Podcasts about Presales

Episode 60: Masters of Crowdfunding—In this episode we'll discover how how this innovative golf trolley combines cutting-edge technology and design to give players a hands-free, smarter experience on the golf course and how they used crowdfunding to bring their businesses to life. Links:Work with us: https://tinyurl.com/muedu7rfiXi: https://www.ixi.golf/

In dieser Folge sprechen wir offen darüber, warum in PreSales-Teams oft wenig Lust auf Weiterentwicklung herrscht – und was du als Führungskraft wirklich tun kannst, um das zu ändern. Wir teilen persönliche Erfahrungen aus aktuellen Kundengesprächen, analysieren typische Widerstände und zeigen, wie fehlende Kommunikation und falsches Framing die Motivation im Keim ersticken. Gemeinsam diskutieren wir, wie du Enablement-Maßnahmen wirksam begründest, individuelle Entwicklungsziele setzt und echtes Team-Engagement schaffst. Dabei nehmen wir auch die Führungsebene kritisch unter die Lupe: Wie viel Verantwortung trägst du selbst für fehlende Motivation? Hör rein und erfahre, wie du dein PreSales-Team aus der Demo-Comfort-Zone holst und zum strategischen Partner entwickelst. ----------

In this episode we'll discover why this magnetic belt is turning heads and securing waists around the world and how they leveraged this crowdfunding strategy to raise over $200k for presales.Links:Work with us:https://tinyurl.com/2becdyz8iXi: https://distilunion.com/

In dieser Folge spreche ich mit Thomas Birke über seinen mutigen Sprung aus dem Solution Engineering hinüber ins Product Marketing – und was ihn wirklich dazu bewogen hat, nach fast zehn Jahren bei Salesforce die Seiten zu wechseln. Wir tauchen tief in seine ersten Monate in der neuen Rolle ein, sprechen über echte Herausforderungen, überraschende Unterschiede und seine Motivation, mehr Reichweite zu erzielen und Content für ein Millionenpublikum zu schaffen. Außerdem diskutieren wir offen das Spannungsfeld zwischen SE und Product Marketing, den Umgang mit Perfektionismus und wie es ist, wenn Features auf der großen Bühne angekündigt werden, bevor sie überhaupt fertig sind. Wer mit dem Gedanken spielt, seine Karriere neu auszurichten, bekommt hier ungefilterte Einblicke und wertvolle Tipps direkt aus der Praxis – natürlich in meinem gewohnt offenen Stil. Thomas bei LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tbirke/ ----------

The Future of AI in Presales: Beyond Demo Automation In this episode, Jack Cochran is joined by Nalin Senthamil, Founder and CEO of Storylane, to discuss the evolution of AI in presales beyond simple demo automation. They explore the hidden costs of demos, how the buyer themselves are becoming AI-powered, and the emergence of AI tools for sellers, much like Storylane has developed with RepEx Thank you to Storylane for sponsoring this episode! Visit Storylane.io to learn more. Follow Us Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/ Connect with Nalin Senthamil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nalinpradeep/  Links and Resources Mentioned Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack RepEx (AI buyer engagement platform): Available at https://www.storylane.io/ Key Topics Covered Nalin's Journey from Amazon AI Engineer to Demo Automation Founder The Hidden Cost Per Demo AI at the Infrastructure Level RepEx: The Next Generation of Buyer Engagement The Context Handoff Problem Presales as Strategic Advisors in 2026 Timestamps 00:00 Welcome 03:15 Nalin's Background: From Amazon AI Engineer to Storylane Founder  05:54 The Cost Per Demo Problem and Demo Automation Impact  13:24 What are we leaving behind with AI, and what remains human?  20:00 RepEx Launch: Beyond Traditional Chatbots  26:25 The Importance of Context in the Buyer Journey  28:54 How Presales Teams Can Prepare for AI Integration  30:15 Final Advice: Building Long-Term AI Capabilities in Presales

Buyers aren't showing up to your first call “curious” anymore, they're showing up pre-researched, pre-ranked, and powered by AI.In this episode, we're joined by John Brunswick (former Distinguished SE at Salesforce, founder of StoryPath.ai, and author of Burn the Deck) to break down what AI is changing in the buyer/seller dynamic.We dig into:Why AI gives buyers “superpowers” (and what that means for your first meeting)Why traditional product demos can feel like the worst first date everHow story becomes the envelope for your value, and helps you regain controlPractical ways to add framing, “from/to” summaries, and pallet-cleansing medium shifts to keep buyers engagedIf you want your next discovery + demo to actually earn the second meeting, this one's a must.

Bring on the box office! In this epic episode, Ryan celebrates the fortnight (two weeks) until the release of SCREAM 7. First, Ryan and Amar discuss the SCREAM 7 new massive box office projections after the first three days of tickets being on sale. Then, they discuss the in-depth Entertainment Tonight segment on set of the film, and Neve's answer about SCREAM 8. Then, Ryan is joined by Dustin Putman, author of "The Fright File" and recap their top 5 moments from each of the six SCREAM films. To conclude, Ryan and Ashley elect "Fortnight" as the Taylor Swift Song of the Week.    Box Office Presale Success The Entertainment Tonight Segment Film Criticism Top Moments in SCREAM 1-6 "Fortnight"   Follow us @ScreamWithRCS at Facebook, X, and Instagram.   Subscribe at Patreon.com/screamwithrcs    Taylor Swift Song of the Day: "Fortnight" (The Tortured Poets Department)  

In this episode, I break down my exact journey to my first $1,000 in book sales - from publishing to pricing, audience building, and grassroots promotion that still works today.I share the story behind my first book release while I was still a middle school teacher, the mistakes I made, and the strategies I used to sell books long before AI, before social media selling was common, and before I knew what online business really looked like.In this episode, I cover:→ How pricing your book too cheaply can hurt your revenue→ Why pre‑sales and audience momentum matter→ Grassroots, organic strategies that worked→ How a launch party became a sales strategy→ Why promotion continues after warm market exhaustion→ How selling books leads to expanded offers, talks, and digital products→ The mindset shift from creation to intentional monetization→ Why your authentic voice will outlast AI duplication (for now)Whether you're a coach, author, consultant, or business owner, this episode shows you that books are business tools - not just accomplishments.Takeaways:- Price your book based on value, not comparison- Pre‑sell and build momentum before launch- Consistent promotion builds long‑term sales- Warm markets are good - but new audiences grow revenue- Your story plus strategy = influence + profit- Monetization requires intention and consistency- Authentic voice connects deeper than AI aloneSound Bites:“Books don't sell by themselves - you do.”“Your warm market only takes you so far.”“Price it for profit, not permission.”“Promotion begins before launch and continues after.”“Your book should open doors - not just sit on shelves.”Links: Join the Monetize Your Book Challenge: A 5-Day (virtual) sales accelerator workshop for experts using your future or current thought leadership book to grow your coaching, speaking or consulting business! - https://www.jasminewomack.com/monetizeBOOK: Purchase a copy of Published and Paid®: Write, Self Publish, and Launch Your Nonfiction Book in 90 Days or Less - https://a.co/d/95ckzMx COMMUNITY: Published and Paid®: The Community - Facebook Group - www.facebook.com/groups/publishedandpaidfree Socials:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thejasminewomack IG: instagram.com/thejasminewomack FB: facebook.com/authorjasminewomack Youtube: youtube.com/thejasminewomack

In dieser Folge spreche ich mit Julian Scharf über die entscheidende Zusammenarbeit zwischen Head of Sales und Head of PreSales – und warum diese Beziehung oft über Erfolg oder Misserfolg im Vertrieb entscheidet. Wir teilen echte Erfahrungen, diskutieren typische Konfliktfelder und zeigen, wie gegenseitiges Verständnis und offene Kommunikation ein Sales-Team wirklich nach vorne bringen. Du erfährst, welche Erwartungen an PreSales Teams heute gestellt werden, warum Demo-Monkey-Denken nicht mehr reicht und wie gemeinsame KPIs und Customer Experience als Erfolgsfaktor wirken. Wir nehmen dich mit hinter die Kulissen unserer Zusammenarbeit und zeigen, wie man auch in schwierigen Situationen als Team gewinnt. Hör rein und entdecke, wie aus einer guten Partnerschaft im Vertrieb nachhaltiger Erfolg wird. Julian bei LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianscharf/ ----------

In this episode, iTnews host Jennifer O'Brien is joined by Stephanie Barnett, Vice President of Presales and Interim GM for Asia Pacific & Japan at Okta. Together they unpack why identity has moved from an authentication project to a board-level business layer, and why “attackers don't break in – they log in”.You will hear how organisations across Australia, New Zealand and the wider APJ region are responding to Essential Eight-driven identity requirements, the rise of non-human identities and AI agents, and the growing challenge of fragmented identity estates. Stephanie also shares what CISOs should be telling their boards in 2026, including practical steps to reduce risk while enabling productivity and secure automation.

Post Malone Biography Flash a weekly Biography.Hey darlings, its your AI gossip guru Roxie Rush here for Biography Flash on Post Malone, and honey, being powered by AI means I scour the web faster than Posty downs a Bud Light, delivering piping-hot scoops without missing a beat. Buckle up, because the past few days have been a whirlwind for our tattooed troubadour.Just last night, February 6th, Post Malone absolutely slayed a free pop-up concert at Fort Mason in San Francisco for Super Bowl LX weekend, as NBC Bay Area captured fans from Denmark and Australia lining up since Thursday for those genre-bending vibes. Holler Country reports hes teaming up with Jelly Roll for the massive Big Ass Stadium Tour Part Two kicking off spring 2026, with dates like El Pasos Sun Bowl on May 13thwhere the Star on the Mountain glowed yellow in his honor, per KFOXTVand Waco at McLane Stadium, Carter Faith opening most shows. Presales exploded yesterday via Postys artist fan club starting February 6th at 10am local, Citi for US dates through February 9th, and Amex for Canadas Toronto gig on June 16th, with general onsale February 10th on Ticketmaster. Axios Cleveland confirms their June 25th stadium stop at Huntington Bank Field, building on their Losers collab buzz.Bud Light announced Posty headlining their Super Bowl LX bash, Bud Light Presents Post Malone and Buddies, on February 6th too, tying into his decade-long partnership and that sneaky Super Bowl LIX commercial spothes hyping fans 21-plus to DM or comment PostyBL2026 on their Insta or Facebook for ticket wins. No fresh social media posts from Posty himself in the last 24 hours, but his official site lists merch drops like F-1 Trillion vinyls and tour dates galore. A KUBL-FM social media contest rules dropped February 2nd, stirring fan frenzy.This tours biographical game-changer, cementing Postys country-rap empire post his two-album tease. Whew, Roxie signing offthank you for tuning in, sweeties. Subscribe to never miss a Post Malone update, and search Biography Flash for more killer bios. Muah.And that is it for today. Make sure you hit the subscribe button and never miss an update on Post Malone. Thanks for listening. This has been a Quiet Please production."Get the best deals https://amzn.to/42YoQGIThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Looking for help with raising your rates? Get BFU's playbook for raising prices so you can charge what you're worth while minimizing client pushback. Includes step-by-step instructions and email templates you can copy and paste. Get it HERE. Here are 3 ways to get more BFU in your life Follow BFU on Instagram HERE Subscribe to Mark's YouTube channel HERE Pick up a copy of Mark's book HERE Are you a gym owner doing more than $15k/mo looking to grow your gym in the next 90 days?   Learn more about the Unicorn Society HERE.

In dieser Folge spreche ich mit Clemens Zocher von Salesforce darüber, wie generative KI den Alltag im PreSales wirklich verändert – jenseits des Hypes. Ihr erfahrt, wie Clemens mit Tools wie HeyGen und Eleven Labs innerhalb eines Jahres seine Videoproduktion von vier auf über sechzig Stück gesteigert hat und warum kulturelle Lokalisierung für den deutschen Markt mehr bedeutet als bloße Übersetzung. Wir diskutieren, wie KI nicht nur für Effizienz sorgt, sondern auch den Weg für authentischere Kundenkommunikation ebnet und neue Freiräume für echte Discovery-Gespräche schafft. Außerdem werfen wir einen Blick auf die Herausforderungen im Business-Kontext, die Psychologie hinter Demo-Automation und warum einfach mal machen oft der beste Weg ist. Wenn ihr wissen wollt, wie KI im PreSales praktisch skaliert und welche Zukunftstrends auf uns warten, ist das eure Folge. Viel Spaß beim Hören und Ausprobieren! Clemens bei LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/clemens-zocher/ ----------

In this episode recorded at the Presales Collective Leadership Next Summit in November of 2025, Jack Cochran sits down with Gretchen Fitzgibbons, Senior Manager of Strategic Solutions Consulting at Airtable, to discuss what it means to be a courageous leader in presales. They explore how to make difficult decisions under pressure, navigate organizational politics with integrity, and build the support systems that enable consistent leadership. Gretchen shares powerful stories from her two decades of experience advising Fortune 500 customers and leading presales teams, including standing up for a team member being unfairly assessed and creating win-win solutions in challenging situations. Follow Us Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/ Connect with Gretchen Fitzgibbons: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenfitzgibbons/ Links and Resources Mentioned Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack Sol/Con 2026: https://www.presalescollective.com/solcon-2026  Book mentioned: Think Again by Adam Grant: https://adamgrant.net/book/think-again/  Book mentioned: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11468377-thinking-fast-and-slow  Key Topics Covered Redefining Courage and Leadership Making Tough Calls: Standing Up for Team Members Focusing on Your Team rather than on Yourself How to Prepare for a Leadership Role It's OK to be Wrong Developing Your Leadership Skills Grounding Principles for Leadership Timestamps 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 02:14 Defining Courage and Leadership in Presales 05:15 Making Tough Calls: A Story of Standing Up for What's Right 11:20 Focusing on Your Team rather than on Yourself 22:07 How to Prepare for a Leadership Role 27:40 It's OK to be Wrong 30:30 Developing Leadership Skills 37:42 Final Takeaways and Grounding Principles

In dieser Folge nehme ich euch mit hinter die Kulissen von Grafana Labs, einem der spannendsten Open-Source-Unternehmen der Welt. Gemeinsam mit Hauke Melius spreche ich darüber, warum das klassische Bild des technischen Spezialisten im PreSales ausgedient hat und wie moderne SEs heute echte Ownership für den Deal-Erfolg übernehmen. Wir diskutieren, wie sich Teamstrukturen im Zuge massiven Wachstums verändern, weshalb die Trennung von Neukunden- und Bestandskundengeschäft entscheidend ist und wie Champion-Building wirklich funktioniert. Außerdem erfahrt ihr, warum POCs im DACH-Markt unverzichtbar sind und wie technische Ressourcen sinnvoll investiert werden. Wenn ihr wissen wollt, wie PreSales heute wirklich wirkt – hört rein! Hauke bei LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hauke-melius-9baa3667/ ----------

On this Friday edition of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, host Malcolm Harris breaks down the biggest stories shaping freight right now — from Winter Storm Fern threatening major U.S. freight corridors to consolidation moves and rail investments impacting the market. Malcolm is joined by two industry heavy-hitters for a jam-packed conversation covering technology, operations, and money on the ground: Steve Shebuski, VP of Presales at MCA Connect, dives deep into how TMS, WMS, ERP, and Dynamics 365 are transforming distribution, warehousing, and fulfillment. Steve explains where companies get digital transformation wrong, how to orchestrate (not just automate) supply chains, and why clean data, integration, and human judgment still matter — even in an AI-driven future. Kimberly “Kim” Fisk, President of Triumph, brings real-world insight into small carrier financing and cash flow strategy. From instant invoice approval and predictable capital to fraud prevention and back-office automation, Kim explains how fast, reliable access to cash is changing how carriers make decisions, survive tight markets, and plan for long-term growth. ⁠Watch on YouTube⁠ ⁠Subscribe to the WTT newsletter⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠More FreightWaves Podcasts⁠ #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday edition of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, host Malcolm Harris breaks down the biggest stories shaping freight right now — from Winter Storm Fern threatening major U.S. freight corridors to consolidation moves and rail investments impacting the market. Malcolm is joined by two industry heavy-hitters for a jam-packed conversation covering technology, operations, and money on the ground: Steve Shebuski, VP of Presales at MCA Connect, dives deep into how TMS, WMS, ERP, and Dynamics 365 are transforming distribution, warehousing, and fulfillment. Steve explains where companies get digital transformation wrong, how to orchestrate (not just automate) supply chains, and why clean data, integration, and human judgment still matter — even in an AI-driven future. Kimberly “Kim” Fisk, President of Triumph, brings real-world insight into small carrier financing and cash flow strategy. From instant invoice approval and predictable capital to fraud prevention and back-office automation, Kim explains how fast, reliable access to cash is changing how carriers make decisions, survive tight markets, and plan for long-term growth. Watch on YouTube Subscribe to the WTT newsletter Apple Podcasts Spotify More FreightWaves Podcasts #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple underperforming at the box office this week, Matthew and Simon are digging into the audiences and comparisons to the previous instalment to find out why, and what opportunities marketers may have to boost the title's performance. Mercy pre-sales give us a look ahead to Chris Pratt's next big screen outing here on Behind the Screens.Topics and times:Netflix news from the trades - 0:26Small-screen plotting and the erosion of attention - 2:37Weekend box office overview - 4:5728 Years Later: The Bone Temple international box office breakdown - 6:3428 Years Later: The Bone Temple marketing and reception - 7:2628 Years Later: The Bone Temple audience analysis and marketing opportunities - 8:45Mercy pre-sales comparisons and impressions - 12:14Mercy pre-sales audience - 13:09Next week - 14:45Find us at https://www.linkedin.com/company/vista-group-limited/, and follow lifeatvistagroup on Instagram

In this episode we delve into the concept of value engineering and explore its significance in the tech industry. Paul explains the importance of understanding both the technology and the business needs of customers. We cover how to effectively bridge the gap between technical solutions and financial outcomes. Paul Harris has worked in technical pre-sales for many years. He is the co-host of "The Wandering Tech Podcast" and is Director of Pre-Sales at Loftware. Show Links Ben Pearce LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benpthoughts/ Tech World Human Skills Home - https://www.techworldhumanskills.com Paul Harris Linked In - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulfharris/ Takeaways Value engineering is about understanding customer problems and providing solutions. It's essential to bridge the gap between technology and business. Understanding how a business makes money is crucial for tech professionals. Financial acumen is as important as technical knowledge in pre-sales. Using relatable analogies can simplify complex business concepts. Crafting a business case requires understanding both revenue and costs. Value engineering helps in making technology investments stand out as business projects. Consultants need to help customers articulate the value of solutions to decision-makers. Key financial concepts include revenue, costs, and operating profit. Continuous learning about financial principles can enhance consulting effectiveness. Keywords value engineering, business acumen, technology solutions, financial concepts, pre-sales, consulting, enterprise sales, ROI, customer success, supply chain

In dieser Folge gehen wir der Frage nach, warum typische Sales-Kickoff-Trainings im B2B-Softwarevertrieb meist keine nachhaltigen Ergebnisse bringen. Wir teilen unsere Erfahrungen aus über 25 Jahren PreSales und zeigen, wie du aus dem Workshop-Einmaleffekt ausbrichst und echtes Wachstum im Team erreichst. Wir sprechen offen über die Herausforderungen von Zielvorgaben, den Umgang mit Ressourcen und das Problem der Vergessenskurve. Gemeinsam diskutieren wir, wie regelmäßiges Üben, Coaching und smarte Formate deine PreSales-Performance wirklich steigern. Wenn du als Führungskraft oder Teamplayer mehr aus deinem Sales-Jahr machen willst, hör rein und hol dir praxisnahe Impulse für nachhaltigen Erfolg. ----------

Can AI really reorder how business works - not just automate tasks, but redefine entire markets? In this episode, Frazer Anderson sits down with two leading thinkers - Conor Twomey and Ray Wang. They discuss: How AI exponentials fundamentally rewrite productivity and what that means for founders, enterprises, and investors competing with legacy incumbents. The evolving state of enterprise AI adoption - from prototypes to production‑scale agent workflows that transform business outcomes and unit economics. Why scaling enterprise AI depends less on model quality and more on your data foundation, internal coordination, and ability to operationalize agents across real workflows. — Conor Twomey is an accomplished executive with over 15 years of experience in addressing complex data challenges for leading global corporations. He is currently an AI Co-Founder at Stealth Startup. Conor is the former Head of AI Strategy at KX, a pioneer in real-time data analytics and decision intelligence. Under his leadership, KX successfully transitioned from a time-series database company to the Enterprise AI platform of choice for large-scale AI implementations. Before this role, Conor managed a 400-person organization encompassing Presales, Professional Services, Support, Managed Services, and Customer Success Management. Renowned for his insights on data and AI, Conor is a sought-after speaker and contributor on frontier technology topics, including Data, Analytics, Machine Learning, AI, and Generative AI. — Ray Wang, a tech luminary, is the Co-Founder & Chairman of Constellation Research, a Bestselling Author, and a Keynote speaker. Renowned for his insights into digital transformation and enterprise technology, Ray's expertise stems from influential roles at Altimeter Research and Forrester Research. His bestselling books, including "Disrupting Digital Business" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," delve deep into the impact of digital technologies on business models.

"I checked the cash balance and the number came out negative. I had to call my wife and say we might need to liquidate our entire 401k to make payroll."In today's episode of Bricks and Bytes, we had Thiago Da Costa from DataGrid and Clifton Harness from TestFit and we got to learn about the raw truth of building construction tech startups - from pivoting at $1M ARR to nearly missing payroll.These founders didn't hold back. They shared the moments that almost broke them and the decisions that saved their companies.Tune in to find out about:✅ Why Thiago pivoted his entire company after raising a Series A (and how he told his board)✅ The morning Clifton woke up and realized he couldn't make payroll✅ Why most construction tech companies plateau at $3-5M ARR and never break through✅ How to know when you've actually found product-market fit versus when you're chasing a ghostWatch now to hear the full conversation about what it really takes to build in construction tech.Our SponsorAphex is the multiplayer planning platform where construction teams plan together, stay aligned, and deliver projects faster – check out aphex.coArchdesk -  “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.comBuildVision -   streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.ioChapters00:00 Introduction to Startup Journeys 05:47 Navigating the Pre-Seed Stage 12:47 The Importance of Pre-Sales and Pivoting 17:39 Understanding Product Market Fit 23:22 Defining Product Market Fit in Construction Tech 31:14 Facing Startup Challenges and Scary Moments 33:25 Navigating Financial Challenges 37:07 The Importance of Family in Business 39:00 Facing Fear of Failure and Pivots 40:32 Balancing Hype and Substance in Business 48:47 Endurance in Entrepreneurship 54:53 Optimizing for People in Startups

In this episode, Whit Hansen shares his journey in crafting the drop pillow including finding his right audience, manufacturing from a remote place, and marketing strategies.Links:Work with us: https://tinyurl.com/5cxhb3smWhit's Website:https://www.facebook.com/thedroppillow/

In this episode of Best in Fest, host Leslie LaPage sits down with Alan Green, Head of Sales & Acquisitions at 123 Media, to break down how film distribution actually works — and why most indie filmmakers misunderstand it.With decades of experience spanning 20th Century Fox, Pathé, international sales, and producing, Alan offers a brutally honest look at what sells, what doesn't, and how filmmakers can avoid costly mistakes when trying to monetize their films.In this episode, we cover:

The State of Presales and Demo Technologies, and What's Coming in 2026 In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Justin McDonald, Co-founder and CEO of Saleo, to discuss how demo automation technology is transforming the presales landscape. They explore the evolution of presales over the past 20 years, the hidden costs of demo preparation (the "demo tax"), and how AI is revolutionizing how solutions engineers create and personalize demonstrations. Justin shares insights on building relational capital, the importance of in-person meetings, and why the future of presales lies in leveraging technology to spend more quality time with buyers. Thank you to Saleo for sponsoring this episode! Visit Saleo.io to learn more. Follow Us Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/ Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/ Connect with Justin McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-mcdonald-21a3aa6/  Links and Resources Mentioned Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack Saleo: https://saleo.io/ Mockaroo (dummy data generator): https://mockaroo.com/ Timestamps 00:00 Welcome 04:24 How has presales evolved over 20 years 09:20 Demo tax 13:37 The importance of in-person meetings 15:55 Breaking down the demo tax components 24:47 AI and Demo Data Agents 26:42 Trends reshaping presales in 2026 Key Topics Covered The Evolution of Presales Technology From manual data creation with tools like Mockaroo to automated demo environments The rise of presales as a respected profession with executive leadership Shift from multi-week prep and constant travel to efficient Zoom-based demos The Demo Prep Tax Multiple departments impacted: DevOps, product, engineering, and SEs Hard dollar costs: hosting demo tenants can cost millions at scale Demo data degradation: perfectly prepared demos degrade over time SE time is expensive, and hours spent on manual data preparation adds up Building Relational Capital Only 17% of sales time is spent with buyers (even less for presales) In-person interactions unlock opportunities that Zoom calls cannot EQ and relationship-building will separate good from great in the age of AI AI-Powered Demo Automation Demo Data Agent: generates personalized demo data with a single prompt Token-based customization for industry, vertical, and use case adaptation Data injection technology allows real-time demo personalization The Future of Presales AI will expand automation across the entire sales cycle Agentic and asynchronous AI tools will support SEs 24/7 SEs won't be replaced, their time will be used differently The demo data is the story: great storytelling requires great demo data  

In this episode, Dana Mosman shares with us the marketing strategy behind his $300K campaign and how he validated his product before ever launching on KickstarterLinks:Work with us: https://tinyurl.com/ye24s9wkDana's Campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...

This week on the Boxoffice podcast, presented by Irwin Seating, co-hosts Daniel Loria, Rebecca Pahle, and Chad Kennerk recap the opening weekend of Lionsgate's Now You See Me, Now You Don't and forecast the November 21st release of Universal's Wicked: For Good. In the feature segment, Rebecca speaks with Greg Heckmann, the director of marketing for Maya Cinemas, about key initiatives including the chain's Young Cinema Professionals workshop.Give us your feedback on our podcast by accessing this survey: https://forms.gle/CcuvaXCEpgPLQ6d18 What to Listen For00:00 Intro 01:00 What the Maya Interview Covers02:00 Weekend Box Office: Frankenstein, Running Man, NYSM 303:24 Oscar Isaac's Ska Band & Frankenstein Reactions06:59 Running Man Review & Performance07:49 Now You See Me 3: Strong Opening & Franchise Strength09:35 Wicked For Good Tracking: Baseline 135M10:40 UK & US Presales Break Records11:58 High-End Forecast: 180M–210M Possibility14:05 Expected Range: 145M–175M Opening Weekend15:10 Why Many Viewers Will Wait for PLF on Thanksgiving16:57 Behind the Scenes: New Songs & Expanded Story17:35 Wicked as a Cultural Holiday Event19:55 Economic Strain & Moviegoing as the Affordable Alternative21:58 Why Theaters Still Offer the Best Value for Families22:40 2025 Thanksgiving Outlook: Narnia's IMAX Exclusivity24:00 Should Wicked Become a Holiday Double-Feature Tradition?25:25 Harkins Re-Release Success Story26:00 Transition to Feature Interview27:00 Interview: Maya's New Young Cinema Professionals Program29:15 Maya's Community & Holiday Food Bank Initiatives31:00 Why Investing in Young Workers Matters33:20 How Pandemic & Strikes Affected Youth Entry into Exhibition35:10 Anime & Event Titles Bringing Younger Audiences Back36:00 Sending Young Cinema Workers to the CinemaCon Fall Summit38:40 First Impressions from the Selected Participants41:10 Plans to Expand the Program Next Year

With Wicked: For Good on the horizon to debut this weekend, the box office anticipation is ramping up. We take a deep look at the audience and pre-sales comparisons with the original Wicked, as well as new releases Now You See Me: Now You Don't and Running Man this week on Behind the Screens.Topics and times:Box office overview - 0:31Now You See Me: Now You Don't box office performance - 1:51Now You See Me: Now You Don't audience analysis - 2:40Running Man box office performance - 6:07Running Man audience analysis - 6:58Upcoming releases and Wicked: For Good pre-sales - 9:44Wicked: For Good pre-sales audience - 10:30Wicked: For Good marketing recommendations - 12:53Rental Family audience and marketing - 13:37Next week - 15:28Find us at https://www.linkedin.com/company/vista-group-limited/, and follow lifeatvistagroup on Instagram

Send us a textOur Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/HockeyCardsGongshowOn this episode of the Hockey Cards Gongshow podcast we start with Get To Know Your Hockey Hall of Famers, this time looking at the life, hockey career, and hobby market for hockey hall of famer, Babe Siebert (19:19). Next, it's week five of Who's Hot & The Struggle Bus for the 2025-26 NHL Season (31:22).  In hobby news, is a Canada card show turf war brewing?, 2024-25 The Cup presales hit $2k CAD, a Connor McDavid RPA could set a new sales record, and Upper Deck let's collectors vote on the checklist for an upcoming insert (57:30). After a long hiatus, we present the return of What Put's the Poo in Phil's Shoe (1:31:39)  In new product releases, we preview this week's hockey release; 2025-26 Upper Deck Black Diamond (1:51:40).  We answer your hockey cards questions in the Gongshow mailbag (2:09:40), then finish the show with personal pickups (2:47:43).Partners & SponsorsGongshow Reloaded - https://www.GongshowReloaded.comHockeyChecklists.com - https://www.hockeychecklists.comSlab Sharks Consignment - http://bit.ly/3GUvsxNSlab Sharks is now accepting U.S. submissions!MINTINK - https://www.mintink.caPSA - https://www.psacard.comGP Sports Cards - https://gpsportcards.com/Private Collection Insurance - https://privatecollectioninsurance.comSign up for Card Ladder - https://app.cardladder.com/signup?via=HCGongshoFollow Hockey Cards Gongshow on social mediaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/hockey_cards_gongshow/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@hockey_cards_gongshowFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/HockeyCardsGongshowTwitter - https://twitter.com/HCGongshowThe Hockey Cards Gongshow podcast is a production of Dollar Box Ventures LLC

In this episode of Great Leaders UK, we are joined by Julia Weimer, Director of Solution Engineering UKI at Wiz, to discuss the critical, often underutilized role of pre-sales in driving elite sales execution. Julia shares her unique journey from Security Analyst in a SOC to leading a high-performing SE team , emphasizing why Sales Engineers must be viewed as equal business partners to Account Executives, not just technical support. She walks us through the importance of symbiotic relationships , leveraging structure like MEDDIC , and the power of empowering SEs to build technical champions.

With Predator: Badlands making a splash at the box office this weekend, the Behind the Screens hosts are diving into the audience, opportunities, and possible shifts in week two to take advantage of.Pre-sales audiences for The Running Man and Now You See Me: Now You Don't show us a combined analysis of marketing opportunities for the coming weekend.Topics and times:Predator: Badlands box office performance vs predictions - 0:49Predator: Badlands audience analysis - 1:46Marketing opportunities of Badlands' week two - 3:28Pre-sales for The Running Man - 5:24Pre-sales for Now You See Me: Now You Don't - 6:06Combined pre-sales audiences and marketing opportunities - 7:20Next week - 10:31Find us at https://www.linkedin.com/company/vista-group-limited/, and follow lifeatvistagroup on Instagram

Listen: https://confluent.buzzsprout.com | In this episode, Tim Berglund talks to his guest, Rachel Pedreschi (DeltaStream), about her career in pre-sales engineering. Her first job: rectory office assistant at her local parish. Her challenge/theme: working at early-stage startups to bridge sales, marketing, and engineering to reach product-market fit.Check out Tim and Rachel's previous podcast, Keyboard and Quill: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLihIrF0tCXdeJxpAJgbOsY48B9lD_w24v&si=5NjdA-Rss9Rsmyy1SEASON 2 Hosted by Tim Berglund, Adi Polak and Viktor Gamov Produced and Edited by Noelle Gallagher, Peter Furia and Nurie Mohamed Music by Coastal Kites Artwork by Phil Vo

Host Philip Gervasi talks with Kentik pre-sales engineer Sean McGinley about what it really means to work in pre-sales. They unpack the various titles associated with those roles (e.g., solutions engineer, solutions architect) and discuss how pre-sales bridges the gap between technology and business. Learn how these roles balance hands-on engineering with customer relationships. Along the way, they share personal stories, lessons learned from the field, and why pre-sales can be one of the most rewarding career paths in tech.

Derrick Kosinski & Scott Yager are joined by "New Threat" Will Gagnon.Will has been making waves in The Challenge world since the first episode of Season 41. Between his show-mances with Dee and Nany, altercations with both Gabe and a kitchen wall, rocky roads with his very own partner Olivia and several online "crash-outs" recently, Will has become one of the most discussed rookies on this season. Now...most people have him partially confused with the similarly dapper Jake, but that's besides the point. Will makes his Challenge Mania debut to tell his story and as you might expect...he does NOT hold back!WATCH this interview here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/video-will-on-142273354www.ChallengeManiacs.com to join the Pod Squad for Video, Ad-Free Audio, Bonus Podcasts, Pre-Sales and other perks!www.ChallengeMania.Live for tickets to Live Shows like Buffalo 11/15 and Nashville 11/22!Pre-Sale for Philyl featuring CT, Aneesa, Derrick and more is NEXT WEDNESDAY 11/5 at www.ChallengeManiacs.comwww.ChallengeMania.Shop for Swag! 

Maximiliano Stochyk is Head of Sales at CoinTerminal — a fundraising platform helping DeFi and Web3 founders raise millions transparently while giving retail investors a fair chance to participate. Why you should listen CoinTerminal lets you buy into the best new tokens before they list on exchanges. Just like your favorite leading funds. Buy presales at the lowest cost before they hit exchanges. You could get up to a 10x better price on CoinTerminal. CoinTerminal positions itself as a crypto launchpad built for everyone — no staking, no gating, just open access. Anyone with a crypto wallet can join presales for new tokens without needing to lock up collateral or hold platform-specific tokens. Their model is refreshingly straightforward: find promising early-stage projects, contribute via IDOs (initial DEX offerings), and claim tokens once they launch — with the option for refunds if things don't pan out. They've funded 80+ ventures, distributed over $80 million, and already attracted more than 620,000 investors.  What sets CoinTerminal apart is their "no bar, no hidden fees" ethos. There's no minimum play beyond the $100 opening ticket, and they promise prices up to 10× lower than public listing. Transparency is baked in: winner selections are randomized and verifiable, and they publish transparency reports.  Supporting links Fidelity Crypto Careers  CoinTerminal Andy on Twitter  Brave New Coin on Twitter Brave New Coin   If you enjoyed the show please subscribe to the Crypto Conversation and give us a 5-star rating and a positive review in whatever podcast app you are using. Maximiliano Stochyk is Head of Sales at CoinTerminall — a fundraising platform helping DeFi and Web3 founders raise millions transparently while giving retail investors a fair chance to participate. Why you should listen CoinTerminal lets you buy into the best new tokens before they list on exchanges. Just like your favorite leading funds. Buy presales at the lowest cost before they hit exchanges. You could get up to a 10x better price on CoinTerminal. CoinTerminal positions itself as a crypto launchpad built for everyone — no staking, no gating, just open access. Anyone with a crypto wallet can join presales for new tokens without needing to lock up collateral or hold platform-specific tokens. Their model is refreshingly straightforward: find promising early-stage projects, contribute via IDOs (initial DEX offerings), and claim tokens once they launch — with the option for refunds if things don't pan out. They've funded 80+ ventures, distributed over $80 million, and already attracted more than 620,000 investors.  What sets CoinTerminal apart is their "no bar, no hidden fees" ethos. There's no minimum play beyond the $100 opening ticket, and they promise prices up to 10× lower than public listing. Transparency is baked in: winner selections are randomized and verifiable, and they publish transparency reports.  Supporting links Fidelity Crypto Careers  CoinTerminal Andy on Twitter  Brave New Coin on Twitter Brave New Coin   If you enjoyed the show please subscribe to the Crypto Conversation and give us a 5-star rating and a positive review in whatever podcast app you are using.

Behind every “professional journey” is a human being dealing with doubt, growth, and reinvention. Rick also offers candid insights into what people don't see behind the scenes of SE management: politics, career development, and the emotional intelligence needed to truly lead.

Episode 181: Charting Your Presales Career Path with Miriam Graf In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James welcome Miriam Graf, a presales veteran with 20 years as an individual contributor and 10 years in leadership roles. Miriam shares invaluable insights on navigating career growth in presales, from speaking up about your aspirations to recognizing when leadership is and isn't the right path for you. She discusses the evolution from being "the hero" to becoming a leader who helps others shine, and explores the diverse career opportunities available beyond traditional management roles. This episode is sponsored by Elvance. Find out more about them at https://elvance.io/  Follow Us Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/ Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/ Connect with Miriam Graf: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miriamgraf/ or email migraf3@gmail.com Links and Resources Mentioned Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack Presales Podcast: https://www.presalescollective.com/podcast Timestamps 00:00 Welcome 06:53 Lessons to learn earlier 10:38 IC vs leadership 16:42 Expensive experience lessons 22:46 Variety of expertise is good 28:27 Focus on your industry and keep learning Key Topics Covered Speaking Up About Your Career Why waiting for someone to notice doesn't work How expressing interest puts you on the radar for future opportunities The importance of taking initiative on projects you're passionate about The Transition from Hero to Leader Why being the top SE doesn't automatically translate to leadership The emotional shift from personal accolades to team success Understanding if management is actually the right path for you Alternative Career Paths Beyond Management National expert or technical specialist roles Product management and product marketing opportunities Customer success, implementation, and demo engineering How presales skills translate across multiple disciplines Essential Skills for Career Advancement Soft skills: passion, communication, empathy, and listening Business acumen: understanding the "so what?" for your audience Technical skills: continuous learning and adaptability Learning Through Experience The value of trying roles outside presales How diverse experience makes you a better SE Why failures and tough feedback lead to growth Industry Expertise How to quickly learn an industry's key challenges The value of becoming a vertical expert Building credibility without years of industry experience

With Black Phone 2 finding its horror audience in the build-up to Halloween, we're taking a look at who turned out and the opportunities for the movie in the coming weeks. Looking ahead, Matthew and Simon break down the pre-sales tracking and audiences for Regretting You and Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere here on Behind the Screens.Topics and times:One Battle After Another international box office - 0:14TRON: Ares week 2 box office drop - 1:10Black Phone 2 box office overview - 1:49Black Phone 2 reception and audience analysis - 2:29Upcoming titles — Regretting You, Springsteen, Bugonia - 4:35Regretting You pre-sales - 5:20Regretting You pre-sales audience analysis - 6:14Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere pre-sales audience analysis - 9:11Bugonia previews - 11:55Find us at https://www.linkedin.com/company/vista-group-limited/, and follow lifeatvistagroup on Instagram

Derrick Kosinski & Scott Yager break down Episode 12 of The Challenge 41 where Derrick takes on Theo in a Pillow-Fight elimination.This is a Free Preview of a much longer episode breakdown that is exclusive to our Maniac Level Patrons and above at www.ChallengeManiacs.comEnjoy Bonus Podcasts, Full Video, Early and Ad-Free Interviews, Pre-Sales and MORE by Joining the POD SQUAD!WATCH THIS INTERVIEW HERE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/141376245?pr=truewww.ChallengeMania.Livewww.ChallengeMania.Shop

Sometimes you just have to quit your job to start your own thing. And sometimes this job is a Leadership Role at a very well-respected organization such as Salesforce. And sometimes the job is the Global Enablement Leader. That's what our guest Guillaume Huynh-Ba does. Guillaume shares how his sales engineering foundation shaped his career, why he transitioned into enablement, and what he learned while scaling training programs across different regions and teams at Salesforce.    Show notes: https://wethesalesengineers.com/show331

@PermissionToStanPodcast on Instagram (DM us & Join Our Broadcast Channel!) & TikTok!NEW Podcast Episodes every THURSDAY! Please support us by Favoriting, Following, Subscribing, & Sharing for more KPOP talk!TWICE presales, incoming ticket warsComebacks: BABYMONSTER, TWICE, JISOO (BLACKPINK), NMIXX, TWS, HEARTS2HEARTS, BOYNEXTDOORMusic Videos: IZNA, ITZY, I-DLESTAYC concert recap LAVIVIZ concert recap LAHAYLEE misses out on CORTIS Barnes & Noble fan sign...But she wins the CORTIS Weverse Dance Workshop!!CORTIS Chuseok video BABYMONSTER Baemon House episodes 3-5BTS 2026 World Tour expected to span 8 monthsBTS V Fashion Week makes pistachio croissant & new Popmart figure viralBTS RM live broadcast speaks about views on marriage and women's personal choicesSTRAY KIDS BANGCHAN donates for birthday & updates Rewritten Profile on himselfSTRAY KIDS SKZOO collab w/ BAPE Baby MiloSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/permission-to-stan-podcast-kpop-multistans/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Rob Bruce, a presales leader at Syndigo with 20 years of experience, to discuss an innovative approach to presales operations: the Pursuit Desk. Rob shares how Syndigo has built a dedicated "concierge team" that handles RFPs, security questionnaires, reference coordination, and other time-consuming tasks, freeing solutions engineers to focus on discovery, solutioning, and building customer relationships. The conversation explores how to operate at the "top of your license," the role of AI in scaling pursuit operations, and practical advice for championing similar initiatives at your organization. Thank you to Elvance for sponsoring this episode: https://elvance.io Follow Us Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/ Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/ Connect with Rob Bruce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbruce/ Links and Resources Mentioned Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack Book: "Selling is Hard, Buying is Harder" by Garen Hess Timestamps 00:00 Welcome 04:29 What is a Presales Concierge 11:18 Presales culture 14:00 Working at the top of your diploma 17:10 How do you justify this 21:38 As focused as an F1 team 23:32 AI and the Pursuit Desk Key Topics Covered The Pursuit Desk Concept Functions as a presales concierge handling non-customer-facing tasks Manages RFPs, InfoSec documents, NDAs, reference coordination Creates centralized control over messaging and responses Operates on a global scale with cultural sensitivity Operating at the Top of Your License Focus on discovery, creative thinking, empathetic listening, and presenting solutions Eliminate time spent on administrative tasks that don't require SE expertise Reduce context switching and multitasking to maintain flow Maximize value delivery to customers and the organization Building the Business Case Find an executive sponsor to champion the initiative Measure impact through deal win rates and velocity Consider creative budget reallocation (travel budgets, etc.) Calculate ROI based on SE productivity and reduced burnout The Role of AI in Pursuit Operations AI handles first-pass RFP responses (80% completion) Pursuit desk personalizes and adds empathy (final 20%) Machine learning analyzes past deals for pattern recognition Go/no-go scorecards based on historical data Enables scaling without proportional headcount increases Presales Culture and Values Building trust through technical expertise and genuine personality Being a "chameleon" who adapts to different buyer needs Creating an environment where people feel welcomed and valued Mentorship and knowledge sharing across teams Preventing Burnout Eliminating nights and weekends spent on RFPs Reducing stress through better task distribution Enabling SEs to focus on work they're passionate about Creating sustainable workloads that retain top talent Measuring Success Tracking time spent on each RFP or pursuit activity Correlating effort to win-loss rates Building audit trails for continuous improvement Creating dashboards for data-driven decision making  

In this conversation, Lukas Swid discusses the essential strategies for attracting investment in startups. He emphasizes the importance of not appearing desperate for funds, showcasing a strong product, and building credibility with potential investors. Lukas outlines the need for thorough preparation and presentation to demonstrate demand and capability, as well as the significance of location in attracting investment.   Professional Real Estate Investors - How we can help you: Investor Fuel Mastermind:  Learn more about the Investor Fuel Mastermind, including 100% deal financing, massive discounts from vendors and sponsors you're already using, our world class community of over 150 members, and SO much more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/apply   Investor Machine Marketing Partnership:  Are you looking for consistent, high quality lead generation? Investor Machine is America's #1 lead generation service professional investors. Investor Machine provides true ‘white glove' support to help you build the perfect marketing plan, then we'll execute it for you…talking and working together on an ongoing basis to help you hit YOUR goals! Learn more here: http://www.investormachine.com   Coaching with Mike Hambright:  Interested in 1 on 1 coaching with Mike Hambright? Mike coaches entrepreneurs looking to level up, build coaching or service based businesses (Mike runs multiple 7 and 8 figure a year businesses), building a coaching program and more. Learn more here: https://investorfuel.com/coachingwithmike   Attend a Vacation/Mastermind Retreat with Mike Hambright: Interested in joining a “mini-mastermind” with Mike and his private clients on an upcoming “Retreat”, either at locations like Cabo San Lucas, Napa, Park City ski trip, Yellowstone, or even at Mike's East Texas “Big H Ranch”? Learn more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/retreat   Property Insurance: Join the largest and most investor friendly property insurance provider in 2 minutes. Free to join, and insure all your flips and rentals within minutes! There is NO easier insurance provider on the planet (turn insurance on or off in 1 minute without talking to anyone!), and there's no 15-30% agent mark up through this platform!  Register here: https://myinvestorinsurance.com/   New Real Estate Investors - How we can work together: Investor Fuel Club (Coaching and Deal Partner Community): Looking to kickstart your real estate investing career? Join our one of a kind Coaching Community, Investor Fuel Club, where you'll get trained by some of the best real estate investors in America, and partner with them on deals! You don't need $ for deals…we'll partner with you and hold your hand along the way! Learn More here: http://www.investorfuel.com/club   —--------------------

Whether you're an SE considering management, a leader looking to motivate your team, or someone curious about the intersection of sales and technical expertise, this episode is packed with insights on resilience, leadership, and continuous improvement. shownotes: https://wethesalesengineers.com/show330

You can be a good solution engineer but still suck at different aspects of the job. That's because there are too many skills that Solution Engineers need to work on, it's almost impossible to be great at all of them. Even if we break them down, technical skills versus soft skills, there are still many that SEs might not be good at. Examples of soft skills include listening, storytelling, demoing, de-escalating, handling objections, and many more.  It isn't easy to be great at all of them. And yet, even if you're not great at something, it doesn't mean you cannot work on it. It doesn't mean you cannot turn your weakness into a strength. And that is what Evgeni did. He turned his perceived weakness, speaking, into one of his better strengths and used it to get better at building relationships with his customers.

In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Art Fromm, author of "Making Seamless Sales" and sales enablement expert, to discuss how presales and sales teams can work together more effectively. Art shares insights from his 25+ years in sales enablement, exploring the common disconnects between SEs and AEs, and provides practical strategies for building stronger partnerships that drive better outcomes. The conversation covers the evolution from tribal knowledge to systematic collaboration, the importance of discovery before demos, and how to create value perception rather than just showing features. Art emphasizes that when teams work together properly versus teams that don't, there's a 37% difference in sales outcomes - a substantial opportunity sitting on the table. Connect with Us Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/ Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/ Connect with Art Fromm: https://www.linkedin.com/in/artfromm/ Links and Resources Mentioned Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack Art's Website: https://teamsalesdevelopment.com Team Sales Development: https://www.teamsalesdevelopment.com "Making Seamless Sales" by Art Fromm: https://teamsalesdevelopment.com/making-seamless-sales-book/ Timestamps 00:00 Welcome 03:55 Sol/Con East 2025 05:26 Making SEAMless Sales 11:27 Our Solutions Have No Value 24:02 You Only Get One Shot 29:42 Aren't We All Presales Key Topics Covered The SEAM Framework SE (Solutions Engineers) and AM (Account Managers) working together Breaking down organizational silos between presales and sales Creating systematic approaches rather than leaving collaboration to chance Moving Beyond the Demo Rush Why "we need to do a demo" often leads to failure The importance of proper qualification and discovery first How luck can reinforce bad habits in sales processes Creating Value Perception Understanding that solutions have no inherent value The Venn diagram of customer needs overlapping with solutions Turning "sell" into "buy" and "push" into "pull" The Trust Dynamic Presales comes with trust that can be lost Sales lacks trust that needs to be gained How proper discovery helps both teams build credibility Organizational Alignment Top-down (business focused) vs bottom-up (technical focused) approach Creating healthy overlap between sales and presales responsibilities The pyramid model of customer engagement levels Training and Enablement Moving beyond feature-function training to client success thinking Understanding the complete buyer journey from hello to consumption The concept of "solution enablement" as a continuous process

For every sport, some people do it professionally, and others are amateurs. One of the bigger differences is that professionals get paid, amateurs don't. When it comes to solution engineering, there are also some professionals and others who work like amateurs, even though they both get paid. We discuss this specific topic with Bill Balnave. We explore the key differences between professionals and amateurs within the industry. Bill shares insights from his extensive career in presales and customer success, while emphasizing the significance of having the right team and environment to stay motivated.  

In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Wendy McHenry, Chair of WISE (Women in Solutions Excellence) at Presales Collective and Former Head of Global Solutions Engineering at CDATA, to discuss the critical need for supporting women in presales careers. They explore the challenges women face in a field where only 18% of solutions professionals are women, discuss unconscious bias in hiring and workplace environments, and highlight how WISE is creating support networks and career development opportunities to advance equity in the solutions field. To join the show live, follow the Presales Collective's LinkedIn page or join the PSC Slack community for updates. This episode is sponsored by Elvance. More information at https://elvance.io/  On the Show Today Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/ Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/ Connect with Wendy McHenry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendymac98/  Links and Resources Mentioned Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack WISE Chapter Information: https://www.presalescollective.com/wise  Presales Collective LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/presalescollective  Timestamps 00:00 Welcome 04:51 Why WISE? 09:12 Being a woman in sales today 12:57 You're not technical enough 16:16 Women leaving the profession 20:33 How is WISE helping? 27:55 What's happening next? Key Topics Covered The Current State of Women in Presales Only 18% of solutions professionals globally are women Many women are the only woman on their SE team Higher attrition rates during layoffs disproportionately impact women Unconscious Bias and Workplace Challenges "Not technical enough" bias applied differently to women Interview panels dominated by men Social environments that may exclude women The importance of calling out bias when witnessed WISE Mission and Structure Started as an ERG at Salesforce, now part of Presales Collective Open to anyone who cares about supporting women in solutions careers Regional chapters like Women in Solutions Consulting Australia/New Zealand Company-specific chapters at organizations like Salesforce and Pegasystems Creating Change and Allyship How to be an effective ally in supporting women's careers Starting WISE chapters at your company (or expanding to broader sales/tech groups) The importance of diverse account teams and client representation Free career coaching and mentorship available through WISE council

In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Akash Ganapathi, CEO of Opine, to discuss how AI strategies differ between startups and enterprises in the presales space. They explore the myth of AI replacing SEs, the importance of specialization vs. generalization, and how AI can help presales teams manage more revenue per team member while focusing on strategic, relationship-building activities. Follow Us Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/ Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/ Connect with Akash Ganapathi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akash-ganapathi/  Links and Resources Mentioned Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack Opine: https://tryopine.com/ Contact Akash directly: akash@tryopine.com Timestamps 00:00 Welcome 04:35 Why AI strategy differs for startups vs enterprises 09:27 Debunking the myth of AI replacing SEs 18:35 The human element in buying and selling 24:35 How enterprises can leverage existing knowledge bases 28:12 The paradox of considering AI for every task 32:14 Future predictions for 2026-2027 Key Topics Covered Startup vs Enterprise AI Strategy Startups benefit from generalist approaches and bottom-up experimentation Enterprises need specialized, top-down AI strategies to avoid redundancy The role of specialization vs wearing multiple hats The AI Replacement Myth Why the "AI SE" that replaces human SEs doesn't work SEs do much more than just answer technical questions The importance of relationship building and strategic thinking Current AI Limitations Context window constraints (around 1 million tokens currently) Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) accuracy at ~75% Why breakthrough improvements are needed for true automation The Future of Presales with AI More revenue managed per team member Shift toward hiring less experienced SEs with AI enablement Focus on strategic consulting rather than administrative tasks Practical AI Implementation Draft-and-approve workflows for deliverables Automating account research, meeting prep, and RFP responses Using AI for onboarding and knowledge enablement Mid-Market Recommendations Lean toward enterprise-style, forward-looking strategies Enable not just current team but future hires Focus on cross-organizational enablement (AEs, product, marketing)  

Christopher Baldrey-Chourio CEO & Founder, ConstructKoin AI + Real Estate + Blockchain Pioneer#crypto #blockchain #ChrisBaldrey-ChourioAll Episodes can be found at www.thecryptopodcast.org All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants athttps://roycoughlan.com/About my Guest Chris Baldrey-ChourioChristopher Baldrey-Chourio CEO & Founder, ConstructKoin AI + Real Estate + Blockchain PioneerCBC is revolutionising the $280 trillion global real estate industry by combining AI, blockchain technology, and the bold vision to "Be the Bank."As CEO of ConstructKoin, Chris is executing one of the most innovative fundraising strategies in crypto history—a **100-phase token presale** raising $100 million USD, with tokens progressing from $0.01 to $1.00 across systematic phases. This isn't just another crypto project; ConstructKoin is backed by real income-generating property and proprietary AI technology that reduces lending approval times from weeks to minutes (95% speed improvement). What we Discussed: 01:00 Who is Chris Baldrey-Chourio02:16 Why is it Koin and not Coin02:45 What the Company does in Real Estae with Blockchain04:25 Invest as Little as you want06:00 The Different ways to Pay07:45 How do they Protect the Token Holders for Projects11:45 Why its an Advantage for having people personally liable14:35 Are the Fixed term contracts or with a Price Variation applying17:00 Helping the Developers gives returns19:26 Is there Plans for Everlasting Homes20:40 The Challenges23:30 Fractional Ownership Opportunities25:00 Are the Tokens locked in for the Duration of the project28:10 You are responsible for your own Taxes29:34 Using Ai to reduce Costs32:40 Long Term Vision36:00 The Build Process is starting with Family Homes37:10 Controling the Cowboy Builders41:50 The Insurance of the Projects42:35 Draw for a House 45:10 The Structure of the Company47:50 Where to Find Chris How to Contact Chris Baldrey-Chourio https://www.constructkoin.com/All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠