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Matt Arsenault, VP of Corporate Development & Strategic Alliances at Jamf Venture-backed companies are priced at their future state, not their current revenue. When growth stalls and another fundraising round stops making sense, the gap between VC valuation and what a strategic buyer will pay becomes the hardest conversation in any deal process. Matt Arsenault, VP of Corporate Development & Strategic Alliances at Jamf, has run this play across hundreds of targets. His work starts before the deal does, with the founder relationship, the cap table, and a clear-eyed conversation about risk tolerance that most corp dev teams never have. What You'll Learn Why a $25M offer today can beat a $125M VC exit three years out How AI is shrinking the moat of wrapper-product startups and changing target screening The seven stakeholder groups in any acquisition and why most founders miss them How liquidation preferences and cap table structure change the math behind any offer Why VC relationships matter as much as founder relationships before a deal starts How to structure deals for underwater targets without losing the team What entrepreneurs should know about VC terms before taking their first check If you're working a deal where the founder's VC valuation is the first thing they said and the last thing they'll let go of, DealPilot, powered by M&A Science, gives you the guidance to close the gap without overpaying. ____________________ This episode of M&A Science is presented by DealRoom. DealRoom just launched the only MCP server built for Buyer-Led M&A™ — so your AI and your deal data finally work together. Connect Claude, ChatGPT, or Copilot directly to DealRoom and let your AI read your pipeline, analyze due diligence documents, and automatically write findings back. See for yourself: dealroom.net/mcp ____________________ Episode Chapters [00:01:14] Introduction and Kison's overview [00:03:32] Matt Arsenault's background and path into M&A [00:05:17] How VCs actually value companies: the two major components [00:06:52] Where VC and strategic buyer valuations diverge, and why [00:09:29] The current market for VC-backed acquisition targets [00:10:39] Rule of 40, profitable growth, and what AI is changing [00:25:01] The liquidation preference math: $25M today vs. $125M later [00:31:38] Cap table dynamics, voting power, and co-founder alignment [00:33:10] How to have the valuation conversation with a founder [00:35:35] How to structure deals when a company is underwater [00:36:45] Stakeholder management: severance, retention, and employee equity [00:44:03] Structural tools for bridging valuation gaps [00:49:21] What entrepreneurs should know before taking their first VC check [00:51:03] Due diligence war stories: what a code scan revealed
NBA Draft round 2 winners! NBA Draft round 2 losers! Switching our least favorite picks! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
WHAT IFWhat if the thing that's been holding you back isn't your resume, your credentials, or your experience. But the version of yourself you've been shrinking to fit rooms that were never built for you? Dr. Syreeta Rios has a doctorate, two decades in tech, a PMP certification, and a global career that took her from Delaware to Atlanta to Dubai. She still had to fight every single step of the way. Her answer wasn't to conform. It was to unleash.SUMMARY & GUEST INTRODr. Syreeta Rios walked into corporate America with every credential they said she needed. The bachelor's, the MBA, the PMP. And they still told her she couldn't handle the questions. She built her career anyway, taking herself from the conference rooms of the US to international assignments in Dubai, navigating single motherhood, divorce, and her own dark seasons, and coming out the other side with a framework she now teaches women across the country. She's an Afro-Latina tech executive, board member, 2024 International Impact Book Award winner, founder of the Bad Bitch Boardroom, host of the Professional Bad Bitch Podcast, and author of Unleash Your Inner Bad Bitch. She means every single word of it. I needed this conversation. And by the end of it, so will you.INSIDE THE EPISODECredentials Weren't Enough. Dr. Syreeta had the bachelor's, the MBA, the PMP — and still heard “I don't think you can handle the questions.” She breaks down the moment she stopped asking for permission, started networking around the gatekeepers, and went and got it herself. FAFO energy, activated.Dubai, Disrespect, and Discovering Her Authentic Self. As one of six Americans and one of four Black people in a workplace abroad, Dr. Syreeta was called fat every single day. She stayed for three years, proved herself anyway, and credits that pressure cooker environment with the moment her authenticity fully came alive. When everyone questioned her worth, she stopped questioning it herself.The B.A.D. B.I.T.C.H. Acronym. Before you clutch your pearls — it's an acronym. Brave. Ambitious. Determined. Bold. Intelligent. Talented. Creative. Heroic. Dr. Syreeta breaks it down and makes the case that if you have even three to five of those qualities, you are already a bad bitch. It's time to take credit for it.From Shy to Unstoppable. Dr. Syreeta was super shy in her first corporate job — quiet in meetings, dressed to blend in, watching her ideas get credited to the man sitting next to her. She traces the slow, deliberate transition from shrinking to showing up. Starting with the hoops, the wings, and the decision to stop making herself smaller for rooms that didn't deserve her full self.Project Management Is a Life Framework. Scope management. Stakeholder management. Communication management. Dr. Syreeta has spent 15 years applying PM frameworks to billion-dollar projects. Every single one maps directly to life. Whether you're planning a birth, running a household, or navigating a career pivot, you are already a project manager.The Guilt Audit. Career mom guilt. Partner guilt. Family guilt. Dr. Syreeta breaks down where it all comes from: an ex-husband who told her she was putting her job before her family while she was on back-to-back meetings during COVID with a one-year-old in the house. Her reframe: the things that fill you up don't need to be justified to anyone. And science backs it up — career moms do not negatively impact their kids. Full stop.Dark Places and Real Talk. Dr. Syreeta spent three to four years in a genuinely dark place: divorce, single motherhood, starting over. She wrote her book in the middle of it, which triggered it all over again. Her message to any woman in that place right now: you are not alone, you are still a bad bitch, and therapy is not optional. Go get a therapist. Even when things are good.RESOURCES & LINKSBook: Unleash Your Inner Bad Bitch — Dr. Syreeta Rios: https://www.amazon.com/Unleash-Your-Inner-Bad-Bitch/dp/B0DG7KRJMHPodcast: Professional Bad Bitch Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3gw3NCDLhTiEHUc7eFeLaxLinkedIn: Dr. Syreeta Rios: https://www.linkedin.com/in/syreetarios/HER Collective: Send Erica a DM. She'll invite you to sit in on a live HER Collective session as her personal guest. No pressure, no strings attached. The AI GAP: Women, AI and the Next Great Leap Forward -https://amzn.to/3OAXAdL Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors - The Book: https://amzn.to/3YDS10fConnect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericarooney/Join our Facebook Group!: https://urlgeni.us/facebook/fromNOWtoNEXTtribe https://www.facebook.com/joinHERCollective.ER Find me on Instagram: https://urlgeni.us/instagram/EricaAndersonRooneyAnd YES — I'm on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@ericaandersonrooney
NBA Draft round 1 winners! NBA Draft round 1 losers! Our best available prospects for round 2! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Zach sits down with Janet Pope - Tech and Social Impact Connector | VP, Corporate Responsibility & Engagement | Southwest Region (Geo) Leader | Nonprofit founder with Capgemini . About Living Corporate: Check out our merch! https://living-corporate-shop.fourthwall.com/ Learn more about Living Corporate's offerings and services. https://work.living-corporate.com/ Join our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/livingcorporate About Janet Pope : https://www.linkedin.com/in/janetppope/
Our final 2026 NBA Mock Draft! Dusty May candidates - College coaches who will leave next! Calling our shot on NBA Draft picks! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The conversation around AI often focuses on speed, automation, and productivity. Yet one of the most important lessons emerging from modern software development is that Hero Culture Risks become more visible as technology removes traditional bottlenecks. In Building Better Developers Season 28 Episode 8, Dave Borzillo shared a perspective many experienced developers recognize immediately: being the person who always saves the day feels rewarding, but it often masks deeper organizational problems. As AI accelerates software creation, those hidden weaknesses are becoming harder to ignore. About David Borzillo David Borzillo is an Agile coach, author, speaker, and organizational improvement advocate with more than three decades of experience spanning software development, leadership, Agile transformation, and product delivery. Through his Better Ways of Working platform, he helps organizations improve collaboration, reduce operational friction, and create sustainable delivery systems. He is the author of Sanity at Scale and Who Killed Agile? (co-authored), and United Agility, and hosts the Better Ways of Working podcast. Follow David at: https://betterwaysofworking.com/about.htm Bonus: Free Kindle Promotion
So much conversation around AI has centered on its power as a tool to change how communicators operate. And it's all valid. However, the realization has become inescapable: AI is no longer just a productivity enabler or touchpoint of amplification. During this podcast featuring RepTrak's chief reputation and strategy officer Stephen Hahn, we tackle how AI has become your most important stakeholder for everything from reputation matters to crisis comms to the development of actionable insights. PRWeek.comTheme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSICJaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUSReceive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Catching up on the Discord! Ranking 5 NBA Draft guard prospects! Ranking 5 NBA Draft big man prospects! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Oliver und Tim sprechen in dieser Folge darüber, warum viele Product Owner auf bessere Rahmenbedingungen warten und sich damit oft selbst ausbremsen. Im Alltag fehlt die Produktvision, Prioritäten bleiben unklar oder wichtige Entscheidungen kommen nicht voran. Solche Situationen kennen viele. Der Reflex ist häufig, auf Führungskräfte, Stakeholder oder andere Teams zu zeigen und von diesen eine Lösung zu erwarten. Genau dort beginnt jedoch ein Muster, das wenig verändert. Wer dauerhaft darauf wartet, dass andere den ersten Schritt machen, gibt einen Teil seines eigenen Gestaltungsspielraums aus der Hand. Warte nicht darauf, dass das Umfeld perfekt wird, bevor du Verantwortung übernimmst. Besonders spannend ist die Frage nach dem eigenen Antrieb. Viele Produktmenschen können sehr präzise beschreiben, was in ihrer Organisation nicht funktioniert. Deutlich schwieriger wird es oft bei der Antwort auf die Frage, warum sie ihr Produkt eigentlich voranbringen wollen. Wer für sich keine Richtung erkennt, landet schnell im Beschwerdemodus. Dann dreht sich die Aufmerksamkeit vor allem um Hindernisse. Aber warte nicht darauf, dass jemand anderes Sinn und Orientierung liefert. Beschäftige dich mit dem Wert deines Produkts, mit den Menschen, die es nutzen, und mit dem Beitrag, den du selbst leisten möchtest. Daraus entsteht auch Energie für Veränderung. Fehlende Strategien oder unklare Ziele sind häufige Auslöser für Frust. Viele Product Owner wünschen sich eine klare Unternehmensstrategie, bevor sie Entscheidungen treffen oder Diskussionen glauben weitertreiben zu können. Dieser Wunsch ist nachvollziehbar. Trotzdem hilft Abwarten selten weiter. Also warte nicht, bis jede Antwort von oben kommt. Suche das Gespräch, stelle Fragen und mache sichtbar, welche Entscheidungen ohne Orientierung schwerfallen bzw. auf Basis welcher Hypothesen du vorangehen wirst. Wer aktiv Zusammenhänge aufzeigt und konkrete Vorschläge einbringt, erhöht die Chance auf Klarheit deutlich stärker als jemand, der lediglich auf Missstände hinweist. Ähnlich verhält es sich bei der Zusammenarbeit mit Stakeholdern. Wenn Anforderungen ungefiltert ins Team gelangen oder jede Aufgabe höchste Priorität erhält, entsteht schnell das Gefühl von Kontrollverlust. Viele Product Owner sehen das Problem sehr klar, bleiben aber in der Rolle der Beobachtenden. Warte nicht darauf, dass andere plötzlich anders arbeiten. Schaffe Transparenz über Auswirkungen, führe Priorisierungsdiskussionen und suche Verbündete. Einfluss entsteht selten durch die formale Rolle allein. Er wächst durch Initiative, durch Kommunikation und durch den Mut, schwierige Gespräche zu führen. Produktverantwortung bedeutet deshalb mehr als Backlog Pflege und Sprint Planung. Sie beginnt dort, wo Menschen ihr Umfeld aktiv mitgestalten. Niemand kann alle organisatorischen Probleme allein lösen. Darum geht es auch nicht. Entscheidend ist die Haltung, mit der man auf Herausforderungen blickt. Warte nicht auf die perfekte Organisation, die ideale Strategie oder die nächste Entscheidung von oben. Nutze den Handlungsspielraum, den du heute hast. Oft ist er größer, als es auf den ersten Blick erscheint. Im Gespräch wird von Tim und Oliver auf folgende ältere Episoden verwiesen: - Umgang mit Produktrisiken - Als Product Owner dein Zeitmanagement in den Griff bekommen - Trotz Hierarchie durchsetzungsstark als Product Owner agieren Wo wartest du aktuell noch darauf, dass andere etwas verändern? Vielleicht fehlt eine klare Richtung. Vielleicht blockieren Priorisierungskonflikte oder schwierige Abstimmungen mit Stakeholdern den Fortschritt. Oft gibt es mehr Handlungsspielraum, als auf den ersten Blick sichtbar wird. Vielleicht hat diese Folge dir auch bereits geholfen Dinge in die eigene Hand zu nehmen. Teilt eure Geschichten und Erfahrungen doch mit uns und der Community. Hinterlasse gerne einen Kommentar unterm Blog-Artikels oder auf unserer Produktwerker LinkedIn-Seite.
Careers rarely follow the path we expect.In this episode, I'm joined by Rachel Abad to talk about the twists, turns, and unexpected experiences that ultimately led her to founding her own communications consultancy.Growing up in regional North Queensland, Rachel always knew she wanted to leave her hometown and build a career beyond its boundaries. While law was her original plan, missing the grades led her into a Communications degree instead, a decision that would shape the rest of her career.Through internships, she discovered a love of teamwork, fast-paced environments, and working to deadlines. After a challenging start to her job search, Rachel landed a role in a small agency working with Telstra licensees, which eventually led to positions with a Telstra master licensee and later Telstra's head office.Along the way, she developed expertise in stakeholder management, communications, and navigating complex environments, skills that would later transfer seamlessly into infrastructure, rail projects, and community engagement work in Melbourne.But like many people, Rachel's career wasn't without challenges.During COVID, years of pressure and overwork caught up with her. Burnout, hospitalisation, and a diagnosis of intracranial hypertension forced her to reassess her relationship with work, success, and identity.Our conversation explores:✅ Building a career when the path isn't clear✅ The value of internships and early career experiences✅ Stakeholder management and transferable skills✅ Burnout, recovery, and redefining success✅ When work becomes too much of your identity✅ Starting a business and overcoming fear✅ Finding purpose and meaning in your work✅ Why nobody really has it all figured outRachel also shares the story behind founding Looped In Communication, her audience-led research and communications consultancy, and why understanding people sits at the heart of effective communication.This is an honest conversation about career detours, resilience, burnout, entrepreneurship, and the reality that most successful careers are built one step at a time.To connect with Rachel Website: looped-in.com.au LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-abad-59303452/Can you also find episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaGrahamCareerCoach/videosYour host, Emma Graham, Career Coach and ex-recruiter, is here to help you with:
Catching up on the Discord! Our boldest NBA Draft predictions! Our biggest questions for our favorite CBB teams! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Ranking the 5 most successful year one coaches next season! Granting our favorite CBB teams one wish each! An "NBA Draft" draft! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ sits down with Jake Kornreich, CFO of CoLab and former CFO of Own, live from the New York Stock Exchange. Jake breaks down the six-part framework behind Own's $2.1B sale to Salesforce, why “control your destiny” matters, how CFOs should think about IPO readiness, board communication, share price theater, and why great finance leaders operate beyond the spreadsheet.—SPONSORS:Rillet is an AI-native ERP built for modern finance teams that want to replace NetSuite and close faster. With revenue recognition, close management, multi-entity support, and native Stripe and Salesforce integrations, Rillet helps scaling companies run their finance stack in one place. Hundreds of teams, including Windsurf and Mercor, use Rillet to make the zero-day close real. Book a demo at https://www.rillet.com/cjEY has been part of Silicon Valley since it was just a valley, helping the most successful names in tech go from startup to exit to megacap. With teams across strategy, tax, audit, and transactions, EY helps you get your financials right early, long before your investors start asking for it. You build the next big thing, and EY will help you build it right. Learn more at https://www.ey.com/techstartupsSpendHound cuts your SaaS and AI spend by up to 30% using real pricing benchmarks across 10,000 vendors, so you always know what fair pricing looks like before your next renewal. Rated #1 on G2 in SaaS spend management, it's free forever for teams up to 1,000 employees. Sign up by June 12th and get $500 just for getting started. Go to https://www.spendhound.com/cjBrex is an intelligent finance platform with AI-powered agents that capture expenses automatically, enforce policy before the spend happens, and close your books in minutes instead of weeks. 35,000+ companies like OpenAI, Coinbase, Anthropic, and DoorDash already run on Brex. It's time to get Brex AF. Learn more at https://www.brex.com/metricsAleph is a modern FP&A platform built for teams that want more than another planning tool. By connecting your ERP, CRM, and other systems into one trusted data layer with AI workflows, Aleph helps you move faster with real-time insights. Get a personalized demo at https://www.getaleph.com/runRightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform that lets your product team ship new pricing without asking finance for permission, and your sales team close deals without creating downstream chaos. Check out their free tool at calculator.rightrev.com It scores your rev rec process, shows what's exposing you to risk, and tells you exactly where to focus before it bites you in the rear end. Check it out at https://calculator.rightrev.com—LINKS: Mostly Talent: https://mostlymetrics.typeform.com/to/cLTxtAsNGuest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-kornreich/Company: https://www.colabsoftware.com/CJ: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.comTIMESTAMPS:0:00 Preview and Intro2:20 First stock3:28 Benefits of going public today5:42 Come-up: chief of staff to CFO6:31 Running HR like a sales org8:32 Control your destiny9:24 Synergies with Salesforce10:09 Sponsors — Rillet | EY | SpendHound13:10 Do your own ROI due diligence14:40 Share price equals entertainment16:26 Disciplined execution17:45 Performance, not stories19:24 Activist investors and the acquirer's board20:13 Write the memo for the other side20:45 Sponsors — Brex | Aleph | RightRev24:02 Triangulate your way to success25:18 Your board takes snapshots, you run the movie26:21 Knowing when to sell27:16 Valuation limits your exit options27:38 Stakeholder comms during the acquisition29:58 CFO as operator, not just function31:31 What is CoLab?32:09 Why Jake joined post-Series C33:50 Personal product market fit for CFOs35:27 Lightning round35:42 Screwed up: $5M budget error36:17 Advice to younger self36:41 Finance software stack37:34 Culture of expense discipline38:22 Credits
Lindsey Jayne is an independent product adviser and coach, and former chief product officer at the Financial Times. She began her career at the Government Digital Service, where she stumbled into product management by chasing someone down a corridor holding a MacBook that actually worked. What followed was 15 years moving through startups, scaleups, and ultimately one of Britain's most storied media institutions.Chapters00:00 — Introduction01:08 — Lindsey's origin story: from a broken government laptop to product management02:48 — Why product managers burn out: accountability without authority05:34 — Influencing stakeholders using discovery skills07:19 — What leaders can do to clear the way for their product teams08:44 — Stakeholder mapping: the influence and interest framework09:41 — Recognising burnout signals in your team at scale11:16 — Balancing passion and sustainability: when enthusiasm becomes a pattern14:16 — When to transition from individual contributor to product leader16:24 — Product reviews and cross-team knowledge sharing18:42 — How to communicate effectively with senior stakeholders20:40 — Career-defining advice: you don't have to die on every hill21:43 — Half your job is landing the product, not just building it22:25 — The most common mistake junior product managers make24:05 — How to tell your story after a difficult or toxic company exitOur HostsLily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She's currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She's worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath.Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury's. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group's Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He's the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager's Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon's music stores in the US & UK.
Catching up on the Discord! Playing the viral Hoop Degrees game! An "NBA Draft" draft! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The biggest power conference pretenders! Giving out NBA Draft superlatives! Revisiting our top 25 from April 29! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The top 10 trios in college basketball! Surprise power conference contenders! Picking power conference pretenders! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
This week and next, we're bringing you recordings from our second-ever live taping in San Francisco. First, we sit down with Microsoft's chief executive, Satya Nadella, to hear what he's maxing out his A.I. tokens on, why he's skeptical that software developers will ever be fully replaced, and how he's hoping to create a new business model for Xbox. Then, Phil Mohun tells us what it has been like to watch people in the Bay Area interact with two robot dogs that wear the faces of Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. And finally, we talk with the longtime privacy defender Cindy Cohn about where things stand in the fight to protect internet users from digital surveillance by Big Tech and the government. Guests: Satya Nadella, chairman and chief executive of Microsoft. Phil Mohun, executive director of Node. Cindy Cohn, former executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and author of “Privacy's Defender: My Thirty-Year Fight Against Digital Surveillance.” Additional Reading: Microsoft C.E.O. Satya Nadella Says, ‘Everyone Is a Stakeholder' in A.I. Node presents “Beeple: /Infinite_Loop” We want to hear from you. Email us at hardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” on YouTube and TikTok. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Freshman we believe in! International guys we believe in! Raleigh Burgess candidates we believe in! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Biggest offseason winners, losers, and surprises! Drafting All-Americans until we both have 10 players! Ranking the most impactful freshmen! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Welcome back to the Alt Goes Mainstream podcast.We went to a mecca of football to film the latest episode. This conversation takes us to Turin, Italy, where we were in the Juventus Creator Lab with Italian football (I mean soccer for the Americans) legend and one of the best defenders of all time Giorgio Chiellini.Giorgio's career and playing style were defined by Juventus' very motto, fino alla fine (“until the end”). It's also a mentality that he brings to every aspect of life on and off the pitch. After an illustrious playing career at one of the world's biggest clubs, Juventus, and a career that also included two World Cup appearances for Italy and winning the Euro 2020 as the Captain of Italy, Giorgio came back home to Turin rejoin the club where he starred for 17 years: Juventus. Giorgio has gone from the pitch to the boardroom, helping to lead Juventus as the Director of Football Strategy. He has brought the player's perspective to the business side of football, balancing the nuances of sports and business.Despite the demands that Giorgio faced on the field as a player to maintain a standard of play at the highest levels of the game, he found time during his career to pursue his passion for business. He received his MBA while playing for Juventus and also was involved in the player development side in his final years as a player at LAFC. More recently, he became an investor in LAFC and in Mercury13, a multi-club investor in women's football teams, including FC Como. He's also an active investor in the European startup community.Giorgio and I had a wide-ranging and fascinating conversation that covered several dimensions of the business of sport. We discussed:How teams, owners, and investors can balance both the sport and business aspects of the game.What it means for sports now that players can have bigger social followings than their clubs or leagues.How Juventus has built and amplified its brand through initiatives like the Creator Lab.How clubs like Juventus can help players build their off-field brand while maintaining a high-quality on-field product.How Giorgio's work off the field while playing informed how he wanted to spend his time post-career in business.What Giorgio's day-to-day is like as Director of Football Strategy for Juventus.Why Giorgio invested in LAFC and what he thinks about the future of the MLS.What American owners and investors can learn from European soccer clubs and owners, and what European clubs and owners can learn from American owners and investors.Thanks, Giorgio, for sharing your wisdom, expertise, and enthusiasm at the intersection of sports and business.Note: this episode was filmed in October 2025 with a plan to publish the conversation around the World Cup.Show Notes00:00 Split Second Decision01:06 A Message from Our Sponsor, Ultimus02:10 Meet Giorgio Chiellini04:17 What Is the Juventus Creator Lab04:36 Building Fans Through Content05:27 Football Brand Goes Global06:15 Revenue From Winning06:43 Two Hearts One Club07:52 Winning Versus Storytelling08:40 Fans Everywhere Now09:27 Too Many Games Problem09:51 Stakeholders and Calendar11:00 Owner Advice Communication11:28 From Kid to Club 14:12 Film Study for Matches15:02 The Saka Tactical Foul17:26 Social Media and Mental Health29:32 US World Cup Reality29:45 Grassroots Long Game30:09 MLS and USL Momentum30:14 Stadiums and Growth30:20 MLS Season vs Playoffs30:46 Supporters Shield Incentives31:11 Travel and Rest Mentality31:33 Europe Stakes Comparison31:54 Highlights Era Question32:24 Bite-Sized Sports Culture33:40 Choosing What to Watch33:55 Sports Must Adapt34:33 Owners Business View35:15 TV Rights and Strategy36:05 Institutional Money Trend36:42 Why Funds Love Sports37:04 Balancing Profit and Emotion38:12 Fiduciary Duty vs Winning39:15 Permanent Capital Advantage40:42 Mission Values Legacy41:54 Juventus DNA and Family44:31 Leadership Lessons Learned45:38 From Captain to Executive47:05 Humanity and Energy48:21 Player to Business Challenges50:00 Investing in Italian Startups51:47 How He Picks Investments52:43 Innovation and AI in Sport53:16 Favorite Alternative Investment54:34 Profitability and Winning55:21 ClosingA Word from Our Sponsor, UltimusThis episode of Alt Goes Mainstream is brought to you by Ultimus, the full-service fund administrator and transfer agent powering asset managers in private and public markets. As alts go mainstream, you need real expertise to handle complex fund structures, connect with key distribution partners, and handle sophisticated compliance, reporting, and transparency demands.That's Ultimus: high-tech, high-touch solutions for over 450 clients and 2,500 funds with $775B in assets under administration. Backed by an expert team of over 1,200 employees, they place client service at the core of their business, helping you navigate complexity during your fund structuring or launch and then supporting you through every stage of growth. Whether you're already in the market or thinking about entering private wealth, you can trust their team's deep expertise in retail alternatives to help you reach your goals.Learn more at ultimusfundsolutions.com or email info@ultimusfundsolutions.com.We thank Ultimus for their support of alts going mainstream.Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant.
Consultative selling in complex B2B sales is no longer optional - it's the shift every sales leader must master as buying becomes more complex and stakeholder-driven. In this episode of the B2B Sales Trends Podcast, Harry sits down with Yasha Mitrotti, Executive VP at bioMérieux, to unpack how B2B selling has evolved from technical expertise to value-based, stakeholder-driven conversations. Drawing on 30 years of enterprise sales experience, Yasha shares what actually separates top performers today, and why many teams struggle to adapt. The future of B2B selling isn't about product knowledge - it's about translating value across stakeholders and leading complex conversations with confidence.
Predicting starting lineups for our favorite teams! Offseason hot takes, round 1! Nonsensically too early Final Four picks! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Geschätzte Lesedauer: 14 Minuten Was unterscheidet einen deutschen Vertriebsingenieur von einem amerikanischen Sales-Profi – und was kann der deutsche Mittelstand aus fast zwei Jahrzehnten internationalem B2B-Vertrieb lernen? Genau darum geht es in dieser Folge. Mein Gast Olaf Detlef hat acht Jahre in Shanghai verbracht, dann elf Jahre in den USA – und ist seit Anfang 2025 zurück in Deutschland. Als Geschäftsführer von Kendrion Industrial Brakes bringt er Erfahrungen mit, die kaum jemand im deutschsprachigen Mittelstand so gesammelt hat. Und ich sage dir: Es lohnt sich, genau hinzuhören. Internationaler B2B Vertrieb: Drei Kontinente, drei Lektionen Olaf ist kein Vertriebstheoretiker. Er hat als junger Vertriebler den Finger gehoben, als sein damaliger Arbeitgeber – ein Mittelständler mit 300 Mitarbeitern – einen Aufbau in China suchte. Kein Netzwerk, keine China-Erfahrung und außerdem keine Sprachkenntnisse. Aber er war der Einzige, der sich gemeldet hat. Folglich wurden aus geplanten drei Jahren acht. Danach folgte Amerika – auch dort sollte es drei Jahre werden, doch es wurden elf. Wer in zwei Märkten, die kaum unterschiedlicher sein könnten, erfolgreich Vertrieb aufgebaut hat, der sieht danach das Geschäft in Deutschland mit ganz anderen Augen. Was Olaf mitgebracht hat, ist kein Handbuch. Es ist ein Mindset – und eine Menge konkreter Beobachtungen, die direkt auf den deutschen Mittelstand übertragbar sind. Lass uns die wichtigsten durchgehen. China: Zustimmung im Meeting ist keine Zustimmung im System Die erste große Lektion aus dem internationalen B2B Vertrieb kommt aus Shanghai. Olaf hatte ein vielversprechendes Projekt im Bereich Windkraft. Die Meetings liefen gut, die Stimmung war positiv, der CFO war dabei. Beim anschließenden Abendessen fehlte dieser plötzlich. Und am Ende wurde nicht das komplette System bestellt – sondern nur eine Komponente. Was war passiert? Olaf hatte die Zustimmung im Meeting mit einer echten Entscheidung verwechselt. In China läuft vieles über Gesichtswahrung. Ein „Ja" im Gespräch bedeutet oft nicht mehr als: Ich möchte dich nicht in Verlegenheit bringen. Die eigentlichen Entscheider sitzen im Hintergrund – die sogenannte unbekannte Einkäufergruppe. Und die hat niemand auf dem Schirm gehabt. Das klingt zunächst wie ein China-spezifisches Problem. Tatsächlich ist es das aber nicht. Denn genau dasselbe passiert täglich in deutschen Vertriebsgesprächen. Der Kunde sagt: „Schick mir mal ein Angebot." Daraufhin denkt der Verkäufer: Auftrag in Sicht. Was der Kunde gemeint hat: Ich habe keine Zeit mehr für dieses Gespräch. Der Unterschied ist also nur, dass in Deutschland niemand so höflich ist, es nicht zu sagen – und dass in China niemand so direkt ist, es auszusprechen. „Eine Zustimmung im Meeting bedeutet noch lange keine Zustimmung im System." – Olaf Detlef Stakeholder-Management: Der Spaghetti-Ball, den du verstehen musst Eine der wertvollsten Erkenntnisse aus dem internationalen B2B Vertrieb – und gleichzeitig eine, die im deutschen Mittelstand noch viel zu selten gelebt wird – ist das konsequente Stakeholder-Mapping. Olaf beschreibt, wie sein Team eine Kundenorganisation aufgezeichnet hat und am Ende vor einem Bild stand, das aussah wie ein Spaghetti-Ball. Verwirrend. Undurchsichtig. Kaum zu entwirren. Die entscheidende Frage dabei: Wer muss diesen Spaghetti-Ball eigentlich verstehen? Der Kunde selbst? Meistens weiß der nicht mal genau, wer bei ihm intern alles mitentscheidet. Es ist unsere Aufgabe als Vertrieb, das herauszufinden – und zwar bevor wir in den ersten echten Discovery Call gehen. Ein konkretes Beispiel: Olaf hatte ein Projekt, das praktisch abgeschlossen war. Doch kurz vor Projektabschluss meldete sich plötzlich der Produktionsleiter – den niemand auf dem Schirm hatte, nicht einmal der Kunde selbst. Sein Urteil: So geht das nicht. Folglich kam es zu über einem Jahr Verzögerung. Mein Tipp dazu, den ich auch in Workshops immer wieder bringe: Mach eine Stakeholder-Map. Wie in einem Tatort-Krimi – Fotos an die Wand, Fäden ziehen, fragen: Wen kennen wir noch gar nicht? Wer könnte noch mitentscheiden? Wo fehlen uns Informationen? Tools wie LinkedIn Sales Navigator helfen dabei, Entscheidungsstrukturen zu recherchieren – und gezielt Fragen zu stellen, die den richtigen Ansprechpartner ins Spiel bringen. So baust du deine Stakeholder-Map auf So erstellst du eine Stakeholder-Map für komplexe B2B-Deals Bekannte Kontakte auflisten Notiere alle Personen, mit denen du bereits Kontakt hattest – Name, Rolle, Abteilung. Entscheidungsstruktur recherchieren Nutze LinkedIn Sales Navigator, um herauszufinden, wer an wen berichtet und welche Rollen noch relevant sein könnten. Weiße Flecken markieren Wo fehlen Kontakte? Einkauf, Produktion, Qualität, Geschäftsführung – welche Ebenen hast du noch nicht erreicht? Gezielte Fragen im nächsten Gespräch stellen Frag deinen Ansprechpartner aktiv: „Sollten wir auch Herrn Müller aus der Qualitätssicherung einbeziehen?" – so eröffnest du Türen, ohne aufdringlich zu wirken. Map laufend aktualisieren Stakeholder-Maps sind keine einmalige Übung. Aktualisiere sie mit jeder neuen Information aus Gesprächen, E-Mails und Recherchen. Vom Problem hinter dem Problem: Was chinesische Verhandlungsstrategien uns lehren Olaf hatte in China das Glück, einen Mentor zu finden – einen Deutschen, der in Aachen studiert hatte, fließend Deutsch sprach und beide Kulturen wirklich kannte. Dieser Mentor machte ihn auf eine alte chinesische Verhandlungsstrategie aufmerksam, die heute noch im internationalen B2B Vertrieb angewendet wird: das Feuer vom Kochtopf entziehen. Gemeint ist: Das Wasser kocht – aber du musst nicht das Wasser abkühlen, du musst die Flamme wegnehmen. Übertragen auf den Vertrieb: Was ist wirklich die Ursache des Problems? Was will der Kunde wirklich erreichen? Will er Preisführer werden? Nach Europa exportieren? Netzwerk aufbauen? Die Symptome sind sichtbar – die eigentlichen Ursachen liegen tiefer. Das ist im Grunde das, was ich immer als „Problem hinter dem Problem" bezeichne. Ein Kunde sagt, er braucht eine neue Industriebremse. Okay. Aber warum? Was läuft mit dem aktuellen Lieferanten nicht? Welche Herausforderungen hat er? Und wenn er sagt, er ist mit dem aktuellen Lieferanten super zufrieden – was steckt dann wirklich dahinter? Genau hier liegt der Unterschied zwischen einem Vertriebsingenieur, der Features erklärt, und einem Verkäufer, der wirklich versteht, was der Kunde braucht. Amerika: Geschwindigkeit, Klarheit und der erste Call entscheidet alles Nach acht Jahren China kam für Olaf Amerika. Und der Kulturschock war in gewisser Weise noch größer – weil man glaubt, Amerika zu kennen. Tut man aber nicht. Die USA haben Olaf gelehrt: Im internationalen B2B Vertrieb zählt Geschwindigkeit. Amerikanische Kunden wollen früh wissen, ob eine Lösung grundsätzlich passt. Kein vollständiges Konzept, keine fertige Zeichnung – eine Skizze und eine grobe Preiseinschätzung reichen für einen ersten Orientierungspunkt. Während ein deutscher Ingenieur sagt „Das kann man nicht schätzen, das müssen wir genau berechnen", antwortet der amerikanische Einkäufer innerlich bereits: „Nächster Bitte." Noch entscheidender: In den USA gilt – wenn der erste Call nicht sitzt, bist du raus. Nicht etwa nach dem zweiten oder dritten Gespräch, sondern bereits nach dem ersten. Keine zweite Chance, kein Wiederanlauf. Das klingt zwar hart, bringt aber eine wichtige Konsequenz mit sich: Der Discovery Call muss so vorbereitet sein wie eine Präsentation vor dem Vorstand. Dazu kommt: Eine freundliche Gesprächsatmosphäre in den USA bedeutet keine Verbindlichkeit. Amerikaner sind von Natur aus freundlich und offen – das ist kulturell bedingt, aber kein Kaufsignal. Olaf hat das selbst schmerzhaft erlebt: Ein Meeting verlief bestens, er war am Ende überzeugend, aber er hatte das eigentliche Signal – es geht auch um einen Preisvorteil – überhört. Danach kam nichts mehr. Der Discovery Call: Das wichtigste Meeting im internationalen B2B Vertrieb Was Olaf aus Amerika mitgenommen hat und jetzt in Deutschland umsetzt, ist eine neue Ernsthaftigkeit gegenüber dem Discovery Call. Früher, als man sich noch persönlich getroffen hat, gab es ein Warm-up, ein paar Minuten Smalltalk, man konnte die Körpersprache des Gegenübers lesen. Heute hat man 30 bis 45 Minuten – manchmal mit Kameras aus, manchmal kommen kurzfristig unbekannte Teilnehmer dazu. Und in dieser Zeit soll man sich vorstellen, den Kunden verstehen, seinen Nutzen zeigen und die nächsten Schritte klären. Das ist kein Meeting mehr – das ist ein Sprint. Und wer unvorbereitet reingeht, verliert. Cross-funktionale Teams statt Einzelkämpfer Olafs Ansatz: Cross-funktionale Teams für wichtige Discovery Calls. Nicht einer geht alleine rein, sondern zwei bis drei Personen mit unterschiedlichen Fähigkeiten. Ein Techniker, ein Kaufmann und außerdem jemand, der gut zuhört und nachfragt. Das hat mehrere Vorteile: Zum einen kannst du das Playbook wechseln, wenn sich herausstellt, dass auf der anderen Seite plötzlich ein CFO statt eines Ingenieurs sitzt. Zum anderen zeigst du Kompetenz durch Professionalität. Und schließlich kannst du auf fast jede Frage sofort antworten. Dazu hat Olaf bei Kendrion ein Setup gebaut, das einem kleinen Nachrichtenstudio ähnelt: mehrere Kameras, professionelle Beleuchtung, ein Setup, das Professionalität ausstrahlt. Im klassischen Maschinenbau ist das noch die Ausnahme – genau deshalb fällt es auf. Und genau deshalb funktioniert es. Deutschland: Ingenieure im Vertrieb – Stärke und Schwäche zugleich Seit Anfang 2025 ist Olaf wieder in Deutschland. Und was er sieht, klingt vertraut – vielleicht zu vertraut. Deutsche Vertriebsingenieure sind tief in der Technik. Sie können erklären, wie ein Produkt funktioniert, welche Toleranzen es hat, welche Zulassungen vorliegen. Das ist ein echtes Asset. Aber es ist eben auch eine Falle. Denn während der deutsche Vertriebsingenieur noch erklärt, hat der amerikanische Einkäufer schon innerlich aufgehört zuzuhören. Olaf beschreibt das sehr treffend: In China waren deutsche Ingenieure noch bewundert – die Präzision, die Tiefe, das Fachwissen haben Eindruck gemacht. In Amerika hat er manchmal erlebt, wie die Augen seiner Gesprächspartner schon an die Decke wanderten. Die Botschaft: Komm auf den Punkt. Das bedeutet allerdings nicht, dass Fachwissen wertlos ist. Im Gegenteil. Aber es muss in den Dienst des Kunden gestellt werden, anstatt als Selbstzweck präsentiert zu werden. Denn der Kunde will nicht wissen, wie eine Industriebremse funktioniert. Vielmehr will er wissen, was sie für sein konkretes Problem bedeutet. Der informierte Kunde: 60 bis 80 Prozent des Kaufprozesses sind bereits gelaufen Ein weiterer wichtiger Punkt aus der Praxis des internationalen B2B Vertriebs: Der Kunde kommt heute nicht mehr unwissend ins Gespräch. Er hat recherchiert, er hat 3D-Zeichnungen heruntergeladen und außerdem Wettbewerber verglichen – vielleicht hat er sogar schon fünf Pitches gehört. Folglich weiß er in vielen Fällen mehr als mancher Vertriebsmitarbeiter, zumindest über die Marktoptionen. Was bedeutet das für den Vertrieb? Olaf bringt es auf den Punkt: Eine Company-Presentation zu zeigen ist heute irrelevant. Der Einstieg in ein Gespräch über die eigene Geschichte, die eigenen Awards und die eigene Unternehmensphilosophie kostet wertvolle Minuten – und die hat man nicht mehr. Was der Kunde wirklich braucht: Jemanden, der die vielen Informationen, die er bereits hat, in eine sinnvolle Reihenfolge bringt. Der sagt: Das ist zwar interessant, aber das brauchst du eigentlich nicht – weil dieses und jenes dein Problem bereits löst. Das ist echter Kundennutzen. Das ist der Moment, in dem ein Discovery Call nicht endet mit „Danke, wir melden uns" – sondern mit „Das war wirklich hilfreich." Marketing und Vertrieb: Gemeinsam oder gar nicht Wer im internationalen B2B Vertrieb Leads generieren will, kann sich nicht mehr leisten, Marketing und Vertrieb als getrennte Welten zu behandeln. Olaf setzt das konsequent um: Marketing sitzt bei Strategie-Meetings dabei, ist verpflichtet, Content zu liefern, der den Kunden bereits vor dem ersten Kontakt informiert und qualifiziert. Denn wenn 60 bis 80 Prozent der Kaufentscheidung bereits gefallen sind, bevor der Vertrieb ins Spiel kommt, dann muss Marketing diese Phase aktiv gestalten – nicht nur hübsche Broschüren produzieren. Das bedeutet konkret: technische Inhalte, die echte Fragen beantworten. Dazu Case Studies, die zeigen, wie das Problem tatsächlich gelöst wurde. Außerdem 3D-Zeichnungen, die der Kunde direkt verwenden kann. Und schließlich eine Website, die nicht über das Unternehmen redet, sondern über den Kunden und seine Herausforderungen. Mindset-Change statt Training: Der Challenger-Club als Modell Wie überträgt man all diese Erkenntnisse aus dem internationalen B2B Vertrieb auf ein deutsches Team? Olaf hat bei Kendrion einen Weg gewählt, den ich wirklich spannend finde: keinen Frontalunterricht, kein externes Training, das nach zwei Tagen vergessen ist. Stattdessen: einen Club. Erst gab es eine Verhandlungsgruppe – ein freiwilliger Zusammenschluss, der Vertrieblern hilft, schwierige Verhandlungen zu meistern. Das Format: Man liest Bücher, trifft sich, diskutiert – und hilft anderen in der Gruppe mit echten, laufenden Verhandlungen. Als Olaf den Zugang begrenzte und Bewerbungen verlangte, war der Club innerhalb von 24 Stunden ausgebucht. Dieses Prinzip hat er auf den Challenger-Sale-Ansatz übertragen. Eine gemischte Gruppe – Vertrieb, Konstruktion, Logistik – arbeitet gemeinsam daran, echte Fälle zu analysieren und Playbooks für unterschiedliche Stakeholder-Konstellationen zu entwickeln. Kein Lehrbuch, gelebte Praxis. Und der Sog-Effekt funktioniert: Andere Mitarbeiter fragen inzwischen, warum sie nicht dabei sein dürfen. Warum der Chef selbst mitmachen muss Das Wichtigste dabei: Olaf macht selbst mit. Denn er ist nicht der Chef, der von oben anordnet. Vielmehr ist er ein Teil des Teams – angreifbar, offen für Fragen und außerdem bereit zuzugeben, dass er selbst nicht immer alle Antworten hat. Genau dieser Führungsstil ist es, der echten Wandel überhaupt erst möglich macht. „Erst verstehen, dann verstanden werden." – Olaf Detlef KI im internationalen B2B Vertrieb: Noch am Anfang, aber unverzichtbar Auch das Thema KI kommt nicht zu kurz. Bei Kendrion ist man gerade dabei, die richtigen Tools auszuwählen – Enterprise-Versionen, die datenschutzkonform in einem börsennotierten Unternehmen eingesetzt werden können. Ein konkretes Problem, das gelöst werden soll: Informationen wiederfinden. Was früher auf dem Server lag, dann in Teams, dann im SharePoint, dann in der Cloud – und was jetzt niemand mehr findet, wenn ein Kunde fünf Jahre später auf eine damalige Vereinbarung verweist. Parallel läuft der Wechsel aller CRM-Systeme auf SAP Cloud for Customer – mit allen Schmerzen einer Übergangsphase, in der man gleichzeitig das alte System herunterfährt und das neue aufbaut. Das kostet Kraft. Aber wer diese Phase nicht konsequent durchzieht, hat danach keine belastbare Datenbasis – und ohne Datenbasis kein vernünftiger Vertrieb. Der Vertriebsleiter als Ermöglicher, nicht als Aufpasser Einer der wichtigsten Punkte, die Olaf mitbringt, ist sein Führungsverständnis. Ein guter Vertriebsleiter im internationalen B2B Vertrieb – oder auch im rein deutschen Markt – ist kein Händchenhalter und kein Kontrolleur. Vielmehr ist er derjenige, der seine Leute befähigt. Er findet heraus, was im Werkzeugkasten fehlt, und ist bei wichtigen Calls dabei – nicht um zu übernehmen, sondern um zu unterstützen. Außerdem steht er bei schwierigen Situationen als Gesprächspartner zur Verfügung, ohne gleich eine fertige Lösung zu diktieren. Empathieverständnis ist dabei das Schlüsselwort. Wer an der Basis versteht, welchen Druck die Vertriebsmitarbeiter haben – und diesen Druck wirklich ernst nimmt, anstatt ihn weiterzugeben –, schafft ein Klima, in dem Menschen wachsen wollen. Und das ist am Ende das, was Unternehmen langfristig besser macht. Key Takeaways: Was du aus dem internationalen B2B Vertrieb mitnehmen kannst Zustimmung im Gespräch ist kein Kaufsignal – weder in China noch in Deutschland. Hinterfrage immer, welche Stakeholder noch involviert sind. Kenne deine unbekannte Einkäufergruppe – erstelle vor jedem wichtigen Deal eine Stakeholder-Map und mache weiße Flecken sichtbar. Suche das Problem hinter dem Problem – der Kunde nennt dir ein Symptom. Deine Aufgabe ist es, die eigentliche Ursache zu verstehen. Der Discovery Call entscheidet alles – bereite ihn so vor wie ein Vorstandspräsentation. In 30 bis 45 Minuten musst du liefern. Fachwissen ist kein Selbstzweck – stelle dein Wissen in den Dienst des Kunden, nicht in den Dienst deiner eigenen Präsentation. Marketing gehört in den Vertriebsprozess – nicht davor, nicht daneben, sondern mittendrin. Kulturwandel funktioniert nicht per Anweisung – schaffe Sog, nicht Druck. Mach selbst mit. Häufige Fragen zum internationalen B2B Vertrieb (FAQ) Was ist der größte Unterschied zwischen amerikanischem und deutschem B2B Vertrieb? Der größte Unterschied liegt in der Geschwindigkeit und Direktheit. Amerikanische Kunden wollen früh eine grobe Einschätzung – Skizze und Preisgefühl reichen als ersten Orientierungspunkt. Deutsche Ingenieure neigen dazu, erst vollständige Konzepte zu erstellen, bevor sie antworten. Dazu kommt: In den USA entscheidet der erste Call. Wer dort nicht überzeugt, bekommt keine zweite Chance. Was ist die unbekannte Einkäufergruppe im B2B Vertrieb? Die unbekannte Einkäufergruppe bezeichnet alle Stakeholder, die Einfluss auf eine Kaufentscheidung haben, aber im Verlauf des Vertriebsprozesses nicht sichtbar sind. Das können Produktionsleiter, Qualitätsverantwortliche, CFOs oder andere interne Entscheider sein, die im Hintergrund agieren und eine Entscheidung kippen können – auch wenn alle sichtbaren Gesprächspartner bereits zugestimmt haben. Discovery Call, Kultur und Führung – die wichtigsten Praxisfragen Wie bereite ich einen Discovery Call im internationalen B2B Vertrieb richtig vor? Recherchiere vorab alle bekannten Stakeholder, erstelle eine Stakeholder-Map und identifiziere weiße Flecken. Plane, was du in 30 bis 45 Minuten wirklich erreichen willst. Definiere, welche Informationen du brauchst – und welche Fragen dich dorthin führen. Überlege, welche Mitarbeiter mit unterschiedlichen Fähigkeiten du mitbringen kannst, um flexibel auf verschiedene Gesprächspartner reagieren zu können. Warum ist Kulturkompetenz im internationalen B2B Vertrieb so wichtig? Weil Kaufsignale, Kommunikationsstile und Entscheidungsprozesse in verschiedenen Kulturen völlig unterschiedlich funktionieren. Was in Deutschland als Zustimmung gilt, kann in China höfliche Zurückhaltung bedeuten. Was in Amerika als freundlich wahrgenommen wird, ist nicht zwangsläufig Verbindlichkeit. Wer diese Unterschiede nicht kennt, interpretiert Signale falsch – und verliert Deals, ohne zu verstehen, warum. Wie kann ich als Vertriebsleiter im Mittelstand eine echte Veränderungskultur aufbauen? Nicht durch Anordnung, sondern durch Vorbildwirkung und Sog. Mach selbst mit – sei angreifbar, gib zu, wenn du etwas nicht weißt, und zeige deinem Team, dass du Teil der Veränderung bist und nicht ihr Auftraggeber. Begrenze den Zugang zu neuen Formaten und Gruppen, um natürliche Neugierde zu wecken. Und: Schaffe ein Klima ohne Angst, damit echte Fragen gestellt werden können. Fazit: Internationaler B2B Vertrieb als Spiegel für den deutschen Mittelstand Was ich an diesem Gespräch mit Olaf so wertvoll finde: Er spricht nicht über Theorie. Er spricht über das, was er selbst falsch gemacht hat, daraus gelernt hat – und was er jetzt anders macht. Und die meisten dieser Lektionen haben nichts mit China oder Amerika zu tun. Sie haben mit gutem Vertrieb zu tun: mit Vorbereitung, mit echtem Zuhören und außerdem mit dem Mut, Dinge zu hinterfragen, auch wenn die Antwort unbequem ist. Der internationale B2B Vertrieb hält einen Spiegel vor den deutschen Mittelstand. Und was wir darin sehen, sollte uns antreiben – nicht entmutigen. Denn die Grundlagen sind da. Das Fachwissen, die Ingenieurskultur, die Qualität der Produkte – das ist alles vorhanden. Was fehlt, sind die richtigen Fragen, das richtige Timing und die Bereitschaft, sich zu verändern. Und genau das lässt sich lernen. Wie seht ihr das? Was sind eure Erfahrungen mit internationalem Vertrieb – oder mit kulturellen Unterschieden in deutschen Kundengesprächen? Schreibt es in die Kommentare. Ich bin gespannt.
Watch the video interview here Carbon verification is quickly becoming a necessary step for many businesses, whether due to regulatory compliance, market demand or as part of a voluntary scheme. The drivers for this demand are varied, as is the approach many take for their path towards carbon verification. This can look very different depending on the industry you operate in and can be difficult to tackle for more service based industries, such as today's guest, Davies Group, who are a service provider for the insurance industry. In this episode Mel is joined by Gillie Fairbrother, Global Responsible Business Officer at Davies Group, to discuss the findings of Mel's thesis regarding the demand and drivers of GHG verification for organisations across the globe, and how Davies Groups' carbon verification journey factors into the findings. You'll learn · Who is Gillie Fairbrother and who are Davies Group? · What factor triggered the decision for independent carbon verification at Davies Group? · At what point did the leadership team recognise that unverified carbon data represented a credibility and governance risk that was inconsistent with that professional standard? · What did Davies Group's GHG inventory and reporting look like before independent verification was introduced? · Which specific stakeholders were asking the hardest questions about Davies Group's sustainability data, and how did those questions land internally? · · What is the gap between organisations knowing they should verify emissions and actually doing it? · Was competitive positioning part of the Davies Group case for carbon verification? · What was the most significant finding from the first carbon verification engagement? · How has verification changed the internal culture and engagement with the sustainability programme at Davies Group? · How have Davies Group supported suppliers with calculating their carbon emissions? · Where does Gillie see the expectations of institutional partners and large clients in insurance and professional services heading? · What was a specific moment where Gillie can recall that this mattered more than she had expected? Resources · Davies Group · Davies Group LinkedIn · Carbonology – Carbon Verification Services In this episode, we talk about: [00:30] Episode Summary – We introduce Gillie Fairbrother, Global Responsible Business Officer at Davies Group, to discuss their participation in Mel's thesis research into the demand for GHG emissions, exploring Davies Group's own reasoning and journey. [02:05] Who is Gillie Fairbrother and who are Davies Group? A route into sustainability as a career wasn't as readily available to Gillie when she attended university, so it has been something of a self-made path. She has previously run a wellness business in the past and has experience working with sustainable brands and has done a lot of cultural advocacy, particularly in the LGBTQ space. Taking the lead for ESG within the corporate space was a dream come true for Gillie, and she has done this for a number of US based tech firms to her current position for Davies Group. Davies Group are a service provider for the insurance industry, who operate in 22 countries. [03:40] What factor triggered the decision for independent carbon verification at Davies Group? Mel's research found that 29% of organisations cite market-driven factors as their primary reason for seeking GHG verification, compared with just 12% who cite regulatory compliance. For Davies Group, their decision was led by market demand. They looked client requests versus client contractual obligations, and carbon verification was increasingly coming up in those contractual obligations. Gillie herself has always been an advocate for working both sustainably and responsibly, promoting the revenue benefits that can be gained from doing so. However, as much as it is perceived to be the right thing to do, she doesn't want businesses to simply think of it as the 'nice thing to do'. These should be central components to how your business operates. So in part, Davies Group saw this demand not only in the market, but as simply the right way to do business. [05:30] At what point did the leadership team recognise that unverified carbon data represented a credibility and governance risk that was inconsistent with that professional standard? Davies Group already operate in a highly regulated market, and so already have very strong governance practices in place. Gillie didn't really have to worry about making too many improvements in the governance or purpose aspects of ESG compliance. They participated in TCFD on a voluntary basis to highlight a possible risk from a climate perspective that could affect things like supply chain, physical sites, or the industry in general to leadership. Thankfully, the leadership saw this as a risk worth looking into more, and were willing to quantify it properly and ensure that their data was as accurate as possible and in a place where it could be audited by a 3rd party. [07:40] What did Davies Group's GHG inventory and reporting look like before independent verification was introduced? Before Gillie joined, these aspects were managed by a 3rd party due to lack of in-house expertise to manage it. When Gillie joined, she worked closely with that 3rd party to continue the work. Davies Group is quite a complex business, it operates with 3 different divisions that have multiple service lines. At the time, they did their best with the Excel spreadsheets that they had create to track various GHG emissions, but it was not as good as it could have been. They've since grown their processes, included more in-house talent and are doing more to gain knowledge from their stakeholders, data owners and building relationships with various teams across the business. While they are still working on Excel spreadsheets, they have advanced to reasonable assurance. Gillie is now looking into external tools to help improve their data management, but this would cost a fair bit of money that could be better used currently on reducing environmental impact. [10:30] Which specific stakeholders were asking the hardest questions about Davies Group's sustainability data, and how did those questions land internally? Gillie cites employees, as they're an industry where 30% of the workforce is likely going to retire in the next 10 years, so they're trying to attract a younger group of talent who want to work for a business that has a good purpose and is a good company. Acting sustainably and responsibly is a huge part of attracting that new young talent. The second more important stakeholders are their clients. Davies Group is a private equity backed business, if they're not making money then they simply cease to exist as a business. Clients now have a keen interest in responsibly run businesses, and many now seek proof to claims. Next in the list is investors, who have an interest in the regulatory requirements that the business is subjected to. Lastly, Gillie cites suppliers as even if they aren't actively putting pressure on the business to report their emissions, without their support and cooperation, Davies Group can't meet their own goals. [12:40] What was a particularly memorable conversation with a Stakeholder that helped drive further improvement? Gillie recalls one conversation with a new employee where they asked to be more involved with their sustainability group. When she talked to them more, she discovered that one of the main reasons that employee sought them out was due to the responsible business page on their website, and that out of the 3 businesses they were applying to, Davies Group was the only one that had a page like that. [37:00] What is the gap between organisations knowing they should verify emissions and actually doing it? Mel's research found that 86% of organisations report increased stakeholder demand for transparency in GHG reporting – yet 52% remain unverified. Gillie states that there could be a lot of reasons for this, including budget, resourcing or something as simple as a piece of wording in a contract where a client might say we request versus we require. This is why Gillie is always in conversation with clients, whether that be the sales team or the sustainability teams at our clients, to understand their goals and make sure they can all align in their goals. The market is certainly the leading cause for many businesses as Government regulation tends to lag behind. [17:20] Was competitive positioning part of the Davies Group case for carbon verification? For Davies Group, it was initially a contractual requirement to complete their carbon verification. So, in their case, it was an easy decision as otherwise they could potentially lose business. However, Gillie also regularly meets with senior leadership and reports into their responsible business board committee every quarter. There they consider the growing appetite for sustainability driven demands, and how they want to leading the way in their industry. The key determining factor is whether it's relevant to them, whether that's for sustainability or for their community impact strategy. Davies Group tend to focus on education and investment in our communities, as that's where their expertise sits. It's all about materiality as businesses need to focus on what's relevant to them. [19:20] What was the most significant finding from the first carbon verification engagement? For Gillie, it was the clarity and transparency that had been game changing. Especially within their real estate portfolio. Davies Group don't own any of their offices, they're all leased. As they calculated and verified the carbon footprint, the quality of the data got better and that enabled them to have better conversations with their real estate team to understand how a building worked, whether it be a lease, including services or whether it be separate. As a result, they've been able to set a renewable energy target for all UK offices. [19:20] How has verification changed the internal culture and engagement with the sustainability programme at Davies Group? Mel's research identifies a strong correlation between verification status and organisational confidence, with 85% of verified organisations expressing pride in their sustainability progress, compared with 50% of unverified ones. Gillie's been writing the sustainability report for Davies Group for the past 6 years, and she can feel the difference after having their emissions verified as it adds an extra layer of credibility. She's also wary of stepping into bragging territory about all their sustainability achievements, without reflecting on the reality. There can be a conflict between writing what the stakeholders want to hear versus what is accurate and true. Having independent 3rd party verification gives you the confidence to back any claims made. [24:10] How have Davies Group supported suppliers with calculating their carbon emissions? Gillie is particularly proud of an industry wide collaboration project that had close to 100 SMEs go through a Net Zero training programme that was provided by a third party. Gillie joined many of the sessions and was so pleased to see sustainability champions emerge through the process where people suddenly got really invested and starting asking rather complex questions. They're still gathering feedback from those sessions, but already 80% - 90% have calculated a starting carbon footprint and put in place an action plan to help reduce their impact. This year, Davies Group have also kicked off a huge training and engagement plan with their service delivery teams who are making the decisions about their suppliers. They've also engaged with over 400 employees in their UK groups for property claims on sustainable solutions, getting their ideas, understanding the challenges and coming out with some outcomes so they can measure the carbon of their claims process and look to reduce it. Gillie teases the pending results, so keep an eye on their socials to find out more! [27:50] Key advice from Gillie: Focus your supply chain effort on your biggest emissions rather than your biggest spend, and tackle this in small groups. [29:30] Where does Gillie see the expectations of institutional partners and large clients in insurance and professional services heading – and at what point does she think verified GHG data becomes a non-negotiable baseline in your market? Many businesses have been waiting on legislation and regulations to point the way, and in a sense, they will always be waiting as these things develop with our understanding and technology available. However, businesses have done a good job of stepping up as those regulations lag behind. There's a lot of mixed press regarding sustainability, with some professionals feeling as if the topic has come off the boil as article cite the loss of dedicated sustainability officers. The reality on the ground is that these roles are now much more embedded into the business, they're not being removed, simply passed onto roles such as the Chief Operating Officer to ensure sustainability targets are being met. The bottom line is that the momentum for sustainability isn't going away, and that need to verify emissions is only going to grow. The key thing now is to move on from simple calculation into action, which is what Gillie is trying to drive right now. [32:05] What was a specific moment where Gillie can recall that this mattered more than she had expected? Gillie is so proud of what their small and mighty team at Davies Group has done for their social impact. When initially established, they were only in 1 country, they've now expanded to 22 countries and they've really focused their resources, time and effort on impacting community education and skills development, which she anticipates will have a full circle around to attracting talent into our industry. To see more about the impacts that Davies Group are orchestrating, check out their LinkedIn page. If you'd like any assistance with your carbon verification journey, contact our partner Carbonology, they'd be happy to help! We'd love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here's how: ● Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin ● Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one. 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Predicting the breakout player for our favorite teams! An NBA Finals check in! Updating our 2026 NBA mock draft! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Catching up on the Discord! An NBA Finals check in! The college basketball 82-0 game! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Catching up on the Discord! Top 10 positional battles in CBB next year! Will these teams finish better or worse next season? The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
In this episode, we capture authentic perspectives from conference attendees on the challenges of health care affordability and its wide-reaching impact across Michigan. Business leaders, policymakers, and small business owners share how affordability issues affect their daily lives and decision-making. Stakeholders agree that collaborative solutions are needed to address these challenges, with many recognizing the importance of partnership across sectors. The episode also highlights how Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is actively engaged in both leading and participating in efforts to find and implement meaningful solutions for a more affordable health care system.Guests:Ryan MaibachLina Hourani-HarajliCarla Walker- MillerRick BakerDr. Bernard CostelloEmily Gerkin GuerrantKurt BrauerJamie Westrick
Predicting the biggest scoring leaps in each power conference! Drafting our top transfer classes! Letting the chat decide the topic! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Here is roughly how every conversion rate optimization project I take on begins. We get through introductions, I sketch out an approach, everyone nods politely, and then, usually about forty minutes in, someone leans forward and asks the question. The quick wins question. The "what can we do this quarter" question. The "what's the easy thing we can ship before the board meeting" question. I always nod sympathetically. I always say yes, of course, there are some quick wins we can target. I always deliver them. And for a long time I told myself I was being responsive to client needs, which is the polite consultant phrase for "I know what they want to buy and I'm cheerfully selling it to them." But after enough years of this, I've started to notice that the clients who fixate on quick wins don't actually win much. The ones who do best treat quick wins as the opening move and then get on with the actual work. So, awkwardly, here we are. A grudging defense of quick wins I should be careful here, because it would be very easy to read what follows as "quick wins are bad and you should feel bad for wanting them." That isn't quite the argument. What quick wins actually do well Early in an engagement, a few well-chosen tests genuinely earn their keep. They build trust with stakeholders who've spent years being told that CRO is a black art performed by people who own too many ergonomic chairs. They prove that experimentation actually moves the numbers, which is how you get budget approval for anything bigger. They drag a team through the discipline of hypothesis, test, learn, iterate, which a surprising number of teams have not actually done before. And they cough up early data you can wave at finance when you eventually ask to look at the difficult stuff. That is a perfectly reasonable amount of value. The trouble starts when "a few quick wins to get us going" quietly becomes the entire strategy, and we all agree, very politely, to pretend that's fine. Why we end up here (and yes, that includes me) Clients call us in too late There's a timing problem sitting underneath all of this, and it's worth naming first. By the time a company calls someone like me in, the conversion rate has usually been quietly underperforming for a year or more. People will tolerate a slow leak for ages and then panic the moment it becomes a flood. Of course they want quick wins at that point. They want the bleeding to stop, and they want it to stop yesterday. Which is rational, in its way. But it biases the whole engagement before it's even started. We're not having a calm conversation about long-term value. We're triaging. Stakeholders are responding to terrible incentives It's tempting to roll one's eyes at stakeholders for being short-sighted, but honestly, they're not being stupid. The problem is that their incentives are just appalling. Quarterly bonuses reward this quarter's number. Senior leadership wants to see green arrows every month. Championing a structural fix that takes nine months to land is a career risk in a way that "we lifted click-through by three percent" simply isn't. Small experiments feel politically safe. Big bets feel like the kind of thing that ends up in a LinkedIn post about your unexpected career pivot. Agencies and consultants are complicit And while I'm cheerfully pointing fingers, some of them point straight back at me. Agencies and consultants are part of the problem. We are, in fact, a substantial part of the problem. Our business model rewards short engagements, monthly reports stuffed with reassuring green ticks, and the constant low-grade panic of needing to demonstrate value inside ninety days. We are structurally set up to find things to optimize. We are not structurally set up to walk into a steering committee and say, "Look, your returns process is the actual reason your customers leave. None of us can fix that with a button test. Sorry about that." The slow, accumulating cost The trouble with an all-quick-wins strategy is that the damage compounds out of view. The easy wins run out For a start, the easy stuff gets used up. Most pages have already had their obvious tests run, so what's left tends to move the needle less and less. Diminishing returns are a real thing in CRO, and I'm always slightly amazed we don't talk about them more, given how much of our work rests on the cheerful assumption that they don't apply to us. The structural issues never get touched Meanwhile, the bigger problems never get looked at. Refund policies, product photography, page weight, customer service quality, the post-purchase experience. These are the things that actually move lifetime value, and they sit serenely untouched while we hold a fourth meeting about whether the button should say "Buy now" or "Shop now." UX debt accumulates quietly But the cost I find most uncomfortable is the slow accumulation of UX debt. Take any homepage that's been A/B tested for eighteen months and look at what's actually there. Urgency timers. Exit-intent popups. Social proof badges. Micro-copy nudges. A polite little chatbot that won't go away. Each test won in isolation. The cumulative effect is a confused, faintly manipulative mess that erodes the trust we are theoretically there to build. Nobody owns the whole picture, because nobody's job is the whole picture. Which is, when you think about it, a slightly concerning way to run the customer experience.
Stakeholder management is the hidden factor behind success in complex B2B sales. Most deals aren't lost on price. They're lost because of internal misalignment, poor preparation, and failure to engage the right stakeholders at the right time. In this episode of the B2B Sales Trends Podcast, Harry sits down with Trushar Patel, GM Northwest Europe at Vantive, to explore what actually wins enterprise sales today. From stakeholder management and strategic partnerships to consultative selling and sales team collaboration, Trushar shares why modern B2B sales professionals must evolve from product promoters into trusted advisors and business coordinators.
The 10 most exciting teams in college basketball! Drafting our top transfer classes! Drafting next year's national champion! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Key account management is more than a sales tactic — it is an organization-wide growth strategy that prioritizes deeper, value-driven relationships with your most important customers. On this episode of the podcast, Joel Schaafsma joins me to dig into the nuances that differentiate key accounts from regular accounts, why organizations struggle with defining them, and the organizational investment and ROI linked to strategic account management. Joel is a strategic account management and customer experience expert known for driving organizational growth and building frameworks that translate customer insights into better business decisions. He shares his experience on evolving from vendor relationships to trusted advisor status, the common mistakes made when transitioning from sales to account management, and the critical importance of aligning your business strategy with your customers' objectives. Outline of This Episode [00:00] Key account strategy overview [05:34] Building customer alignment [07:43] Stakeholder mapping for alignment [11:17] Key account management basics [13:37] Collaborating on customer-focused strategies [16:34] Key strategies and common pitfalls [21:31] Building a hospital partnership program Building a Key Account Strategy That Aligns With Customer Goals You build a winning key account strategy by aligning your business completely with your customers', integrating at multiple organizational levels. By orchestrating input from all stakeholders, not just the primary point of contact, account managers can spot trends, proactively address issues, and introduce co-creation opportunities that serve both parties' goals. Leveraging Stakeholder Mapping and Executive Sponsorship Deep alignment is only possible with clear stakeholder mapping. This goes beyond knowing names on an org chart, it's about understanding influence, needs, and potential advocates across both organizations, which equips you to withstand changes such as leadership turnover and evolving expectations. Joel emphasizes the role of an executive sponsor program: connecting your senior leaders with theirs builds credibility, opens doors for value-driven dialogue, and quickly removes barriers when action is needed. Tools, Technology, and Methodologies for Success The right foundation combines methodology, technology, and innovation. Joel recommends: A Distinct Strategic Account Management Methodology: This should include value co-creation and regular outcome validation, which differs from traditional sales playbooks. Enabling Technology: Use tools that collect and synthesize data from all touchpoints within both organizations, moving beyond spreadsheets to foster true alignment and prioritization. AI Integration: Those who ignore AI risk falling dangerously behind as it rapidly reshapes the landscape of business intelligence and process automation. Making the Key Account Plan a Living Strategy Joel details that effective plans are co-created with customers, regularly revisited, and focused on mutual priorities. Simple, actionable documentation, combined with technology for prioritization and measurement, transforms the plan from a once-a-year formality into a working blueprint for partnership. When confronted with real-life challenges such as price competition, don't just look for cost savings. Take a step back, engage a wider range of stakeholders, and solve bigger problems. That strategic lens is at the heart of lasting success in key accounts. Resources & People Mentioned Strategic Account Management Association Connect with Joel Schaafsma Joel Schaafsma on LinkedIn Connect With Paul Watts LinkedIn Twitter Subscribe to SALES REINVENTED Audio Production and Show Notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK https://www.podcastfasttrack.com
ESPN's way too early top 25 reaction! Way too early Big Ten tiermaker! All-Big Ten preseason watch list! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Catching up on Discord comments! Previewing the NBA Finals! The top 5 "Mara" candidates in college basketball! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Nvidia was tot nu toe een van de sloomste chipaandelen van het jaar. Intel, AMD, Samsung, SK Hynix en zelfs ons eigen Besi fietsten de gifgroene chipreus lachend voorbij. Maar misschien is dat nu voorbij! Het bedrijf komt met een nieuwe superchip en dat betekent - naar eigen zeggen - een heel nieuw tijdperk voor computers. Het betekent in ieder geval flinke pijn voor beleggers in Qualcomm en Intel. Iets verderop zitten beleggers in Arm, Microsoft, ServiceNow en Hewlett Packard juist feest te vieren. We bespreken waarom. Verder doet de opvolger van Warren Buffett zijn eerste overname, in een totaal andere business: huizen bouwen in de VS. We bekijken waarom Berkshire opeens 6.8 miljard dollar in een sector plempt waar het kroonjuweel van Buffett al flinke belangen in heeft. Gast Erik Mauritz heeft het te doen met Greg Abel, die moeilijk in de voetsporen van het Orakel van Omaha kan treden. Maar toch ziet hij in Berkshire Hathaway een van de betere manieren om jezelf te beschermen tegen oververhitte AI-aandelen wereldwijd. Oh ja, en vlák voor uitzending diende Anthropic nog even de vertrouwelijke documenten in voor zijn beursgang. Nondeju! Verder in deze aflevering: SpaceX en vage cryptoconstructies, futurecontracten en andere dubieuze derivaatjes SoftBank steekt 75 miljard euro in grootste datacenterproject van Europa Wapengekletter: Czechoslovak Group aast nog steeds op een belang in KNDS, maar moet daarbij Franse en Duitse staat dulden CEO-loos Heineken Te gast: Erik Mauritz van Trade Republic. BNR Beurs is een journalistiek onafhankelijke productie, mede mogelijk gemaakt door Saxo. Over de makers: Jelle Maasbach is presentator van BNR Beurs en freelance financieel journalist. Zijn favoriete aandeel om over te praten is Disney, maar daar lijkt hij de enige in te zijn. Sinds de eerste uitzending van BNR Beurs is 'ie er bij. Maxim van Mil is presentator van BNR Beurs en journalist bij BNR, waar hij zich focust op de financiële markten en ontwikkelingen in de tech-wereld. Je krijgt hem het meest enthousiast als hij kan praten over ASML, of oer-Hollandse bedrijven zoals Ahold of ABN Amro. Jorik Simonides is presentator van BNR Beurs, economieredacteur en verslaggever bij BNR. Hij wordt er vooral blij van als het een keer níet over AI gaat. Milou Brand is presentator van BNR Beurs, freelance podcastmaker en columnist bij het Financieele Dagblad. Jochem Visser is presentator van BNR Beurs, maakt Beursnerd XL en is redacteur bij de podcast Onder Curatoren. Vraag hem naar obscure zaken op financiële markten en hij vertelt je waarom het eigenlijk nóg leuker is dan je al dacht. Over de podcast: Met BNR Beurs ga je altijd voorbereid de nieuwe beursdag in. We praten je in een kleine 25 minuten bij over alle laatste ontwikkelingen op de handelsvloer. We blijven niet alleen bij de AEX of Wall Street, maar vertellen je ook waar nog meer kansen liggen. En we houden het niet bij de cijfers, maar zoeken ook iedere dag voor je naar duiding van scherpe gasten en experts. Of je nu een ervaren belegger bent of net begint met je eerste stappen op de beurs, de podcast biedt waardevolle inzichten voor je beleggingsstrategie. Door de focus op zowel de korte termijn als de lange termijn, helpt BNR Beurs luisteraars om de ruis van de markt te scheiden van de essentie. Van Musk tot Microsoft en van Ahold tot ASML. Wij vertellen je wat beleggers bezighoudt, wie de markten in beweging zet en wat dat betekent voor jouw beleggingsportefeuille.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Picking power conference POTY candidates! Picking power conference winners! A way too early Final Four draft! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Catching up on the Discord! A post-NBA deadline day top 25! The three most surprising NBA draft decisions! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
College basketball build your own roster! Modern era CBB Mount Rushmores for our favorite teams! Giving out NBA superlatives! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
How many teams will win a title in the next 10 years? The top 10 sophomore breakout candidates! What if the 2025 and 2026 drafts were combined? The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Njegos Ilic: Why Saying Yes to Every Stakeholder Request Is the Fastest Way to Fail as a Product Owner Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. "The game is rigged because they are strong personalities, they want to get things done, but you don't have a magic stick — it's really hard to deliver results if you cannot say no." - Njegos Ilic Njegos shares a failure from early in his career as a product owner in startup environments, where he found himself saying yes to every stakeholder request. Working with strong-willed founders who expected things done their way, Njegos fell into the trap of trying to please everyone — building everything that was asked without pushing back. The result was predictable: scattered priorities, no room to pivot, and a product backlog driven by the loudest voice in the room rather than real user needs. But Njegos frames this failure with a perspective that product owners at any stage can learn from. He compares the learning process to watching children learn to walk — stumbling and falling is not a sign of weakness, it's a necessary step in the process of growing. His advice to product owners currently stuck in this pattern: don't try to avoid failures too hard, because you might prevent yourself from learning the most important lessons. Instead, treat failure as a feedback loop — something happened, you can measure it, and you can change your approach. The key is doing the actual work of reflection: What did I do? What should have been different? What wasn't possible to change, and why? Self-reflection Question: When was the last time you said yes to a stakeholder request even though your gut told you it wasn't the right call — and what would it take for you to say no next time? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
Cybersecurity assurance was supposed to give boards, regulators, customers, and partners a clear answer to one question: can the security of the organizations they depend on actually be trusted? In 2026, that answer is harder than ever to come by. Supply chains are sprawling, attackers are pivoting through third parties, and too many assurance reports still rely on questionnaires, self-attestations, and frameworks that have not kept pace with the threat landscape. The 2026 HITRUST Trust Report calls that gap what it is: a Trust Crisis. In this Brand Spotlight, Vincent Bennekers, VP of Quality at HITRUST, walks through what four years of performance data across thousands of certified environments now show: 99.62% of HITRUST-certified environments remained breach-free in 2025. That stands in stark contrast to industry surveys reporting that more than 40% of organizations have experienced a breach. Vincent Bennekers is direct on why the numbers hold up: prescriptive controls, a centralized quality review, and an assurance methodology built for measurable outcomes rather than checkbox compliance. Healthcare makes the point even sharper. HITRUST examined the top fifty breaches on the HHS OCR breach portal, the public listing some in the industry refer to as the wall of shame. None of them occurred in a HITRUST-certified environment. For an industry that consistently ranks as the most breached and the most expensive to breach, that is a signal worth pausing on. Quality of the report itself matters as much as the framework behind it. Vincent Bennekers describes a layered review model with automated and manual checks, independent reviewers, and centralized HITRUST quality assurance prior to issuance. Every certification HITRUST issues goes through that same review. Stakeholders consuming any other assurance report should be asking exactly how its integrity is being ensured, and what is actually behind the stamp. Supply chain risk is the throughline. The 2025 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report found third-party-involved breaches doubled, climbing from 15% to 30%. HITRUST requires service provider coverage, mandatory in the r2 assessment and optional but heavily adopted in the e1 and i1, where over 80% of organizations are choosing to address service provider controls thanks to a streamlined inheritance model. The report closes with a five-step roadmap for stakeholders: shift from flexible compliance to threat-intelligent assurance, verify assurance report integrity, reduce supply chain exposure, secure AI implementations through prescriptive controls, and reassess the definition of good information security assurance. Vincent Bennekers is clear that AI belongs in this conversation now, with HITRUST offering AI certification to address risks across data protection, model integrity, and automated decision-making. This is a Brand Spotlight. A Brand Spotlight is a ~15 minute conversation designed to explore the guest, their company, and what makes their approach unique. Learn more: https://www.studioc60.com/creation#spotlight GUEST Vincent Bennekers, VP of Quality at HITRUST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincent-bennekers-a0b3201/ RESOURCES Learn more about HITRUST: https://hitrustalliance.net/ Download the 2026 HITRUST Trust Report: https://hitrustalliance.net/trust-report Are you interested in telling your story? ▶︎ Full Length Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#full ▶︎ Brand Spotlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#spotlight ▶︎ Brand Highlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#highlight KEYWORDS Vincent Bennekers, HITRUST, Sean Martin, brand story, brand marketing, marketing podcast, brand spotlight, 2026 HITRUST Trust Report, trust crisis, cybersecurity assurance, third-party risk, supply chain security, healthcare cybersecurity, HHS OCR breach portal, HITRUST certification, r2 certification, e1 certification, i1 certification, threat-intelligent assurance, AI security certification, information risk management Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Player comps for the NBA draft (projected lottery)! The 10 highest ceilings in college basketball! The 10 highest floors in college basketball! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Predicting bounce back teams using KenPom! Drafting a starting 5 of NBA draft prospects! Will Wade candidates - random guys who should come back to college! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Discord comments! Reacting to CBKReport's top 25 of the last 5 years! Our favorite sleepers in the NBA draft! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
College basketball stay or go meter! Fraud or for real - transfer portal edition! Way way way too early All-American picks! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
In this episode of the Flex Diet Podcast, I sit down with human performance specialist and coach Rob Wilson for a wide-ranging conversation that spans music, coach education, and what it really means to train for performance longevity. We dig into Rob's new book, The Check Engine Light: Tune In Your Body and Mind to Achieve Performance Longevity, and his work educating coaches through ALTIS and with special operations communities. Rob also shares why jiu-jitsu strength and conditioning still lacks clear performance standards and proposes building sport-specific frameworks (like lower-body clinching demands) before jumping to exercise selection. We talk grip strength vs endurance, avoiding redundancy and tendon issues, contra-specific training for durability, and why “recovery” isn't the goal—adaptation is—especially in elite sport. Sponsors: Daily Fitness Insider Newsletter: https://flex-diet.kit.com/bfa1510fa8 Available now: Grab a copy of the Triphasic Training II book I co-wrote with Cal Deitz here. Episode Chapters: 02:41 Nineties Music Nostalgia 05:08 Seasonal Listening Habits 11:17 Teaching and ALTIS Work 13:25 Building BJJ Performance Frameworks 22:55 Grip Strength and Tendon Tradeoffs 26:51 Grip Training Hacks and Extensions 37:34 Transfer, Gait, and Fuzzy Sports 46:13 Compensation in Athletes and Aging 51:50 Warrior Fitness Reset 53:00 Check Engine Light System 54:27 Spiderweb Symptoms Explained 56:12 Eyes Unlock Performance 57:53 Stuck in Your Box 01:02:47 Logistics and Stakeholders 01:06:08 Effects Over Modalities 01:08:55 Recovery vs Adaptation 01:15:50 Wearables Need Context 01:19:41 Effort When Tired 01:25:50 Cold Plunge Mindset 01:30:14 Book Links and Wrap Up 01:31:07 Final Thanks and Disclaimer Flex Diet Podcasts you may enjoy: Episode 275: Mastering Combat Sports Conditioning Using Advanced Training Techniques with Coach James Tognarini YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9Hc-VrsY4k&t=1s Connect with Rob: Book: https://www.thecheckenginelightbook.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecheckenginelight Website: https://www.wilsonhealthandperformance.com/ Get In Touch with Dr Mike: Instagram: Drmiketnelson YouTube: @flexdietcert Email: Miketnelson.com/contact-us
Discord comments! Drafting CBB programs for the next 10 years! The 10 scariest coaches on the recruiting trail! The Sleepers Podcast is now available daily with new episodes every Monday-Friday! The College Basketball stock market is LIVE on Stakeholder! Buy low or sell high on teams as they lose and add players in the portal! Join using our link for an instant $15 bonus: https://stak3holder.com/join/sleepersmedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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