Revenue Builders

In this episode of The Revenue Builders Podcast hosted by John McMahon and John Kaplan, growth executive Jim Baum, who has more than 25 years of experience in growing and managing cutting-edge tech businesses, shares his insights into what makes great leadership in the world of entrepreneurship and startup growth. The conversation delves into the significance of a leader's unwavering belief, perseverance, and the importance of market research. Jim's anecdotes and wisdom provide valuable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:02:13] - Leader's belief is crucial for early-stage company success.[00:04:46] - Perseverance can turn setbacks into major victories.[00:07:26] - Beware of blind belief; seek evidence and adapt.[00:11:20] - Primary market research is vital for success.[00:15:01] - Entrepreneurship demands perseverance, intelligence, and a touch of "craziness."HIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:02:13] "The belief, the conviction, the strength of the founder or founders is just not to be underestimated as a force for building the company."[00:04:46] "They just needed more time. The market wasn't quite ready. The messaging wasn't quite right. And their perseverance carried it through, turned into a great return for the investors, a great return for the founders, and a big win."[00:07:26] "It's sometimes easy to get caught up in the belief. So you do have to look for evidence and you do have to look for what are we going to do differently to make things turn around here in cases where it's not going well."[00:15:01] "It takes a pretty special kind of mindset to be successful as an entrepreneur. I think that mindset is one of perseverance, a deep belief, and maybe just enough of the craziness to make it happen."Listen to the full episode with Jim Baum in this link:https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/the-entrepreneurial-mindset-with-jim-baumCheck out John McMahon’s book here:Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4Check out Force Management’s Ascender platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/ Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Leslie Venetz is a corporate sales trainer and sales-led GTM consultant. She has made over 100,000 cold calls, was a 3x Head of Sales & is now the Founder of Sales Team Builder. Leslie uses her expertise to help teams talk WITH their prospects instead of AT them. She is an active content Creator with over 60,000 followers. She has posted daily on LinkedIn for over 1000 days & is a LinkedIn Top Voice. Leslie was also the first B2B sales creator on TikTok posting under @‌SalesTipsTok. ‌Leslie co-authored the book Heels to Deals: How Women are Dominating in B2B Sales. She is passionate about transforming sales into an inclusive, respected profession.Leslie shares her expertise on cold calling. She emphasizes the importance of treating cold calling as a craft and using it as part of a multi-channel outreach strategy. Leslie provides tips on how to maximize success before making a cold call, including creating a segmented and niche list and conducting research on the prospect's business challenges. She also discusses the elements of a compelling cold call pitch and the importance of curiosity, conversation, and conclusion in handling objections. Leslie advises on the best practices for follow-up calls and offers insights on the ideal time to make cold calls.Tune in and learn more in this episode of The Revenue Builders.HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT[00:03:24] Definition of cold calling and its relevance in sales[00:07:25] Conducting research on ideal customers and their pain points[00:13:14] Creating ways to make it easy for customers to get value[00:24:59] Introduction to the topic of curiosity[00:27:00] The value of keeping the conversation going[00:30:10] Using curiosity to continue the conversation on cold calls[00:39:19] Using a game-changing question to increase close rates[00:46:06] Guidelines for follow-up calls and adding value[00:51:58] Asking for referral if not the right person[01:02:09] ConclusionADDITIONAL RESOURCESJoin Leslie at her Outbound Sales Masterclass in Tampa November 7th.https://www.eventbrite.com/e/outbound-sales-masterclass-with-leslie-venetz-nikki-ivey-tampa-nov-7-tickets-701193597927Download her FREE Objection Deck for Cold Callers:https://hubs.ly/Q01_NGRj0Learn more about Leslie Venetz through this link.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslievenetz/Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064HIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:14:44] "The number one most important thing about cold calling is confidence."[00:17:06] "The goal isn't to overcome the objection via email. The goal is to get curious and learn something."[00:25:27] "The number one most important thing that you can do when you hear an objection is just try to keep the conversation going."[00:49:27] "The reason for following up is never just to follow up and just to check in because that gives exactly no value to the person that we're speaking with." Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

In this episode, we dive deep into the world of sales leadership with veteran sales leader Andy Byron. We discussed critical aspects of sales scaling, including ideal customer profile alignment, pipeline metrics, and the cost of a bad hire. Andy shares invaluable insights on what it takes to build a successful sales organization and the common pitfalls to avoid. Whether you're a seasoned sales professional or an aspiring leader, this episode offers practical advice for achieving sustainable revenue growth.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:01:08] Define your ideal customer profile to target the right audience effectively.[00:02:10] Avoid blindly copying strategies; adapt to your unique market and product.[00:03:15] Lessons from Andy's experience: Choose your target market, Embrace adaptability, and Surround yourself with supportive, challenging peers.[00:06:33] Blend art and science in sales leadership; establish fact-based decisions, hiring profiles, and productivity models.[00:08:14] Take responsibility for developing team members, ensuring their success.[00:10:00] Focus on leading indicators to build predictability and sustainable growth in sales.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:00:51] "You have to be very smart about developing an ideal customer profile where your differentiators really align with the pain that the customer has."[00:02:37] "Sometimes I've seen where there's a brand new CEO and they're influenced by venture capitalists who never have ever scaled the sales force themselves..."[00:04:37] "Surround yourself with great people that have the same desired outcome in mind... constantly challenge each other, support each other and push each other to get there with good intentions."[00:10:57] "When you can get Sally successful and you can repeat that time and time and time again across these leading indicators, it becomes a really predictable business that can outpace the rest of the market."Listen to the full episode with Andy Byron in this link:https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/tactical-advice-for-scaling-sales-organizations-with-andy-byronCheck out John McMahon’s book here:Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4Check out Force Management’s Ascender platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/ Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Brian Halligan, former CEO, and co-founder and executive chairperson of HubSpot, is a visionary leader who revolutionized marketing with the concept of "inbound marketing." His tenure as CEO, until 2021, was marked by consistent recognition on Glassdoor's and Comparably's lists of best CEOs. Brian's influence extends beyond HubSpot; he is an esteemed educator, teaching MIT's Scaling Entrepreneurial Ventures class for over a decade and receiving the Monosson Prize for his mentorship in entrepreneurship. In addition to his educational endeavors, he directs a $100 million climate tech venture fund at Propeller Ventures, serves on the boards of Navier and Aquatic Labs, and is deeply involved in preserving the legacy of the Grateful Dead. Brian's journey began with a BSEE from the University of Vermont, leading him to executive roles at PTC and Groove Networks, which later merged with Microsoft. Brian Halligan shares his journey of building HubSpot and the evolution of the inbound marketing methodology. He emphasizes the importance of international expansion and the challenges of scaling a company. Brian also discusses the concept of "grinding it out" and the need for continuous improvement. In addition, he talks about his new venture, Propeller, a fund that invests in companies working on climate and ocean-related solutions.HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT[00:01:41] Brian Halligan shares the story of how he came up with the idea of inbound.[00:05:27] Sales experience at PTC helped in building HubSpot.[00:09:45] Grinding it out and no magic moments in company growth.[00:10:23] Setbacks and unforced errors on the road to success.[00:11:12] The creation of the "pothole report" to avoid future mistakes.[00:14:28] Decision to go long and not sell HubSpot.[00:19:05] Changes made in marketing, sales, service, and product organizations.[00:21:28] The importance of constantly refining the ideal customer profile.[00:26:40] Maturity level and skillset needed for different stages of the company.[00:32:10] Don't hire too far ahead in their career.[00:46:12] The importance of having a good co-founder[00:53:51] Starting Propeller VC with a focus on climate changeHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:09:45] "Every time we put in a new system, let's say a new HR system. I start my watch the day we make the decision on whatever system or process we put in because within three years, it's going to break."[00:52:55] "And if you're wrong on a couple in a row, that's the problem. You know, being right is underrated and people talk a lot in the startup world about failing fast and all that being right is really underrated."ADDITIONAL RESOURCESLearn more about Brian Halligan through this link.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianhalligan/Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Veteran sales leader Carlos Delatorre joins Revenue Builders for a conversation into pipeline generation and the essential skills and metrics that sales leaders should monitor. Carlos shares his experience in building a sophisticated pipeline generation machine at MongoDB, highlighting the complexity of open source software sales. He emphasizes the importance of conducting thorough research on target accounts and tailoring messages to different personas. The discussion also covers key metrics such as net new meetings and visible opportunities, with Carlos providing insights into what constitutes a visible opportunity. Throughout the conversation, the importance of unambiguous exit criteria for each sales stage is emphasized as a crucial element of successful pipeline management.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:01:08] Pipeline Generation Is Crucial[00:02:02] Building a Sophisticated Pipeline Recipe[00:03:14] The Secret Sauce: PG Recipe[00:03:33] Managing a Large Pipeline[00:04:17] Key Metrics for Monitoring Sales[00:08:15] Importance of Clear Exit CriteriaHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:01:08] Pipeline Generation's Crucial Role - "I would say that I guess the thing that comes to mind the most is, um, pipeline generation." [00:03:14] The Secret Sauce of MongoDB's Success - "Over time, the PG recipe became a big part of the secret sauce for why that company was growing so quickly."[00:04:49] The Significance of Visible Opportunities - "The second really important metric is visible opportunities or scope stage opportunities."[00:08:40] The Power of Unambiguous Exit Criteria - "For each stage, you have unambiguous exit criteria."The full episode with Carlos Delatorre in this link:https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/driving-a-sales-discipline-with-carlos-delatorreCheck out John McMahon’s book here:Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Keno Helmi is a five-time CRO with a wealth of experience in the technology industry. He has held leadership positions at companies such as PTC, HP, Digby, Duetto, Platform 9, and Pegasus. Currently, he serves as the CRO at Espressive.Keno discusses the importance of proof of value (POV) in the sales process. He explains that a POV is not just about validating the technology, but also about validating the business case. By setting clear success criteria and involving the economic buyer (EB) in the process, sales reps can increase the predictability of the outcome and improve their forecasting. Keno emphasizes the need for a champion to take the rep to the EB and highlights the importance of thorough qualification before engaging in a POV. He also shares best practices for running a successful POV, including defining objectives, setting clear success metrics, and involving the sales rep throughout the process. Keno concludes by discussing the importance of debriefing with the champion and presenting a comprehensive report or presentation to the EB after the POV.HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT[00:00:00] POC vs. POV: POC validates technology; POV validates both tech and business value.[00:05:19] Meeting the Economic Buyer is critical for authority and budget.[00:11:50] Don't do POCs too early; understand the customer's use case.[00:14:11] Champions expedite sales by taking you to the Economic Buyer.[00:18:17] POC should lead to a natural close, not put the customer in the market.[00:25:11] The go, no-go meeting with the Economic Buyer is decisive.[00:38:33] Share a comprehensive RFP or scoring template to guide the evaluation.[00:41:45] Leverage serendipitous visits from stakeholders to build additional champions.[00:43:29] Proactively bring in potential champions who may not be aware of the POV.[00:46:13] Actively engage during the POV, troubleshoot discreetly, and showcase successes.[00:48:16] Create a comprehensive report or presentation (Champion's Deck) summarizing technical and financial results.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:10:28] "You want to do a P.O.V. to increase the predictability of the outcome, improve your forecasting, and potentially grow the business value of the deal."[00:13:25] "That person has earned the right to be called a champion and not a prospective champion. You do not have the right to call that person a champion until that person takes you to the economic buyer."[00:15:11] "You want to ensure that your test plan is going to be the scoring mechanism by which all vendors are evaluated."ADDITIONAL RESOURCESConnect with Keno: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keno-helmi-74779329/More on Espressive: https://www.espressive.com/ Engineer Your Strongest SKO Yet: https://forc.mx/46BipZB Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

In this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan are joined by Mark Roberge, co-founder at Stage 2 Capital and Harvard Business School lecturer. The discussion revolves around scaling sales and building a disciplined hiring process. Mark shares his insights into hiring for sales and highlights the importance of context in shaping the ideal sales team. He emphasizes the need to create a hiring scorecard with attributes like coachability, intelligence, and curiosity. Mark also explains the role of role-playing in interviews and the significance of continuous evolution in the hiring process.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:01:52] Context matters in sales hiring, and there's no universal top sales hire profile.[00:02:41] The Role of Context in Sales Hiring[00:04:30] Creating a hiring scorecard with defined attributes is crucial for success.[00:08:14] Role plays are critical in assessing candidates' abilities during sales interviews.[00:11:37] The Ongoing Evolution of the Hiring ProcessHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:01:52] Context Matters in Sales Hiring - "I realized that there is no universal top sales, higher profile, but it's very contextual to your go to market context."[00:04:30] The Importance of a Hiring Scorecard - "What I did was I sat back, and I, like the first thing I did... like a low score? So we have this rubric, right?"[00:08:14] Role Plays in Sales Interviews - "I'll often like throw some curveball technical questions... they're uncomfortable."[00:11:37] Adaptability and Evolution in Hiring - "Your recruiting scorecard needs to evolve as your company evolves... and there's probably already a budget for your product."Listen to the full episode with Mark Roberge in this link:https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/the-blueprint-for-a-sales-dream-team-with-mark-robergeCheck out John McMahon’s book here:Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

As Founder of Artisanal Talent, Andy is globally recognized for having helped build, and invest in, some of the most successful software startups in history. He has spent 26 years in the industry, built two companies as CEO in the exec search industry, and 2 years inside two of the top VC firms in the world (Redpoint and Index).He continues to work closely with, and learn from, the best VC’s in the history of the space: Mike Speiser (Snowflake Founding investor), Scott Raney (Twilio, Stripe, Hashi), Mike Volpi (Elastic, Pure, Confluent, etc.), Ravi Viswanathan (Plaid, MuleSoft), Eric Vishria (Confluent, Amplitude, Contentful, Benchling), Pat Grady (Zoom, SNOW, etc.), Hemant Taneja (Stripe, Livongo, Olive, etc.), among others. He worked for ~2 years at Index as an EIR, 1 at Redpoint as a Venture Partner, and has been fortunate to be a strategic Limited Partner of most of the top performing venture firms.In this interview, Andy discusses the world of recruiting and talent acquisition in the software industry. He shares the story behind the founding of his companies and how they connect capital and talent to help build iconic software companies. John and Andy delve into the changing landscape of recruiting, the importance of specialization, and the shift towards consultative recruiting. The conversation also explores the role of sales leaders in the recruiting process and the common misconceptions about replacing sales leaders as a company grows. Andy emphasizes the significance of owning the recruiting process and investing in talent acquisition.HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT[00:01:24] Introduction to Artisanal Ventures and Artisanal Talent.[00:04:36] Shifting search firms from transactional to contributing to a company's success.[00:10:47] Easy access to capital caused recruiting inefficiencies.[00:20:07] The four phases of company growth: product-market fit, deal stage, scale stage, and maturity stage.[00:24:08] We must plan for the future to avoid disruptions.[00:24:24] Balance between sales and implementing processes is crucial.[00:25:04] Continuity in leadership is vital for a company's stability.[00:25:18] Recruiting talent from large tech companies can be complex.[00:32:32] Sales leadership has become more complex and analytical.[00:45:22] Sales leaders should prioritize team cohesion over just increasing salaries.[00:47:37] Careful evaluation of the first CRO is critical for long-term growth.[00:53:01] The demand for enterprise sales expertise is rising.[01:03:34] AI can enhance candidate selection but won't replace human judgment.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:45:22] "Sales execs sometimes resort to being transactional, just offering more money, but that behavior eventually tarnishes the team's reputation and trust within the company." - Andy Price[00:47:37] "Proper evaluation of the first Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) is crucial for sustained growth, and rushing this decision can lead to significant problems down the line." - John McMahon[00:53:01] "You have this gigantic industry-wide scramble for enterprise talent... It's all about efficiency, cost efficiency."[01:03:34] "I think as soon as the customer embraces how they would use technology to de-risk a hire, I think that's going to be a moment that's very similar."ADDITIONAL RESOURCESMore tips for handling an RFP as a seller: https://forc.mx/3ELMidQHow to stack customer requirements in your favor: https://forc.mx/48oUxdFLearn more about Andy through this link.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyprice1/Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

In this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, John McMahon and John Kaplan interview Navy SEAL veteran and VMware COO, Mike Hayes, about leadership and decision-making. Mike discusses the concept of dynamic subordination, where anyone in an effective team can take the lead based on their skills and the situation. He emphasizes the importance of leaders empowering others and creating a culture where individuals feel comfortable bringing up ideas and attempting challenging tasks. Mike also shares insights on learning, humility, and continuous improvement in leadership.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:00:28] Dynamic Subordination in Leadership[00:01:38] Leadership is About Making the Best Decision[00:05:29] Creating a Culture of Decision-Making[00:08:23] The Importance of Trying Hard Things[00:10:06] Continuous Learning and Humility in Leadership[00:04:05] Balancing Collaboration and Decision-Making[00:07:07] Fostering Idea Generation[00:09:10] Celebrating Effort and LearningHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:01:15] Leaders Gain Authority by Giving It Away - "I like to say leaders gain authority by giving it away."[00:08:23] The Power of Trying Hard Things - "Helping people lose the discomfort associated with trying hard things and not classically succeeding is what separates the high-performing elite teams from just the teams."[00:10:06] Continuous Learning and Humility in Leadership - "There's no end to it. It's a constant loop."[00:07:07] Creating a Culture of Idea Generation - "I start from a position of saying why might I be wrong instead of why am I absolutely right?"Listen to the full episode with Mike Hayes in this link:https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/mission-meaning-and-impact-with-mike-hayesCheck out Mike Hayes’ book here:Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3qU7cV6Check out John McMahon’s book here:Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Scott Sinatra is the CEO and Co-Founder of Bountiful. Scott is a serial entrepreneur and former senior vice president of worldwide sales at Glassdoor. With deep industry knowledge in HR technology, Sinatra also served as a founding executive and head of go-to-market at Glint, which was acquired by LinkedIn in 2018In this interview, Scott shares his experience responding to an RFP during his time at BladeLogic. He discusses the importance of having a champion within the customer's organization, the need to influence the decision criteria in the RFP, and the value of training and understanding your product and competition. Scott also emphasizes the importance of making a go/no-go decision when evaluating an RFP and the need to prioritize activities that will lead to successHERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT[00:01:26] Overview of Bountiful, a referral platform for recruiting[00:03:03] Explanation of how Bountiful works and how scouts can refer candidates[00:09:06] Formation of a committee and funding for the initiative[00:10:11] Surprise of receiving an RFP and the alignment with decision criteria[00:11:14] Conclusion of the RFP discussion and next steps[00:11:14] Scott offers to provide a test plan template for the RFP.[00:23:14] Addendum received with more details on problem to solve[00:24:41] Scott writes another letter declining to participate further[00:25:32] Scott receives a call from the company[00:26:12] Second addendum received with desired changes[00:35:42] Salespeople need to get buyers thinking about their solution[00:36:12] If you didn't write the RFP, your differentiators may not be included[00:37:31] Example of influencing criteria in an RFP to win a deal[00:44:59] Importance of managing the sales process for team success[00:45:40] Introduction and discussion about RFPsADDITIONAL RESOURCESMore tips for handling an RFP as a seller: https://forc.mx/3ELMidQHow to stack customer requirements in your favor: https://forc.mx/48oUxdFHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:17:49] “We can either play by somebody else's rules or we can change the game” - Scott Sinatra[00:24:54] "We really appreciate the time, but if this is the criteria you're going to use to make a decision, we're going to respectfully decline to participate further." - Scott Sinatra[00:33:07] "Understand how to set decision criteria. The shopping list of capabilities required to solve pain is fundamental. You need to know your products and services really well, as well as your competition's, so you can differentiate."[00:44:09] "This is a team sport. If you manage a sales process with the idea that you're going to make your team successful, they're going to appreciate that a lot. You'll build a lot of internal credibility, and they'll be more apt to want to help you." - Scott SinatraLearn more about Scott through this link.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-sinatra-b399312/Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

In this episode, John McMahon and John Kaplan host Murray Demo, a seasoned CFO with a wealth of experience at renowned companies. Murray shares valuable insights on the transition from sales leader to business leader, emphasizing the need for aligning with company-level problems and becoming a strategic thinker. The discussion explores the ideal profile of a Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) with a focus on business acumen and alignment with company goals. Murray also discusses the challenges of budgeting during economic downturns and the delicate balance between fiscal responsibility and agility. Key metrics for evaluating sales performance, including command of the business, pipeline management, and discounting, are highlighted. The episode concludes by addressing the burden of budgeting within organizations and the importance of aligning compensation programs with corporate strategies.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:00:50] Transition to Business Leadership[00:04:05] Aligning with Company Priorities[00:05:02] Adapting During Tough Times[00:16:06] Aligning Compensation with StrategyHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:00:50] Becoming Business Leaders - "The best sales leaders are actually business leaders. They've made a transition from carrying the bag and trying to make their number."[00:04:05] Sales and Business Strategy - "So how do my priorities or the company priorities get funded and does my team know that I utilize my seat at the table as well as I could to try to better the sales organization?"[00:05:02] Adapting During Tough Times - "When the recession hits, customers just don't have as much money to buy things. So you're going to have to pull back in marketing and you're going to have to pull back on sales."[00:16:06] Aligning Compensation with Strategy - "I think there has to be some thoughtfulness about how you transition from, you know, here's your quota. Here's what you can do on accelerators. It's all cash. To start mixing in more stock as you go."Listen to the full episode with Murray Demo in this link:https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/leading-through-economic-challenges-with-murray-demoCheck out John McMahon’s book here:Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Jim Pouliopoulos, known to all as “Pouli” is a storyteller, professional speaker, author, and Senior Lecturer and Director of the Professional Sales Program at Bentley University. In July of 2020, his book, “How to be a WELL BEING: Unofficial Rules to LIVE Every Day”, was published by Wiley Publishing. It shares Pouli’s insights on bringing a happiness-first approach to business, education, and life. In his three TEDx Talks, he explores similar concepts and the question of what drives inner motivation and professional success. He is also a certified trainer for “The Art of Brilliance,” a UK-based firm that specializes in training and development to increase workplace wellbeing and personal positivity. He is a currently a Facilitator at Force Management.He is a self-proclaimed "recovering engineer." After earning two engineering degrees and an MBA, he left the corporate world behind and found true happiness and success as an educator, speaker, facilitator, and author.Pouli holds an MBA in Marketing from Bentley University, a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from RPI, and a Bachelor’s degree in EE from WPI.In this conversation with John McMahon, Pouli discusses the importance of happiness in business and life. He explains that happiness is not dependent on external circumstances but rather on our mindset and daily habits. Pouli emphasizes the need to focus on the process rather than the outcome and shares insights on how to minimize the impact of negativity bias. He also introduces the career satisfaction matrix and highlights the importance of finding enjoyment in our work.HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT[00:03:23] The gap between expectations and reality affects happiness[00:09:53] External circumstances should not determine happiness[00:13:39] Many people dwell on regrets and don't learn from them[00:17:13] Recognizing when negativity bias impacts our viewpoint[00:21:33] Importance of empathy and trust in sales conversations[00:26:01] Burnout from doing something well but not enjoying it[00:39:21] Gaining knowledge quickly vs. developing skills through practice[00:49:56] The importance of getting enough sleep[00:50:58] Focusing on daily actions rather than the end goal[00:53:39] Solution to many problemsHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:13:39] "Regret has always sort of been this early warning system that you're doing something against what you truly care about." - Jim "Pouli" Pouliopoulos[00:20:47] "If you just focus on things that are positive on a daily basis, you will be happier." - Jim "Pouli" Pouliopoulos[00:25:42] "If you do something well, but you don't enjoy doing it, it becomes drudgery." - Jim "Pouli" Pouliopoulos[00:32:32] "Mastery never means you stop learning." - Jim "Pouli" PouliopoulosLearn more about Jim "Pouli" Pouliopoulos through this link.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pouli/Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

In this episode, hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan sit down with Jeremy Duggan, a seasoned sales leader with a track record of success. They delve into the challenges and strategies of building a sales team from scratch and inspiring them to achieve greatness. Jeremy emphasizes the importance of data, facts, and transparent leadership. He shares insights on the three R's of leadership, leading indicators for success, and the role of education and development in reaching sales goals. The episode highlights the value of constant self-improvement and learning in the dynamic world of sales leadership.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:01:09] Starting from Scratch and Inspiring Teams[00:01:51] Data and Facts in Leadership[00:02:03] Leading Indicators for Success[00:02:44] Education and Development[00:13:13] The Importance of Full Transparenc[00:13:38] Continuous Self-ImprovementHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:02:27] The Winning Lottery Numbers of Leadership - "What I say to people here is, when I talk to you about leadership and the three R's or the leading indicators in sales, what I'm actually doing is handing you the winning lottery numbers. All you've got to do is go down to the shop and buy a ticket."[00:05:41] The Importance of Inspection for Improvement - "Inspection is a mechanism for improvement because they know you have their best interest at heart."[00:09:18] Self-Coaching and Continuous Improvement - "I didn't really remember big mistakes, even though I know I've made loads of little ones because, for me, the whole point of making a mistake is immediately recognizing it, and then you figure out why you did it so you don't do it again." [00:11:28] Participate in Your Own Rescue - "You have to participate in your own rescue and have self-awareness and self-reflection. You don't wait for anybody to tell you or give you feedback. You give yourself the feedback first."Listen to the full episode with Jeremy Duggan in this link:https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/all-you-need-to-know-about-good-leadership-with-jeremy-dugganCheck out John McMahon’s book here:Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Oliver Jay is a former Chief Revenue Officer of Asana and an advisor and leadership coach for various companies.In this conversation with John McMahon, Oliver Jay discusses the concept of product-led growth (PLG) and its impact on B2B sales. PLG is a methodology that focuses on using the product as the primary conduit for acquiring users, driving sales, and retaining customers. Oliver explains that PLG is effective for certain personas and products, but it requires careful planning and consideration as companies scale. He also highlights the importance of understanding the buyer's perspective and the need to articulate the value of the product in terms of revenue, profitability, and risk.ADDITIONAL RESOURCESWhat CROs Prioritize to Scale PLG Success: https://forc.mx/3LaTFPENavigating Product-Led Growth COmplexities: https://forc.mx/44CnwaBHERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT[00:01:29] Oliver Jay's background and experience in PLG[00:06:41] Different models of PLG: self-service, product-led sales, freemium[00:07:59] Factors to consider in choosing the right PLG model[00:09:40] Steering customers towards the best PLG model[00:11:33] The benefits and ease of managing trials in PLG[00:13:02] Time to value as a key consideration in PLG model choice[00:13:46] Differentiating products for PLG vs. non-PLG.[00:23:19] Combination of PLG and sales-led growth for enterprise sales.[00:24:42] Building a multi-layered PLG business.[00:25:42] Challenges of transitioning to a traditional sales motion.[00:32:40] Major elements of a PLG system[00:48:23] PLG companies need to break down into granular components[00:56:46] Importance of product market fit for SLG[00:57:30] Selling to users vs. selling to buyers[00:58:56] Adding SLG motions is hard for PLG companiesHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:03:27] Oliver Jay: "PLG is an elegant model that uses the product as the primary conduit for acquiring users, driving sales, and increasing retention."[00:39:59] Oliver Jay: "PLG companies should view their self-serve and product-led sales teams as part of the same funnel, not as separate entities."[01:00:50] Oliver Jay: "PLG companies need to be aware that outbound sales is rarely the remedy to growth and should only be pursued when there is product-market fit for a top-down sales motion."Learn more about Oliver Jay through this link.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliverjayleadership/Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Terry Tripp is the Chief Revenue Officer of Tines, a high-growth company in the security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR) space. With a background in sales and recruiting, Terry brings a wealth of experience to his role.In this conversation with John McMahon, Terry Tripp, CRO of Tines, discusses the importance of a well-defined sales process and the top three things he focuses on when starting a new role. He emphasizes the need to understand the people, get feedback from customers, and identify early opportunities for improvement. Terry also explains the concept of SOAR and how Tines is disrupting the cybersecurity market.HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT[00:02:01] Overview of Tines and its role in the cybersecurity market[00:06:16] Top three things a CRO wants to learn on day one[00:08:54] What a CRO wouldn't find when joining a startup[00:10:27] Importance of a well-defined sales process[00:18:24] The importance of thorough discovery before entering an account[00:19:23] Show up with an informed hypothesis and a provocative point of view[00:20:37] Researching competitors and industry challenges for a PPOV[00:22:11] Understanding the pressures faced by CIOs and CISOs.[00:22:44] Tailoring messaging based on industry and persona.[00:24:55] Moving from a general point of view to specific scoping.[00:33:03] Importance of KPIs and metrics.[00:33:15] Understanding wins and losses.[00:33:45] KPIs to monitor during the quarter and after the quarter ends.[00:35:13] The importance of fundamentals and hiring A players.[00:35:56] The significance of emotional intelligence (EQ) in sales roles.[00:46:35] Priorities for sales leaders: making the number, playbook, pipeline[00:47:59] Pitfalls of having a small pipeline and not qualifying deals[00:51:34] Learning from various role models and experiences in salesAdditional Resources:Connect with Terry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrytripp/Resources for Selling to the C Suite: https://forc.mx/3YTzfQMHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:13:21] Terry Tripp: “I think you've got to have things that you know that as you look across your deal portfolio, your pipeline, your current quarter forecast, next, next quarter forecast that you have confidence that if you see certain deals that are at a certain point in that process, if we're, you know, true to those, to those criteria and, and the stages along the way.”[00:16:55] Terry Tripp: “There's certain, it's somewhat in my experience. Depends a little bit on, on the, on the nature of the lead, if you will, the nature of the opportunity. If somebody is coming and knocking on our door, it's something that's more of an inbound. We probably have a slightly different qualification lens on that inbound opportunity. You know, what's driving it? Why are they coming to us? Try to understand a bit more about the problem they're trying to solve.”Learn more about Terry Tripp through this link.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrytripp/Website: https://www.tines.com/Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

In this episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, we take a second look at some of our sales leader interviews over the past few months. This episode features lessons learned from three powerhouse revenue builders.Hear from Veteran Sales Leader Carlos Delatorre on hiring while you scale. Founding CRO of Procore Dennis Lyandres talks about leadership lessons learned and the hard reality of letting people go. And, Tenable Chief Operating Officer Mark Thurmond talks about Command and Control leadership and removing friction for your sales teams. HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT[00:01:51] Carlos Delatorre shares a common mistake made by first-time sales managers.[00:05:57] The importance of assessing the readiness of leaders.[00:08:20] The challenges of scaling without the right leaders.[00:15:22] Taking care of oneself is crucial for making good decisions.[00:18:15] Importance of managing time and prioritizing tasks as a leader.[00:19:21] Paying attention to small actions to understand people better.[00:23:56] Dennis Lyandres discusses his journey in recruiting and training his team.[00:25:26] The importance of taking ownership in hiring.[00:26:44] The need to learn from failure in recruiting.[00:39:29] Communication, work ethic, becoming an SME, mentors[00:45:53] Mark's ability to simplify and remove obstacles for his team.[00:46:31] Mark's approach to removing friction in the system.[00:48:25] The importance of influential leadership over command and control leadership.[00:52:27] The power of persuasive power over positional power.[00:53:34] The importance of explaining the “why” to get people emotionally connected.[00:54:49] The impact of the why on successful M&A integration.[00:55:23] The focus on validating conviction over compliance in leadership. Learn more about our guests through the links below:Carlos Delatorre’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cadelatorre/Dennis Lyandres’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dlyandres/Mark Thurmond’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-thurmond-350a4628/Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Dick Thomas is a sales consultant and founder of RW Consulting. He has over 25 years of experience in sales and has sold the largest deals in the history of four different companies.In this conversation with John McMahon, Dick Thomas emphasizes the importance of quantifying the value a solution brings to a customer in order to drive bigger deals. He talks about how salespeople can differentiate themselves and gain access to higher levels in an organization by focusing on solving business problems and showcasing the value of the solution. Thomas outlines four major components of selling business value: the value pyramid, gold miner discovery, value-based demo, and the business case ROI model. These strategies equip salespeople with an unfair competitive advantage and position them as trusted business partners for their customers. Tune in to this episode of Revenue Builders for specific strategies, real-life anecdotes and inspiration on selling on business value.HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT[00:03:00] Importance of quantifying the value of a solution[00:06:11] Breakdown of the major components of selling business value[00:06:35] Value pyramid and its importance in understanding the prospect's business[00:08:46] How to build a value pyramid and prioritize prospects[00:11:24] Where to find information for the value pyramid[00:15:19] Importance of gold miner discovery in uncovering pain points[00:34:14] How to get the customer to discuss pain points[00:36:46] The value of a value-based demo[00:40:56] Importance of the business case and ROI model[00:46:08] Difference between operational value and business impact[00:56:03] Unfair competitive advantage from building value pyramids[00:56:12] Differentiation as a business partner and dealing with procurement[00:57:13] Negotiating discounts and preserving solution functionalityHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:06:11] Dick Thomas: “There's four major components [people need to go into selling business value]. One is the value pyramid. That's where you gain a deep understanding of prospects' business. The second, I call it gold miner discovery because it's like swinging a pick and you got to discover down to annualized dollars. The third is a value based demo, which is an interesting methodology to discover and quantify value during the demo itself and actually confirm it with the customer and the last is the business case ROI model, comprehensive business case with an ROI model.”[00:55:27] John McMahon: “That's how they sold in the future. They weren't just doing demos to do demos. They weren't just getting meetings to get meetings. They were doing value pyramids everywhere they went. In fact, I remember going to a meeting in London and the team did such an effective job of discovery and building the value pyramid that one customer in the room banged his fist on the table and said, ‘where did you get this type of information?’”Learn more about Dick Thomas through this link.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dick-thomas-15a01112/Website: https://www.rwtsalesconsulting.com/ Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Anthony Palladino is the Chief Revenue Officer at mabl. mabl is the enterprise SaaS leader of intelligent, low-code test automation that empowers high-velocity software teams to embed automated end-to-end tests into the entire development lifecycle.Prior to mabl, Anthony spent five years at Splunk from pre-IPO through $1 billion in revenue as the leader of their Americas Field Organization. As Chief Revenue Officer at Aisera, the industry’s first AI Service Management solution, he helped define the company’s product market fit, built and ramped their customer-facing functions, and increased revenue eightfold. Prior to Aisera, Anthony was the Senior Vice President at CloudBees overseeing global field operations. In just over three years, CloudBees quadrupled its revenue. A holistic growth leader with experience in building customer-facing organizations, go-to-market strategies, and diverse partner networks.In this conversation with John McMahon, Anthony discusses the importance of focusing on the little things in sales to drive big results. He emphasizes the need for disciplined execution, maintaining urgency with customers, and developing compelling energy in sales conversations. By identifying the deltas and addressing them, sales teams can build good habits and drive successful outcomes. Palladino also highlights the significance of documenting fit and gaining consensus in sales conversations.HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT:[00:02:03] Overview of Mabl and its impact on revenue, profitability, and risk[00:05:26] Top priorities for exploring with the salesforce[00:08:02] Importance of focusing on the little things that make a big difference[00:11:01] Example of using a sequence to drive pipeline generation[00:20:26] Importance of identifying and teaching people the knowledge areas[00:32:59] Creating compelled energy to compel customers to move forward[00:39:18] Importance of documenting the fit and gaining consensus in the first meeting[00:44:46] The components of compelled energy and the exit criteria for the first meeting[00:50:41] Importance of documenting customer requirements and identifying champions[00:55:24] The challenges of being a CRO and the importance of hiring well[00:58:00] Building a leadership team and establishing a common goalHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:53:41] "Who do we think is the champion? Right? And it's probably who do we think is the champion? Because an understanding if you're new to the organization, there's probably not a firm notion of what a champion is. And, you know, the definition we have is person with political respect and or technical authority who fights for us when we're not there and I have the and or in their job, because I think in a lot of cases with consensus, certain environments, those 2 things are very distinct today in some cases." - Anthony Palladino[00:57:59] “I think establishing a leadership team that is with each other. They're supporting each other. They're with each other. You're sharing that common goal to the mission. And but doing it, you know, as people and really creating that that's that's I think it doesn't come easy because you have to create a special relationship.” - Anthony Palladino Learn more about Anthony through this link:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonypalladino/Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Chris Riley serves as President of Worldwide Field Operations of DataRobot, where he is responsible for accelerating the company’s revenue growth and global footprint, bringing DataRobot to organizations across all industries and geographies. Riley previously served as Chief Revenue Officer for Robotic Process Automation (RPA) leader Automation Anywhere, where he led global sales in over 90 countries and managed an ecosystem of over 1,900 partners. Prior to Automation Anywhere, Riley served as President of Global Sales at Dell Technologies, where he was responsible for a multi-billion dollar route to market. Riley also served as Vice President and General Manager for HP’s storage business at HPE. Riley lives in Naples, FL with his family.In this conversation with John McMahon, Chris discusses the importance of understanding the culture and processes of a new organization when stepping into a leadership role. He emphasizes the need for leaders to be adaptable and willing to learn from their teams. Chris also highlights the significance of metrics and productivity in managing a sales organization, as well as the importance of hiring the right people and providing them with the necessary training and development. He shares insights on building trust with the sales team, prioritizing pipeline generation, and the role of mentors, coaches, and godfathers in a leader's career.HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT:[00:01:51] Overview of what DataRobot does and its applications[00:15:13] The importance of work ethic, coachability, and aptitude in hiring[00:23:47] Characteristics of successful leaders and the consequences of failure[00:38:48] The most critical step in the sales process and the importance of a champion[00:47:26] Navigating a sluggish economy and advice for salespeople[00:54:15] The importance of hard work, generating pipeline, and following the processHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:22:02] "A mentor is somebody you can speak openly without fear of judgment." - Chris Riley[00:36:35] “A good leader builds trust with the team and shows genuine interest in their success.” - Chris RileyLearn more about Chris through this link:https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisriley3/Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Adam Aarons is a seasoned sales executive with extensive knowledge of the risk and compliance space. Adam is well known and admired for his time as the CRO of Okta, during which Okta grew from a $1M startup to a publicly traded $300M+ ARR category winner. Adam was previously an active advisor to Drata, and has now joined the company full time to drive revenue at scale as CRO.In this conversation with John McMahon, Adam discusses the keys to scaling a salesforce, including productivity per head, average deal size, and ramp times. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the ideal customer profile and where they are located. Adam also highlights the critical role of qualification in the sales process, focusing on the ICE framework (Identify pain, Champion, Economic buyer). He stresses the need for continuous discovery and the importance of establishing decision criteria. Adam shares insights on forecasting, metrics, and the value of customer success in reducing churn and driving revenue. He also discusses the challenges and lessons learned when transitioning from a sales rep to a manager, VP, and CRO on this episode of Revenue Builders.HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT:[0:00:42] Introduction to Drata and its automation of compliance data collection[0:49:52] Using an automation platform to coordinate customer outreach and marketing campaigns[0:55:18] The need for effective communication and expectation setting between managers[1:00:55] The importance of coaching for young CROsHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[0:57:08] "Having respect and empathy for people that haven't done it before, that you're working with to make sure that they understand the why versus just saying, hey. Trust me, let me go do my job like I know what I'm doing.”[0:52:03] "If you're a leader and you're doing this work, it's hard work. You should expect it to be hard. You should enjoy the grind and enjoy the challenges because you learn so much in these jobs that even with the things that you and I have talked about, there's so much more depth that you could dive down into."Learn more about Adam through this link:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-aarons-438111/Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Brian McCarthy is an accomplished executive and leader with progressive sales and leadership experience building and leading talented teams to achieve hyper-growth within the enterprise software and information services industry. Brian serves as Rubrik’s Chief Revenue Officer, where he leads the global go-to-market sales strategy. Previously he led the sales, services and support teams at ThoughtSpot, where he led the go-to-market function and the company’s SaaS transformation. Preceding his time at ThoughtSpot, Brian came from AppDynamics, which was acquired by Cisco, where he was responsible for leading the Americas organization as GVP and from QlikTech where he served as President of the Americas. He graduated from Franciscan University.Join us as Brian shares shares insights on managing and enabling sales teams. He emphasizes the importance of caring for and developing employees, and the need for leaders to have a secure mindset. McCarthy and John McMahon discuss tracking deals and stages in the sales process, forecasting, and improving the probability of closing deals. Tons of lessons from two top-tier sales leaders shared on this episode of Revenue Builders.HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT:[0:01:15] Brian's background and experience in sales and leadership roles[0:09:30] Brian's approach to managing and training people[0:17:23] The importance of listening skills in leadership[0:24:33] The unique approach to enablement at Rubrik[0:42:04] The critical stage in the sales process for forecasting[0:56:50] The metrics Brian tracks during and after the quarter[1:02:03] The importance of focusing on productivity in a growth company[1:04:35] The impact of churn on productivity and the importance of recruiting and training[1:14:55] Leaders who consistently over forecast or wear rose-colored glassesHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[0:40:33] Leaders job as an ultimate success - John McMahon: “Your job is to get the best players and coaches on your team. And then if you do, you're going to look like a freaking hero, right? And you also hit on something that's really critical is that ‘when is a leader's job done?’. A leader's job's done is when they've been able to prove that they were able to recruit people, train and develop those people to take their spot.That's when it's ultimate success”[1:13:49] The importance of looking at new and existing deals in the forecast - Brian: “I have a much better idea of exactly where they're going to land, plus or minus. And I usually tell them too, as I'm going through, I'll go through and be like, okay, so here's where each of your people are. Here's the range: worst is this all right, I think you're going to be about two and a half million more than you're calling here, but okay, got it.” Learn more about Brian through this link:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkmccarthy/Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Dennis Lyandres spent more than 8 years with Procore during which time Procore grew from $10m to over 900m+ in revenue. Dennis started at Procore as Executive Vice President of Sales in 2014, before moving to the Chief Revenue Officer role in 2018 where he was responsible for driving revenue across all customer-facing functions including Sales, Marketing, Customer Success, Rev Ops, Procore.org and Business Development. From Nov 2022 to June 2023, Dennis served as a Strategic Advisor to the CEO working on key strategic projects such as procore’s emerging fin tech business, key partner and customer relationships, and mentoring and developing key leaders. Before joining Procore, he held various sales and sales management roles at Cloudera and Pentaho. Dennis began his career in mergers & acquisitions with BTI Group and holds a BA from UC Berkeley where he finished with highest academic honors.Join us as Dennis shares his journey to sales leadership, from his early days to the phenomenal success he had at Procore. He discusses the core fundamentals he had to learn, including prospecting, business acumen, account planning, and building urgency. Dennis highlights the human aspect of sales leadership and the important lessons he learned in recruiting, training, and developing the right people; as well as the need to trust and empower his team. Dennis also emphasizes the value of continuous learning and the role of leadership in creating a culture of success. Dig into the lessons he learned on his road to sales leadership in this inspiring episode of Revenue Builders. HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT:[00:05:57] Importance of business fundamentals and financial literacy[00:09:39] Skills needed for sales leadership: recruiting, training, developing, promoting, and terminating[00:19:11] Unique aspects of training and development: clear expectations, self-service, certifications, coaching and buddy systems[00:34:42] Transitioning to the CRO role: prioritization, managing time effectively, hiring great leaders, aligning cross-functional teams[00:46:26] The importance of leadership and building more successful leaders[00:49:31] The value of showing care and having each other's backs[00:50:43] Assessing the most important problems and finding solutions[00:51:06] Scaling challenges: assessing the most important problem and finding a solution[00:52:09] Adapting to new challenges and focusing on the next problem to solve[00:54:13] Transitioning from a private company to a public company[00:56:16] Learning from mistakes and being proud of Procore's impact HIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:08:48] “If you're talking to someone low level, and maybe that's some way to build a groundswell or get intelligence or whatever your account strategy is there, then yeah, I think you can talk more feature function, more jargon. But certainly, as you get more and more senior, and as you demonstrate more and more of a mastery of the subject. Simplicity is absolutely essential, right?” - Dennis Lyandres[00:46:34] “My mindset really crystallized by this role, which was like, leadership is the most important thing to whether I wouldn't. Right and so I've got to be spending my time hiring great leaders and making sure they can be wildly successful and within leadership. I've come to believe that the highest calling of a leader is to obsolete yourself is to work yourself out of the job.” - Dennis Lyandres Learn more about Dennis Lyandres through this link:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dlyandres/Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

The best advice comes from people who have been there, done that. In this episode, we bring you insights from sales leaders who have led their teams to incredible outcomes. You’ll hear what it’s like to be the first salesperson into a raw startup, why it’s vitally important for leaders to give their people a purpose, how to keep your top sales performers from leaving your company, why execution of all the details in a process matter, the 3 H’s of Interviewing, why sales leaders need to remove “friction” in the sales process and other wisdom shared on this podcast.We’ll hear from Mark Roberge, former CRO at Hubspot, current Harvard Sales Professor and Managing Director of Stage 2 Capital, Cedric Pech, the CRO at MongoDB and Chris Degnan, the CRO at Snowflake:https://www.linkedin.com/in/markroberge/https://www.linkedin.com/in/cedricpech/https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-degnan-524470/ Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064Learn More About Force Management: https://www.forcemanagement.com/ Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Carlos Delatorre is a seasoned sales leader with a career spanning several companies, including PTC, Oracle, Symantec, BMC, VMware, ClearSlide, MongoDB, Vera, and TripActions. He is also an active investor and advisor in several software companies and sits on the board of Yellow. In this episode, Carlos talks about the three basic things he considers when making a career move: market size, product differentiation, and the team. He also discusses the importance of focusing on the customer and the value proposition when selling. Additionally, Carlos delves into the complexity of a product and the selling environment, highlighting the importance of having a sales team that can effectively differentiate from the competition and create demand. ChaptersCarlos' background and achievements (0:01:16)Carlos' career moves and acquisitions (0:01:56)Carlos' decision-making process for his next move (0:02:30)Three basic things Carlos considers when making a career move (0:04:31)The importance of focusing on the customer and the value proposition when selling (0:06:00)The complexity of a product and selling environment (0:06:41)Carlos' lessons learned from climbing the sales leadership ranks (0:10:54)The importance of persistence and going as high as you need to go to get your message heard (0:15:58)The importance of paying attention to the little things about people (0:32:22)Importance of new logos and expansion revenue (0:43:12)Looking at conversion rates to learn from successful sales reps (0:45:23)The danger of only relying on existing new deals (0:48:18)Gaining insights from a combination of metrics (0:48:46)The importance of a Management Operating Rhythm (0:51:23)Defining priorities in each time frame (0:52:11)Quotable Phrases"If there's not a big market, there's a chance everything else could be okay, and then you just run out of market and you can't grow anymore." (0:04:48)"You're really trying to solve a problem for the customer, and that's what you're selling." (0:06:30)"You want to hire people that are going to be able to scale with the business." (0:09:40)"The role of technology is to make the sales process more efficient." (0:11:55)"Data is absolutely critical in sales." (0:13:45)"The most important thing is to focus on the customer and the value proposition." (0:16:20)"The future of sales is about being more customer-centric." (0:18:25)"COVID-19 has accelerated the trend towards digital selling." (0:20:15)"You have to be persistent and creative in sales." (0:11:34)"Your job as a manager is to make the sales reps self-sufficient." (0:18:14)"It's really about developing your people." (0:19:53)Additional ResourcesConnect with Carlos: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cadelatorre/5 Questions to Answer in Every CFO Deal: https://forc.mx/46Dhqcq3 Strategies to Cultivate a Customer-First Mindset: https://forc.mx/3NP899K Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Communication is a critical element of any team. Today, our guest Kevin Haverty, Vice Chairman of the Global Public Sector at ServiceNow, talks about the importance of consistent and approachable communication as a sales leader. Drawing on over 15 years of sales leadership experience and his background as a veteran, Kevin shares insight on communication styles that he’s seen drive success across his career. His conversation with John McMahon touches on recruiting, leading by example, and increasing value for customers. Tune in for lessons on building a stronger and more collaborative team on this episode of Revenue Builders. Here are some key sections to check out:07:25 Developing executive presence23:50 How do you stay in touch with your reps?36:35 The power of being a good listener45:20 Recruiting and hiring a great salesperson49:50 Managing teams with effective communication as a leader55:55 Help your customers gain valueAdditional Resources:Connect with Kevin Haverty on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-haverty-0a74091/Leading Sales Teams Through a Challenging Economy https://forc.mx/3JpLFJYFive Characteristics that Build Successful Leaders https://forc.mx/42U1y1QQUOTESRecruiting as a leadership must-have: “Recruiting, it’s probably your most important sale. Look at your biggest deal. Hiring a great salesperson, if you’re a manager, is way more important than your biggest deal. Because that person is going to affect dozens of deals, and if they don’t make it, that’s probably going to set you back for a year… So that’s when you should really be turning on your charm; that’s when you should really be selling – is landing that great prospect.”Advice for young leaders on handling rejection in a tough economy: “Don’t retract and lick your wounds because it’s tough. You gotta stay in the game and just persist. Tough times are made for tough people, and they are the ones who are going to come out the other side – and be better for it. We’ve been through these cycles, and every time we hit these tough times, people get shedded and some leave the industry. But the ones who have great careers are the ones that persist and find a way to grind through it.”If you're confused, there are probably others who are confused too: "Confused people don't buy. If you have a customer and your product pitch is confusing them, you're not getting the deal. And so we all have a lot coming at us, so we've got to keep it simple. We've got to just have the language be crisp and communicate to be understood, don't communicate to sound sophisticated or to use all the buzzwords."Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064HOST: John McMahon GUEST: Kevin HavertyRevenue Builders Podcast Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Today’s episode features world-class insight on driving revenue growth from investors behind some of the most successful startups in recent history. We offer perspectives from both Venture Capital and Private Equity with our guests, Neeraj Agrawal, General Partner Battery Ventures, Dave Tiley, Senior Operating Partner Align Capital Partners, and Izhar Armony, General Partner CRV. Tune in for tips on what to look for when investing in early-stage companies, the attributes investors seek when making leadership hires, and the four key dimensions of investing: market, team, technology, and the deal itself. Learn all of this and more in this conversation with our hosts John Kaplan and John McMahon. Here are some key sections to check out:01:42 Successful versus unsuccessful start-ups7:50 How CEO selection determines success 16:47 The investor’s “Rule of 40”21:47 Differences between VC and PE investors29:47 Focus on growth or earnings?35:10 Attributes to look for when hiring leaders45:10 Common mistakes of early-stage companies53:07 Product-market fit in early-stage companies HIGHLIGHT QUOTESNeeraj on looking for a strong sales mentality when hiring CEOs: “The art of sales is more important than it was a few years ago because there's scrutiny in every decision. Having somebody who can connect the dots between the business problem, the value property or product, ROI, dealing with CFO scrutiny… that's all gone from “nice-to-haves” to super important right now.”Dave on the mindset of going from good to great: “If we're not getting better each and every day in every phase of the business, and we think somebody else is, then we're not putting our best foot forward for our employees, shareholders and investors… You're just trying to optimize it and take it to the next level. Building companies to get to $20 million is one thing, but to get to $50 and then $100, you know, they're just different stages and steps; there's a different playbook for each.” Connect with our amazing guests in the links below:Neeraj Agrawal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neerajagrawal2000/Dave Tiley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davetiley/Izar Armony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/izhararmony/ Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064HOST: John McMahon GUESTS: Neeraj Agrawal, Dave Tiley, and Izhar ArmonyRevenue Builders Podcast Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

In today's episode of Revenue Builders, we have another conversation with Force Management Director Anne Gary. Anne is a skilled sales consultant and trainer with more than 20 years of experience in direct and indirect and channel sales, sales management, sales development, and sales operations. This time, we talk about misconceptions around who the economic buyer actually is, how their role has shifted with recent economic challenges, and strategies for gaining access to the economic buyer effectively by training and educating the champion.Here are some key sections to check out: 01:58 Who is the economic buyer?08:24 The key to a successful EB meeting15:11 Critical things to do prior to the meeting20:33 Salespeople need to understand the pains of the customer process28:13 What questions should you expect from the economic buyer? Additional Resources:Connect with Anne Gary on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-gary-a054aa96/Selling to the CFO - 5 Questions to Answer: https://forc.mx/3qs24qC Listen to our first conversation with Anne: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-your-champion-with-anne-gary/id1610203369?i=1000567466279QUOTESWe should recognize that we should convert KPIs: “This is why, as salespeople, we need to have done all the correct work prior to the EB meeting. So we can ensure that the proposal that we're providing is strong enough for the EB to want to allocate budget, and reallocate budget dollars to our project instead of other projects. And the other thing that salespeople need to think about here is you're not just competing against your competition in the sale, a lot of times you're competing against all the other things that people are fighting for to steal budget dollars also.” Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Force Management Facilitator Anne Gary joins the Revenue Builders. Anne is a skilled sales consultant and trainer with more than 20 years of experience in direct and indirect and channel sales, sales management, sales development, and sales operations. John and I both worked with her at PTC – she was there when PTC was a startup and helped us grow to a $10 billion dollar market cap. Anne spends her time now working with companies and leadership teams – helping them improve their sales performance and helping their reps grasp those key sales fundamentals that are so critical.In this episode, John McMahon and Anne Gary talk about the MEDDICC concept of Coaches and Champions. They discuss common mistakes salespeople make distinguishing a Coach from a Champion, as well as what sales leaders need to do to push their teams to identify and test the coveted role. Additional Resources:Connect with Anne Gary on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-gary-a054aa96/Listen to our first conversation with Anne: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-your-champion-with-anne-gary/id1610203369?i=1000567466279Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

As we commemorate Memorial Day, we wanted to share some of the great lessons shared by some of our veteran guests. There’s no higher-stakes environment in which to learn about leadership, teamwork, and perseverance, and we in the sales world can learn a lot from their service.Tune in as VMWare Chief Operating Officer Mike Hayes and TakingPoint Leadership CEO Brent Gleeson talk about the importance of taking the harder path versus easy decisions, key leadership traits, and adapting the right mindset to succeed. Learn all of this and more on this episode of Revenue Builders.Here are some key sections to check out: 02:24 Mike Hayes on high-performing people living in "two places at once".08:34 Mike on taking the harder decisions and helping others do so as well19:23 Brent Gleeson differentiating between the ones that excel and those that didn't make it23:52 Brent on channeling pain pathways Additional Resources:Learn more about Mike Hayes: https://www.thisismikehayes.com/Get his book Never Enough: https://a.co/d/6sDG3NLLearn more about Brent Gleeson: http://www.brentgleesonspeaker.com/index.htmlGet his book Embrace the Suck: https://a.co/d/9JCAyBB QUOTESYou're only excellent if you know you're never excellent enough - Mike: “Whatever ways we definite 'better', I think it has nothing to do with seniority, age, or where we are in our careers. You can be ninety-something years old and still be trying to get better at different things.”Brent on having a passion for what you're trying to accomplish: “If you think about any lofty goal we've ever pursued in life whether it's sports, work, charitable organizations, or in relationships, no lofty goal is ever achieved without some stress, pain, and adversity.”Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064The Shift Group works to place Veterans in sales roles. If you have open roles to fill, please contact them here: https://www.shiftgroup.io/companies-registration Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

What makes a winning strategy? According to today’s guest Chuck Bamford, PhD, author of The Strategy Mindset 2.0, strategy is about developing and aligning on a competitive advantage that actually moves the needle in your customer’s experience. It’s aligning on strategy from the top down that can often be a challenge for sales organization.Chuck is the author of multiple strategy books used in MBA and Entrepreneurship courses around the country. He joins us today to talk common pitfalls, new realities, and winning implementation processes for strategy. Tune in for some truly golden insights shared in this conversation with our hosts John Kaplan and John McMahon. Here are some key sections to check out: 03:47 Defining strategy and how not to complicate it16:06 The two disconnects in business25:04 The importance of aligning goals with compensation33:13 Avoid knee-jerk reactions during slow economic times43:30 Hygiene around the ideal customer profile50:08 Company culture tied to strategy53:59 Creating a differentiation strategy Additional Resources:Connect with Chuck Bamford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuck-bamford-ph-d-67b9811/Get The Strategy Mindset 2.0: https://www.bamfordassociates.com/the-strategy-mindset-2-0How to Enable Sellers to Execute on Your Revenue Strategy During Economic Change: https://forc.mx/3OfBtGR QUOTESChuck on converting KPIs:“I think one of the big disconnects in business is that everything that leadership does is hypothesis. They believe that if we invest here, here and here, and our employees do this, this and this, that as we move forward, the number of customers will go up or returning customers or our EBITA, but they don't want to address what the activities are, or to convert it to activity metrics.Chuck on aligning with employees: “I tell everybody that the entire game in alignment with all my employees, I'm trying to get as many employees as I can to buy into my strategy. And the entire game is that it fits with how they view the company in the world, and that they are compensated and rewarded for making that happen.” Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Truly great leaders transform the people and teams that they work with. We’ve been lucky enough to have some conversations with some truly transformative leaders on the Revenue Builders Podcast. This week, we’re sharing some of our favorite golden nuggets from some memorable guests. Tune in as MongoDB CRO Cedric Pech, War Veteran & Mentor Anthony Anderson, Former CEO of Iron Mountain & Chairman for Fairwinds Bob Brennan, and JD Brookhart talk emotions in times of chaos, different types of leadership and leadership issues, and how to help people reach their true potential. Learn what it takes to be a great leader on this episode of Revenue Builders. Here are some key sections to check out: 01:08 Cedric Pech on transactional leadership vs transformative leadership16:13 Anthony Anderson on emotions and understanding the why of everything he does26:42 Bob Brennan on what it means to keep people from themselves 30:24 JD Brookhart on building trust in a team and how bad character can affect the morale of the entire team Additional Resources:Connect with Cedric Pech: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cedricpech/Connect with Anthony Anderson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-anderson-441177129/Connect with Bob Brennan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbrennan236/Connect with JD Brookhart: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jd-brookhart-ba647977/How to Lead through Economic Change: https://forc.mx/3M8NBrU QUOTESCedric quotes a French author on training people on the sales process: “If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them task and work only but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea. When you define the sales process, when you train the people on qualifying things, these are all incredibly important things to do you make them competent at doing that.” Anthony on navigating your environment in times of chaos: “This kind of what you're being told and what you're supposed to act on but ultimately what you're observing and what you're feeling. So some of the chaos of war is not just what's happening outside. It's what's happening in your heart and in your mind.” Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Today we continue our conversation with Richard Rivera, Founder of GENNOW Sales Consulting and author of The Champion Sell. This time we discuss his formula for sales success: what he calls the E.L.I.T.E. method for aligning with the buyer. E.L.I.T.E. stands for Emotional Connection, Leading Vision, Inspiring Commitment, Trust Building, and Empowering Champions.Tune in to this episode of Revenue Builders to hear Richard break down these 5 game-changing strategies in an insightful conversation with our hosts John Kaplan and John McMahon.Here are some key sections to check out: 01:23 The 5 ELITE Sales Habits07:02 Going deeper on emotional connection14:27 Elite sellers allow buyers to visualize our solution in their world20:52 Identifying integrated outcomes29:18 Deals begin and end with trust42:19 Addressing gaps of commitment Additional Resources:Connect with Richard Rivera on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-rivera-44532b1/Read The Champion Sell by Richard Rivera: https://www.thechampionsell.com/3 Skills Reps Need to Hit Revenue Targets in a Down Economy: https://forc.mx/3VjFnAdQUOTESRecognize the Survive, Thrive, Think pattern: “I've got to first disarm those survival instincts and the way I do that is I attach myself to the problems that they care about. In other words, what are they surviving in the job today? How many of us have been in an opportunity where we're presenting all of this really cool stuff and all of a sudden the buyer just pushes back and says you have no idea what I'm trying to deal with, I've got problems to solve.”Be intentional with trust-building: “Trust is a force. Out of all the different emotions, whether it's stress, tension, or conflict, trust can make the kind of impact on a deal that will completely stop a locomotive in its tracks. We don't think of it that way, we think of it as this passive thing and say they like me, they trust me, we're good. No, trust is a force and you've got to respect it.” Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

The buyer champion is a crucial part of any deal, but especially important in a challenging sales environment. In this episode, Richard Rivera, Founder of GENNOW Sales Consulting, joins the show to discuss his book The Champion Sell and his insights on what makes a great buyer champion. In his conversation with John Kaplan and John McMahon, Richard shares his view on the different archetypes of champions, along with the risks and benefits of each. The episode contains advice for sellers and leaders on how to incorporate stronger champion practices into their sales rhythm. Don’t forget to tune in next week to catch Part 2 of Richard Rivera on Revenue Builders. Here are some key sections to check out: 03:01 Why Richard decided to write The Champion Sell 06:44 The three common selling habits for reps10:49 Criteria for defining a champion18:25 Sales in the information age26:19 The four champion tendencies34:19 Working with someone that blows past the buying process Additional Resources:Connect with Richard Rivera on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-rivera-44532b1/Read The Champion Sell by Richard Rivera: https://www.thechampionsell.com/Resources to Help Your Salespeople Enable Champions: https://forc.mx/41wD9zC QUOTESDifferentiating the power and influence of a champion: “Typically power is a trait of strength. I can move something, I can make something happen. So power is really about authority whereas influence is about people. So I may have an enormous amount of authority but I can't influence people.” Find evidence that they're doing the work: “The third part of the definition that they have the willingness to sell for you when you're not there or sell on your behalf. That means that you have evidence that they're taking action for you. Then I started relating to my experiences. Regardless of what I'm doing, there's a certain people that don't have a tendency to take action as much as we'd like.” Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Understanding the CFO perspective is becoming increasingly crucial to closing deals in today’s economy. This week, we’re sharing some highlights of the best wisdom shared by financial leaders on our show.Tune in as Six-time CFO and Board Advisor Murray Demo, Drift CFO Jim Kelliher, and Managing Director of Madrona Venture Group Hope Cochran talk forecasting, budgeting, and what a CFO’s priorities really are when the economy presents challenges. Whether you’re a seller, a champion, or a leader, you’ll get a valuable glimpse into the mind of a CFO on this episode of Revenue Builders. Here are some key sections to check out: 02:14 Murray Demo on giving the decision-making power to the CIO20:51 Jim Kelliher on value, forecasting metrics, and accurate forecasting29:50 Hope Cochran on balancing forecasts, accuracy, and transparency Additional Resources:Connect with Murray Demo:https://www.linkedin.com/in/murray-demo-59a31117/Connect with Jim Kelliher:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-kelliher-8a3100/Connect with Hope Cochran:https://www.linkedin.com/in/hope-cochran-96433738/Help Sellers Chart The Buyer Landscape: https://forc.mx/3mGU5Eq QUOTESMurray on giving the decision-making power to the CIO: “I would never take a CFO job unless IT reported to me. So in any software purchase, I felt that if I got too involved too early, I undermined the CIO, and instead of it being sort of their decision and their commitment to the success of implementing that software, because I got too involved in it, I let them off the hook.” Hope on balancing forecasts, accuracy, and transparency: “I want to establish the ability for everyone to be as transparent and honest as they can and to take the game plan out of it. I know that's hard, and I know that there are a lot of reasons why the game plan comes in, people have career ambitions, etc. But that's the moment where we can all help each other.” Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Your existing customer base is a vital part of your future sales pipeline. Today’s conversation with Allison Pickens explores how to reduce churn and ensure that your retention revenue pipeline stays full. Allison is an experienced investor, board director, and customer success expert. She joins John Kaplan and John McMahon today to discuss the importance of viewing customer success not as a separate activity from sales, but as an integral part of the sales process and, ultimately, the value of your solution. Allison shares strategies for assessing customer health during economic uncertainty, harnessing the power of AI for customer success, and aligning customer success with your overall sales objectives.Here are some key sections to check out: 00:56 Introducing Allison Pickens: Investor, board director, and CS expert01:48 Why has customer success become so important?06:43 Why are companies slow to adopt customer success?10:48 Importance of understanding the customer’s ROI15:18 How do you monitor and manage customer health?25:55 How do you measure customer success?29:38 The importance of strong product documentation and user support35:33 Understanding the root cause of churn42:25 How can CEOs and founders learn from churn?48:53 Injecting CS into the businessAdditional Resources:Connect with Allison Pickens: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-pickens/Get Allison’s book The Customer Success Economy: https://www.amazon.com/Customer-Obsessed-Company-Competitive-Advantage/dp/1119572762Make QBRs more valuable for your customers: https://forc.mx/3Ukt7PbTaking care of customers in a down economy: https://forc.mx/43esCuc QUOTESAllison - You need to invest in supporting your customers: “The revenue model has shifted and because you can't just sell a customer and ignore them after the fact, you actually need to pay attention to them in order to generate revenue for them later. You now need to invest in actually supporting them. So I think that, you know, we go where the revenue goes.”Allison - Not taking customer success seriously will cost you getting left behind: “Nowadays, I would say that we're in the late majority stage of the adoption curve of customer success that, actually, if a company hasn't really started taking customer success seriously, they will probably be left behind in pretty short order.”Allison - Documentation is a product itself: “I think the best companies think of documentation as a type of product in itself where they release updates to documentation in a structured way. They think about the impact of a new release on past documentation and past documentation that was written and ensure that it's kept up to date.” Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

The problem with most negotiation training approaches is they often fail to account for the nuances of a sales negotiation based on value. In this episode, Tim Caito, Senior Partner at Force Management, joins John McMahon and John Kaplan to discuss competencies and common pitfalls associated with negotiation. The conversation covers the perception of power and emotions, early preparation and value-building throughout the sales process, the role of champions in negotiation, handling give-gets and package options, and many more negotiation topics. Learn how these concepts apply to your sales team and the current economic environment in this episode of Revenue Builders. Here are some key sections to check out: 01:58 Introducing Tim Caito, Senior Partner at Force Management05:47 Time, Power, and Knowledge in negotiations09:46 The power of emotions and perception of power14:40 Perceptions of value vs. better alternatives21:00 Power and knowledge and the power of champions28:38 Negotiation is a process, not an event56:03 The concept of multiple options Additional Resources:Connect with Tim Caito: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-caito-b9045951/Help Sellers Negotiate Successfully in a Shifting Economy: https://forc.mx/40BrxLhHow to Align Cross-Functional Teams on a Negotiation Strategy: https://forc.mx/40CP4M4Our Top Negotiation Resources: https://forc.mx/3ZAVNVg QUOTESTim - Negotiations are a battle of perceptions: “In a negotiation, the side that is perceived to have the better alternative is perceived to have more power, and the science and negotiation are pretty clear on this, the side that is perceived to have more power almost always captures more value in a negotiation.”Tim - Start negotiating before they believe you’re negotiating: “Start the negotiation process before the other side believes we're negotiating, and the good news for our sellers out there; when you are executing an effective sales process, you're simultaneously executing a negotiation process, you just got to be aware of it.” Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

A company's ability to recruit and hire top talent is directly related to its ability to scale effectively. In this episode, we pulled together some of the best moments from three of our best interviews on recruiting and hiring in a growing organization. These leaders share their top tips for getting beyond the resume, creating efficiencies in the hiring process, and key things to look for when hiring sales talent and sales leadership. Join us as we take look back on the best moments from Mike McSally (Talent and Recruiting Expert), Hollie Castro (Chief People Officer at Miro), and Bill Cea (Managing Director at Foster Beck) in this latest episode of Revenue Builders.Here are some key sections to check out: 01:55 Mike McSally on challenges with the recruitment process07:58 Hollie Castro's efficiency method for team interviews19:38 Bill Cea's interviewing components, including the importance of quantifiable success and hiring for cultural fit Additional Resources:Connect with Mike McSally: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemcsally/Connect with Hollie Castro: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollie-castro-mba-nacd-dc-6526452/Connect with Bill Cea: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-cea/ QUOTESMike - The Six-Second step of checking resumes: “The average recruiter, even with all the advancement in technology and machine learning and AI, their eyes are trained to look for two or three certain buzzwords. And they're going to spend about six seconds determining my 30 years of domain expertise.” “If those buzzwords don't pop out and make it easy for them, they're just going to move right on to the next candidate. So, you know, not only does it just suck the life out of talented people that are trying to engage with the right employers, employers are missing out on great talent because of this broken six-second step that happens all too often.”Hollie - Embedding values into career competency: “Our values are embedded in our sort of career competency. Each team is given a competency that they are supposed to test that aligns with our leadership competency. So we've embedded that all the way through.”Bill - The importance of past performance: “Past performance is not indicative of future results, but there has to be a past performance because we can determine the attribute that's most important, which is a quantifiable success.” Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

“The best sales leaders are actually business leaders.” Murray Demo joins John McMahon and John Kaplan on a new episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast. A six-time CFO and board director for Citrix, Easy Software, Centrify, Qualtrics, and Lacework, Murray joins us to discuss the importance of the big picture for sales leaders. He explores how leaders can start to zoom out from just sales success into constructing a full-scale business strategy, and shares advice for CFOs and CROs approaching economic downturn.Everything is a trade-off when you’re making complex business decisions, but how can you be sure you’re making the best decision for the long-term health of your company? Murray suggests getting on the ground meeting people and staying informed on what’s happening at every level of the organization. Dig into even more advice for sales leaders in this episode of Revenue Builders. Here are some key sections to check out: 08:29 The key metrics to look for in sales performance13:47 Balancing fiscal responsibility with agility20:40 Compensation programs’ impact on company performance29:37 Expectations of cost justification and commitment42:38 Defining a good company56:31 Defining a down round and how to handle it Additional Resources:Connect with Murray Demo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/murray-demo-59a31117/Visit the Lacework website: https://www.lacework.com/More resources for leaders facing economic change: https://forc.mx/3neLAR7 QUOTESMurray - Where the best leaders come from: “What I have found, though, is the best sales leaders are actually business leaders, they made a transition from carrying the bag and trying to make their number and tunnel vision and closing business, which is what you have to do to start your career, but as you progress up, the ones that are the most successful, they turn into business leaders and trying to solve a problem more at a company level than just for a specific sales oriented activity.” Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Sarah de Lagarde is a living miracle. Her story is one of resilience and is filled with lessons for all of us. Sarah is currently the Global Head of Communications at Janus Henderson in London, but last September her life changed forever when she was involved in a horrific accident that claimed her arm and leg. Somehow, throughout an ordeal that could have been fatal many times over, Sarah remained calm and refused to give up.In this episode, John Kaplan and John McMahon talk with Sarah about her journey, adjusting to a new reality, and the power of gratitude. They explore how her background in crisis communication helped her on the tracks that night, and Sarah shares some expertise for founders and leaders on how to handle internal and external communications for their teams, particularly in times of crisis. Here are some key sections to check out: 03:15 Sarah’s miracle story06:09 Gratitude above all emotions after the accident10:42 Pushing through the pain of an accident16:38 Journey to recovery and raising money21:38 Sarah’s background in crisis communication32:26 Advice for companies that don’t have a corporate communications team38:35 Resilience and living in the moment44:06 The psychological immune system and living in the present Additional Resources:Support Sarah’s GoFundMe campaign for a bionic arm: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-sarah-get-a-bionic-armConnect with Sarah de Lagarde on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-delagarde-comms/Visit the Janus Henderson Group website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/janus-henderson-group-plc/ QUOTESSarah - choosing gratitude every day: “It's a very conscious decision that I make every day when I wake up. When something like this happens, there's a whole range of emotions that you feel every day, and one overwhelming emotion is that of gratitude, and that is because I could have died so many times that night, and yet I didn't, I clung on to dear life, I made it. And now, everything I see is 10 times more beautiful than before, because I'm here, because I could have not seen it.”Sarah - Take time, no shortcuts: “If you want to do this, right, you have to take your time, there are no shortcuts, you have to just go and accept it.” Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

What’s the ultimate factor to success? A competitive and committed mindset, according to today’s guest JR Butler. A lifelong athlete, he saw the opportunity for sales teams to recruit from groups with a next-level work ethic and passion for growth: athletes and veterans. Drawing on his own experience of transitioning to the sales world, JR founded Shift Group, a company that develops these specially qualified groups into elite sales professionals. Today he joins John McMahon and John Kaplan to discuss how leaders can build a success-driven culture, develop A-Players, and make great hires in today’s challenging market. Dig in to great insights for building an all-star team on this episode of Revenue Builders. Here are some key sections to check out: 03:48 The impetus for starting Shift Group07:40 Learnings from being coached by his father19:15 The pros and cons of hiring athletes in sales24:52 The mindset of an athlete who wants to be great30:07 The importance of having a culture of success34:21 Why would somebody want to work for this company?38:54 Practice starts from the top down42:44 What is a sales boot camp?52:30 Rapid fire questions and answersAdditional Resources:Support the Line In the Sky Foundation: https://www.lineintheskyfoundation.org/Watch “The Russian Five” hockey documentary: https://therussianfive.com/Connect with JR Butler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrbutler/Visit the Shift Group website: https://www.shiftgroup.io/QUOTESJR - Learnings from his dad: “My dad has a saying, he says plant tomatoes, get tomatoes, and what he means by that is sports, hockey specifically, is a meritocracy. Like nobody really cares what your parents accomplished, what you did, where you're from. It's like, how hard are you willing to work to get better every single day? And that's what you're gonna get rewarded for.”JR - Being a great teammate: “When I think back to every team I've ever played for that was great, everybody in that locker room played for each other. And that was it, like a full stop. It was like the old Patriot saying, you did your job because you knew the guy next to you was going to do their job.”Tony - Leaders walk the talk: “What I see is great leadership is like, you're not just telling people what to do, you're showing them what to do, and you're not afraid to do what you're asking your team to do.” Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

One of our MOST requested guests is back for Part 2! Tony Parinello is the bestselling author of Selling to VITO - the Very Important Top Officer. A sales veteran, Tony knows how C-suite leaders think, what they look for in a sales conversation, and what it takes to get them on your side in a deal. Today, Tony is diving even deeper into this critical topic for sales success in 2023, when multiple C-suite leaders are getting more involved in every deal. John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to Tony about VITO priorities and how to win consistently with this stakeholder group in a game-changing episode for both sellers and leaders. Dig in and get in the mindset of how your team should be approaching these high-stakes conversations. Here are some key sections to check out: 5:00 What’s on VITO’s To-Do List6:50 How to make sure you’re targeting the right VITOs10:00 what a company owes its sellers12:20 Speaking the language of VITO25:40 The three outcomes to strategize around when you try to reach VITO33:25 The right questions to ask VITO34:50 Voicemail best practices44:52 Active listening54:00 The problem with premature questions55:20 VITO Call Objectives1:05:40 How many slides do you need for a VITO presentation? Additional Resources:Listen to the Part 1 episode with Tony: https://forc.mx/3SxR5puTony Parinello on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sellingtovito/Selling to VITO on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Selling-VITO-Very-Important-Officer/dp/1580622240Register for the Selling to the C-Suite Webinar Series: https://forc.mx/3xZdFO9 HIGHLIGHTSVITO parameters in the sales processAccountability and OwnershipThe importance of speaking the language of the processThe importance of opening statementsThe 3 best outcomes of contacting VITOThe power of VITO’s voicemailThe right questions to askCall objectives for your first call QUOTESTony - Forget the word “I”: “Forget the word ‘I’. The up word ‘I’ should be totally out of your vocabulary like, I wanted to know where, I was wondering if or, I had an idea. These executives, these VITOs don't care about us until they understand what we could do for them, and so take the word ‘I’ out of your vocabulary, just replace it with the word we or our.”Tony - The importance of having a process: “Every successful VITO has a process in place for doing everything they want to measure and achieve. Processes are critically important for us to show VITO that whether we're leaving voicemail messages or we're sending them correspondence, we need to follow an identifiable process. So VITO sees what we're doing and can identify with it. So this is why examining our sales process and examining our prospecting process is so critically important.” Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

An inspiring story of love, perseverance and the power of football - Bob Kessler is in awe of where his family was and where they are now. His son Tyler is a walking medical miracle. Tyler suffered from kidney failure when he was just four years old and received a transplant from his grandmother. But, in 2000 he was diagnosed with cancer and his body rejecting the kidney. Suffering from Post Transplant Lymphatic Disorder, he was the only child in the U.S who was undergoing chemo and dialysis at the same time.But Bob didn't want Tyler's childhood memories to only be hospitals and doctors. That's why he set a goal to visit every NFL stadium in the country. Starting the year Tyler was diagnosed, they traveled the country meeting player after player and coach after coach. Their story is not only a football fan's dream, but a lesson to us all to never let our struggle define our story.Additional Resources:Get Involved or Donate to the Make-A-Wish foundation to help change kids’ lives: https://wish.org/Read about Tyler’s story in Sports Illustrated: https://vault.si.com/vault/2005/01/31/the-best-medicineSupport the National Kidney Foundation: https://www.kidney.org/donationListen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcastHIGHLIGHTSIntroducing Bob KesslerTyler’s background and storyStaying positive through the tough timesMaking tough decisions with your destination in mindVisiting stadiums with TylerThe value of being made to feel like you belongStories from inside the NFL locker rooms and busesFocusing on what you can do, not what you can'tAdvice for people facing challengesCommunity is more important than you realizeQUOTESBob - Remaining positive: “I will tell you, my wife and I, we agreed at a very early part of this journey that there's no complaining, there is no asking why? Because there's no answer there. All we know is what we can do.”Bob - Building community: “At first, you may be like, Hey, I don't need that. That's what we said, but give it a shot, and try to network and learn from others. You know, we learned a lot from families who have gone through, you know, you meet families in the hospital, who are going through similar challenges, some worse, and we've learned a lot by observing and talking to folks and sharing our story, and, what's the best way to work through all these challenges.” Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

The most impactful leaders turn challenges into growth opportunities. In this episode, our hosts welcome Dr. Tommy Watson, Ed. D., ACC, one of America's leading experts on turning transitions into triumphs, to their podcast. Dr. Watson has authored two books and is considered an authority on resilience, change, motivation, and leadership. Dr. Tommy explains his definition of resilience as the ability to bounce back from adversity. He believes that no matter what area of life someone comes from or what they do, they will always face challenges and must be able to bounce back in order to be successful. Learn more about Dr. Tommy’s philosophies for life and leadership in this latest episode of Revenue Builders.Additional Resources:Support skill and character building for NC youth: https://www.shieldmentor.org/Read Dr. Tomy’s motivational guide - The Resilience of Champions: Secret Habits of Highly Resilient Individuals and Organizationshttps://www.amazon.com/Resilience-Champions-Resilient-Individuals-Organizations/dp/1491733543Read Dr. Tommy’s memoir - A Face of Courage: The Tommy Watson Storyhttps://www.amazon.com/Face-Courage-Watson-Story-How-survive/dp/0595530567Connect with Dr. Tommy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawatsonspeaking/Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast HIGHLIGHTSDr. Tommy’s definition of resilienceHow sports gave him a dreamBeing a statistical miracle of human resilienceHow to focus on the positiveTuning in to your ‘yes’ voice and tuning out your ‘no’ voiceThe three V’s of motivationNever forget your ‘why’Finding the one thing that is going rightThe resilience of champions and thriving in uncertaintyThe growth comes from the valley, not the mountains.Defining your vision of excellenceSuccess and failure are a cycle, not opposite outcomesRituals of your culture QUOTESDr. Tommy - Definition of resilience: “Resilience, John, and John, is really about just bouncing back from adversity because no matter what area of life you come from, or what you do, we're always going to face some challenges when it comes to life, life is gonna throw things at us, and we got to be able to bounce back. But I think oftentimes people look at resiliency as simply surviving, that's an aspect of it. But resiliency is really about bouncing back and thriving.”Dr. Tommy - Focus on the positive: “Sometimes in the midst of a lot of chaos, you have to hone in on the one thing that's going right, find one thing that's going right and hold on to it.” Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

As sales leaders, our success isn’t defined solely by revenue. Today’s guest Zack Rosenburg is the co-founder of SBP, an organization that supports communities affected by natural disasters. Originally founded as a disaster relief volunteer group in 2006, SBP has evolved to now include government advisory, loan funding programs, and disaster risk education and prevention into their activities. A former defense attorney, Zack has built a career on serving others. His story is inspiring as is his approach to his non-profit. Zack and SBP adopted a unique approach to non-profit growth that focuses on efficiency and the customer experience. He discusses his dedication to continuous improvement and a people-first culture. Listen to the full conversation with John McMahon and John Kaplan to learn about maximizing your impact. Additional Resources:Learn more about SBP and support their mission to end suffering from natural disasters: https://www.sbpusa.org/Connect with Zack on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zackrosenburg/Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast HIGHLIGHTSZack’s history in lawThe class implications of natural disastersThe “Mom” RuleTalk about problems, not just wins.Are you ahead or behind?If you do it well, share it.The power of knowledge investmentsStrive to put yourself out of businessCreating a safe cultureDon’t get too far ahead or too far behindThe best ideas come from the shop floorConstructive DiscontentYou have to be hearableWithout struggle, there is no progressSteering through turbulenceThe magic of aligning on valuesQUOTESZack - Inspiration from Toyota’s Yokoten Notion: “If a for-profit global company can take their resources to drive efficiency with others, we can do the same thing. And that's what started our share intervention when we began, not just investing money, but time resources in the Toyota Production System.”Zack - Think about what the customer wants: “We realized that just being reactive wasn't enough. Just building houses wasn't enough. They talked about upstream solutions, and the best upstream, and they talked about what would the customer want? Think about does the customer want us to rebuild their house? Or would they want to never need our help in the first place?” Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

What characteristics make a successful entrepreneur? Jim Baum has over 25 years of tech industry experience as an entrepreneur and board leader. According to Jim, it takes “the smarts, the drive, and just enough of the craziness to make it happen.” As a seasoned president, CEO, and advisor of high-growth, venture-backed B2B software environments, he shares his insights on the limits of technology, the importance of customer-defined value, and how entrepreneurial values are critical to the success of all sales individuals and leaders. Dig in to strategies for personal and organizational growth in this conversation with John McMahon and John Kaplan on Revenue Builders.Additional Resources:Support Angel Flight in providing transportation to lifesaving medical care: https://www.angelflightne.org/Connect with Jim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimbaum/Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcastHIGHLIGHTSHow Jim’s technical background helped him in his careerAdvice for technical people looking to become revenue buildersAdmitting and owning mistakesIteration is keyThe dynamic subordination of leadership and decision makingKey traits of successful entrepreneursEntrepreneurship as a mindset for all sales leadersHow contagious passion shapes enterprise teamsDifferences between being an entrepreneur and being a corporate executiveThe importance of having an outside-in vs inside-out mentalityQUOTESJim - Get to know the customer: “Not to downplay the importance of technology, and the quality of the technology and the architecture and the systems that are used, and the way they're deployed, and the way they scale and all of those things. But on top of all that, there's an end user, there's a person, there's a human or a system that needs to somehow derive value from what this technology is doing. And so I really think the advice is, get to know the customer get to know the use case, get to know, in deeply understand the value.”Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Work/life balance is often something we strive for, but have difficulty achieving. This week’s guest Marcy Stoudt, CEO and co-founder of Revel Coach, helps leaders avoid burnout and become their best selves. Marcy offers advice for all leaders to avoid burnout and achieve work-life balance without sacrificing success in either area. She also discusses how diversity and new generations are changing the corporate landscape, diving into how both women and their teams can ensure success throughout and after the maternity leave process. Tune in for actionable items on leading, and rising the ranks within, a modern sales workforce in this latest episode of Revenue Builders. Additional Resources:Shop Unique Products that Support Rehabilitation of Human Trafficking Survivors at Rethreaded: https://rethreaded.com/Visit Revel Coach’s Website: https://www.revelcoach.com/Connect with Marcy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcy-stoudt-59469a2/Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast HIGHLIGHTSWhat is Revel Coach and why does it exist?Exploring Challenges Faced by Working MomsBalancing Work, Home, and SelfEgo, Affirmation, and BurnoutLiving above the line vs. living below the lineAddressing Work AddictionsGenerational Judgment vs. Growth MindsetCross-Generational Leadership and Cultural ConfusionExecutive Burnout and MicromanagementWomen in Sales, Abundance Mindset, and Modern Maternity ProgramsIdentifying who you are today and what serves you nowThe importance of understanding the other person’s perspectiveLiving Life with No Regrets QUOTESMarcy - What Revel Coach is all about: "Specifically, we serve that time-starved working mom whose vision of success includes a very successful career, but without the sacrifice of personal wellness or quality time at home."Marcy - Leading beyond generational judgment: “The best leaders see the strength and people's unique style, and basically you want to flourish that mute, get that person to flourish…” Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A GREAT LEADER?John McMahon and John Kaplan welcome Dali Rajic, Chief Operating Officer at Zscaler, as he discusses his career in sales leadership, starting as a first-line manager and eventually becoming a Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). He gives advice for fron-tline managers, those coaching front-line managers, and those wishing to take their career to the next level. Dali discusses the difference between working hard and working efficiently, the anatomy of a great team culture, and explains an approach to results-based enablement. Learn more about Dali’s work and achievements in this latest episode of Revenue Builders. Additional Resources:Support At-Risk Youth with National Runaway Safeline: https://www.1800runaway.org/Visit Zscaler’s Website: https://www.zscaler.com/Connect with Dali on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dali-rajic-295912/Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast HIGHLIGHTSThe Revenue Builders Podcast: A Conversation with Dali RajicThe Different Types of Leaders and What They Need to LearnThe Benefits of Being Vulnerable in the WorkplaceThe Second Line Manager's Role in SalesThe Differentiation Between First and Second Line ManagersThe Impact of Moving from Second Line to Third LineThe Importance of Keeping a Pulse on the BusinessThe Importance of Thinking Like an Executive in a Complex OrganizationThe Importance of a Strong Revenue Operations FunctionThe Importance of Being Selective with PromotionsThe Importance of Trust and Community in BusinessThe Impact of Sales on Organizational Culture and DevelopmentDali Rajic on the Importance of Training and DevelopmentThe Importance of Enablement in Career SuccessThe Power of Enablement and Rev-Ups in BusinessThe Importance of Enablement in BusinessLeadership Enablement: The Key to Inspiring ComplianceThe Importance of Marginal Gains and Training Sales LeadersLeadership Development in a Remote WorldThe Impact of Leaders on Sales PerformanceThe Three R's of Successful Sales: Recruitment, Readiness, and ResultsThe Importance of Coachability and Being a Team Player in a High-Growth CompanyThe Top Three Takeaways from Dali Rajic's Interview on Sales EnablementThe Importance of Leadership in Business QUOTESDali - A leader doesn’t have all the answers: "Actually it's okay to be vulnerable because you think you got promoted, and you got to know everything except you don't know everything. All this talent on your team, and if you create a culture of mutual learning from one another, then it becomes really an approach of exchanging ideas, weighing them, trying to figure out what the best one is forward, you become a sounding board, you learn, evolve your thinking, now you can add more value."Dali - Celebrate every small win: “Everybody waits for like this big miracle to happen this big enlightenment this moment, and what you miss out is, if you're just waiting for the big moments, you miss all the little moments. And what we brought in is a concept of marginal gains, where we celebrated every small win.” Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

John McMahon and John Kaplan welcome Dave Tiley in this latest episode of Revenue Builders. In this conversation, Dave shares his journey of being a serial entrepreneur, growing and selling multiple successful startups, and how it led him to become a private equity investor. He discusses his experiences running and growing businesses and developing his “good to great” approach along the way. With this approach, Dave and his firm Align Capital Partners get radically honest about what’s working in their companies and what is not benefitting the end goal. Applying this philosophy to culture, accounting, sales and talent is what enables them to help the companies they work with graduate from just good to truly great. Additional Resources:Support Restore Addiction Recovery in fighting the opioid crisis: https://restoreaddictionrecovery.com/Visit Align Capital Partners Website: https://aligncp.com/Connect with Dave on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davetiley/Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast HIGHLIGHTSDifferences Between Venture Capital and Private EquityInvesting in the Middle MarketVC Funding for StartupsThe Future of Venture-Backed CompaniesThe Importance of Both Revenue and Earnings Growth in Private EquityThe Different Types of Private Equity InvestmentsThe Importance of Company Culture in AcquisitionsThe Importance and The Benefits of a Good Leadership TeamInnovation and Culture are Key for Successful CompaniesThe Importance of Company Culture in Hiring New EmployeesThe Importance of a Good Sales ProcessThe Differentiator Between Good and Great SalespeopleThe Benefits of Good to Great for Small BusinessesThe Importance of a Company's Mission StatementTaking Risks and Betting on Yourself QUOTESDave - Keep your mind open to new opportunities: "What I would encourage people is financially, they get rewarded no matter what, and it's usually a pretty life-changing event, and that's why we really focus on the journey, not the exit. It's that journey, because they just, they quiver just got richer and bigger, because they've done now a private equity exit, and that just makes them more right open and the door opens for other opportunities." Dave - You can learn in every situation: "I just want to tell people, man bloom where you're planted. Everyone was trying to think, Well, I gotta get to the next three jobs, or I gotta get over here. I gotta get over here. And they're missing the blessing of what this job can give you. Because I think you can learn something in every situation." Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

John McMahon and John Kaplan welcome Mike Hayes in this latest episode of Revenue Builders. In this conversation, Mike shares some of the lessons he learned as a Navy SEAL and how they have helped him in his current role as the Chief Operating Officer at VMware. He conveys the importance of collective accountability, humility, and purpose in leading any successful team. Mike’s book about his SEAL experiences, “Never Enough”, donates proceeds to his charity the 1162 Foundation, which helps families of fallen special operations heroes. Additional Resources:Read “Never Enough: A Navy SEAL Commander on Living a Life of Excellence, Agility, and Meaning” by Mike Hayes: https://www.amazon.com/Never-Enough-Commander-Excellence-Agility/dp/1250753376Support the 1162 Foundation: https://joingenerous.com/1162-foundation-inc-mrnn2myVisit VMware Website: https://www.vmware.comConnect with Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-hayes-733688/Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast HIGHLIGHTSMike Hayes: A Navy Seal Commander on the Life of Living a Life of Excellence, Agility, and MeaningOur Best is a Moving TargetLessons Learned from High-Performing Individuals and OrganizationsTaking the Path of Most ResistanceLeadership in the Business World: Subordination, Decisions, and ConfidenceHow to Be More Productive by Working LessLeadership in the Face of AdversityMaking Decisions and Surrounding Yourself with Diverse InputsThe Importance of Confidence and HumilityThe Importance of Hiring Intrinsically Motivated EmployeesThe Power of Focusing on What You Can ControlThe Importance of Capability in LeadershipLeadership in the Face of Change QUOTESMike - You already have the skill set to repeat your success: "What's really interesting is sure you can diagnose the winds and say what do we need to keep repeating, but by and large, you already have the skills that you need in order to keep repeating closing deals."Mike - Diagnose your losses and learn from there: "What you want to do is think well, look at the deals that you lost in to diagnose the loss and say, What did I learn? And that feedback and that incorporation in a very open way, and having no ego and saying I could have done something better? What was it? That to me is the biggest ingredient."Mike defines the true first decision: "The point that what I would say is the first decision in decision making is not the decision. The first decision in decision-making is when you need to make your decision." Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Today we are joined by Managing Director from Foster Beck Associates, Bill Cea, to discuss hiring for sales organizations of every size, from seed stage to market. Bill gives insights on making great long-term hires by sharing startup hiring strategies according to three stages. In the first stage of growth, companies should focus on hiring people who fit the product and market. In the second stage, companies should focus on hiring people who can help them scale. In the third stage, companies should focus on hiring people who can help them mature. Additional Resources:Support Saint Jude Children’sSupport The Ronald McDonald HouseConnect with Bill on LinkedInCheck out Foster Beck AssociatesListen to More Revenue Builders HIGHLIGHTSHiring for startups at every stage of growthWhy you need a recruiter at the Product Market Fit StageThe Impact of Hiring on Business GrowthThe role of culture fit in hiringHow to be a Student of the MarketplaceRed Flags to Look for in candidatesKey indicators of a candidate with entrepreneurial spiritThe Benefits of Hiring Self-Aware SalespeopleThe Most Important Attributes of a Successful Sales LeaderKey Components for Hiring the Right PersonHiring Salespeople with the Right Domain ExpertiseDistributed Workforce on Sales ManagementImpact of Technology on TalentThe Differentiation of a True Sales ProfessionalElements of a thorough Background CheckRecruiting in a tight economy and competitive job market QUOTESBILL: PRE-REQUISITES OF BUILDING A PROFILE“When you're building a profile, what else you really need to understand is, how is the company going to go to market. In other words, there are many different ways companies go to market, they're going to do a vertical approach, they're going to do geo-named accounts. I don't believe the Rolodex question is applicable anymore. But I think it's much more important that they at least sold to like industries where they understand the buying process.”BILL: CREATE A DEFINITIVE AND EXPEDITIOUS PROCESS“A smart company has that definitive process, while that process is going on, they're doing their due diligence, background perspective, they're ready to strike, you have to be expeditious through the process, or you're gonna lose to a company that is doing it right.” Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064 Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management