the problem is execution when the real problem is unnecessary infrastructure. This episode explores the hidden cost of building custom tools, AI agents, and internal systems before questioning whether they should exist in the first place. Ray breaks down why complexity compounds faster than most businesses can support — and why disciplined simplicity is becoming a competitive advantage.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy every new internal tool creates long-term maintenance obligationsThe “decision above the decision” most builders skip entirelyHow strong operators solve problems by reducing complexity instead of adding infrastructure//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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

Most salespeople think desperation only shows up in obvious pressure tactics. In reality, prospects feel it long before the close. This episode breaks down how fear, pipeline pressure, and personal financial stress quietly change the way sellers communicate — and why those shifts destroy trust even when the offer itself is strong.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeThe subtle behavioral changes prospects interpret as desperationWhy “checking in” follow-ups often communicate self-interest instead of valueHow to return to a calm, solution-oriented sales process during a slump//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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

Welcome to another episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm with host Roger Knecht. Today, Roger sits down with Tim Brackney to discuss how to build a premier accounting firm, focusing on private equity strategies, firm valuation, and the importance of a clear North Star vision. Learn how Springline Advisory identifies top-tier middle-market advisory businesses by evaluating economic, strategic, and cultural fits, and why a people-first approach is key to success. In This Episode: 00:00 Welcome & Guest Introduction 01:12 Tim's Journey to Springline 03:19 Springline's Goal & Middle Market 05:59 Appeal of the Mid-Market 07:23 Three Vectors for Acquisitions 09:16 Valuation in Acquisitions 12:27 Strategic Fit in Acquisitions 18:11 Cultural Fit Assessment 21:53 Defining Advisory Services 24:31 Best Practices: Future Focus 28:50 Cautionary Tale & Equity Mindset 32:48 Show Sponsors & Episode Summary 37:04 Closing Thoughts & Call to Action Key Takeaways: Define your firm's "North Star" to guide strategic decisions and inspire your team. Understand private equity valuation metrics, focusing on profitability (EBITDA) over traditional revenue multiples. Prioritize cultural fit and talent retention, fostering an "irresistible firm" environment. Develop advisory services with outcome-oriented projects, offering more flexible pricing and higher profitability. Provide ownership opportunities and transparency to motivate team members and cultivate an enterprise mindset. Featured Quotes: "One of the best opportunities that you can have to learn the language of business is in accounting." - Tim Brackney "You have to carve out time and space to make sure that you understand at least what your North Star is." - Tim Brackney "If you've defined a North Star and you can bring your team along with you, there's a huge amount of unlock that comes with it." - Tim Brackney Top 3 Highlights: Valuation Focus: Private equity values firms based on profitability (EBITDA), leadership strength, and recurring revenue, moving beyond traditional revenue multiples. Strategic Fit: Springline Advisory targets middle-market firms with strong leadership and geographic dispersion, aiming to build a full-service advisory firm. Cultural Alignment: A detailed cultural survey and shared values are key to ensuring new firms integrate seamlessly, fostering an "irresistible" environment for both clients and colleagues. Conclusion: Thank you for joining us for another episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm with Roger Knecht. For more information on how you can establish your own accounting firm and take control of your time and income, call 435-344-2060 or schedule an appointment to connect with Roger's team here. Sponsors: Universal Accounting Center Helping accounting professionals confidently and competently offer quality accounting services to get paid what they are worth.   Offers:   Get a FREE copy of these books all accounting professionals should use to work on their business and become profitable.  These are a must-have addition to every accountant's library to provide quality CFO & Advisory services as a Profit & Growth Expert today: "Red to BLACK in 30 days – A small business accountant's guide to QUICK turnarounds" – This is a how-to guide on how to turn around a struggling business into a more sustainable model. Each chapter focuses on a crucial aspect of the turnaround process - from cash flow management to strategies for improving revenue. This book will teach you everything you need to become a turnaround expert for small businesses. "in the BLACK, nine principles to make your business profitable" – Nine Principles to Make Your Business Profitable – Discover what you need to know to run the premier accounting firm and get paid what you are worth in this book, by the same author as Red to Black – CPA Allen B. Bostrom. Bostrom teaches the three major functions of business (marketing, production and accounting) as well as strategies for maximizing profitability for your clients by creating actionable plans to implement the nine principles. "Your Strategic Accountant" - Understand the 3 Core Accounting Services (CAS - Client Accounting Services) you should offer as you run your business. Help your clients understand which numbers they need to know to make more informed business decisions. "Your Profit & Growth Expert" - Your business is an asset. You should know its value and understand how to maximize it. Beginning with the end in mind helps you work ON your business to build a company you can leave so that it can continue to exist in your absence or build wealth as you retire and enjoy the time, freedom, and life you want and deserve. Follow the Turnkey Business plan for accounting professionals.  This is the proven process to start and build the premier accounting firm in your area.  After more than 40 years we've identified the best practices of successful accountants and this is a presentation we are happy to share.     Also learn the best practices to automate and nurture your lead generation process allowing you to get the bookkeeping, accounting and tax clients you deserve.  GO HERE to see this presentation and learn what you can do today to identify and engage with your ideal clients.   Check it out and see what you can do to be in business for yourself but not by yourself with Universal Accounting Center.   It's here you can become a:   Professional Bookkeeper, PB Professional Tax Preparer, PTP Profit & Growth Expert, PGE   Next, join a group of like-minded professionals within the accounting community.  Register to attend GrowCon and Stay up-to-date on current topics and trends and see what you can do to also give back, participating in relevant conversations as they relate to offering quality accounting services and building your bookkeeping, accounting & tax business.   The Accounting & Bookkeeping Tips Facebook Group The Universal Accounting Fanpage Topical Newsletters: Universal Accounting Success The Universal Newsletter   Lastly, get your Business Score to see what you can do to work ON your business and have the Premier Accounting Firm. Join over 70,000 business owners and get your score on the 8 Factors That Drive Your Company's Value.   For Additional FREE Resources for accounting professionals check out this collection HERE!   Be sure to join us for GrowCon, the LIVE event for accounting professionals to work ON their business. This is a conference you don't want to miss.   Remember this, Accounting Success IS Universal. Listen to our next episode and be sure to subscribe.   Also, let us know what you think of the podcast and please share any suggestions you may have.  We look forward to your input: Podcast Feedback   For more information on how you can apply these principles to start and build your accounting, bookkeeping & tax business please visit us at www.universalaccountingschool.com or call us at 8012653777

A lot of MSP owners think they're making “safe” hiring decisions when they delay or minimize sales investment. But many of those decisions are actually driven by a hidden assumption: that sales won't materially change the business. This episode examines how defensive thinking creates growth ceilings, why underfunded sales hires often fail by design, and how strong MSPs use sales to expand the size of the business instead of protecting the size of the budget.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy hiring sales based only on today's budget creates long-term stagnationHow “safe” decisions quietly reduce the odds of sales successThe difference between businesses that protect revenue and businesses that create it//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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 marketing underperforms, the instinct is to change tactics, channels, or people. But if execution is weak, those changes don't stick—they just create more noise. This episode reframes what looks like a marketing problem into something more fundamental: your ability to consistently turn decisions into outcomes.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy fixing marketing rarely works if execution is inconsistentHow weak execution shows up as “department problems” across the businessWhat changes when execution becomes the standard instead of the exceptionFollow Ray on: YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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 Poised for Exit, Hilary Spreizer, Owner and CEO of The Latitude Group, shares her unexpected journey from employee to owner after purchasing the company during the uncertainty of COVID. She discusses the challenges of transitioning from leading sales and revenue generation to building the operational structure needed to scale a growing business.Hilary explains how strategic hires, stronger systems, and a focus on scalable infrastructure helped the company achieve significant growth and earn a Fast 50 award. She also shares lessons on leadership, surrounding yourself with people who know what you don't, and implementing frameworks like EOS to create accountability and long-term organizational stability.The conversation also explores how mid-market companies are approaching AI, hiring, and technology adoption. Hilary discusses why many businesses rush into AI tools without a clear strategy, the operational and privacy risks that can create, and why companies should focus first on identifying the business problem before investing in technology solutions.The episode highlights the connection between operational scalability and enterprise value, particularly for owners preparing for future growth or exit planning. Hilary shares why reducing founder dependency, building resilient teams, and slowing down long enough to create the right blueprint can dramatically improve long-term outcomes.Connect with Hillary Spreizer hereLearn more about The Latitude Group here Connect with Julie Keyes, Keyestrategies LLCFounder, Consultant, Author, Pod-caster and Instructor

When results drop, it's easy to point to the market, the economy, or “how things are right now.” But that explanation comes at a cost—it shifts you out of control and into reaction. This episode examines what changes the moment you accept that narrative, and why some sellers in the exact same conditions continue to close. The issue isn't just performance—it's what you've started to believe about it.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeHow accepting external explanations quietly removes your ability to solve the problemWhy two sellers in the same conditions produce completely different outcomesWhat shifts internally before results ever show up in your pipelineFollow Ray on: YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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

You're trying to build a positive culture—but performance keeps slipping, and no one is saying what needs to be said. This episode breaks down why “niceness” often replaces truth inside teams, and how that tradeoff quietly drives poor decisions and repeated losses. If your team feels good but isn't getting better, this is the tension you're in.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Why teams default to agreement even when they know something is wrongHow avoiding conflict directly impacts execution and resultsThe hidden cost of protecting feelings over telling the truthFollow Ray on: YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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

Most people think sales is a role. It's not—it's a constant condition. This episode reframes sales as the ability to navigate other people's motivations under real constraints, using a story that exposes how decisions actually get made in everyday life.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Why “I'm not in sales” is a costly assumptionHow decisions are shaped by context, emotion, and timing—not logic aloneWhat changes when you start seeing alignment instead of persuasion//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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, Frank Sohn sits down with Erik Pilgrim, Founder and CEO of RenderDraw, to explore how 3D visualization is transforming the complex world of CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote). Erik shares his journey from leading pre-sales and product teams in the SAP and Salesforce ecosystems to founding RenderDraw just as the world changed in early 2020. We dive deep into how RenderDraw acts as a powerful visualization and interaction layer for some of the world's largest manufacturers and high-tech companies. They discuss: The "Visual Gap" in CPQ: Why standard configurations often fall short for heavy industrial manufacturing and complex CAD-heavy assemblies. Platform Agnosticism: While heavily rooted in the Salesforce ecosystem (including integrations with Agentforce), Erik explains how the market is shifting toward a CPQ-agnostic approach, with RenderDraw now supporting ServiceNow (Logik.ai) and Conga. The Manufacturing Lifecycle: Moving beyond the quote to explore product discovery, digital twins, and spare parts reordering. The AI Revolution: An inside look at Journeys, RenderDraw's new standalone 3D + AI application designed for both humans and AI agents. Implementation Realities: Why a "one-day setup" is a myth for enterprises, and how to build a visual solution that a standard Salesforce Admin can maintain. Whether you are a Mid-Market leader or an Enterprise architect in industrial manufacturing or data centers, this episode provides a roadmap for leveraging spatial reasoning to close deals faster and improve the post-purchase experience.

How do you know when your current setup has stopped working, and what to do with it when it does?In this bonus episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, Chris sits down with Shane Dubbelman, Head of Partnerships at MRPeasy, and Sara Duff, Managing Director at Smart Manufacture, to talk about what happens at that point, when the lack of visibility into inventory, costs, and operations starts to hold a business back.They get into where spreadsheets begin to slack, how to think about MRP vs ERP at that stage of growth, and why a lot of companies looking at ERP are probably aiming too far ahead of what they need.Sara shares a couple of examples from her work with manufacturers, including how one CNC machining business ended up stretched across a mix of disconnected tools. And Shane walks through how MRPeasy approaches the tricky task of implementation.In this episode, find out:The point where spreadsheets start to break down, and the impact that has on costs and planningWhy most companies aiming for ERP would be better starting with MRPHow one CNC machining business ended up stretched across disconnected toolsWhat changed for a manufacturer that moved off Excel and saw 25% growth in a yearThe common traits Sara sees in manufacturers that scale successfullyHow MRPeasy approaches implementation, from self-serve to hands-on supportEnjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It's feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!Tweetable Quotes:“A lot of small manufacturers that are looking for ERP software probably actually need MRP software - because they're looking to manage their manufacturing.” - Shane Dubbelman“A year after MRPeasy went live, they grew their business by just over 25% - without significantly increasing their headcount. The system made that possible.” - Sara Duff“It's those that are open to looking at there being a different way of doing things. I may not know exactly how to do that, but if I bring in the right people and the right technology, I can achieve it.” - Sara DuffLinks & mentions:MRPeasy User Manual, installing MRPeasy does not have to be hard or expensive; you can even do it yourselfSmart Manufacture, UK-based Smart Manufacture works with companies from SMEs to Mid-Market across multiple verticals, including engineering to order, discrete manufacturing, batch manufacturing and process manufacturing; Smart Manufacture help these companies to specify, select and implement proven best of breed software which can deliver tangible business outcomes – reduced costs, improved operational efficiencies, increased revenues and improved productivityMake sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

In PayPal's early days, customers were so pissed off about service issues that they tracked down direct lines to employees and called headquarters to yell at them. Leadership's response wasn't to fix customer service. They ripped the phones out of the wall. In this episode, Ray breaks down the Reid Hoffman story behind one of the most underrated disciplines in business: figuring out which fires to let burn. PayPal's leadership knew growth determined funding, and funding was oxygen — so they let the customer service fire rage while they stepped on the gas. Most operators can't make that call because they want to hedge, and hedging means running out of water trying to put out the wrong fire. This is for founders and operators who have more problems than resources, which is to say — all of them.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Why the loudest problem is almost never the right one to solve — and how PayPal identified funding as the real constraint while everything else was on fireThe triage mindset that separates operators who scale from operators who stall — and why hedging is the default trapWhat it actually takes to let a fire burn when customers are screaming and your own team is telling you it's bullshit//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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

Most people run Elon's algorithm in reverse. They automate first, simplify second, and never question whether the process should exist at all. In this episode, Ray breaks down the 5-step algorithm Musk developed the hard way at SpaceX and Tesla — question every requirement, delete, simplify, accelerate, automate — and why the order matters more than the steps themselves. If you're tech-friendly or systems-minded, you're probably guilty of this: falling in love with the machine instead of the output. The sin isn't skipping steps. It's running them backwards, which is how you end up with bloated automations built on processes that shouldn't exist in the first place.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Why automating first locks in the wrong process — and Musk's rule that if you're not adding back 10% of what you deleted, you haven't deleted enoughHow smart people create invisible requirements nobody challenges — and why Step 1 is questioning the rules themselvesWhy tech and systems-minded operators fall in love with the machine instead of the output — and how to reverse itElon Musk explains his 5-step algorithm for running companieshttps://youtu.be/tdf3luOCNks?si=WGPPvOsJmW99btKkAn Ultimate Guide to Elon Musk's Algorithmhttps://geekway.substack.com/p/an-ultimate-guide-to-elon-musks-algorithm//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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

Michael Jordan earned about $90 million from his entire NBA career. Last year alone, he made $300 million — almost all of it from Nike, because of one clause his mom pushed for before he ever played a pro game: a 25% royalty on any shoe sold with his likeness. In this episode, Ray breaks down three decisions that dwarfed entire careers — Jordan's royalty, Bill Gates' non-exclusive license on QDOS that built Microsoft, and George Lucas trading $500K of his directing fee for Star Wars merchandising rights. The pattern isn't luck. These decisions never announce themselves as the big one — and most founders miss them because they're too buried in small stuff to notice.What You'll Learn in This Episode:How Jordan's mom turned a $2.5M shoe deal into a multi-billion dollar empire — and the one-line carve-out Bill Gates used to build MicrosoftWhy decision fatigue on small stuff is costing you the decisions that actually move the needleHow to create the headspace required to recognize high-leverage moments when they show up//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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

"Wait until you're at $3-5M before hiring an SDR" — Ray heard this from an attendee at a Dallas event who'd been given the rule by an EOS-type advisor. His problem with it: that rule treats the SDR as an expense you need to afford, not a revenue multiplier that helps you generate the money in the first place. "I can't afford to make more money until I've made a certain amount of money" doesn't hold up. At MSP Sales Partners, Ray's first two hires were SDRs — because when you're starting a business and need to drive demand, you hire the person who creates revenue, not wait until revenue shows up on its own.The bigger lesson goes beyond SDRs. Business isn't paint-by-numbers, and most "rules" are just someone projecting their personal experience onto every business. Whether to hire — and when — depends on your demand, your constraints, and what role actually multiplies output at your stage.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Why the $3-5M SDR rule treats a revenue multiplier like a fixed expense — and why that logic breaks downHow Ray's first two hires at MSP Sales Partners were SDRs, and what he learned when organic demand changed the equationWhy most business "rules" are overgeneralizations built on one person's experienceThe real question to ask before hiring an SDR: what's the core constraint in your business right now?//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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 of our Fractional SDR Management customers — an MSP owner — came to Ray with a show rate hovering just above 40%. The appointments were coming in, but half of them weren't showing up. Ray walked him through the exact diagnosis: go back and listen to the calls, figure out if the bookings are soft commitments or locked-in appointments, and then implement a 5-step pre-call process that covers everything from value-driven confirmation emails to same-day no-show recovery. The part most people miss? Garbage appointments don't just waste time — they push your real prospects further out on the calendar, and more time between booking and meeting always means a lower show rate.If you're running SDRs or BDRs and your show rate is below 60%, this episode walks through exactly where to look and what to fix.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Why a low show rate is almost always a booking quality problem before it's a follow-up problemHow "garbage" appointments silently destroy close rates on your good prospectsThe 5-step pre-call process Ray walks every Fractional SDR Management client throughWhy a value-driven confirmation email outperforms a standard calendar inviteThe no-show recovery window — and why speed matters more than the script//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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 I don't try and I fail, I can always say I didn't try that hard — so it isn't a real failure." That's the lie. And it quietly caps the ceiling of some of the most talented people you'll ever meet.Ray recently gave an AI presentation at a major IT event — packed house, standing room only, people sitting on the floor. Most attended session outside the keynotes. His email list grew more in one day than any day he can remember. By every measure, a home run.But the real lesson wasn't in the presentation. It was in the lead-up — because Ray put more reps into this one than almost anything he's done. Five run-throughs on the day of alone. A 40-page AI workbook built from scratch. Hours of structuring content for an audience that ranged from AI-first operators to owners still getting started with ChatGPT. The kind of preparation most "smart kids" were taught to be embarrassed by — and exactly what produced the confidence walking into that room.This episode traces that pattern back to childhood: coasting on talent, treating effort as weakness, using "I didn't really try" as an ego shield. And what happens when you hit a level where talent alone stops being enough.If you've ever caught yourself holding back effort to protect the story you tell yourself about how smart you are — this one's for you.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Why growing up "gifted" can build a habit of avoiding effort — and how that compounds over timeThe preparation behind Ray's highest-performing live presentation, including a 40-page AI workbook built for a technically advanced audienceWhy the confidence from going all-out can't be replaced by any shortcutHow "not trying" becomes an ego-protection strategy disguised as indifferenceWhat happens when you combine raw talent with the superpower of effort — and why icons like Kobe and Jordan prove the formula//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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

The first year of owning a business doesn't look like growth—it looks like uncertainty, pressure, and constant second-guessing. This episode examines what really happens after the deal closes, and why most expectations about ownership don't survive contact with reality.What You'll Learn in This Episode:What the first year of ownership actually demands from you—mentally and operationallyWhy the transition from operator to owner exposes gaps you didn't know you hadThe question that matters more than deal terms before you buy a business//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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

Most business owners assume building a “better” business automatically leads to a higher exit. But buyers don't pay for effort—they pay for what they value. This episode breaks down the gap between what you're building and what the market will actually reward when it's time to sell.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Why effort and improvement don't guarantee a higher valuationHow misaligned priorities quietly reduce what buyers are willing to payThe decision shift that changes how you build years before an exit//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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

You can hit targets, drive results, and still miss what actually matters. This episode examines the moment when performance metrics stop telling the full story—and the cost of not seeing what's underneath. If you lead people, this is about the decisions you make when something feels off but isn't obvious.What You'll Learn in This Episode• How strong performance can mask deeper personal risk in your team• The difference between managing output and actually seeing your people• What leaders often miss before a situation becomes irreversible//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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

Justin Watt talks about why AI adoption often fails and how companies can build operational systems that deliver at scale. Justin is the CEO and co-founder of Switchboard, where he helps mid-market companies replace manual workflows with automated, scalable systems. Listen for three action items you can use today. Host, Kevin Craine Do you want to be a guest? https://DigitalTransformationPodast.net/guest Do you want to be a sponsor? https://DigitalTransformationPodcast.net/advertise

You see someone getting results with a tactic—cold email, a sales process, a hiring strategy—and you try it yourself. Same steps. Same structure. Completely different outcome.In this episode, I break down why copying what works rarely works—and what you're actually missing when you do.If you've ever wondered why your execution feels right but still falls flat, this will change how you evaluate every tactic you see.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy tactics fail when they're removed from the system that makes them workThe hidden variables (brand, ICP, lead source) that determine whether something actually performsHow to stop copying isolated tactics and start evaluating the full system behind them//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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

You finally have a process that “works”—so your instinct is to automate it.But what if that decision is exactly what locks in everything that's wrong with it?In this episode, I walk through a real decision inside my business where we paused a powerful custom-built system—and why that pause matters more than the tech itself.If you're building, scaling, or optimizing anything right now, this will change how you decide what to systemize—and when.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy automation too early can make the wrong process harder to fixHow to recognize when “efficiency” is actually hiding deeper problemsThe decision filter we used to pause a fully built platform (and what we're doing instead)//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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 someone joins a company, they don't just bring experience, they bring change. In this episode, Johnny breaks down how he uses job change signals to break into accounts, build relationships with new stakeholders, and create pipeline from day one. From SDR to AE, we unpack how identifying the right moment to reach out can be the difference between being ignored… and starting a deal.

In this episode of Cloud Wars Live, Bob Evans sits down with Pankaj Goel, CEO of Opkey, to explore how agentic AI is reshaping ERP implementations and the broader systems integrator landscape. Goel shares how Opkey's platform automates the full lifecycle of enterprise applications — from design through testing and support — while addressing long-standing inefficiencies in implementation models. The discussion highlights the growing urgency for speed, cost efficiency, and business outcomes in the AI Era, and how digital workers are enabling organizations to rethink both delivery models and competitive positioning. AI Transforms ERP The Big Themes: AI Reshapes ERP Delivery Models: The conversation underscores a major disconnect between modern cloud ERP adoption and outdated implementation methodologies. While enterprises are rapidly shifting toward cloud-based systems like Oracle, SAP, and Workday, many systems integrators still rely on legacy approaches rooted in early-2000s practices. This mismatch results in inefficiencies, cost overruns, and delayed outcomes. Opkey addresses this gap by introducing AI-driven automation that aligns delivery models with the speed and flexibility required in today's AI Economy. Massive Time and Cost Savings: The platform delivers measurable efficiency gains. Customers report up to 40% reductions in day-to-day operational time post-implementation, while testing cycles shrink from weeks to just a few days. For systems integrators, implementation costs have dropped by approximately 25% in early deployments. These improvements not only enhance productivity but also enable faster innovation cycles, allowing businesses to respond more quickly to market changes. A Win-Win Ecosystem Vision: Opkey's strategy is built around creating value for all stakeholders: ERP vendors, systems integrators, and end customers. By improving implementation success rates, reducing costs, and accelerating time to value, the platform fosters a “win-win” ecosystem. This holistic approach ensures that innovation benefits the entire enterprise software value chain, rather than optimizing for one group at the expense of others. The Big Quote: “Copilots. . . help you understand your information better, whereas agents and agentic AI is a fundamentally different way of conceiving work. Think of an AI agent as a digital worker, just like you used to have Oracle administrators in past and your business analysts." More from Pankaj Goel and Opkey: Connect with Pankaj on LinkedIn or learn more about Opkey Release Advisor and CALM. Visit Cloud Wars for more.

Many mid-market companies tend to hit a wall around the eighth year. The very processes that helped you get to this point are now what's holding you back from moving forward. This panel discussion aims to break the cycle of 'future-proofing' and focus on what it takes to stay relevant.   Introducing your Future-Maker panel:   - Christy Maxfield, President and CEO of Purpose First Advisors - Dean Barta, Founder and CEO of Barta Business Group - Jess Dewell, Managing Partner and Growth Strategist at Red Direction   Tune in to explore the differences between playing defense and offense, the unintentional growth throttling that can occur, the power of curiosity, and how true accountability fuels progress.    This episode offers practical insights—from empowering teams and celebrating small victories to building a business that supports succession and growth. You'll find valuable tips to shift your mindset, prioritize effectively, and cultivate a culture that embraces the future.   Your business's success hinges on the decisions you make today. Each small victory, combined with a commitment to accountability, accelerates your momentum. Whether you're focusing on staying competitive or planning an exit strategy, this episode provides a bold perspective and actionable strategies to help you become a true future-maker.   --------------------   If you want to move from daily uncertainty to unwavering confidence, lead with clarity, make sharper decisions, and build a business that not only survives but thrives through change, check out the Driving Solutions Strategic Intensive program.   -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

What if making more calls is actually hurting your sales results?Across 65 SDRs, the ones booking the most meetings aren't the highest-activity reps—they're often making fewer calls.If your outbound feels like a grind with inconsistent results, the issue might not be effort—it might be the model you're using.In this episode, Ray breaks down why the “numbers game” is outdated—and what actually drives consistent pipeline today.What You'll Learn in This Episode:• Why high call volume creates more problems than it solves in modern outbound• The hidden operational costs behind “cheap” SDR strategies• How top-performing reps approach prospecting differently—and why it compounds over time//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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 AI can replace your sales team… why are the best AI companies still hiring humans?The company with the most advanced AI voices in the world chose not to use agents for outbound—and built a 46% outbound pipeline with humans instead.What if the “AI replaces sales” narrative is costing you pipeline, burning your market, and giving you false confidence?In this episode, Ray breaks down why AI isn't the shortcut you think it is—and where it actually belongs if you want real results.What You'll Learn in This Episode• Why outbound sales fails faster with AI—even when it wins on volume• The hidden psychological reason prospects reject AI-driven outreach• How to use AI to amplify your team instead of quietly replacing your results//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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

You're not building a new opportunity—you're abandoning a working one.More MSP owners are “vibe coding” CRMs, convinced it's their next big move… while their actual business quietly stalls.What if the thing pulling your attention isn't growth—but a distraction disguised as progress?In this episode, Ray breaks down why building software might be the most expensive mistake you can make right now—and what deserves your focus instead.What You'll Learn in This Episode:• Why shifting from a $1M–$5M service business into software resets you back to zero• The difference between building a product people might want vs. validating one they'll actually pay for• How “productive” distractions keep you from solving the real constraint in your business//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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

AYou don't have a content problem—you're just burning your best ideas.Most creators are producing more than enough content… but still not seeing results. Why? Because what they've already created never gets fully used.If one piece of content could turn into 20, 30, even 50 assets—without more effort—your entire content strategy would change.In this episode, Ray breaks down why you're stuck on the content treadmill—and what needs to change if you want your work to actually compound.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy creating more content is often the wrong move—and what's actually holding your growth backThe “flaring” problem that causes creators to waste their highest-quality ideasHow top creators turn one idea into dozens of outputs without increasing their workload//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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 if the work you think is growing your business is actually just making you feel like it is?After disappearing for 8 years, Travis Kalanick—former Uber founder—quietly built a $15B robotics company, operating in 30 countries with thousands of employees… without PR, branding, or even LinkedIn visibility.This forces a harder question: if you removed validation, visibility, and noise—would your business still move forward?In this episode, Ray breaks down the hidden difference between building and performing—and why the question you're asking might be capping your entire trajectory.What You'll Learn In This Episode:Why most founders are stuck in a “visibility loop” that feels productive—but isn't actually moving the business forwardThe mindset shift from “Can I do this?” to “What would it take?”—and how it changes the scale of problems you pursueHow removing yourself as the constraint fundamentally alters the opportunities, talent, and outcomes available to you//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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

Most compensation plans don't fail because they're complicated—they fail because they're unclear.If you can't name the exact behavior your comp plan is designed to drive, you're not incentivizing performance—you're creating confusion and misalignment.In this episode, I break down the one question that cuts through all of it—and why getting this right changes how your team actually shows up day to day.If you want a comp plan that drives the behaviors you actually need (not just outcomes you hope for), this episode will show you where to start.What You'll Learn In This EpisodeWhy every comp plan is fundamentally a behavior-shaping system—not a payment structureThe hidden misalignment created when you pay people on outcomes they don't controlHow to identify the specific actions that actually move your business forward//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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 execution starts slipping in a business—missed deadlines, dropped tasks, confusion across the team—most leaders immediately try to fix the wrong thing.The real issue almost always comes down to one of three root causes: priorities, process, or people.In this episode, Ray breaks down the simple framework he uses to diagnose execution problems after a recent rollout inside his own company didn't go as planned. When you diagnose the problem correctly, the path to fixing it becomes obvious.If your team feels busy but progress keeps stalling, this episode will help you identify the real cause so you can stop applying the wrong fix and start getting execution back on track.What you'll learn in this episode:• The three root causes behind almost every execution breakdown in a business• Why leaders often misdiagnose execution problems and make them worse• How to determine whether your issue is priorities, process, or people//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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

▸ Get My Free MSP Sales Toolbox: https://msp.sale/yt-toolbox ▸ Check out MSP Sales Partners: mspsalespartners.com ▸ Learn about our SDR Accelerator program: https://mspsalespartners.com/sdr-accelerator -Three MSPs in our program are consistently booking 15-20 qualified appointments every month from their SDRs. And they're using very distinct strategies — different than the standard smile and dial strategy. I asked all of them to walk me through everything. In this video, I break down those 3 case studies and what they're doing different. Plus the 5 most common mistakes that cause everyone else to get no ROI from their SDR investment.//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.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

Ashok sits down with Ron Baker, co-founder of THRESHOLD and founder of the VeraSage Institute, to explore how mid-market companies must rethink their economic model in the age of AI. Ron began his career at KPMG before pioneering value pricing and leading a decades-long movement away from time-based billing. He is the author of eight books, including Times Up, and has sold more than 80,000 copies worldwide. This conversation digs into how CEOs in traditional industries can move from activity-based thinking to outcome-based economics in an AI-enabled world. In This Episode.. • Why most firms optimize around internal activity rather than measurable customer outcomes • The idea of the Transformation Economy and what it means for traditional industries • Why customer profit is the most overlooked metric in business • A real-world example of a CPA who created 15 million dollars in value but billed only 38,000 • Outcome-based pricing and the concept of a tip clause • How AI increases structural capital and changes firm design • Why smaller, more leveraged firms may outperform larger legacy organizations • The direct primary care model and what it teaches about transformation • Why human capital, structural capital, and social capital matter in the AI era Mentioned in This Episode Ron Baker - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronaldbaker THRESHOLD - https://thresholdnow.com VeraSage Institute - https://www.verasage.com Times Up by Ron Baker - https://www.amazon.com/Times-Up-Reinventing-Professional-Economy/ The Soul of Enterprise Radio Show - https://www.voiceamerica.com/show/2735/the-soul-of-enterprise-business-in-the-knowledge-economy Fender and Fender Play - https://www.fender.com/play Howard Moran and MD Squared - https://www.mdsquared.com Dr. Paul Thomas - https://www.plumhealthdpc.com/ Palantir Technologies - https://www.palantir.com Peter Drucker - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Drucker Ron's articles on "Earning his mouse ears" from his time at Disney University  https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20131020050344-38251380-earning-my-mouse-ears-part-i/ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20131103175004-38251380-earning-my-mouse-ears-part-ii/ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20131117162628-38251380-earning-my-mouse-ears-part-iii/

From time to time, we'll re-air a previous episode of the show that our newer audience may have missed. During this episode, Santosh is joined by Alex Barroux, Co-Founder and CEO at Bonx, a company that offers a customizable, no-code ERP system designed to streamline operations for small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses. Santosh and Alex discuss Bonx's innovative ERP solutions as Alex highlights the challenges companies face with traditional ERP systems and explains how Bonx's low-code platform offers rapid implementation and user autonomy. The conversation covers market dynamics, customer success stories, and Bonx's expansion beyond France. Alex shares his vision for the future and emphasizes the importance of adaptability and innovation in ERP systems for manufacturing. Highlights from their conversation include: Bonx's ERP Approach (1:25) Alex's Background and Journey (3:17) Challenges in Traditional ERP Systems (6:54) User Autonomy and Customization (9:33) Rapid Implementation Timeline (11:46) Sales Cycle Efficiency (13:47) Identifying Potential Customers (17:30) Expansion Beyond France (18:26) Sales Playbook Success (20:20) Vision for Bonx (22:25) AI in Manufacturing (24:35) The Future of ERP (25:06) Final Thoughts and Takeaways (25:24) Dynamo is a VC firm led by supply chain and mobility specialists that focus on seed-stage, enterprise startups. Find out more at: https://www.dynamo.vc/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In part two of our interview with Gryphon's co-CEO, we discover why his $11 billion firm built a 40-person ops team—something most middle-market firms wouldn't even contemplate.