Revenue Builders

Michael Cremen is the Chief Sales Officer at Elastic and has nearly 20 years of experience in executive roles at firms like Hitachi, IBM, and Veritas. Through his robust experience as a sales decision maker, he knows a thing or two about the decision making process for a purchase. He discusses with John Kaplan and John McMahon what he calls the “CFO factor” - the need for sales teams to consider executive financial decision-maker involvement in the sales process, particularly now in a price-conscious economy. He also shares strategies for effectively communicating value, driving great front line manager performance, and hiring. Get his advice for sales teams and leaders in this latest episode of Revenue Builders. Additional Resources:Support Saint Jude Children’s Hospital: https://www.stjude.org/donateConnect with Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelcremen/Check out Elastic: https://www.elastic.co/Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast HIGHLIGHTSThe CFO Factor according to Michael CremenConnecting Value in the Sales ProcessHaving a Strong Champion (or multiple) in the Sales ProcessCFO Involvement in Sales DealsWhy You Have to be Paranoid in SalesAsking the Right Questions When Selling to a CompanyHiring the Right People and Sales EnablementSales Enablement and Speaking the Same LanguageThe importance of Methodologies in Sales OrganizationsField Leadership SystemsKnowing How to Sell the Opportunity When RecruitingThe Power of Personality in Recruiting Top Talent QUOTESMICHAEL: BE THE ONE TO CONNECT THE VALUE“Companies only really care about three things at the highest level, making money, saving money, and mitigating risk, and at some point, you have to rise up to that and what are you doing there, that's the value that you're getting to for those customers.”MICHAEL: LEADERS SHOULD BE ENGAGED“One thing I've noticed over the years is leaders that are engaged with their teams, they love to be involved with the deals of that to happen, they want to go in there and close that deal and get it done, and like it’s glory time... Spend the time early stage. Spend it during the development time, because as a leader, you can have more impact there.” 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 Revenue Builders, our hosts John Kaplan and John McMahon talk with Bob Brennan. Bob has worked in multiple VP and CEO positions throughout his career and is currently a board chairman for Fairwinds, BitSight, and Thoughtworks. They discuss the metaphorical ‘athleticism’ required to be a successful leader of a high-growth sales organization, gained through self-improvement and practice. Bob’s advice for sales leaders is to own your mistakes, never assume you’re the expert, and not be afraid to ask for help. He reminds us that it takes a team mentality to succeed, so positive energy and true comradery are your best assets. Additional Resources:Help give opportunities to youth in foster care: https://mtwyouth.org/Support Black-owned businesses in Massachusetts: https://www.becma.org/Connect with Bob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbrennan236/Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast HIGHLIGHTSBeing a coachable leaderBenefits of an accountable cultureHow to handle the wrong hireOwning your mistakes, but not dwelling on themDon’t talk to yourself in a way you wouldn’t talk to othersDealing with activist investorsThe difference in leading public vs. private companiesLeading indicators of a successful ventureLeadership doesn’t have to be lonely - don’t be afraid to ask for help QUOTESBOB: The kind of people you want around you"I think you want to have people around you that are going to be supportive, but clear-eyed about, like when you're off or when you're wrong, and can you know, say, hey, wait a minute. So you don't end up betting the farm inadvertently, or, you know, chasing the wrong truck.”BOB: Don’t be so hard on yourself"I think you want to hold up the mirror and be honest with yourself about screwing things up because it is a game of misses business. But then, let yourself off the hook too, just take that on board is don't do it again. But like, would you let it go? 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 today’s episode, John McMahon and John Kaplan chat with COO of Tenable and veteran sales leader Mark Thurmond. Mark shares his experience with both the personal and professional actions that lead to success, and what he looks for when hiring to build a powerhouse team. He imparts valuable advice for both sellers and leaders on patience, persistence, and humility. His #1 piece of advice? Keep it simple - in sales, in leadership, and in strategy. Hear Mark explain why the basics, done well, can actually be the most powerful approach. Additional Resources:Support families affected by cancer through the Ellie Fund: https://www.elliefund.org/Learn how to reduce cyber risk with Tenable: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tenableinc/Connect with Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-thurmond-350a4628/Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast HIGHLIGHTSLeading by influence rather than control3 H’s of success: Head, heart, and hard workLeaders need to take personal control of enablementData reduces dramaChannel marketingSimplification and communication are key to great leadership QUOTESMARK: It’s all about messaging, positioning, metrics, and strategy"The leaders that could actually truly impact and simplify messaging, positioning, metrics, and strategy. They're the ones that actually drove the most productive teams. So kind of early, my career communication was a massive big part of the kind of the foundation of building my career and the characters that I want it to fall throughout my career.MARK: Hard work is the greatest equalizer, wherever it is"My dad used this term all the time it’s hard work is the great equalizer, and I know it sounds corny, but it is stuck with me for my entire life, and it is truly proven both in athletics and in business. That hard work is the great equalizer.” 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

On this episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan welcome Izhar Armony, a venture capitalist who has been featured on the Forbes Midas list of top tech investors. After 7 years running marketing and raising money at a startup, he crossed the aisle to become the investor he once pitched to. He has now been a seed investor in over 40 startups, including six ‘unicorn’ startups and four multi-billion dollar IPOs. He shares his history in the Israeli army, his passion for off-road racing, and how these experiences make him a successful risk-taker. Izhar discusses how leadership is an indicator of the success of a company, and the mindset sales teams must adopt to achieve high-level growth like that of the unicorn startups he’s worked with. Additional Resources:Support youth entrepreneurship in the Middle East: https://www.meet.org/Learn more about VCs with CRV: https://www.crv.com/Connect with Izhar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/izhararmony/Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast HIGHLIGHTSBuilding his own startup from the ground upGood mentorship is a mix of empathy and tough criticismLong-haul rally racing is a lot like a startup: High-risk, fast-paced, and high reward - even if you fail.Founders are the ones who create value, not investorsGreat leadership and market disruption are key indicators of a good investmentYou don’t learn from your wins, you learn from your mistakesThe importance of an outside-in mentality and humility in sales QUOTESIZHAR: The qualities he seeks from a person"I think if you're humble, it allows you to listen well. and to test your hypothesis again, again, when to admit that you might have made a mistake, you might be wrong, and readjust. So I like that combination of smarts, ethical, energetic, but also courageous, disciplined, and humble, and when we get that, I think something magical happens.”IZHAR: A great leader blames no one but himself"If you're a great sales leader, and now we are getting right to the heart of your audience, one of the best that you can do is instill a culture of true and honest debrief, and the first rule is to blame no one but yourself will get to the truth, you can do it but blame no one but yourself.”JOHN K: What to remember in a debrief"Planning and preparation and collaboration, and then debrief, like no matter what you do in life like these are high skill sets, and, and execution categories. And the last one for me on the debrief. I think one that we can all take away today is like, no matter what, in a debrief, come with the mindset of own your mistakes no blame.” 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 inspiring episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to the Founder of Samaritan's Feet International, Manny Ohonme. Manny regales us with his life story of hope, faith, and selfless leadership that all started with a pair of shoes. Once a poor kid selling water and soda in Lagos, Nigeria, Manny worked hard to earn a basketball scholarship that became his ticket to the US. There, he devoted himself to his studies and eventually led a successful career in tech sales. Pursuing a search for greater purpose, Manny left his corporate career to establish a non-profit that would change the lives of millions around the world, one pair of shoes at a time. Additional Resources:Support Samaritan’s Feet: https://samaritansfeet.org/Connect with Manny on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannyohonme/Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast HIGHLIGHTSHow basketball and a pair of shoes changed Manny's life Arriving in America and succeeding despite every obstacleDivine intervention and answering the call to serve Giving back to his community and its children with shoes Over 1.5 billion people are infected by diseases transmitted through soilGiving shoes to children, veterans, and elderly all over the worldHow a missed PR opportunity led to 1.3 million pairs of shoes and more QUOTESManny on servant leadership: "From CEOs to the president of companies to presidents of countries humble themselves to wash these people's feet. Let the greatest among you first be a servant. That's the power that Samaritan's Feet is all about."How a pair of shoes can change someone's life, says Manny: "We are able to bring people together to invest and educate those kids and now you're going to help them rebuild their home and give them a new job opportunity all began from the gift of a pair of shoes."Manny's message to people experiencing hardships: "Keep that dreaming part of you. Don't forget to keep dreaming. Because the situation gets so bad sometimes, they stop and forget to dream." 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, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to Navy SEAL combat veteran- and author of “Embrace The Suck,” Brent Gleeson. Brent talks about his journey from the finance world to the military, the traits that make a successful Navy SEAL, and how the mindsets he learned in training benefited him in his post-service business career. Brent’s formula for effective leadership includes resilience, decentralized command, and constant improvement. His mantra, “embrace the suck,” encourages leaders to do one hard thing every day and consistently push the boundaries of their comfort zone to achieve continued success. Additional Resources:Buy “Embrace The Suck:The Navy SEAL Way to an Extraordinary Life” by Brent Gleeson : https://www.amazon.com/Embrace-Suck-Navy-SEAL-Extraordinary/dp/0306846330Visit Brent’s Website: https://takingpointleadership.com/Connect with Brent on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentgleeson-takingpoint/Check out Brent’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/brentgleesonListen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast HIGHLIGHTSWhat makes people resilientThe qualities that make a Navy SealPersistence, Purpose, and PassionLiving in a 3-foot worldAlways go for the opportunity to make better choicesDo something that sucks everydayPut yourself in an environment where you can perform betterFixed vs Growth MindsetsHow to spot and help 'gray men'Prepare, but don't worry about tomorrowA good leader can decentralize decision-makingLeaders need to know what motivates their peopleIf you're not failing, you're not trying hard enough QUOTESWhat makes people resilient, according to Brent: "Resilience doesn't necessarily come from people having an arduous childhood or coming from a lot of adversity necessarily. Sometimes it's chosen, sometimes it's intentional in the fact that people who chose to push the boundaries of their comfort zone and everything they choose to commit to. That builds resilience as well."Brent explains the 3-Foot World mindset: "His point was stay in your 3-foot world. Right here. Focus on what is in your span of control and only focus on that alone. It really goes into those core elements of resilience where people who are more resilient spend less time, emotion and energy on things they can't impact."Brent on training your brain to seek challenges, not comfort: "We seek comfort and pleasure naturally, as opposed to seeking pain. But when we can kind of retrain our brains and change the narrative in our mind, you naturally become more inclined to choose the harder stuff." 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, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to five-time (2 as player and 3 as coach) Super Bowl Champion Thomas “Pepper” Johnson. Pepper shares the good and the bad of the many leadership styles he encountered while playing and coaching alongside some of football’s greatest legends in the NFL. He stresses that talent does not equal success - focus, hard work, and a team-player attitude ultimately determine your fate. Pepper’s advice for leaders: find your own voice and be comfortable in your skin. Additional Resources:America’s most trusted all-natural transdermal vitamin patch provider: https://buyb1.com/Learn how you can help reduce climate change and help rebuild the planet for future generations: https://www.breezypointenergy.com/Connect with Pepper on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pepper-johnson-3a698312/Check out Pepper’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pepj52/?hl=enFollow Pepper on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pepj52?lang=enListen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast HIGHLIGHTSFocus on the game, not your prideBeing a leader goes beyond the gameWhy Pepper never watched ESPN while playing in the NFLLeadership lessons from Harry Carson and George MartinCarry your own weightMake sure you're ready for your turnA strong culture is passed down from one generation to the nextNever let distractions steer you away from your true potentialOne man is not bigger than the teamLeadership styles learned from Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, and Nick SabanLeaders need to find their own voice QUOTESPepper on his legacy as an NFL player: "I really didn't realize the impact and the goals... and making my name in the league while I was playing. I really didn't see myself in that form. I was focused on doing my job and trying to win ball games as much as possible." The common trait that differentiated NFL League players from the rest, says Pepper: "Those were the guys that allowed distractions, whether it was on the football field, or it was off the football field, allowing them to not really perform the way that they should've been performing. [There were] some teammates that I've had going even back to high school that I thought really had the talent to go to college and could play in the league because I've seen guys in the league with lesser talent. But when I had a conversation with those guys that made it in the league, a little more dedication was there." Pepper's tips for leaders looking to find their own voice: "When you're trying to coach people, when you're trying to be your best, then you want to be comfortable. You don't want to feel like you have someone else's thoughts in your head. You have to make them your own." 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, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to Chris Reisig, Operating Partner for Jungle Ventures and 5-time CRO. Chris shares insights and wisdom he’s gained through his experience leading the scaling of multiple early-stage companies. From defining the ideal customer to hiring leaders and market expansion, Chris has done and seen it all. Leaders of all levels will appreciate this valuable advice on culture, talent, international sales, and product-led growth from a veteran start-up leader. Additional Resources:Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisreisig/Check out Entrepreneurship for All: https://eforall.org/Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast HIGHLIGHTSDon't stop looking for the acute pain point and the ideal customerScaling a business means teaching everyone how to close a dealDon't expand your market too much too earlyHow early is too early when joining a startup Never settle for less when it comes to recruiting candidatesThe artist vs the scientist: you need both sellers at different times Expanding outside of your home country entails a lot of resourcesLearn how to be the same before trying to be differentTips for staying connected for leaders being sent to another countryThe most important skill for a founder to haveDon't try to be the smartest person in the room QUOTESChris on finding the acute pain point that your customer has: "If you cannot find pain that's acute in your customer, you have to keep looking. Because unless you have something that's painful enough for a customer to invest money and time in, it's interesting but not relevant. They're not gonna do anything."Chris on what it takes to scale a business: "It's one thing if you and the founder can go out and do 10 deals as a team. But unless you can teach other people beyond the founder and the first sales leader to close a deal, to take a deal from first presentation to a PO, you don't have a scalable business."The most important skill for a founder to have, says Chris: "Hiring great leadership is probably the single most important difference-maker between success and failure. If you are a sales leader that knows how to hire great leadership underneath you, your ability to scale an organization is amplified. Your ability to get into markets is amplified. Your ability to grow the company is amplified." 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, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to professional golfer Dennis Walters. In 1974, Dennis was paralyzed from the waist down in an accident, an injury that could have put an end to his golfing career. But rather than give up on his dreams, he chose to ‘get a new dream.’ Through perseverance and innovation, Dennis developed an adaptive way of putting, going on to win prestigious accolades such as the Bob Jones Award, the Ben Hogan Award, and an induction to the World Golf Hall of Fame. Additional Resources:Connect with Dennis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennis-walters-300672250/Check out The Dennis Walters Golf Show: https://www.denniswalters.com/Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast HIGHLIGHTSThe injury that almost ended Dennis' golf careerHow Dennis learned to swing a club on a wheelchairPursue your dreams; if you fail, get a new oneWinning the Bob Jones Award and induction to the World Golf Hall of Fame Recognition from Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, and other awards All it takes is hard work and a little help QUOTESDennis on starting the Dennis Walters Golf Show: "As I started to perform, right from the very first show, I told people how much I loved to play golf and how everyone told me it would be impossible to do. And what I was trying to do, among other things, was to show people what's possible not only in golf but life itself. I try to encourage them to do things in their life that the thought was impossible. As everyone said, golf would be impossible for me."The traits that make a successful man, says Dennis: "The only way I know how to do it is through hard work. And I think this applies to selling, it applies to how you conduct your life, it depends on how you treat others. But I think there's no substitute to hard work and perseverance. If you can put those things together, I think you can be successful at anything." 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, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to best-selling sales author and corporate sales trainer Tony Parinello about chronic mistakes sellers make. This includes prospecting too low in an organization, ineffective messaging, not speaking the right language, and more. Tune in to discover why you really only want to sell to VITO (Very Important Top Officer), the questions you need to ask, and how you should act in front of them to gain their trust and ultimately, the deal. Additional Resources:Connect with Tony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sellingtovito/Check out Tony’s best-selling book, Selling To VITO (The Very Important Top Officer): https://www.amazon.com/Selling-VITO-Very-Important-Officer/dp/1580622240VIsit Tony’s website: https://vitocorporatesalestraining.com/Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast HIGHLIGHTSWhy do you want to sell to VITO?Sellers need to let it go or move it forwardWhat to ask and what not to ask a VITO Don't start a meeting with a personal ice-breaker Speak in the right language: VITO's language Don't be afraid to set personal expectations and a timeframe How people sell matters just as much as what they sell Question stuff that you hear, take notes, be interested not interesting Tony's rules for presenting to a VITO: say it in 3 slides QUOTESWhy salespeople waste their time talking to people with no real decision-making power, says Tony: "Most sales leadership is based on activity. Get more appointments. Get more presentations. Get more demos. Put more quotes out there. Salespeople naturally, like many of us, they take the path of least resistance."Why you should only talk about benefits and advantages to a VITO: "You're gonna be sent to the person you sound the most like. Facts, features and functions: you drop one of them, one silly acronym or product name or number or buzzword, you're done. "Tony on earning the right to sell: You sell yourself first, then you sell your company. And guess why: VITOs don't really care who you work for until they understand what you can do for them. " 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, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to four-time Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and current president of OE Connection, Kelly Connery. Kelly talks about his sales journey from sales rep to CRO, and the wealth of knowledge that he has acquired through the years. Tune in to hear Kelly talk about selling on the go, dynamics of leadership in large companies, and why selfless leaders are the ones you want to put in charge of running your organization. Additional Resources:Donate to the families of Houston’s police officers and firefighters who died or were injured in the line of duty: https://the100club.org/Connect with Kelly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyconnery/Check out Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck — Why Some Thrive Despite Them All by Jim Collins: https://www.amazon.com/Great-Choice-Uncertainty-Luck-Why-Despite/dp/0062120999Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast HIGHLIGHTSHaving a framework to follow makes success repeatable The challenges of moving up from sales rep to first-line managerShould front-line managers own recruiting?The difference between second-line and first-line managers Great leaders are always great with people Good leaders move from being selfish to being selfless The realities and challenges of being a CRO QUOTESKelly on what it takes to be a great leader: “The more that as a leader you can be selfless, and the more that you can get everybody on the team to understand that it's not about them, it's about the team — the better leader you're going to be and the better team you're going to have. It's going to go pretty far.”Kelly on why creating and implementing a sales process is not micromanagement: "All great teams have a recipe that they care enough about and have taken time enough to document it because then they can scale and you can teach it to others. You can help people move to consciously competent and unconsciously competent. That's not micromanagement, that's truly caring about making your people successful."Kelly's advice for first-line managers moving up to the next level: "When you're communicating through leaders, the smallest bit of distortion in your message can be way off the coordinates by the time it lands with the broader team.. So, I had to get really good at speaking crisply and clearly with very clear intent of the message we were trying to send on top of the play book and operational aspects." 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, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to the Breathe Yogi herself, Neha Saxena. Neha talks about the importance of breath in managing stress levels and improving overall outcomes both in your everyday life and your professional career. Tune in to learn about how your body’s stress response works, and learn breathing techniques such as the physiological sigh, which helps reduce the heart rate and bring down stress levels. Additional Resources:Donate to help improve the quality of life for veterans and their families: https://projectwelcomehometroops.org/Connect to Neha on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nehasaxenaprofile/Check out Neha’s website: https://www.thebreathyogi.com/aboutLearn more about Neha’s favorite movie, Haatim Tai on IMDBListen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast HIGHLIGHTSWhy stress is not necessarily bad for youStress is part of your body's primary survival instinctHow mastering your breath helps regulate the nervous systemA toxic environment drives resignation more than compensationBreathing exercises to reduce heart rate, anxiety and stressYou cannot manage the mind from the mindIt's your mind's job to wanderTips for sitting and breathing betterYou cannot get rid of burnout by meditation alone QUOTESNeha on why stress is not necessarily what's hampering your performance: "Scientific data from sports science tells us that stress is not the killer of high performance. The real root cause that affects performance is the absence of recovery after a stressful period."Neha's fundamental tip for stress management: "If you notice, anytime you're feeling stressed and you curb that fundamental urge to take action, to move, you'll feel it as a tremor in your body. And that is when you're feeling stressed, you end up blurting things that you don't want to say or later regret. To manage stress you have to fundamentally learn how to manage that aggression response." Neha on breathwork and how it can help you manage your stress levels: "The point that I want to make is, you can't think your way out of it. Breath work is the tool because your thinking brain is being shut down when you're under stress." 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, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to Snowflake’s Chief Revenue Officer, Chris Degnan. Chris talks about his experiences working in a raw startup environment, and why he chose to leave a relatively comfortable position to do so. Chris lives and breathes the art of the grind, and relishes the prospect of being challenged, showing his aptitude for adapting to different situations and coming up with creative solutions. Tune in to hear the story of how a startup like Snowflake stood up to the likes of Amazon and IBM in the cloud data warehouse, and how a smaller company can overturn the dominance of an established player. Additional Resources:Donate to help cure multiple myeloma: https://themmrf.org/Connect to Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-degnan-524470/Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://forc.mx/3bfW5Od HIGHLIGHTSWhy Chris joined Snowflake in its raw startup phaseGetting the first two contracts and building a 'real' productStanding up to giants in the cloud storage spaceRespect the competition, or get crushedThink of your job as a 90-day contractDon't put all of your eggs in the large enterprise basketsThe benefits of the consumption model in SaaS QUOTESChris on how they stood up to Amazon in the cloud data warehouse space: "I always say that I'm better lucky than good. There's a lot of luck that I kind of ran into in my career at Snowflake. The first set of things that were helpful was Amazon, while they were the first cloud data warehouse with Amazon Redshift, it was not a good product. We actually solved a lot of the problems. What I would do is I would actually build lists and focus on the people that were using Amazon."Chris on why he continues to grind, everyday: "I'm always afraid that someone's going to take something from me, and I'm always going to do my best to grind and keep my job. And that's how I am as a human."Chris on the benefits of the consumption model for the customer: "The benefit is in the customer, because the customer is saying that I have a business partner who actually is invested in making me successful, not just selling the idea and leaving." 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, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to Articulate’s Chief Revenue Officer Jaimie Buss. Jaimie’s vast experience as an engineer, seller, and then sales leader shows her ability to adapt and overcome challenges, despite learning a little bit differently and having a different educational background from her peers. Jaimie talks about the importance of nurturing new leaders with adequate support, recognizing that there is no one correct career path for everybody, and knowing when you’re ready as you’ll ever be for the next stage in your career. Additional Resources:Donate to a local classroom: https://www.donorschoose.org/Connect with Jaimie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimiebuss/Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://forc.mx/3bfW5Od HIGHLIGHTSHard work + adequate support always trumps natural talent aloneWhy Jaimie left engineering and jumped into sales People learn in different ways Providing support for new leaders: The Rising Star ProgramNot all excellent individual contributors want to be leaders Focus on being fair, not on being equalAn inside look at how Product-Led Growth organizations operate Overcoming impostor syndrome Be unapologetically present whether at work or with family QUOTESWhy Jaimie is passionate about supporting new leaders: "A lot of people make the transition into leadership. Maybe they should, maybe they shouldn't. And then even if they should, I feel like there's not a lot of support for people moving into that role." Jaimie's opinion on companies that force individual contributors to lead: "I think that it's very shortsighted and unfortunate that companies are that way. For folks that are in an individual contributor role and feeling this sense of stigma because you don't want to go into a leadership role, I would say that it sounds like your company's issue, not your issue." Jaimie's advice for female leaders: "When they talk to me about being nervous to be ready, I tell them, ‘You're never going to feel ready.’ What I'm telling you is, you've been at the top of your game for two years at what you're doing. You've been through this program. You're as ready as you're going to be. You're going to have to go in and you're going to have to figure it out. But that's the same as everybody else." 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, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to MW Components’ VP of Sales Kara Bosse about the current state of the manufacturing industry and how they are addressing the most recent challenges, including the backlogs caused by the supply chain issues. Kara emphasizes the need to be communicative, keep a healthy and deep pipeline, and be open to having challenging conversations to develop better relationships. Additional Resources:Connect with Kara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kara-bosse-93469320/Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://forc.mx/3bfW5Od HIGHLIGHTSNavigating a sea of black swans The more severe the crisis, the more transparent you need to be Companies are taking their manufacturing back in-shoreSupply chain issues are changing business relationshipsChallenging conversations can help build deeper relationshipsYou can't fight a bad pipelineTips for managing relationships between sales and manufacturing Current challenges and chokepoints in the manufacturing sectorKnowing your walk-away point is an important part of negotiation QUOTESKara on being communicative to customers in times of uncertainty: "That's really all that you can do, right? Being proactive, have those transparent discussions. When we don’t get any information, we always tend to think the worst. With an absence of information, we create the worst possible scenario."Kara on adapting to unexpected market changes: "Ultimately, you've got to be pretty wide and robust with your pipeline overall because you can't fight a bad pipeline. And it really ended up exposing the folks that weren't deep in their pipeline overall."How Kara is improving the relationships between manufacturing and sales: "The structure that we have is really valuable to our customers and very well aligned with our value proposition. But at the end of the day, there are still some of these holes where we need to be able to pivot. So we've invested in product managers who work for the manufacturing site and work for the outside sales rep. They're kind of the conduit between the two, and they’ve helped us get through supply chain issues" 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, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to Hubspot’s original senior vice president for sales and later Chief Revenue Officer, Mark Roberge. Mark talks about working at Hubspot since day one, building the sales department from the ground up, offering advice on prioritization, hiring, addressing retention and reducing churn. Mark also shares his present journey as a senior lecturer at the Harvard Business School and Managing Director of the VC firm Stage 2 Capital. Additional Resources:Donate to Build.org: https://build.org/Buy Mark's book: https://www.amazon.com/Sales-Acceleration-Formula-Technology-Inbound/dp/1119047072Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://forc.mx/3bfW5Od HIGHLIGHTSTitles generally do not mean anything You need to learn prioritization as a sales leader The best sales reps don't necessarily make the best sales managers There is no such thing as a universal top sales hire profileDon't take coachability for granted in hiring How Mark addressed employee retention at Hubspot Foray into investing and the lessons learned Is an economic winter coming? Mark's beef with most MBAs QUOTESMark answers why promoting your best seller as manager isn't the best idea: "The job of salesperson and manager is so different. Salesperson is going out doing great discovery, moving people through a process, being good with your time. Sales management is all about picking people and empathy, understanding, connecting, and coaching and discipline."Mark's advice for success in hiring: "Have the discipline every quarter to sit down and look back on your people that you hired six months ago so that you now know are they doing well or not. And reflect on why and what those attributes are and iterate on your scorecard. And have the discipline to sue your scorecard in your hiring process." Mark's three biggest lessons about retention: "Retention is probably your biggest number, even more than top line revenue growth. Okay, that's learning number one. Number two, the root of retention issues is in sales. It's not in product, usually. Sometimes in product but most of the time the root is in sales. And number three, the best way to fix it is through compensation." 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

SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to Afghan freedom fighter, poet, and diplomat, Ambassador Massoud Khalili. By all counts, Masood has lived a life in service of his people and country. In this episode, Masood talks about his experiences of war and its aftermath. He also shares the many lessons that he learned from his time in the resistance against the Soviets and the Taliban, specifically those he learned his father, the great Persian poet and diplomat Ustad Khalilullah Khalili and from his friend, the late Ahmad Shah Massod, also known as the Lion of Panjshir. Additional Resources:Get Masood's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Whispers-War-Freedom-Fighters-Invasion/dp/9386062771Website: https://www.masoodkhalili.com/Improve Forecasting by Helping Your Salespeople Prioritize the Right Opportunities: https://forc.mx/3QDTn4vListen to More Revenue Builders: https://forc.mx/3bfW5Od HIGHLIGHTSHow Masood Khalili became a freedom fighter for his countryMeeting the Lion of Panjshir and fighting for love of countryIf you win the war but lose peace, you lose bothRemembering Ahmad Shah Massod and the assassinationHow 'Whispers of War' came to be GUEST BIOMassod Khalili is the son of the famous Dari language and Afghan poet laureate, Ustad Khalilullah Khalili. He studied BA and MA in Political Science in New Delhi University at Kirorimal University, India. In the war against the Soviets from 1980 to 1990, he was the political head of the Jamiat-i-Islami Party of Afghanistan and close advisor to Commander Ahmad Shah Masood. In the internal conflict that followed, he chose to be the Special Envoy in Pakistan to President Burhannudin Rabbani. Deported from the same country for his high rank in the Northern Alliance, he went to New Delhi in 1996 as the Ambassador of the Afghanistan (Anti-Taliban) where he stayed for many years. He was non-resident Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Nepal at the same time. On September 9th, 2001, Ambassador Khalili was sitting next to the hero of Afghanistan, Commander Massoud, when two men posing as journlists set off a bomb placed in their camera. Commander Massoud was assasinated and Ambassador Khalili survived. Two days later, Al Qaeda Attacked America. After his recovery, he was made the Ambassador of Afghanistan to Turkey and he is currently the first Afghan Ambassador to Spain. QUOTESMasood's conversation with his father at the start of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan: "He said, 'Go to Afghanistan, son. The war has started.' And I said, 'What about my PhD?' He said, 'Take your PhD from the mountains of your country, from the university of your people who are fighting for their freedom.'" Masood on why you need vision to retain peace after war: "When we were fighting against the Soviets, we did not have the vision to see when we reached Kabul what we would do and what would happen. We reached Kabul and we won the war. People applauded, people appreciated. People were happy. But we lost peace. And until now, we have lost that peace." Masood on the need for international solidarity: "We are all one body. If a part of the body is painful, the other parts feel it too. I'm in California but I think of Kabul. I think of Africa." 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

SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to Sprinklr’s Chief Revenue Officer Luca Lazzaron. Luca, who has held several sales leadership and general manager positions in multiple software organizations over the past 20 years, offers golden lessons in hiring exceptional talent, credible leadership, and effective revenue forecasting. As Sprinklr’s Chief Revenue Officer, Luca talks about the most challenging aspects of transitioning from a private to a public company, and the difference between having a committed versus a compliant team. Additional Resources:Donate to Istituto Serafico Di Assisi: https://www.serafico.org/come-sostenerci/?lang=enConnect with Luca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luca-lazzaron/5 Traits of Successful Leaders: https://forc.mx/3BrMkHhListen to More Revenue Builders: https://forc.mx/3bfW5OdHIGHLIGHTSThe science and art of hiring salespeopleHow managers can be more credible leadersWhat it's like to be CRO running a public companyHow to do effective revenue forecastingLeaders need to have a disproportionate passion for coachingBeing committed vs. Being compliantAlways go back to your 'Why' Sprinklr: the easiest way to know what's on your customer's mind GUEST BIOLuca Lazzaron is the Chief Revenue Officer of Sprinklr, the only Unified-CXM platform purpose-built for enterprises, empowering the world's biggest companies to be human@scale across 30+ messaging, live chat, email and voice channels — and leveraging the industry's most sophisticated AI engine to bring Care, Research, Sales & Engagement, and Marketing & Advertising together like never before.Luca has held sales leadership and general manager positions in multiple software organizations over the last 20 years. His experience includes both scaling rapid growth startups and IPO experience as well as overall operational management with large corporations globally. Meanwhile, his experience in acquisition includes both Geotel and Bladelogic generating a combined value of >3B$. Luca is a strong and committed supporter for the Istituto Serafico in Assisi, a unique institute specialized in the rehabilitation and long term care for children with severe multiple disabilities.QUOTESLuca on why managers need to have real, on the ground experience: "People sometimes underestimate that if you want to lead a team, you have to be credible. You have to know what you are talking about in detail. Because otherwise, there's no way you can inspire the people and coach them on a daily basis on what their job is about and how to do it better."Luca on what it takes to be a CRO of a public company: "Having the entire company able to actually make the customer happy and deliver value to the customer is the first thing. Because you can do all this new business that you want but if from the bucket you're going to continue to lose revenue, there's no way you can run a public company."Luca on the difference between commitment and compliance: "People tend to be compliant when you tell them what to do, and you do not explain why and what difference it can make for them. People are committed when they buy into something and it becomes their own stuff." 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

SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to Saratoga Systems CEO and President Greg Fairbank. Greg, who served in key positions in the US Army for 26 years, talks about the intersection of military training and sales, and how his army background has immensely contributed to his success in the technology industry. Greg also talks about No One Left Behind, a non-profit organization working on evacuating the tens of thousands of U.S. government employees and interpreters who remain in Iraq and Afghanistan, and providing them critical assistance for housing, transportation, food and household goods.Additional Resources:Support No One Left Behind (NOLB): https://www.nooneleft.org/getinvolvedSaratoga Systems is hiring! To apply, connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregfairbank/5 Traits of Successful Leaders: https://forc.mx/3BrMkHhListen to More Revenue Builders: https://forc.mx/3bfW5OdHIGHLIGHTSHow military training can prepare you for salesEarn the right to build rapportLeading with competence: overcoming the Seller Deficit DisorderHiring a military vet can be a rare but golden opportunity What is commander's intent?Advice for companies that want to take on government contracts No One Left Behind: aftermath of the Afghan exit GUEST BIOGreg Fairbank is the president and CEO of Saratoga Data Systems. With an extensive background in enterprise software development and sales at high growth technology companies. Prior to Saratoga, Greg developed Endeca Technologies, which was acquired by oracle. Prior to that, Greg was a software development manager at Sapient Corporation. He managed Sapient's first offshore development effort and delivered online banking and commerce applications to Fortune 500 clients. As a colonel in the United States Army, Greg held battalion and strategic commands, as well as serving in the Joint Chiefs of Staff. During his tenure with the Joint Chiefs, Greg represented his unit to the US Congress and provided briefings to the senior leadership of the departments of state and defense. Greg holds degrees from Cornell and Harvard, and is a distinguished graduate of the US Army War College. QUOTESGreg on the similarities between military training and sales: "Think about the things that you learn in your sales training. Not asking leading questions. Asking open-ended questions and not interjecting in the conversation. Letting silence be a good thing. These are all things which they unquestionably teach in that world and there's direct analogues in the sales world."Greg on commander's intent and why military vets are excellent hires: "It is core to our good non-commissioned officers and our officers that listen, I'm not gonna give you every little detail on how things are gonna happen. I'm gonna give you my intent, and you figure out how it's gonna happen. And it works really, really well."Greg on the goal of No One Left Behind: "Our goal is to get these people here and make them productive members of society. Get them over here, we try to set them up with apartments. We also try to get them vehicles. We're giving cars to these folks so they could get to and from work or be an UBER driver, be a Lyft driver, do some of these on-demand delivery functions. They can make a living and not just be reliant on any sort of public handouts."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, Neeraj Agrawal, General Partner at Battery Ventures, joins our hosts John Kaplan and John McMahon to discuss the nitty gritty of doing business in today’s markets. Neeraj sits on more than a dozen boards and has invested in several companies that have gone on to stage IPOs. As a serial investor with a long list of companies in his portfolio, Neeraj knows a thing or two about helping startups turn an idea into a full-fledged company. Tune in to hear actionable tips on leadership, growth, and revenue from the man himself, including how he chooses the companies he works with as an investor. Additional Resources:Donate to Hack Diversity: https://www.hackdiversity.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neerajagrawal2000/5 Traits of Successful Leaders: https://forc.mx/3BrMkHhListen to More Revenue Builders: https://forc.mx/3bfW5OdHIGHLIGHTS4 key dimensions that determine the success of companies Timing is more predictive of success than market sizeGreat product and sales processes are crucial for sustainable growthLessons learned from successful and failed investments Technical founders aren't necessarily the best CEOs The bull market is on its way out, what about it?Your company reputation is everythingHow Neeraj chooses the companies that he works withGUEST BIONeeraj joined Battery in 2000 and invests in SaaS and internet companies across all stages. He has invested in several companies that have gone on to stage IPOs, including Bazaarvoice (NASDAQ: BV); Coupa (NASDAQ: COUP); Guidewire Software (NYSE: GWRE); Marketo (NASDAQ: MKTO, acquired by Vista Equity Partners); Nutanix (NASDAQ: NTNX); Omniture (NASDAQ: OMTR, acquired by Adobe); RealPage (NASDAQ: RP); and Wayfair (NYSE: W).He also invested in several companies that have experienced M&A events, such as A Place for Mom (acquired by Warburg Pincus); AppDynamics (acquired by Cisco); Brightree (acquired by ResMed); Chef (acquired by Progress); Glassdoor (acquired by Recruit Holdings); Internet Brands (acquired by Hellman & Friedman); Kustomer (acquired by Meta); OpsGenie (acquired by Atlassian); Stella Connect (acquired by Medallia, Inc.); and VSS Monitoring (acquired by Danaher). Neeraj also played a key role in several other Battery investments including Groupon (NASDAQ: GRPN); ITA Software (acquired by Google); and Sabre (NASDAQ: SABR).Neeraj is currently on the boards of Braze (NASDAQ: BRZE), Compt, Catchpoint, Dataiku, Level AI, LogRocket, Pendo, Reify Health, Repeat, Scopely, Shortcut (formerly Clubhouse), Sprinklr (NYSE: CXM), Tealium, Wunderkind (formerly BounceX), Workato and Yesware. He is a board observer for InVision and Mattermost. Neeraj has also made seed investments in companies including 8fig, Dooly, PayStand, Proton, Reibus International and UserGems since 2020.QUOTESNeeraj on the challenge of timing your investment: "The challenge often is if you invest too early, you've got a good idea but you run out of money before the inflection point happens. And if you invest too late, somebody else captures the market. Having a sense of the timing is really important and like most things in life, luck has a lot to do with it."Neeraj on why both product and sales are crucial for success: "Ultimately, great companies are built on great products and great sales. You can kind of fake it for a while now on the sales side, but the longer you wait to put in the fundamentals, the harder it is to do later." Neeraj on how he chooses the companies that he backs: "Life's too short. If this isn't a person that I want to back from beginning to exit, they don't have the right coachability and skill to read my mind, it's probably time to move on and look at other investments."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, Doug Holladay joins our hosts John Kaplan and John McMahon to discuss the importance of purpose as a leader. Doug has found meaning in his long and successful career spanning from Goldman Sachs to international government and now, higher education as an executive-in-residence at Georgetown University. In their conversation, you’ll hear many of the lessons Doug shares in his MBA class on the importance of authenticity, purpose, and vulnerability in becoming a truly impactful leader - and feeling fulfilled while doing it.Additional Resources:Donate to Morehouse College: https://www.giving.morehouse.edu/s/Get Doug's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Rethinking-Success-Essential-Practices-Finding/dp/0062897888LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougholladay/Website: https://www.dougholladay.com/5 Traits of Successful Leaders: https://forc.mx/3BrMkHhListen to More Revenue Builders: https://forc.mx/3bfW5Od HIGHLIGHTSKnow your purpose and where you can add valueWhy business leaders are lonely at the topOur point of connection is our brokennessEulogy virtues vs Resume virtuesThe difference between happiness and meaningLife changes when we bother knowing other people's storiesThe neuroscience behind gratitudeGUEST BIOThe career trajectory of Doug Holladay has been unique and varied with its blend of public service, finance and business, non-profit work, and more recently, teaching and journalism.J. Douglas Holladay is a co-founder of Park Avenue Equity Partners, L.P. with offices in New York, a private equity fund which makes equity investments in middle market operating companies. He is a co-founder and general partner in Elgin Capital Partners LP, a private equity partnership focused on domestic energy development. While Mr. Holladay continues as an active investor, the main focus of his time is on several not-for-profit efforts, including PathNorth, which helps business owners and CEOs define success more broadly, and ABC2 (Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure), working to find a cure for brain cancer. Additionally, he holds the Heinz Christian Prechter Executive in Residence position at Georgetown University where he teaches MBA students.QUOTESDoug on why many executives are lonely at the top: "The unintended consequences of success can be loneliness and disconnection. You can be the principal of a middle school or sheriff of a police force in a small town, and the same phenomenon is true there. Particularly with men; we're not taught. We don't have a language of the heart."Doug on the difference between happiness and meaning: "Happiness is correlated with externalities. I have a girlfriend. My son got into a good college. I did this, I did that. And that comes and goes. Sometimes we're happy about these things. Sometimes we're not. But meaning is what you want to go for. Meaning, you can be in the most god-awful situations and still find meaning."Doug on understanding people through their stories: "Everybody is what they're like because of the sum total of all the craziness and goodness that they've experienced in life. Once you understand that, it's powerful."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

Everyone has their own definition of success. But for MongoDB’s Chief Revenue Officer Cedric Pech, the journey towards achieving it, the self-improvements you make, and the lessons learned along the way may prove to be more important than the destination itself. In this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to Cedric about his career, and his thoughts on leadership, purpose, and success. Additional Resources:Connect with Cedric Pech on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cedricpech/HIGHLIGHTSFrom VP to CRO: Challenges faced and lessons learnedWhy having a purpose is crucial for teams It can't be just about the paycheck Patriots vs. Mercenaries Success is a marathon, not a sprintSlow Success vs. Fast Success How skiing influenced Cedric's career It's about the journey, not the destinationDetails are where the consequences lieLeaders have to take care of themselves tooGUEST BIOCedric Pech is the current Chief Revenue Officer for MondoDB. He joined MongoDB to lead Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) sales in July 2017, and since that time has rapidly increased the size of the team, expanded into new markets, implemented a new process that has measurably increased sales productivity and has driven exceptional growth.With more than 20 years of sales leadership experience, Cedric has a track record of building high-performance sales organizations that deliver strong and consistent results. Prior to MongoDB, he led worldwide sales at Fuze, an enterprise global cloud communications and collaboration software platform. He has also held senior sales leadership roles for four different software companies, including three publicly traded companies: BladeLogic, BMC, and BazaarVoice.QUOTESCedric on finding your purpose: "I think it starts from you. There's a moment where you wake up in the morning and it's so hard that you ask yourself, why am I doing what I'm doing? And the moment you stop asking that, then you start to dig into yourself and do some introspection to come up with answers."John McMahon on retaining employees: "When people understand the why, they can handle the how."Cedric's advice for sellers: "Be patient and work on your craft. Don't cut corners and don't go after the next promotion or after short-term money but really work on your foundations. This is a marathon."Why Cedric says you shouldn't rush success: "Slow success builds character and fast success builds ego."Cedric on which things cannot be sacrificed for the sake of 'winning': "We are going to win, but not at any cost. And the line that we are going to draw is the line where people get hurt in their families, their health or their personal balance."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 Chief Financial Officer is a critical, but often misunderstood role in growing companies. In this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, John Kaplan and John MacMahon talk shop with four-time CFO Jim Kelliher about the intricacies of the CFO role. With vast experience under his belt, Jim talks about specific strategies that companies can use to scale effectively, and how CFOs can best guide their companies towards financial soundness. Additional Resources:Connect with Jim Kelliher on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-kelliher-8a3100/Donate to the Irish American Partnership | https://www.irishap.org/Drive Consistency in Your Sales Planning Process: https://forc.mx/3PuYNOaA CFO Perspective on Healthy Revenue Growth: https://forc.mx/3yIMhE6HIGHLIGHTSWhat keeps CFOs up at night?Things to prepare before pitching to a CFOWhat is a frugal spend culture?All markets eventually bounce backWhat does a financially-sound company look like?Financial forecasting is a critical skill in businessCost-justification needs to come from an internal championQUOTESJim: "Our job is to control the business. We have to make sure we're not doing silly things with our cash, we're not doing things that don't make sense longer term. But our objective is really to grow the business." Jim: "When I say frugal, it's usually around an investment you're making in the company or in the infrastructure, or in a person that you expect to be paid back and have thought through. That's what I mean by frugal. Do it in the right way." Jim: "Let's do it a bit at a time, so that if it doesn't work, you haven't made a big bet and you can kind of pull your foot off. If it doesn't work, you understand why it doesn't work and maybe you can self-correct in the middle of that process. That's what I mean by experimenting." Jim: "It will probably be volatile for a period of time. But longer term, good companies get the bulk of markets, good companies are successful, good companies are bought. So create a good company, create a good culture, create a scalable model, and you'll be just fine." 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 Kaplan and John McMahon talk to John Mosley, Jr., Head Men's Basketball Coach at East Los Angeles College. Mosley and the story of their Huskies basketball program are covered in the popular Netflix series Last Chance U: Basketball. Mosley shares his strategies for leading even the most difficult teams successfully, focusing on relationship building and leading by example. He concludes that if you can make a sincere impact on one person’s life and career, the chain reaction benefits many others.Additional Resources:Connect with John Mosley, Jr. on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-mosley-jr-b5269239/Donate to the ELAC Men’s Basketball Program | https://org.eteamsponsor.com/ETS/supportUs/411913647?fund_participant_id=411913648For larger donations that require tax deductions:Donate to the ELAC Student-Athlete Fund | https://elacfoundation.com/elac-student-athletes-fund/Specify "Men's Basketball" in the comments.The foundation is a 501C3Federal Tax ID# 33-0034221Coach Your Managers To Learn From Wins and Losses: https://forc.mx/3NKvQNf5 Leadership Tactics That Get Results: https://forc.mx/3P3PCEAHIGHLIGHTSBehind the scenes of Netflix’s 'Last Chance University' Why great leaders are great coaches Ditch the playbook and meet your team where they areSpeech is silver, silence is goldenTo lead people is to carry their burden for them Rules without relationship equals rebellionQUOTESKaplan: "We believe great leaders are great coaches, and they have the ability to meet kids wherever they're at and understand their story." Mosley: "In leadership, you direct behavior. In order to direct behavior in leadership, I think you have to have that personal relationship. And when you go down and you have those personal relationships and you live out, I think it's important to live out the burdens with these young men. That's what I'm called to do." Mosley: "Whenever I see a young man or anybody who didn't want to listen to me, even little kids. It works on little babies. You think of a five-year old and you say, hey, sit down and do this. It won't sit down. You take a five-year-old and before you tell him to sit down, you say, hey, you like this color? What's your favorite color? What do you like to eat? And then you tell the five-year-old, hey, have a seat here. Guess what, they're gonna go sit down." Kaplan: "Do not confuse the coach's kindness with weakness."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 Kaplan and John McMahon are joined by Alan Chhabra, Executive Vice President of WW Partners at MongoDB. Alan talks about starting the partner program at MongoDB and how he overcame some of the role’s biggest challenges.Alan shares what he’s learned about establishing great partnerships, managing connections, and growing relationships with partners to maximize efficiency and long-term results. He also talks about his experience managing the complexities of client relationships, especially when it comes to competition.Additional Resources:Connect with Alan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanchhabra/Visit MongoDB's website: https://www.mongodb.com/Donate to The Home for Little Wanderers: https://www.thehome.org/Support Vision-Aid: https://visionaid.org/More about Force Management | https://forc.mx/3waMDDSIncrease Revenue by Improving the Manager/Seller Relationship | https://forc.mx/3bt8jTlDrive Revenue Growth Through Indirect Sales Channels | https://forc.mx/3nsioThHIGHLIGHTSHow to manage the diversity of partnershipsGaining traction early with a partnerThe challenges of managing channel conflictThe characteristics of the right people for a channelEstablishing trust for enablement informationAlan's advice on things you can get from a partner communityQUOTESAlan: "When you put that together, then you get a handful of partners that you double down. I'm not one for where you just have hundreds of partners that you focus on. You really should get the ones that fit into all those buckets, and then you go deep."Alan: "It does start on the street. If local sales leadership from both companies are not tight at the hip, global partnerships do not work. They may help with some marketing awareness, they may get people excited on LinkedIn, but if there's no real tight-at-the-hip at the geos, it doesn't work.Alan: "The reason for that mistrust is usually because of misalignment on what's in it for them and what's in it for us. For example, if all that partner's job is to ambulance chase your deals in the field and steal points, the last thing you're going to do is share information with them."Alan: "The customers' buying motion has changed. In the last five to seven years, customers now buy upfront infrastructure and commitments with the cloud provider."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 Kaplan and John McMahon talk to mental performance coach Greg Poss. Greg, who played professional Hockey and later on went to make a name for himself as coach, talks about tapping into your higher brain in a consistent manner to achieve success. Greg describes a state of higher energy, where you are able to shut down your fear centers in favor of higher brain functions. He also talks about valuing the process as the most important reward, which is also the key to sustainable happiness and success and fulfillment.Additional Resources:Buy Fearless: The Winner's Mind | https://starkemind.com/page-1Visit Greg’s website: https://www.starkemind.com/Check out Greg’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-poss-a0a8a72b/More about Force Management | https://forc.mx/3waMDDSUsing MEDDICC to Drive Revenue Predictability | https://forc.mx/3mZ5r3i How To Enable Your Sales Team To Execute At The Buyer Level | https://forc.mx/3QGXq0D HIGHLIGHTSGreg's Hockey playing and coaching career How to go from low energy to a high energy stateThe lower brain vs the higher brainThe edge of our comfort zone is where life beginsThe most important reward is the process Analyze, Iterate, Move ForwardNobody cares, play better QUOTESGreg: "When we get into the right state of mind, everything is gonna flow around us the way it should and it's gonna optimize our performance." Greg: "We want to impress other people, or we do it for external pleasure: to make money, to win a trophy, to get a promotion, whatever the case might be. I'm not saying that going after those things is bad. We should go after those things. But our major motivation has got to be the moment to moment gamification and joy of the journey." Greg: "When we can intentionally control our thoughts and rewire our brains to be higher brain dominant, we're automatically turning off our lower brain, or the fear centers of our brain. And there's a big difference between being fearless and reckless." Greg: "The only way to have sustainable happiness and success and fulfillment is through internal gratification, which we get in the creative fearlessness of our process or journey."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 Kaplan and John McMahon talk to Anne Gary, Director at Force Management. With several sales management roles under her belt, Anne knows a thing or two about building and operating large complex sales organizations from scratch, resulting in closing multi-million dollar sales. Anne talks about her journey from engineer to sales leader, the value of understanding a company’s political landscape, and how to identify and cultivate potential in people. Additional Resources:Connect With Anne Gary on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-gary-a054aa96/Donate to The Boys & Girls Clubs of America | https://www.bgca.org/More about Force Management | https://forc.mx/3waMDDSUsing MEDDICC to Drive Revenue Predictability | https://forc.mx/3mZ5r3i How To Enable Your Sales Team To Execute At The Buyer Level | https://forc.mx/3QGXq0D HIGHLIGHTSFrom engineering to sales Always look for a problem to solve How to separate the great salespeople from the good onesHiring for startups, then and nowGo wide and deep on the buying organization's political landscape Look out for an organization's championsIf you're not constantly training, you're stagnatingHow to spot a great leaderQUOTESAnne: "So many people, they keep trying to change things up all the time instead of just staying the course for a while. Pick something that you know needs to be done, implement it, stay the course and see what happens. Because we know from engineering, you don't change 10 or 12 variables and try to figure out what's working because you won't know." Anne: "Probably the biggest thing for me when I was interviewing was to ask a salesperson about a sale that they had been through recently, and I wanted to know about the political landscape. I would ask them to go up the board, draw the organization chart, and tell me who are the people that are the influencers in the situation and have them walk me through that." Anne: "I find that the best champions are the ones that are not just about themselves and a personal win for themselves but also about the organization win as well." McMahon: "I always say that you know you have a champion when the sales process has moved from unpredictable to predictable." 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 Kaplan and John McMahon talk to Sahir Azam, Chief Product Officer of MongoDB. Sahir shares his insight gained working in the intersection of product and go-to-market teams. Sahir also touches on creating synergy between pre-sales and sales teams, and the need to balance innovation and solving actual customer problems. Additional Resources:Connect With Sahir Azam on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahirazamDonate to The Jed Foundation | https://jedfoundation.org/Quoted in this episode | https://neilpatel.com/blog/how-saas-marketing-is-different/ More about Force Management | https://forc.mx/3waMDDSAligning Your Sales Engine With Product Development | https://forc.mx/3Hd1QYvProduct-Led Growth: Driving Cross-Functional Support to Evolve Your Go-to-Market Strategy | https://forc.mx/3mE2iW8HIGHLIGHTSThe focus of a Chief Product OfficerAligning with your customer's buying behaviorEncourage synergy between sales and pre-sales teamsSitting in the seat in the moment of the customer's painHow to balance innovation with solving a needTake the time to do a proper discovery callSelling internally can be harder than selling externallyQUOTESSahir: "Product marketing and product management, there's sort of a Venn diagram of overlap of skillset there and different organizations align slightly different on how those things are defined. But we think it's really important, regardless of how they report organizationally, but for those two functions to be paired up really closely to have a successful outcome." Sahir: "If you don't have a very seamless way for your end-customers to try and use a product, you're many times never gonna get in the door." Sahir: "Great product people can really articulate and translate that pain from the way that it's articulated by the customer, which isn't always like, here's my pain point, here's the business value but extracting that, qualifying that, documenting that in a way that's crisp and concise." Sahir: "The most cohesive team is where everyone knows the role, but there's a natural overlap of trust built here and everyone knows what you're solving for." 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 Kaplan and John McMahon talk to Hollie Castro. The Chief Human Resources Officer & SVP, ESG for Yeti, talks about how the company overcame the incredible challenges that they faced during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.Hollie shares her perspective on how workforce needs have changed post-COVID, as well as how the increasing need to attract Millennial and Gen Z hires calls for a new approach to culture and expectations. She offers her winning tips for how hiring managers can rise to the challenge in order to hire and retain great talent from Millennial, Gen Z, and diverse groups.Additional Resources:Connect With Hollie Castro on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollie-castro-mba-nacd-dc-6526452/Help displaced minorities achieve self-sufficiency | https://www.casamarianella.org/More about Force Management | https://forc.mx/3waMDDSWeather Recruitment Challenges: Make Your Talent an Advantage | https://forc.mx/3zaLLAz3 Tactics to Help Managers Retain Top Talent During the Great Resignation | https://forc.mx/3MkbeL6HIGHLIGHTSHow Yeti fared during the height of the COVID-19 pandemicThe truth about having Gen Z and Millennials in the workforceHow companies can improve their hiring process A diverse workplace requires intentional hiring effortCareer paths aren't always linearBe mindful of your ambition vs your constitutionQUOTESHollie: "What we're learning is people want the flexibility but they also like to come back together from time to time to connect and be social. It's a very social culture."Hollie: "How you leave is more important than actually everything you did. Because it's the only thing people will remember about you. So are you honest and transparent? Are you having authentic conversations, are you putting a good plan in place that leaves your team and the organization in the best possible state?" Hollie: "The more clear you are about the thing you're going toward, the better probability you'll have of landing that. In my experience, careers aren't linear. Sometimes things show up and you're like, oh I don't know, this is kinda risky. Do the assessment of your calculated risk but sometimes the most unorthodox thing that shows up will be the thing that is the best growth for you."Hollie: "What happens with people that are really good is an organization will tend to want to give them more, whether it's in their job description or not. If that's not happening for you and you want that, make it known. I always say, nobody cares about your career as much as you 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

In this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, John Kaplan and John McMahon talk to John Hanlon, an experienced sales leader on all things leadership, from being coachable, to taking on a new VP of sales role. Hanlon talks about key learnings you can gain from past failures and the top traits that all good leaders possess. Digging deeper, Hanlon shares one key thing that good leaders can’t have, if they want to do their job effectively. Additional Resources:Connect With John Hanlon on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-hanlon80/More about Presidio | https://www.presidio.com/More about Force Management | https://forc.mx/3waMDDSDon’t Let Your Sales Initiative Fail: Lead from the Front | https://forc.mx/3GupnE8Taking on a New VP of Sales Role? Key Resources to Help You Get Started | https://forc.mx/39XgJloLearn more about CASA (Court Appointed Service Advocate) | https://childadv.net/casaHIGHLIGHTSYou learn more from your mistakes than successesListening in leadershipBe both coachable and adaptableThe person with no ego winsGUEST BIO John Hanlon has more than 25 years of industry and international experience in information management software, hardware and service. Since joining EMC in August 2000, he has held leadership roles including Vice President, Network Attached Storage Unit; Senior Vice President, Mid-Market Sales; and President, EMC Americas Sales and Customer Operations. Prior to Dell/EMC, John Hanlon was VP of Sales (Americas) for Parametric Technology Corporation. He also served for 7 years as an Officer in the United States Navy.QUOTESHanlon: "It's our job to add value, break down barriers, make people more successful, get them promoted, watch them develop and grow. But if people aren't comfortable coming to you to talk about their problems or their situation, you're flawed as a leader. You're done." Hanlon: "People want to work for people that are real. No phony baloney. Don't try to kid me. Be transparent. Be honest. Because we've all worked for people who tend to tell you what you want to hear or are a little bit full of themselves."Hanlon: "This is what a leader is all about. It's about being accountable, about being self-aware, and recognizing when you're wrong. Because if you don't know that you're wrong, you can't alter your course." Hanlon: "Sometimes you lose to win, sometimes you take a step back to go five steps forward. But if you can keep that ego in check, you can go a lot farther as a leader." 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 Kaplan and John McMahon talk to Jeremy Duggan, a veteran sales leader who helped build AppDynamics into a juggernaut before it was acquired by Cisco for $3.7 billion. From recruitment and retention all the way to creating revenue, Jeremy knows how to lead and provides a proven formula for success that includes caring about your people and using data effectively. Additional Resources:Donate to Save the Children | https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/More about Force Management | https://forc.mx/3waMDDSHow to Hire the Right Sales Talent for Growth | https://forc.mx/3MLtiOU3 Tactics to Help Managers Retain Top Talent | https://forc.mx/3lrj0aPHIGHLIGHTSRecruitment, Retention, and RevenueA Players: How to hire and keep themYou need to inspire and inspect your people all the time Actionable tips to improve your leadership skills Always be thinking of what you can do betterKnow how to use data effectivelyQUOTESJeremy: "If you can recruit people, and then you can retain and inspire those great people, and then you have a fact-based methodology around to drive results, if you take care of those three things, then you've got a fantastic job of building a really incredible company."Jeremy: "Look, when I talk to you about leadership and the three Rs, or the leading indicators in sales, what I'm actually doing is I'm handing you the winning lottery numbers. All you gotta do is go down to the shop and buy a ticket." Jeremy: "I can't really remember big mistakes even though I've made loads of little ones. Because for me the whole point of making a mistake is that it makes you recognize it and then you figure out why you did it, so you don't do it again. So then you don't kind of remember it, because you've fixed it." Jeremy: "If you care about people, it overcomes a lot of things that you might do wrong. You might have a bad day, you might lose your temper with something, you might get something wrong. But if people know you fundamentally care about them, then they'll change 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

In this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, John Kaplan and John McMahon talk to the Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at UPS, Kevin Warren. Kevin takes us through his journey in business, starting from his time as a salesperson in Xerox to where he is now at UPS. Kevin talks about constant improvement and ensuring that you are learning new things to keep up with dynamic markets. He applies this mantra even at UPS, where he took on the enormous challenge of elevating the established company marketing and brand strategy to adjust for modern times and new markets. Additional Resources:UPS Blue Horizons Minority Incentive Program | https://bit.ly/3PhYnvEGeorgetown Scholarship | give.georgetown.edu/LucyWarrenScholarshipMaking the Most of Every Lead: Key Questions to Help Sales and Marketing Alignment | https://forc.mx/3uPZSHFMore about Force Management | https://forc.mx/3waMDDSHIGHLIGHTSHow a sales job led to an Executive VP and CMO positionConstantly assess and update your personal skill set The importance of a mentor-mentee relationship The journey from Xerox to UPSShifting industries, learning the language and gaining credibility Partnerships and relations are everythingProtecting a well-established brand in a dynamic industryGUEST BIOKevin Warren is the Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at UPS. In this role he’s responsible for U.S. and International Marketing, The UPS Store, Digital Channels, Revenue Enablement, Business Planning, Forecasting & Pricing, Digital Marketing, Customer Experience, Brand Relevancy, and the company’s Ware2Go subsidiary. His highly developed perspective on data-centric business and non-traditional engagement channels is driving change at UPS and setting new standards in digitally enabled customer experience. As the e-commerce business era takes shape, Kevin is shaping those critical aspects of UPS strategy that will deliver the business of the future.Most recently, Kevin served as Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for Xerox Corporation, where he was responsible for marketing, worldwide channel strategy, salesforce effectiveness, and global client engagement for the company’s diverse portfolio of hardware, software, and services.Previously, Kevin served as president of Global Growth Opportunities, responsible for accelerating revenue growth outside the United States. In addition, he had strategic oversight for two Xerox operating units, Global Imaging Systems and Xerox Canada, as well as leading the company’s 3-D printing strategy.He also led the integration activity surrounding Xerox’s $1.5 billion purchase of Global Imaging Systems. In 2007, he was named chairman, president and chief executive officer of Xerox Canada and in 2010, was named president of U.S. Client Operations. Kevin joined Xerox in 1984 as a sales trainee in Washington, D.C.Kevin is a board member for Fiserv, Georgetown University, and the UPS Foundation. He is also a current member of the Executive Leadership Council and a founding member of the Black Executive CMO Alliance (BECA). Previously, Kevin served on the board of Illinois Tool Works and the national board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.A native of Washington, D.C., Kevin received his Bachelor of Science in finance from Georgetown University and is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School, having completed the Advanced Management Program.QUOTESKevin: "Because the industry is changing, that means your skillset's got to be changing, you've got to be changing faster. So the 2022 version of Kevin has got to be better than the 2021. It's the same sort of thing as far as looking at your skills and competencies and what you're bringing to the table." Kevin: "It was almost really a race of me gaining internal credibility and learning the industry in the company at a depth level deep enough so then I can leverage my commercial knowledge and see things from fresh eyes to get the benefit of that different experience." Kevin: "The marketing function led-effort worked well with our communications function to come up with our purpose statement, which is 'Moving our world forward by delivering what matters.'"Kevin: "If you're in an industry that's dynamic, that's moving more to digital and you've got new players and wannabe disruptors, it's good; you gotta have that trust. But you also have to, an exam question on momentum is 'Is this a company that's on its way up, or are its best days behind it? Is this a company that's agile and innovative? Cool, digital? Is this a company that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion and thinks the environment is 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

In this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, John Kaplan and John McMahon talk to author, entrepreneur, public speaker, and sales leader Maury Rogow. Maury talks about using powerful storytelling techniques in the context of sales, and how marketing and sales teams should be working together seamlessly to attract and convert customers. Maury also takes us into the story of how he got into Hollywood and how he transformed himself from the kid who couldn’t raise his hands in school to a capable public speaker, and that one time he opened for comedian Joe Rogan. Additional Resources:Key Characteristics for CROs to Hone in Each Stage of Growth | https://forc.mx/3uUCM3ZTaking on a New VP of Sales Role? Key Resources: | https://forc.mx/3KTEismDonate to breast cancer research: https://drsusanloveresearch.org/Check out Maury's book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TB1FKLX/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0Connect with Maury on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauryrogow/More about Force Management | https://forc.mx/3waMDDSHIGHLIGHTSMany salespeople fail because they lack this basic skillYour customer is the hero of the story Always know where you are in the buyer's journeyGet the S-T-U-F-F in your stories to make them effective Know your customer's learning styleThe messaging must be seamless from marketing to salesThe shy kid who couldn't raise his hand in schoolIntroducing the E-P-I-C story structureHow Maury got into Hollywood and the lessons learned Advice for connecting to people remotelyQUOTESMaury: "Your brand will thrive or die based on the story you tell. That's for the sales people and it's for executives too. The reason I say that is it's all based on fact but I got to get it across fast. Salespeople are failing out there because they don't have the basic skills to grab attention and then be memorable." Maury: "Sure, you get plenty of sales without your story in there. They're probably low value, they're probably the cheap shots, you're probably making quota or getting to your quota. But the folks that are really good at this, the folks that really can tell a great story, can get somebody else to share, they're the ones bringing in the six, the seven, even eight-figure deals because they're building a relationship." Maury: "The hero of the story is them. You're not the hero. Don't tell me you're here to make a bunch of money. Don't tell me your IPO is gonna put 10 million in your pot. Nobody wants to hear that. They want to hear how it helps them. And if you get served because of it, fantastic. But they're the hero of the story." Maury: "If you confuse, you will lose. Gotta keep it simple." 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 Kaplan and John McMahon talk through their experiences with recruiting talent, and why many companies often stumble in this fundamental step. Your employees are the lifeblood of your business, and to be successful, you need to hire the right people. In this era of mass resignations and global hiring, business leaders and interviewers need to hone in on the characteristics, skill sets and knowledge of what will make sales talent successful in your company.Additional Resources:Hiring Great Sales Talent: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/revenue-builders/id1610203369HIGHLIGHTSStop relying solely on the resume or LinkedIn profiles Sales people are not created equal Interviewers need to both qualify the candidate and sell the opportunityLook for qualified candidates, not friendsCompanies should equip their employees with skills and knowledgeDon't sleep on the references How candidates can prepare for the interview QUOTESJohn MacMahon: "If I'm gonna be in a fast growing company, two of the most essential characteristics I have to have in a person is intelligence and drive. Because skills take a lot of time to develop. If somebody's really smart in a classroom, I can teach them stuff. On the job, I can teach them stuff pretty quickly. But it's the skillset that takes a really long time to develop." John Kaplan: "I found that some of the best interviewers have emotionally connected to what they do matters and why it matters and therefore, it comes across the interview process. I find people woefully prepared to really talk about why what they do matters." John MacMahon: "The mistake that a lot of first time leaders make is they are almost looking more for a friend than they are for a candidate that can really be successful int he role. Because of that they do some people a disservice because they truly don't have the knowledge or the skillset to be successful. But they like the person."John Kaplan: "The knowledge and skills are the responsibility of the company to bring them the knowledge that they're going to need and to give them the opportunity to enhance their skills, to develop the skills, to position that knowledge effectively. The responsibility of the individual is to bring their character to that equation." Learn More about Force Management here: www.forcemanagement.comCheck 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 Kaplan and John McMahon talk to veteran recruiter, Chad Peets. As a Managing Director of Sutter Hill Ventures, Chad is responsible for building the go-to-market teams globally for their portfolio companies. Chad talks about his process for recruiting, particularly for the CEO and CRO roles. Having been in the recruitment industry for more than two decades, Chad shares his expertise on which qualities to look out for in candidates in order to ensure success for your organization. HIGHLIGHTSBuilding a world-class sales organization goes beyond recruitment Managing expectations is a balancing actExperience will bring you successQuestions that CRO candidates should ask when looking for new opportunitiesThe War on Talent and The Great ResignationWhy CROs have the hardest job in software sales Traits of a candidate that's going to be hired QUOTESChad: "You bring the fundamentals of the playbook. But every time you go into a situation, it's a unique situation so you're gonna have to tweak and make changes to that playbook to adjust, if you will, for the company that you're in, the market that you're in, the product that you're selling, etc.”Chad: "You have to be focused on the long-term and building out world class sales organizations. This recruiter has to be focused on exactly that. If they're focused on transactions, if they're focused on fees and you and you can figure this out really quickly, what their objectives are, their objective has to be your objective."Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064Additional Resources:Key Characteristics for CROs to Hone in Each Stage of Growth | https://forc.mx/3uUCM3ZTaking on a New VP of Sales Role? Key Resources: | https://forc.mx/3KTEismMore about Force Management | https://forc.mx/3waMDDSConnect with Chad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadpeets/ 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

On this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to veteran football coach JD Brookhart. JD has led an interesting life, working as a coach for the Denver Broncos and several college football teams. He coached the Akron Zips to their first MAC Championship Title in 2005 and brought the team to their first collegiate bowl as a Division One program. Beyond his life in football, JD also earned accolades as a salesperson during his time with Xerox and is now a managing partner at CJ&M Holdings. JD talks about the parallels between coaching football and managing sales teams, particularly in building a team, motivating them, and knowing how to lead them to success. HIGHLIGHTSParallels between sports coaching and sales work You need to know what motivates you and what motivates your teamNobody cares about what you know until they know you care Team chemistry can be just as important as individual talentAlways work just a little bit harder to find success Leverage your network and believe in the power of who Accountability, Productivity, and Persistence QUOTESJD: "You got to have three rules to hiring. Number one, you got to know how to hire, two, you got to know how to fire, and number three, you got to do number one so you don't have to do number two." JD: "The guys that I've seen that are really good coaches, many times have been walk-arounds trying to prove themselves. Guys that worked up the ranks, that came from smaller schools. Sometimes those guys that have been there, they understand what it takes to be good and the time that we have to put in to be great." JD: "It’s always great to be on a winning team, but we’ve all been in a situation when things aren’t going so well. Whether it be the revenue numbers or the Games in the win column – that’s when real leaders differentiate themselves."JD: "I look back on it, and I don't know of a job that I got by myself. I had somebody helping me or somebody I met along the way, which just changed the course of my life. I've just been fortunate to be around the people I've met through the course of my career." Connect with JD via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jd-brookhart-ba647977/ 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

Few can understand what happens in a war unless you’ve been in the middle of one. Often the lessons that come after the homecoming are some of the toughest to learn. The moral injuries that our veterans face often go unnoticed and untreated. That’s what sparked Sgt. Anthony Anderson’s walk from Wisconsin to California featured in the Almost Sunrise Documentary. In this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, Anthony talks about his own lessons learned and how those leading companies can support veterans re-entering civilian life. Anthony’s experience is also a great testament to what it takes to be a great leader. HIGHLIGHTSWhy Anthony joined the militaryLessons learned while volunteering to serve in Iraq twiceWar has no peerCombat and survival instincts change youReintegration after service comes with its own issuesPost-Traumatic Stress Disorder vs Moral InjuryWalking from Milwaukee to California to raise awarenessThe families of veterans need help tooDonate your time, not just your moneyQUOTESAnthony: "Some of the things that I took away, certainly in the first time, much earlier in the war with different kind of mission, how much chaos is surrounding you and how little control you have over these things, but how ultimately you have to make decision."Anthony: "I learned very early that people want to be understood in one way and seen in one light, but they also don't want to let on what actually allows people to get to know them." Anthony: "Some of the chaos in war is not just what's happening outside, it's what's happening in your heart and in your mind." Anthony: "Wars may end when peace treaties are signed. But wars don't end in you." Anthony: "When the drumbeat for war is beating louder, and everybody starts to put into to context the need to go to war, and how much it's gonna cost, and how quickly we'll do it, etc…. We need to put decision makers accountable for things like, how many doctors, how many nurses, how many psychiatrists psychologists, peer mentors etcetera do we need to have in place, and will they be in place before the first shot is fired, and if not, when will they be there." Additional Resources:Almost Sunrise: http://sunrisedocumentary.com/LiT Beard CO: https://litbeardco.com/Project Welcome Home Troops: https://projectwelcomehometroops.org/American Corporate Partners: https://www.acp-usa.org/OJAI Earth Yoga: https://www.ojai.earth/missionMore About the Episode: https://forc.mx/3Ks0vOjConnect with Anthony via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-anderson-441177129/ 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

HIGHLIGHTSHow a business travel company survived COVID-19 lockdowns Achieving growth and pivoting in a time of crisis Using content to drive brand recognition and revenue on a budgetDiscussions about Product-Led GrowthAlways try to find out how and why your customers are buyingBiggest challenges over the last two years for a CMOWe need to create second-line leaders Look for problem solvers, not victimsDonate to UkraineQUOTESKaplan: "Everybody's boat went down at the same time. Around the world, it's one of those rare times where everybody's boat in the harbor goes down, but not everybody's boat rose at the same time. And I was just really really impressed that the way your answer was, it's now time to get close to our customers." Meagen: "When there's no wind, you row." Meagen: "Back then, we were focused. We knew what we had to do. We had to create a sense of urgency. As I said, inbound dried up. Nobody was looking for travel solutions. In fact, the first thing was, are you kidding me we're in a pandemic why are you trying to sell this?" Meagen: "Originally we were targeting the travel manager, but they all got furloughed. So now we need to switch and which was the smarter thing to do, is target the CFO who manages travel under procurement typically, and finance and accounting." Meagen: "We need to switch, we need to redefine our ICP, the right customer profile to go after, and I needed product marketers. And I just thought I'm gonna go heavy on product marketer's content, we're gonna build academies. So when the travel manager gets their job back, there's gonna be a new world." Meagen: "You want the ability to self-serve and get the low end of the market, but you get big money in the mid-market and upper side of it. So don't leave that on the table. Either develop both, and it's going to be a lot easier to sell if it's an amazing product and has product market fit, and you're not going to get product led growth without product market fit."McMahon: You can't be all things to all people, especially as we talked about how marketing has expanded so much in the last 10 years. You can't be an expert in every different disciplines. You need to hire great leaders underneath you. And that should be a lesson for any leader that's listening on the phone.” Connect with Meagen and her work with the links below: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meageneisenberg/Website: https://tripactions.com/ Additional Resources:Donate to Ukraine: https://tripactions.com/ukraineMaking the Most of Every Lead: Key Questions to Help Sales and Marketing Alignment | https://forc.mx/3uPZSHFWhat CROs prioritize to drive PLG success | https://forc.mx/3K0HqCBConnect with Mike with on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemcsally/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, Kaplan and McMahon talk to Mike McSally, a recognized and accomplished business leader with deep expertise in aligning people, operations and technology. Mike, who spent more than 30 years with Allegis Group, talks about the current state of recruitment and the situations that are causing the problems hounding the industry. Mike also shares practical tips for job seekers looking to stand out and not get lost in the shuffle of resumes. HIGHLIGHTSStarting out as an accidental recruiterRecruiters are not reading your resumesCultural fit is almost more important than technical skillsToday is the best and worst time to recruitTry to look internally before recruiting outsideHiring managers need to own the whole processThe Rule of 3: Always be recruitingHow to stand out in a bureaucratic worldTips and best practices when using referencesLook for an internal advocateMike's favorite things (If you golf, you’ll like his advice on what to spend money on)QUOTESMike: "I believe that most of what's done in recruitment is broken. It doesn't take the candidate's background and the candidate's skills, goals, and desires and doesn't put that in the forefront. And we do that by relying on some methodologies or processes that have just been around since the beginning of time." Mike: "There's never been a better time to recruit, at least in my 30 years in the US history, at least in the labor market right now. And there's never been a more dangerous time to recruit and the reason that is is we're just seeing unbelievable data that says 8 out of 10 people that are gainfully employed today are willing to entertain a new opportunity."Mike: "If you want to stand out, find somebody from the inside of that organization that knows your skills and past performance and see if they'd be willing to at least talk to people inside the organization that are hiring for that skill set."Mike: "The advice I give to anybody that's looking for a job is, if you're looking for a job posting, it's already too late. They've already got 70 applicants and you're gonna get lost in the shuffle. So use your connections, use LinkedIn to see who you know that now is working at that organization that will be your internal advocate."Mike: "Your resume is not gonna make you stand out. It's doing something uniquely different. And very quickly, LinkedIn is an incredible tool. I can find out who John Kaplan has worked with in a past life. And if I ever work in and around that person, could I have that person call John Kaplan."Connect with Mike McSally on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemcsally/Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064Additional Resources:Articles by Mike McSally: https://www.forcemanagement.com/blog/author/mike-mcsallyImproving Sales Productivity: Owning the Talent Process https://forc.mx/37YOAcJMore about Force Management: 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

In this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, John Kaplan and John McMahon talk to established sales leader and current President of Lacework, Andy Byron. Andy gives actionable advice for scaling sales organizations, especially in defining your ideal customer profile. HIGHLIGHTSThe prerequisites of scaling a sales organizationHow to define your ideal customer profileAre geographic territories still relevant?Challenges of the Chief Revenue Officer roleFounding CEOs aren't always the best leadersDon't rely solely on advice from venture capitalistsBe open to evolutionScaling strategies can be repeatableCommon mistakes that companies make when trying to scale upDon't try to change how customers want to buy your productTeam players are essential in scalabilityMaster the playbook and improve itAdvice for new sales leadersYour actions as a leader impact other peopleQUOTESAndy: "When you think about the CRO's role, it's so hard because you're navigating a market of sales teams scaling the company, hitting the number. But then also part of the job a lot of people don't talk about and you both know this really well, is you also have to set expectations and navigate with your constituents in the executive team, the board, the CEO."Andy: "When you have an executive team that's aligned and has patience and frankly has the ability to evolve over time and just kind of say 'alright, what's working and what's not', and it's an open line of communication, and that strategy doesn't change, that's when you see companies that win."Andy: "For the first time leader, it's not about you, and what value are you gonna impart to the team? And the third thing, how are you gonna create a winning culture? Because people are gonna want to come work for you, people are gonna want to generate pipeline. People are gonna want to really inspect the forecast. If you're gonna create a winning culture, they're gonna want to do those things. I think, as a first time leader, any leader, but definitely a first-time leader, how are you gonna inspire people to go in?"Andy: "It takes some really hard times to really reflect back and say 'well, am I really giving everything I can to not just work but to myself and to others that support me?' And when you have those three things really working for you, that brings out the best in you, which by definition brings out the best in everybody else. When one of those is lacking, everybody can see."Connect with Andy with the link below:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-byron-417a429/Learn More about Force Management here: www.forcemanagement.comTaking on a New VP of Sales Role? Key Resources: | https://forc.mx/3KTEismMore about Force Management | www.forcemanagement.comCheck 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 Kaplan and John McMahon talk to Managing Director of Madrona Venture Group Hope Cochran. Hope serves on the board of three public companies, Hasbro, Inc, MongoDB and NewRelic.She is the former CFO of King Digital, the developer behind the phenomenal game Candy Crush. She is also the co-chair of OnBoarding Women, an organization that supports talented accomplished women in their journey to the boardroom. Website: https://onboardingwomen.org/.Hope pulls the curtain back on what drives CFOs and gives sage advice on various areas of business, particularly in raising funds and ensuring that you can achieve healthy growth. However, Hope also advises that people should not be afraid to take risks and be open to learning. If it makes you nervous, she says, you’re in the right place. HIGHLIGHTSThere's more to one's LinkedIn profileAdvice for entrepreneurs looking to raise moneyLessons learned in launching Candy CrushBalancing overachievement and predictabilityAlways aim for healthy growthSolutions vs cost justificationCFOs need to be the ears of the companyWorking with Onboarding WomenQUOTESHope: "I am very mindful of markets and I am very mindful that when a market is open, I'll figure out how to get money. Because when the market turns off and that's when you need money, it's a rough spot." Hope: "I'm always quick to stop talking about how much money are we taking in and what is the plan and what's our frame of mind of what we're doing with it. Meaning, what I want to see is money being applied to areas of growth labors. If we can spend more money and get more users or more adoption of the product, that makes a lot of sense." Hope: "Lately, really what the markets have valued is growth. You have to be mindful about what we're looking at in terms of the markets, as well as the strength of the balance sheet. Assuming that the company has a good cash balance and we're not dealing with debt or areas of losing too much cash, clearly we want to propel growth."Hope: "As a CFO, my most important thing is that my numbers are right. And I can do that by making sure my systems and processes keep up with the size of the organization. So I'm constantly ensuring that my systems are not too far behind my growth trajectory."Hope: "Take a risk. When I think of the big movements in my career, they've been when I've jumped while taking a risk, when I've been nervous. I don't think I've ever taken a job that I felt like I was qualified for. Whenever it pushed me and made me uncomfortable, I knew that was the right job."Learn More about Force Management here: www.forcemanagement.comCheck 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

We kick off the inaugural episode of the Revenue Builders podcast with a short conversation featuring our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan. Both have been there, done that when it comes to sales leadership. John Kaplan is the President and Managing Partner of Force Management and John McMahon is a five-time CRO and the author of the bestselling book The Qualified Sales Leader. QUOTESJohn MacMahon: "I find that there's no common question, but there's a common thread. And the common thread is that they don't really understand the way things really work around them, whether it's internally or externally. So they've made some assumptions about how those things work and I realize, I don't think they really understand how that works. But they're either frustrated and that's why they're coming to me, or they're really curious and they want answers but they're not really getting those answers to those questions from the people that they work for." John McMahon: "I'd love to get a CFO on, a Client Success VP, a VP of HR, a CEO, a VC, and let's go dig deep into what their concerns are. Let's go talk about how you scale a company. Let's talk about how and why you funded a company. Let's go talk about what a CFO is truly concerned about and we're gonna go to talk to them. I think if we dig into those things with those different types of stakeholders, it'll be a completely different podcast."John Kaplan: "My father used to tell me all the time. When I was younger, he would say, everybody has a story. And I actually realized, I wound up listening to podcasts, and I'm very curious about people's stories. John and I have a lot of relationships with some very very successful people that have built elite organizations, that have funded elite situations, that have gotten great business outcomes. But all of them had stories. They had backgrounds. They had parents, they had hopes and dreams when they were younger and how they realized those later on in life."Learn More about Force Management here: www.forcemanagement.comCheck 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