The Goats of Growth

In this episode of "The Goats of Growth", I had the pleasure of speaking with Josh Atkins, VP of Sales and General Manager of Life Sciences at Qualtrics. We discuss the best approach to building a successful sales team, including his "AEIOU" approach, while emphasizing hiring individuals with a deep understanding of the industry and a passion for their work. We also delve into the importance of clear communication, prioritizing wellness, and fostering a passionate and active work environment. Josh Atkins Linkedin Profile Building a New Life Sciences Team (00:02:23) Josh Atkins discusses his role as the VP of Sales and General Manager of Life Sciences at Qualtrics and the process of building a new team. Core Competencies for Sales Reps (00:03:45) Josh Atkins shares the core competencies he looks for when hiring sales reps, including being active, an ensemble player, inquisitive, an operator, and having industry knowledge. The Evolution of Hiring Criteria (00:09:26) Josh Atkins talks about how his hiring criteria evolved over time and the advantage of having the freedom to build his own team. The Love Language of Life Sciences (00:10:30) Josh discusses the importance of finding people who have a passion for life sciences and can understand the industry. Evolution of Team Building (00:12:29) Josh talks about his desire to build his own team and the shift in his thinking when it comes to location and qualifications of potential team members. Screening for Operators (00:18:40) Josh explains how he screens for operators by assessing their ability to navigate different roles and stakeholders in order to advance a deal. The prioritization of deals (00:20:31) The importance of showing up prepared, giving a pre-read, and clearly communicating your ask to prioritize your deal. The role of leaders in deals (00:20:54) The need for leaders to understand their role and be specific about what they need to do to support the deal. Defining enterprise sales (00:23:31) The ability to articulate a solution hypothesis, ingest data, and understand the client's business to effectively engage in enterprise sales. The victim mentality and excuses (00:30:13) Josh Atkins discusses how he used to make excuses to cover up lack of results and the feeling of being a victim in his career. Taking radical self-assessment and surrounding oneself with smart people (00:31:00) Josh Atkins emphasizes the importance of creating a path, chart, and list to avoid forgetting important tasks, and the value of self-understanding and surrounding oneself with intelligent individuals.

In this episode of "The Goats of Growth," I had the pleasure of sitting down with Colin Spector, the VP of Sales at Orum—an innovative AI-powered live conversation platform. We dive deep into a discussion about the core skills essential for success in sales, such as grit, curiosity, and care, and Colin shared invaluable insights into how he nurtures these qualities within his team. A key highlight was Colin emphasizing the significance of leaders actively listening to their team members' ideas. A must listen for leaders with ambitions of growing their team. Colins Linkedin Page Developing Sales Skills and Empowerment (00:04:05) Colin discusses the importance of grit, curiosity, and care in sales reps, and how to empower them to think outside the box and improve their skills. The reason for pattern interrupt (00:11:09) Colin explains how using an engineer as a salesperson was a pattern interrupt that led to more successful meetings. The importance of attitude and activity (00:14:05) Colin discusses the two levers that can be controlled every day: attitude and activity, and how they contribute to success in sales. Caring and champion building (00:18:03) Colin emphasizes the importance of caring for customers and building champions by helping them solve their problems and achieve their goals. Taking care of each other in business (00:22:12) Discussion about the importance of taking care of employees, sales reps, and customers in order to create a positive work environment. Big goal: Purchasing a rental property in Portugal (00:23:06) Colin's goal of buying a rental property in Portugal that can be used as a vacation property for his family. Learning new information through immersion(00:24:24) Colin's preferred way of learning new information, including languages and industries, by immersing himself in the culture and language.

In this podcast of The Goats of Growth, I had the pleasure of talking with Ron Gupta, Chief Revenue Officer at Ushur, an AI-powered customer experience platform. Ron highlighted the key strategy of focusing on customer retention and lifetime value, especially in the enterprise market. He stressed the importance of understanding reasons for declining revenue and investing in existing customers to expand market share. Ron also touched on challenges in scaling, emphasizing the need for strong customer success, marketing, and account management. Check out the episode for quick insights into growing a business and excelling in the world of AI and customer experience. Ron Guptas Linkedin Profile Customer Retention and Lifetime Value (00:05:42) Ron prioritizes focusing on customer retention rates and lifetime value. He explains that for enterprise companies, it is crucial to invest in existing customers, especially if there are product issues or flaws. By over investing in existing customers, companies are more likely to retain them and increase their lifetime value. Increase Market Share (00:09:01) Ron mentions that by focusing on customer retention and lifetime value, companies can automatically increase their market share. He gives an example of selling to subsidiaries within an enterprise, which allows for an increase in market share. Expand into New Markets (00:09:01) Ron also mentions that by focusing on customer retention and lifetime value, companies can expand into new geographies. He gives an example of starting with selling in the US and then expanding to the European entity of a customer. The importance of customer feedback (00:09:27) Exploring the value of gathering feedback from existing customers to improve products and features. The snowball effect of customer success (00:11:35) Discussing how satisfied customers can lead to increased case studies, higher net promoter scores, and more positive reviews, which can attract new customers. Investing in existing customers (00:13:13) Highlighting the need to allocate resources towards customer success, marketing, and account management in order to drive growth from the existing customer base. Sales Enablement and Cross-Pollination (00:18:41) Discussion on the importance of sales enablement and cross-pollination of successful strategies among customers, partners, and the university program. Selling to Existing Customers.(00:19:38) The significance of selling to existing customers, the lower cost involved, and the role of capabilities, success, marketing, and account management in this process. Motivation and Goal Setting (00:20:26) The motivation for winning, personal goal of achieving work-life balance, and the preferred timeframe for accomplishing it.

In this episode of "The Goats of Growth" I interview Alex Levin, CEO and Co-Founder of Regal.io, a customer engagement platform. Alex discusses the company's approach and focus on customer outcomes which has led to significant revenue growth for over 150 brands. He also talks about the importance of balancing growth and burn rate, and how Regal maintains a competitive edge despite having less funding than incumbents. Alex Levins Linkedin Profile The $2 billion in revenue and value proposition (00:01:22) Alex Levin explains the value proposition of Regal and how they quantify the $2 billion in revenue they have helped drive for brands. The importance of engaging customers in communication (00:02:11) Alex Levin discusses how engaging customers in thoughtful communication leads to higher customer lifetime value and how Regal helps facilitate this. Scaling the team and the role of engineering (00:04:51) Alex Levin explains why Regal hasn't needed to double their team despite doubling their business, particularly highlighting the role of engineering and the importance of effective communication within a team. The concept of removing people from a project (00:10:01) The strategy of removing people from a project instead of adding them to ensure focus and efficiency. Zero-based budgeting and linking metrics to hiring decisions (00:11:41) The concept of zero-based budgeting and the importance of linking hiring decisions to metrics or revenue goals. Investor expectations and growth vs burn rate (00:13:46) The expectations of public markets regarding growth and burn rate, and how it affects hiring decisions and investor attractiveness. Marketing spend and payback period (00:19:38) Discussion on the percentage of revenue spent on marketing and the payback period for SaaS companies. Competition and competitive advantage (00:20:37) Exploration of competition in the market and the competitive advantage of startups in terms of distribution. Attributing success to market opportunity (00:24:32) The importance of being in the right market with growth potential for success, rather than solely relying on the strength of the team. Big goal and timeline (00:28:55) Alex Levin shares his big goal of reaching 10 billion in revenue for their customers within a year or two. Leading with empathy (00:30:46) Alex Levin explains how he leads with empathy by considering the needs and priorities of different stakeholders, including employees, customers, and investors, while making decisions.

In this episode, Rouzbeh Rotabi, the Founder and CEO of The Aval Group, joined me for a second time to discuss the challenges of growing during uncertain times. We highlighted the importance of teamwork, efficiency, and getting everyone on the same page. He also mentioned the importtance of using customer data, moving resources wisely, and making sure everyone is aligned throughout the entire organization. Rouzbeh Rotabis Linkedin Profile Scaling through challenging times (00:03:04) Discussion on how to continue scaling during challenging times, including alignment, efficiency, and having the right team. Becoming more efficient (00:05:05) Exploration of the concept of efficiency in scaling, including focusing on specific markets and aligning go-to-market strategies. Making data-driven decisions (00:06:12) Importance of honest and transparent conversations in decision-making, considering data, and focusing on profitable verticals for growth. Terminating customers for business sense (00:10:19) Rouzbeh Rotabi shares an example of when his company made the tough decision to terminate 27 customers due to bad revenue and excessive servicing. He highlights the importance of looking at the information and fact base correctly when making such decisions. Reallocation of internal resources (00:13:00) The conversation shifts to the reallocation of internal resources, particularly when it comes to personnel matching with different verticals. Rouzbeh suggests having honest conversations with customers about changing the servicing model and discusses the need to assess resource allocation based on ROI calculations and the specific roles and talents of team members. The importance of understanding the revenue cycle (00:18:35) The importance of understanding the revenue cycle in a B2B environment and the value of gross revenue retention. The shift towards customer success (00:19:02) Rouzbeh talks about the shift towards focusing on customer success and the need to harmonize execution in marketing, sales, and customer success. The importance of prioritization (00:28:08) Discussion on the need to prioritize and align on key unit of measures in order to drive growth and success. The challenge of alignment in venture-backed companies (00:29:43) Exploration of the difficulties in achieving alignment between different teams and departments in venture-backed companies. The significance of repeatability and product-market fit (00:31:35) Explanation of the importance of having a repeatable product and achieving product-market fit in order to demonstrate success in venture-backed companies. The challenges of technical difficulties (00:36:57) Discussion on the technical difficulties experienced during the podcast recording and the need to address and react to them. Being curious and adaptable in the face of market changes (00:38:10) Conversation on the mindset needed to navigate market changes, emphasizing the importance of being curious about technology options and adaptable to current situations.

In this episode of The Goats of Growth, I had the privilege of chatting with Nirav Sheth, who currently serves as the VP of Presales and Specialists for the Americas at Okta. Nirav's career journey is quite a fascinating one, with stints at big-name companies like Google and Cisco. During our conversation, he shared some of his key leadership principles, notably the significance of building capacity within an organization. Nirav stressed the importance of investing in the growth and development of individuals within a company and highlighted the role of mentorship in helping people build confidence. He also gave us a glimpse into his personal journey, which took him from aspiring to be a doctor to becoming a successful business leader. This episode is packed with insights that can benefit anyone, so don't miss it! Niravs Linkedin Profile Building a Legacy by Creating Capacity [00:04:07] Nirav explains the importance of building capacity throughout all levels of the organization to create a legacy and drive growth. Meaningful Career Conversations [00:05:48] Nirav discusses the significance of having meaningful career conversations with individuals to understand their aspirations and align them with business needs. Enabling Empowerment and Entrepreneurship [00:07:37] Nirav shares an example of empowering a high-potential individual to lead a cross-functional team and drive a campaign, creating an entrepreneurial environment within the organization. Building confidence and support for growth [00:10:19] Discusses the importance of providing support and mentorship to individuals aspiring for leadership roles to build their confidence and help them transition to the next level. Striking the balance between autonomy and support [00:11:21] Explores the need to strike a balance between empowering individuals with autonomy while also providing the necessary support and removing obstacles when they face roadblocks. Investing in personal and professional growth [00:12:48] Focuses on the journey of continuous development, including cross-functional experiences, mentorship, executive coaching, and continuous learning through reading and consuming various forms of content. The surprise of not becoming a doctor [00:19:30] Nirav talks about how his 18-year-old self would be surprised that he did not become a doctor, despite initially planning to pursue a medical career. Choosing an MBA over medical school [00:19:50] Nirav explains how he made the decision to pursue an MBA instead of going to medical school, and how his family's involvement in business influenced his choice.

In this exciting episode of the Goats of Growth I had the pleasure of interviewing Tony Medrano, an experienced go-to-market executive with a track record of success in health tech and AI SaaS. Tony focuses on the art of prioritization in the context of a high-growth environment and underscores the critical nature of honing in on high-revenue opportunities, a strategic move that can lead to your success. But what truly sets this episode apart is the personal touch Tony brings to the discussion. He opens up about his most significant failure, a story that holds important lessons for us all. In addition to his professional insights, ensuring this episode is one you won't want to miss. Tony's LinkedIn Profile Deals first [00:03:23] Tony discusses the importance of prioritizing deals and focusing on closing them, especially in hypergrowth scenarios. How to prioritize your deal time [00:04:25] Tony explains how to prioritize deal time by allocating a significant portion of time to pursuing high-revenue opportunities and dedicating a portion to strategic long-term initiatives. Q Health's growth during COVID [00:07:35] Tony provides context on Q Health, the company he worked for during the COVID-19 pandemic, and their premier molecular diagnostic point-of-care test for COVID-19. He highlights the company's growth and their initial customer, the NBA. The 60-30-10 Rule [00:10:34] Discussion on how to prioritize time for highest revenue, strategic thinking, and flexibility. Building a Small Team [00:13:50] Importance of starting with a small team and managing them properly in a hypergrowth situation. Making Your Bed [00:18:39] Emphasis on taking care of administrative tasks early in the day to be prepared for unexpected customer needs and urgent situations. The underdog story [00:22:10] Tony discusses how underdog stories motivate him in business and personal life. Completing another Ironman [00:23:03] Tony shares his goal of completing another Ironman triathlon competition and the benefits it brings to his life. Tools for learning [00:26:25] Tony provides tips for learning new information, including using chat bots, utilizing YouTube, and taking online courses. Travel [00:30:26] Tony talks about his experiences traveling and exploring different countries, including biking, running, and swimming in various locations. Biggest Failure[00:31:47] Tony shares the story of starting a company during his grad school days, raising funding, experiencing growth, and then facing a sudden market crash. Question for my next guest [00:34:01] Tony suggests a question for the next guest, asking what their 18-year-old self would think if they were suddenly placed in their current situation.

In this (part 2) episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Steven Birdsall, a 3X CRO and 4X COO, of both private and public companies. To recap part 1, we explored pivotal nuances between private and public companies, with a focus on the challenges and opportunities of going public as well as the strategies for optimizing go-to-market approaches, including insights on maintaining focus, achieving margin expansion, and the significance of the "rule of 50" in creating value. This episode is a contuation of that discussion, but it starts off with Steven answering the question of how to manage expecatations when you have multiple investors, in his case, Board members from 5 separate PE firms. Whether you're in that position now, or it's possible you could be in the future, you'll find Steven's perspective and advice helpful. Steven's LinkedIn Profile What to listen for: Managing Expectations with Board Members Managing the expectations of different board members requires understanding their specific goals and context, whether it's achieving rule of 50 or market expansion. Doing more with less: Explains two ways to do more with less: planting seeds by developing new products and adjusting pricing. Transparency in communication Emphasizes the importance of transparent communication from the CEO when making changes, such as cutting resources or expanding into new markets. Focus, efficiency, and channel model Discusses the importance of focusing on a specific market, improving efficiency, and utilizing channel models effectively for growth. What motivates Stephen? Stephen discusses his motivation to help others in various aspects of his life, such as at work, at home, and in church. Stephen's goal to become a CEO Stephen shares his goal to become a CEO and his decision to leave his current company to focus on achieving this goal by the end of the year. And much more!

In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Steven Birdsall, a 3X CRO and 4X COO, of both private and public companies. Together, we explore pivotal nuances between private and public companies, with a focus on the challenges and opportunities of going public as well as the strategies for optimizing go-to-market approaches, including insights on maintaining focus, achieving margin expansion, and the significance of the "rule of 50" in creating value. So much so that like mentioned in the outro, I had to seperate this epic episode into 2 parts. Stay tuned for part 2. Steven Birdsalls Linkedin Profile Laying the Proper Foundation for Going Public [00:01:12] Discussion on the importance of laying a strong foundation for a company before going public. Difference Between Board Expectations in Private and Public Companies [00:01:41] Exploration of the contrasting expectations from boards in private and public companies. Experience with Taking a Company Public [00:07:58] Stephen Birdsall shares his experience of taking Anaplan public in 2018 and discusses the different scenarios he has encountered in his career regarding IPOs. The significance of changing the go-to-market model [00:11:27] Stephen Birdsall discusses the importance of changing the go-to-market model when preparing for an IPO and the challenges faced in the planning software market. Creating a pod-based go-to-market strategy [00:14:20] Birdsall explains the concept of a pod-based go-to-market strategy, focusing on the benefits of streamlining different functions and creating accountability at a TAM (Total Addressable Market) level. Building scale through industry-level TAMs [00:17:08] Birdsall talks about the next step in scaling the business by creating industry-level TAMs and how it leads to a more efficient go-to-market strategy centered around specific industries. Focus on Industry and Geography [00:18:00] Companies under $100 million should focus on a specific industry or geography to maximize their opportunities and scale. Traditional Go-to-Market vs Pods [00:19:00] Sub $100 million companies selling to specific personas, such as CFOs, should focus on traditional go-to-market strategies instead of implementing pods. Private Equity Rule of 50 [00:23:34] Private equity-backed companies aim to achieve the Rule of 50, balancing growth and margin expansion to ensure profitable growth in the business. Solving Math Equations [00:27:15] Explanation of how to solve math equations by separating known and unknown variables and the importance of setting up the problem correctly. Different Approaches to Learning Math [00:28:10] Discussion about how kids learn math differently today and the importance of coming to the same solution regardless of the approach. Growth at All Costs Mentality [00:30:28] Exploration of the concept of growing at all costs and the potential consequences of disrupting the rule of 50 in terms of profitability and workforce. Private Equity's Value Creation Mode [00:36:43] Private equity firms aim to create value by acquiring rule of 50 companies and unlocking their potential. The Importance of Rule of 50 [00:37:40] Having a plan to reach rule of 50 is essential for creating value and attracting investors in a company.

In this episode Andy Hershey, Chief Revenue Officer at NS1, shares his journey and drops gems of wisdom on various aspects of successful teamwork and marketing strategies. We dicuss the critical importance of alignment and collaboration within go-to-market teams, explore the power of cross-functional partnerships and the magic of shared goals, as well as why prioritizing lead quality is paramount--especially in challenging business landscapes. To our listeners, don't forget to hit that subscribe button and leave a review if you found this episode as enlightening as we did. Your feedback is our fuel! Andy Hersheys Linkedin Profile Aligning Goals with Cross-Functional Teams [00:03:19] The importance of building strong partnerships and aligning goals with the CMO, CFO, and CPO for successful scaling. Investing in Relationships and Building Trust [00:05:09] The value of investing in relationships and getting to know team members personally to foster collaboration and effective teamwork. Focus and Alignment for Successful Execution [00:08:15] The significance of having a clear focus and aligned goals to drive execution and achieve desired outcomes. The importance of revenue and focus on pipeline [00:08:57] The speaker discusses the common goal of revenue and the opportunity cost of investing in a new product. Aligning go-to-market teams [00:10:49] The host asks for advice on how to achieve cross-functional alignment within go-to-market teams. Career trajectory and steps to become a revenue leader [00:17:22] The speaker shares the steps he took to transition from an individual contributor to a revenue leader role. The trade-off between quantity and quality of leads [00:18:41] Discussion on the importance of not solely focusing on the quantity of leads, but also considering the quality to maximize closing opportunities. The challenge of managing leads and labeling [00:19:26] Exploration of the age-old question of how to balance the trade-off between quality and quantity when it comes to leads and developing pipeline. Closing remarks and call for guest nominations [00:19:32] Speaker 1 wraps up the conversation, thanks the guest, and encourages listeners to subscribe, rate, review the podcast, and nominate potential guests. Are you happy with the results?

In this episode, I spoke with Mike Conti, VP of Sales at Copado, about how to properly instrument a go-to-market org to enable it to scale. We delve into the importance of aligning sales with what buyers really want and how companies can revamp their product descriptions and marketing materials to emphasize the benefits of their products, leading to increased sales. Mike also walks me through crafting a winning sales plan, which includes implementing a tiered pricing strategy and offering different product bundles to cater to various customers to boost revenue while improving customer satisfaction Finally, we discuss the importance of getting everyone at the top on the same page. He shares a story about how Copado's leadership team came together to define a clear vision for the company's growth, which served as a compass for all their strategic decisions. Mike Conti's Linkedin Profile Finding Your Buyer [00:03:13] The importance of finding the right target audience and marketing the problem rather than the product to attract qualified leads. Aligning Sales Process with Buyer Emotions [00:07:33] Understanding the emotional journey of the buyer and aligning sales activities with each stage of the buyer's emotions to move prospects efficiently through the buying cycle. Instrumenting a Scalable Sales Model [00:10:00] The process of continually tweaking and optimizing the sales model to make it scalable, including lead generation, qualification, value demonstration, and post-sales activities. Finding the Buyer [00:11:05] Discussion on the importance of understanding the organization's structure, decision-makers, and their motivations to navigate the sales process effectively. Building a Strategy to Win [00:13:06] Exploration of the need for executive alignment, commitment, and investment from early customers, as well as the significance of their role as references in crossing the chasm. Instrumenting a Scalable Sales Model [00:13:30] Explanation of the process of hiring and scaling a sales team, ensuring resource alignment, enablement, and the exploration of additional channels for growth. Building teams and businesses [00:22:25] Mike discusses his motivation for building teams and businesses, and the importance of developing salespeople and seeing a business succeed. Finding the next exciting opportunity [00:23:00] Mike shares his goal of finding a challenging new opportunity by January. The future of AI in biotech [00:25:18] Mike discusses the potential for AI to make advancements in the biotech space, particularly in genomics and the development of cures.

In this episode, I have the pleasure of interviewing, Daniele Di Nunzio who serves as the VP of Sales at Storyly. We dive into Danieles role, their remarkable success in securing key clients, and his keys for expansion into the Latin American market. We also explore the challenges of conducting interviews with non-native English speakers, underlining the importance of evaluating soft skills. Wrapping up our discussion, we venture into the world of mobile industry opportunities and the boundless potential of AI across various fields. See timestamps below. Building a Motion for the Americas [00:01:49] Our guest discusses his role as VP of Sales at Story League and his responsibility to build a motion for the Americas, specifically North America and Latin America. Keys to Building a Team in Latin America [00:03:35] Daniele shares insights on building a team in Latin America, emphasizing the importance of understanding the market, localization, and leveraging the talent pool. Financial Technologies in Brazil [00:10:40] Daniele explains that the financial technologies in Brazil are advanced, with top-notch remittance and online payment systems, surpassing those in the US. Localization and technology [00:11:07] Discussion on the importance of investing in technology to ensure localization of websites and content for different markets. Building a local team [00:12:22] Exploration of the preferred approach of building a local team in Latin America to ensure cultural understanding and market expertise. Talent acquisition challenges [00:15:52] Discussion on the challenges of finding the right talent in Latin America and the importance of validating credentials and focusing on skills rather than just language proficiency. Overcoming language challenges in interviews [00:22:31-00:23:35] Discussion on how to overcome challenges when interviewing non-native English speakers and the importance of seeking help from consultants or headhunters specialized in the market. Importance of soft skills and cultural fit in hiring [00:24:31-00:26:18] Emphasis on the significance of soft skills and cultural fit when hiring, rather than focusing solely on language skills or technical abilities. Motivations, goals, learning methods, and personal interests [00:26:36-00:29:05] Rapid-fire questions covering topics such as motivation, career goals, preferred learning methods, hours of sleep, and favorite activities outside of work. The discussion also highlights the connection between cooking and sales, as well as the changing landscape of jobs due to technological advancements. The opportunity in mobile [00:32:29] Discussion about the current opportunity in mobile technology and creating the next big thing. The future of soccer in the US [00:33:11] Exploring the growth and popularity of soccer in the US, especially with Messi joining Inter Miami. The biggest opportunity with AI [00:33:36] The potential of AI in video editing software and its ability to make the process easier and faster.

I noticed this skills gap during a recent leadership search, which is why I made it the focus of this episode. The gap was between candidates with global GTM leadership experience and those without. How do you go from leading a domestic GTM team to leading a global GTM team, and what skills do you need to acquire?How do you build and inspire confidence when applying for a global role if you don't have the experience? What are the first steps you should take once you've landed a new global GTM role? All questions I asked Amy Slater, Vice President of GSI Global Sales at Genesys. She has a wealth of experience leading global teams and was kind enough to share some of it with me, so I can now share it with you. Amy Slaters Linkedin Profile

In this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Shawn Green, a seasoned CRO and go-to-market advisor for startups. We go deep into the crucial tasks that every new Chief Revenue Officer should prioritize during their initial 90 days on the job as well as the importance of tailoring your approach to the specific stage of the startup you're joining. Assessing the current state of the company [00:02:17] Sean discusses the importance of spending time understanding the company's current revenue generation process, strategies, and overall revenue goals. Developing a revenue growth strategy [00:02:17] Sean emphasizes the need for a comprehensive revenue growth strategy, including setting clear revenue targets, identifying new market opportunities, and creating a roadmap to achieve company revenue goals. Building and optimizing the sales team [00:03:40] Sean explains the importance of assessing the current sales team, identifying gaps in skills or resources, and making necessary adjustments such as restructuring, hiring new talent, and providing training and development opportunities. The skills gap assessment [00:12:35] Discussion on how to assess the skills gap in a sales team and the importance of aligning skills with the company's go-to-market strategy. Failing fast and constant pace [00:13:43] The significance of failing fast and maintaining a constant pace in revenue growth, and the need for internal and external validation in decision-making. Rapid fire five [00:16:34] A quick Q&A session covering topics such as motivation, preferred learning methods, sleep habits, and favorite hobbies outside of work. Shawn Greens Linkedin Page

I've changed the format of this podcast. This short episode will explain why and what you can expect going forward. Please let me know what you think. Also, if you enjoy this podcast please subscribe, rate, and review. I'd appreciate the support.

In this episode, Andi Wilson, SVP of Sales at ShareThis, discusses her experience about how she successfully navigated through a major company pivot that involved changing their business model and go-to-market strategy. She highlights the significance of embracing change as an opportunity rather than a setback while emphasizing the importance of maintaining a curious mindset and actively seeking solutions to overcome challenges. Andi's LinkedIn Profile Episode Time Stamp Short Podcasts and Attention Span [00:00:00] Discussion on the idea of short podcasts and the influence of platforms like YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels on content consumption. Benefits of Short Podcasts [00:00:53] Exploring the advantages of keeping podcasts short, including increased guest participation and audience engagement. Navigating a Career Pivot [00:07:57] Andy Wilson shares her experience transitioning from media to data in 2016 and discusses the challenges and opportunities that came with it. The shift in the business [00:10:23] Discusses the challenges faced by the company in maintaining stability while creating growth opportunities. Staying calm during change [00:11:39] Explores how Andy Wilson was able to stay calm during the storm of change and navigate through challenges. Investing in education [00:14:53] Highlights the importance of investing in education and continuous learning for personal and professional growth.

In this episode, I'm thrilled to introduce Collin Mitchell, the VP of Sales at Leadium. Colin has a remarkable background in founding and scaling startups, and today, he's here to reveal why he chose to join Leadium. We jump right into the core of our conversation – asking Colin for his top recommendations to help companies surpass the million-dollar mark. His answer is crystal clear: sales is key. He suggests prioritizing strategic hires and smart delegation to propel growth as well as stressing the significance of processes, giving your team the tools they need to succeed. So tune in for some game-changing wisdom from Colin Mitchell. Collin Mitchell's Linkedin Profile The Journey to Lithium [00:00:00] Colin Mitchell discusses his journey from his previous company to Lithium and how Lithium helped him scale his startups. Key Areas of Focus for Growth [00:02:14] Colin Mitchell shares three key areas of focus for companies stuck around the million-dollar mark to grow beyond that. Building a Foundation for Growth [00:08:11] Colin Mitchell explains the importance of building a strong foundation for the business and scaling it to reach the 1 to 2 million and 2 to 5 million revenue milestones. The journey to revenue leadership [00:12:40] Discussion on the challenges of scaling from 1 to 5 million in revenue and building a foundation for growth. The role of AI in organizations and personal life [00:15:24] Exploration of how AI can transform businesses and personal lives, with examples of professional and personal use cases. How to reach out to Colin Mitchell [00:20:47] Instructions on how to connect with Colin Mitchell, including leaving a review, sharing the podcast, and checking out the Sales Transformation podcast.

Joining me in this episode is an incredible guest, Sally Cummins, the Vice President of Sales at Montrose Environmental Group. We dive deep into Sally's experiences in selecting technology for her sales team. She brings invaluable insights into marketing strategies, lead generation tools, and cutting-edge training methods that can skyrocket your sales performance. And that's not all, Sally emphasizes the significance of understanding buyer intent, a key element that can make or break your sales efforts. We explore the art of conducting successful product demos and the secrets to closing those elusive deals. The episode wraps up with a fascinating discussion on Montrose Environmental Group's relentless focus on enhancing the customer experience. Sally shares her personal goals, including her journey of continuous learning as a busy VP of Sales. This episode is a goldmine of practical advice and inspiration for anyone looking to boost their sales game. Sally Cummins Linkedin Profile

In this podcast episode, I interview Sean Burke, the COO of Prometric, a global provider of secure test development and delivery solutions. Sean discusses the initiatives he is working on to impact the business positively, his approach to purchasing new technology, and how to increase a sales rep's likelihood of booking a meeting with him. You can access the full transcript here. Time Stamps Initiatives Impacting Business [00:01:00] Sean Burke discusses the initiatives that he is working on to positively impact Prometric's business. Attracting New Clients with Technology [00:01:00] J Webb asks Sean Burke about how technology is enabling Prometric's sales team to attract new clients. Buying Process [00:01:00] J Webb asks Sean Burke to walk him through Prometric's buying process and where potential clients begin their journey. Efficient Sales Play [00:09:30] Sean Burke talks about how technology is enabling the sales team to run an efficient sales play, helping clients walk through the decision-making process as efficiently as possible. Sales Campaign [00:10:32] Burke discusses how technology is used to run an effective sales campaign, either winning or getting a fast note. Revenue Prediction [00:12:36] Burke talks about the gap in technology today, specifically in the area of being able to call the shot for an entire year in advance of that year happening, and how he manually puts together formulas and spreadsheets to feed their revenue output. Auditing Sales Technology [00:17:29] Sean Burke explains how Prometric audits their sales technology every year to assess their spend, usage, and impact on the business. He also shares a tip for sales technology companies to not assume that their customers know where their product is today. Making Decisions on Sales Technology [00:20:58] J Webb asks Sean Burke about his role in making decisions on sales technology. Burke emphasizes the importance of technology delivering business value and having high usage across the team. He also shares his approach to working with vendors and building personal relationships with executives. Executive Level Alignment [00:24:59] In the evaluation stage of considering new vendors, Sean Burke highlights the importance of having executive level alignment with the vendor's team. He explains that having a personal relationship with an executive can help him understand how other amazing executives are deploying their technology and running their teams for the betterment of the outcome of the business. Escalation and Sales Opportunity [00:26:18] Sean Burke talks about how escalation is not always about complaints, but rather about knowledge sharing and best practices. He also discusses the sales opportunity that vendors miss out on by not providing dashboarding and insights to their clients. Optimizing Investment and Facilitating Meetings [00:28:40] Burke explains that he gets involved in meetings with vendors after the decision to go with them has been made. He also talks about the importance of understanding the nuances of the technology and how it is being used in the vendor's business. Challenges of Sales and Getting Attention [00:31:17] Burke discusses the challenges of getting attention as a salesperson and how most of the messages he receives go straight to his junk mail. He suggests that salespeople should gather data and insights from the buying team and deliver a powerful impact statement to get his attention. Initiating contact [00:35:13] Sean Burke discusses the challenges of initiating contact with executives and how to involve decision-makers in the buying process. Crafting a compelling story [00:37:27] J Webb and Sean Burke discuss the importance of crafting a compelling story for potential clients and how to involve the CEO or highest-ranking official in the buying process. Standing out in outreach [00:39:47] Sean Burke shares his thoughts on how to stand out in outreach and the importance of understanding a company's unique commercial challenges. Sales Methodology [00:47:39] Prometric does not subscribe to a specific sales methodology, but instead focuses on learning from win-loss analysis and talking to buyers to understand their decision-making process. Learning from Lost Deals [00:48:46] Prometric conducts win-loss analysis on all sales and uses feedback from lost deals to inform their sales process and improve their approach. Past Buyers Helping Future Buyers [00:50:35] Prometric gets past buyers to work with future buyers to help them avoid pitfalls in the sales process and improve their experience. Procurement Process [00:51:11] Sean Burke explains the procurement process at Prometric, involving financial and procurement teams, sales leadership, revenue ops team, and users of the product. Finding New Technology [00:54:35] Burke shares his approach to finding new technology, including reading, going to G2 Crowd, and googling to solve problems. Importance of Calendar [00:55:21] Burke emphasizes the importance of his cal

In this episode of "Customer Conversations, you'll hear Pattie Grimm, former Senior Director of Sales Enablement Center of Excellence at VMware. You'll hear how Pattie solved a business challenge at VMware through technology, her process for evaluating and selecting sales enablement tools, and the importance of co-creating solutions with customers. Pattie emphasizes the need for salespeople to understand the customer's needs and make them the hero of the story. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding the customer's needs and co-creating solutions with them, as well as the need for salespeople to have a personal touch. Time stamps below along with the full transcript here. Business Challenge and Technology Solution [00:02:32] Patty shares how she solved a business challenge of reinventing sales methodology and process at VMware through technology. Eliminating Non-Working Tools [00:04:19] Patty talks about how they eliminated a ton of non-working tools used by the sales team at VMware. Mapping Customer Buying Cycle [00:06:50] Patty explains how they mapped their sales process to the customer's buying cycle and used technology to make it easy for sellers to find what they needed. Starting with the Business Problem [00:08:34] Patty explains how she starts with the business problem she is trying to solve by going out to the field and asking the salespeople and sales teams what challenges they have and what they need. Referrals and Research [00:09:34] Patty talks about how she goes a lot on referrals and people she knows and trusts when evaluating different tools and technologies. She also mentions doing her own research by going to their website and looking up their customers and value proposition. Breaking Through to Buyers [00:14:53] Patty shares what really works and resonates with her when a sales rep breaks through to her, including bringing new customer intelligence or insights, building a relationship first, and asking insightful questions. Co-creating a Sales Methodology [00:15:43] Patty discusses the process of co-creating a new sales methodology with her team and stakeholders, including socializing and vetting it with RVPS, key leaders, and sales operations. Blending Sales Frameworks [00:20:02] Patty talks about blending her sales leadership framework with the company's model, incorporating their thinking into the existing model, and socializing it with key stakeholders. Championing the Project [00:23:30] Patty was the champion of the project, with an executive sponsor and buy-in from the executive leadership team. Barbara was her wise advisor, providing feedback and coaching her gently. Coaching and Sales Methodology [00:24:23] Patty discusses the importance of coaching and sales methodology in enabling sales teams to be more effective. Selling in a SaaS World [00:25:14] Patty talks about the challenges of selling in a SaaS world and the importance of ensuring customers consume what they buy. Making Customers the Hero [00:28:13] Patty explains why she wants her sales teams to be the heroes of the story and how it benefits her in the long run. The Decision Making Process [00:33:33] Patty discusses the decision-making process for choosing technology partners and shares an example of a successful program at Microsoft. Co-Creating Solutions with Customers [00:35:45] Patty talks about the benefits of co-creating solutions with customers and how it builds buy-in and ownership. Challenges with IP and Subscription Models [00:38:37] Patty explains the challenges with intellectual property and subscription models when evaluating vendors and how it was a deciding factor in choosing Barbara's solution. Business Challenges vs Pain Points [00:42:26] Patty and J discuss the importance of focusing on business challenges instead of pain points during the sales process. Importance of Articulating Future State [00:43:26] J and Patty talk about the significance of sales reps being able to articulate the future state of a product or service during the sales process. Full Life Cycle Customer Engagement [00:47:51] Patty shares her experience of managing the full life cycle of customer engagement, from awareness to consideration to post-sale, and the importance of a smooth handoff between teams. Three Sales Principles [00:51:20] Patty shares three sales principles that she has built into every program she has ever run or every methodology she has ever put in place or system or tools. Co-create with the Customer [00:52:08] Patty talks about the importance of making the customer the hero of the story and solving their business problem, not yours. Rapid Fire Five [00:54:35] J Webb asks Patty five quick questions, including what motivates her, her most preferred way to learn new information, and her favorite thing to do when she isn't working. Goodbye [00:58:11] J Webb thanks the audience for listening and asks Patty how people can get in touch with her. Contact information [00:58:21] Patty shares her contact

In this episode, you'll hear Jeff Jaworski talk about his buying process when he was with Google and what mattered to him most when someone targeted him as a prospect and wanted to earn his business. Here is the full transcript, followed by the time stamps of key moments from our conversation. Role of Enablement Director [00:02:44] Jeff Jaworski explains his role as an enablement director at Google, including his team's focus on equipping large customer sales teams and internal go-to-market strategy with the knowledge and capabilities they need to be successful. Teams Enabled by Enablement Director [00:05:19] Jaworski discusses the primary teams he focuses on enabling, including large customer sales teams and internal go-to-market strategy, as well as his global coaching program. Tools for Coaching and Practicing Sales Skills [00:06:20] Jaworski explains the different tools and techniques used for coaching and practicing sales skills within the organization, including peer-to-peer practice, simulations, and live coaching. Building a Culture of Coaching [00:07:23] Jeff discusses the importance of coaching and how Google has built a culture of coaching and practice inside the organization. He also talks about the challenges of managers not being properly trained to be coaches. Challenges with Technology in Coaching [00:08:57] Jeff talks about the challenges of using technology to enable live coaching and how Google is trying to identify ways to be more in the flow. He also discusses the process of choosing a coach and the need for stronger technology to make the process more seamless. Matching Coaches and Coachees [00:12:23] Jeff talks about how Google matches coaches and coachees using internal tools and profiles. He also discusses the benefits of coaches coaching others and how it helps them become more effective as coaches. Baseline Training and Certification [00:14:14] Jeff discusses the importance of baseline training and certification for sales enablement and how it helps customers feel more confident in their engagements. Challenges in Buying Process [00:15:10] Jeff talks about the challenges in the buying process, including the need for a mutual understanding of goals and how technology can address them. Importance of Discovery in Sales [00:17:09] Jeff emphasizes the importance of discovery in sales and how it can lead to a more meaningful output in terms of effectively solving customer challenges. Importance of Preparation [00:21:20] Jeff emphasizes the importance of doing research before a conversation and how it can make a difference in building connections. Follow-up Matters [00:22:01] Jeff stresses the significance of meaningful follow-up after a meeting and how it can impact the decision-making process. Asking the Right Questions [00:26:08] Jeff talks about the importance of asking the right questions during a sales conversation and how it can help in understanding the customer's needs and expectations. Practicing and Reinforcement [00:30:45] Importance of practicing and reinforcing sales skills to improve customer interactions and increase productivity. Stakeholder Management [00:32:11] How to manage multiple decision-makers in a committee deal and involve the right stakeholders to move the deal forward. Effective Follow-up [00:33:23] The importance of high-quality follow-up and how it impacts the decision-making process of customers. Advocating for the Sale [00:35:03] Jeff and J discuss how Jeff's role as an advocate can help coach sales teams and move the sales process forward. Competitor Analysis [00:37:07] Jeff and J talk about how sales teams should prepare for competitors and how to differentiate themselves in the market. Moving Forward in the Sales Process [00:39:05] Jeff explains how sales teams should approach the sales process when a competitor is already in the picture and how to avoid losing a deal prematurely. Importance of Discovery Call [00:41:49] Discussion on how a discovery call can accelerate the sales process and shorten the sales cycle. Factors in Making a Final Determination [00:43:58] Exploration of the factors that can help make a final decision when choosing between two vendors. Asking About Decision Criteria [00:46:18] The importance of asking about decision criteria and when it should be asked during the customer conversation. Value of Real Talk Conversations [00:48:31] Jeff discusses the value of having real talk conversations to prepare for sales moments and improve sales skills. Subscription Value [00:49:20] Jeff talks about how people place value on their time and the perceived return on investment when subscribing to a podcast. Successful Outcome and Target Audience [00:53:30] Jeff suggests considering the successful outcome for the audience and the purpose of the podcast when deciding on the target audience for messaging. What motivates you? [00:55:53] Jeff Jaworski talks about what motivates him, which is being helpful to others. Preferred way to learn new info

This episode, with Jeff Oh, VP of Sales at DMI, is part of a series of interviews I called "Customer Conversations", where I explore the buying process of revenue leaders. Jeff explains the meticulous decision-making process they employ when selecting software vendors to integrate into their tech stack. He also emphasizes the significance of knowing the long-term strategy of your prospects when trying to win their business. Time stamp below: DMI's Value Proposition [00:00:18] Jeff explains DMI's two-sided value proposition of digital and project excellence, and the company's global team of consultants. DMI's Tech Stack [00:02:01] Jeff discusses DMI's tech stack, including Salesforce, SalesLoft, HubSpot, Bombora, and Guru, and the recent rip and replace of their old Microsoft Dynamics system. Choosing Vendors [00:07:40] Jeff talks about DMI's decision criteria for choosing vendors, including relationships, vendor reviews, and pricing, and the importance of not letting architecture decide strategy. Long-term strategy [00:10:18] Jeff O discusses the importance of building a long-term strategy for a company's growth and aligning solutions with that path. Sales approach for startups [00:16:58] Jeff O shares two successful methods for startups to approach sales: having a razor-sharp spin and challenger approach, or finding gaps in existing products and building into them. Product leaching [00:17:59] Jeff O explains how startups can find success by offering a module or solution that can sit next to a big solution and demonstrate its effectiveness. Product Leaching [00:19:05] Jeff O explains the concept of product leaching, a strategy to gain credibility within a product set by building a product that performs well against existing KPIs. Buying Process [00:21:14] Jeff O discusses the buying process for sales tools, including the use of email blasting and name aggregation, and how he reached out to his network to work things out. Effective Email Strategies [00:23:49] Jeff O shares his insights on how to stand out in the inbox, including the importance of subject lines, personalization, and humor in emails. First Call [00:27:38] Jeff O talks about the importance of making a call to engage with potential clients and how it helps him assess their subject matter expertise. Making the Case [00:30:01] Jeff O explains the process of making a case to the committee of economic buyers and how they align it with their strategic vision. Decision Criteria [00:34:47] Jeff O advises account executives to wait until they are one of the finalists before asking about the decision criteria and not to be too assumptive. Navigating the Decision Process [00:35:47] Jeff O discusses the importance of understanding the decision process and criteria, and how to navigate it effectively. Subject Line Optimization [00:38:22] Jeff O recommends using subject line optimization tools to improve open rates and avoid spam filters. Learning about New Technology [00:42:00] Jeff O shares that he learns about new technology through podcasts and YouTube, and finds them to be valuable resources. Email response rates and intent [00:43:33] The speakers discuss how email response rates drop with spam and how intent matters when reaching out to potential buyers. Personalization and measuring intent [00:44:26] The speakers talk about how they use personalization and long-term education campaigns to measure intent and engagement. Wolverine and reaching out to Jeff O [00:46:16] Jeff O talks about how the wolverine is the perfect animal to represent new business buyers and gives out his phone number for people to reach out to him.

In this episode of The GOATS of Growth, I sit down with Mark Nussbaum, the Chief Administrative Officer of Dexian, to discuss building his experiences helping to build a billion dollar business. Mark shares his profound belief that true success stems from harnessing something unique within ourselves that the world has yet to uncover. But how do we make that inner spark ignite and materialize into reality? Mark sheds light on the dedication, hard work, and unwavering determination required to transform our dreams into tangible achievements. Ultimately, this episode of The GOATS of Growth serves as a powerful reminder that the path to success demands continuous growth, relentless self-awareness, and an unwavering thirst for knowledge. Tune in and be inspired to challenge your limits and embrace the infinite possibilities that await you when you confront your fears. Mark Nussbaums Linkedin Profile Introduction and Jay-Z Appreciation [00:00:00 - 00:05:29] The host introduces the podcast and talks about his premium version called "Customer Conversations". The speakers discuss their mutual appreciation for Jay-Z and live performances. Mark Nussbaum's Background and Growth of Signature Consultants [00:07:33 - 00:09:47] Mark Nussbaum, the Chief Administrative Officer of Daxia, talks about his background and how he grew Signature Consultants from 0 to $13 billion. He emphasizes that it was a group effort and talks about the challenges and setbacks they faced during the growth process. Destiny and Vision [00:10:51] Mark Nussbaum talks about his belief in destiny and how he always knew he wanted to be a successful businessman. Defining Greatness [00:13:21] Nussbaum defines greatness as being a dignified and caring business person who does right by employees, clients, and customers. Overcoming Failure [00:16:53] Nussbaum shares how he coped with failures and setbacks, including a personal example of a massive failure that taught him the importance of recognizing his weaknesses and learning from them. Finding Your Unique Ability [00:20:24] Mark Nussbaum talks about how he realized his strengths and weaknesses and how he used that knowledge to find his unique ability. Leadership Style [00:24:32] Mark Nussbaum discusses how his parenting style influenced his leadership style and how he acts as a helipad for his team. Pushing People to Their Limits [00:26:54] Mark Nussbaum talks about how he pushes people to find their limits and how failure is a necessary part of growth. Delegating roles and responsibilities [00:31:43] Mark Nussbaum talks about his leadership style and how he guides his team by focusing on a few simple things to improve the experience for customers, consultants, employees, vendors, and landlords. He emphasizes the importance of delegating tasks to empower others to advance their careers. Building a team for growth [00:34:33] The host and Mark Nussbaum discuss the importance of building a team that can generate $1 million instead of focusing on generating the revenue themselves. They talk about how delegation and developing people's skills are essential for business growth. Overcoming self-limiting beliefs [00:39:47] Mark Nussbaum talks about his self-limiting beliefs, including the belief that others were better than him and that he lacked creativity. He discusses how he overcame these beliefs through coaching, internal feedback, and reading books, including "Mindset" by Carol Dweck. Fear and Belief [00:41:25] Speaker 2 talks about how he overcame his fear of failure by crushing it with the fear of not trying. He also discusses how he changed his beliefs through conversations with his coaches. Life Plan [00:45:05] Speaker 2 talks about how he wrote his first life plan at 25 after getting married and realizing that he had no plan for his life. He breaks down the five things he included in his plan: fitness, finances, family, friendship, and faith. Reviewing the Life Plan [00:51:26] Speaker 2 talks about how he reviews his life plan every Sunday morning and how it has evolved over the years to include more detailed visions and goals for different aspects of his life. He also discusses how he uses makers and breakers to track his progress towards his goals. Weekly Planning Process [00:51:34] Mark Nussbaum discusses his weekly planning process, which involves waking up early on Sunday mornings, exercising, having breakfast, and spending 12 minutes planning his week. Taking Care of Yourself as a Leader [00:55:17] Mark Nussbaum emphasizes the importance of taking care of oneself as a leader in order to better take care of others. He compares himself to a helipad and says that if he is not spiritually, mentally, and physically fit, his capacity to help others is limited. Rapid Fire Five [00:58:50] Speaker 1 asks Mark Nussbaum five rapid-fire questions, including what motivates him, his most preferred way to learn new information, and his favorite thing to do when he isn't working. Introduction and Call to Action

Embark on an extraordinary journey of personal transformation and professional growth as we dive into this episode with my guest, Pattie Grimm. Join me as Pattie shares her powerful journey as she describes how she went from rock star to rock bottom--due to overworking--then embracing a profound shift towards self-care and self-awareness which enchanced not only her performence, but those around her. What lessons can leaders learn from Pattie's experience? How can reshaping leadership foster purpose-driven leaders who can effectively navigate today's diverse workforce? Get ready to explore the limitless possibilities of reimagining the customer experience, re-energizing your workforce, and reinventing work processes to drive extraordinary results. Discover the profound impact of prioritizing self-care on leadership effectiveness. How does taking care of oneself unleash creativity, innovation, and an empowered approach to leadership and business? Find out in todays episode! Pattie Grimms Linkedin Profile

In this episode of The Goats of Growth, I speak with Tom Salah, Senior Vice President of Global Sales at SmartBear, who uncovers the secrets of his daily habits and their impact on his remarkable success. Discover the importance of establishing early morning routines to eliminate distractions, prioritize tasks, and achieve laser-focused productivity. Learn the benefits of consistent habits for long-term career growth and adaptability in a rapidly changing business landscape. Gain valuable insights on self-assessment, performance evaluation, and finding the balance between professional success and personal well-being. Tune in for actionable advice and strategies to unlock your own path to success. Tom Salahs Linkedin Profile Access Customer Conversations Here

In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing David Rush, the CEO & Founder of SmallWorld. Are you struggling to leverage introductions and referrals effectively for your business? How can you ensure common language and user experience enhance these connections? David shares his personal journey as a sales leader and how it led him to create SmallWorld. Discover how David helps sales reps identify influencers and decision-makers within target accounts. Plus, learn about SmallWorlds visionary approach called "relationship activation," Join us as we unravel the secrets to driving better business results through introductions and referrals. David Rushs Linkedin Profile Access Customer Conversations Here

In this podcast episode, I interview Brett Cavanagh, the President of TempWorks Software, to talk about how he went from selling recruiting services to selling recruiting software while also positioning himself to move from Sales Manager to President in just 4 years, and the strategic decisions he has made along the way to exectute at a high level. Brett's LinkedIn Profile Access Customer Conversations Here

Click this link for a 7 Day Free Trial of Customer Conversations. In this "building in public" episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Jeremy Roberts, Account Executive, at Mindtickle, a sales readiness platform. I invited Jeremy on after he offered to help me validate Customer Conversations, the new premium version of this podcast. I wanted to record our discussion and workshop a couple of ideas with him. By the end, I came away with 3 major takeways that I will incorporate into the overall offering. I hope you enjoy this kind of episode.

Get ready to revolutionize your sales enablement strategy with an expert who knows the secret to unlocking unprecedented growth. In this episode, I sit down with Roderick Jefferson, renowned CEO of Roderick Jefferson and Associates, to delve into the world of sales enablement. Are you struggling to align your sales enablement efforts with the hiring process? Feeling stuck in a constant cycle of trial and error? Well, Roderick is here to show you the way out. He unveils the game-changing approach of creating the ideal candidate profile and demonstrates how it can supercharge your sales enablement initiatives. But that's not all – we explore the true nature of sales enablement as an ongoing journey of improvement and growth. Roderick shares his groundbreaking Sales Enablement System, a powerful tool that tracks and reports on your sales team's progress. Discover the critical importance of ongoing communication, iterative processes, and change management to ensure your sales enablement efforts achieve remarkable results. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your sales enablement strategy to new heights. Join us as we unlock the secrets of aligning, improving, and succeeding in the dynamic world of sales enablement. Click this link for a 7 Day Free Trial of Customer Conversations. Find out more about Roderick and get in touch

No guest on this epispode. You'll hear me talk about getting out of my comfort zone as I try to find product, market, fit for Customer Conversations Click this link to become a member.

In this episode, Tom Click, Senior Vice President of Sales at Integrate, discusses his journey at the marketing technology platform and the challenges they faced in finding product-market fit. He emphasizes the importance of synthesizing information across various channels to ensure compliance and better buyer experiences as well as reflecting on his personal growth as a leader. Cllick here to learn more about Customer Conversation and how Revenue Leaders buy technology to enable their teams' success. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-click-362231/

This is a solo episode as I give you a peak behind the curtains into my level of conviction for a premium version of this podcast called, Customer Conversations. Cllick here to learn more about Customer Conversation and how Revenue Leaders buy technology to enable their teams' success.

Chris Smith is the Chief Revenue Officer of Aqua Security, the largest pure play cloud-native security company. In this episode we discuss Aqua Security's role in the cloud security market, their strategy for becoming the category leader, and the importance of having a strong playbook for sales and marketing. Chris emphasizes the importance of understanding customers' needs and conducting user interviews to inform marketing, messaging, sales playbook, competitive landscape, and product direction. He also shares his approach to conducting interviews and managing employees. Cllick here to learn more about Customer Conversation and how Revenue Leaders buy technology to enable their teams' success.

This is preview of Jeff Oh's episode, part of the 'Customer Conversation' premium subscription. In this episode, Jeff Oh, the VP of Sales at DMI, a global leader in digital innovation and transformation, discusses DMI's tech stack and the decision criteria they used to choose these vendors over others. Jeff emphasizes the importance of having a long-term strategy when choosing a software solution. https://glow.fm/thegoatsofgrowth-customerconversations/

Today we have on Enfusions CRO, Steven Bachert. Enfusion is the flexible, modern framework for investment management operations that gives fund managers the freedom to perform. Link to Customer Conversations In this episode Steven and myself discuss: How to overcome the challenges in software adoption and IPO. The importance of adapting your playbook for each new opportunity. The significance of storytelling and data-driven forecasting in preparing for an IPO. The complexities of market analysis and how to navigate them. How confidence and crafting the right story will help you when taking your company public. All that and more in this episode.

My guest today is CRO, Rachel Bates. Customer Conversations Link In todays episode we discuss - The power of customer focus and strong employer branding. Lessons on building and managing international sales teams from industry experts How to balance enterprise Sales and product led growth. How to execute innovative approaches to employee retention. Sharpening the company's narrative and vision through the process of presenting to investors. All that and more on today's episode. https://thegoatsofgrowth.com/

Show link to 'Customer Conversations'. https://glow.fm/thegoatsofgrowth-customerconversations/. My guest today is Kevin Warner who is the CEO and founder of Leadium, which is a agency to help you find prospects, automate outbound, and grow your pipeline. Today we discuss: - How an outbound agency can stand out in a crowded market. Developing the right skill set for providing a great service in a people driven sales business. Why it's crucial to understand the mechanics and analytics behind email, phone, and linkedIn campaigns. The importance of building an effective enterprise-grade sales strategy. How to successfully optimize outbound sales tools. Why its important to recognize the value of non-tech businesses in B2B sales.

Tyler Barron, Chief Revenue Officer at Encapture, joined me for this weeks episode to discuss the importance of listneing to your customer. Encapture is the intelligent document automation platform that helps companies be more efficient and customer-centric. In this weeks episode we discuss and cover: How to successfully pivot sales strategy and still increase revenue amidst market uncertainty. How to build trust and credibility with your CEO and Board Why empowering sales team and focusing on customer language leads to success. When and how to identify and harness individual motivation for optimal performance. The link between balancing people, customers, and market trends. Creating innovative solutions and seeing the positive impact they have on people and businesses. All that and more in this episode.

My guest today is Sarah Milby, CEO and Founder of Valor Performance, a leadership and performance mindset coaching platform that helps empower executives, managers and teams with data-driven, high performance coaching. In todays packed episode we discuss various topics such as: The importance of adaptive leadership for navigating change and stress in the modern workforce. How a gap in sales leadership inspired Sarah's performance mindset coaching. Overcoming entrepreneurial insecurities and having the self confidence to move forward despite criticism from others. Leveraging scenario planning to drive business Objectives and decision making. How overcommunication and transparency can be the key to building trust during times of crisis. All that and more in this episode.

In todays episode you'll hear my interview with William Crowder, Managing Partner of Aperture Venture Capital, which is a VC for the multicultural mainstream that backs founders that leverage financial innovation to help individuals and businesses thrive. In todays episode we discuss: How Aperture's engagement model is driving startup success with strategic and operational support The missed opportunities due to the lack of diversity in the investment industry Securing investments through strategic connections and engagement The importance of venture capital firms as a source of knowledge and connection for startups to thrive. Why founders need to make investors aware of the problem their company is solving and how it plans to do so. What he calls the "magic email" All that and more on in this episode.

In todays episode we have back on the show, for a second time, Stephen Messer, serial entrepreneur and the Cofounder of Collective[i]. To find out all about that company, go back and listen to episode # 107. In today's episode, however, we will be discussing his previous company, LinkShares, an affiliate marketing service provider that got acquired by Rakuten for a cool $425M What to listen for: The opportunity he saw to build a network-based approach to winning a new kind of market How to convince big brands to do something they've never done before The role "first principles" played in their strategic thinking and what "first principles" is The technology they pattented that was vastly different than anything that had been developed at the time to track who was affiliated with which sales What he calls "insane" as it pertains to the way VC's look at AI model metrics The 2 things he said you must possess if you're going to be a disruptive company The struggle they had to endure to keep going and where they found the strength The moment that turned everything in their favor Where he was when the money hit the bank All that and more on this episode. Stephen was also kind enough to give me a private on AI training to break down what goes into business intelligence, machine learning and deep learning. To access the training click on this link. https://youtu.be/aiKrAENS22c

My guest today is Ethan Schechter, VP of Sales of Snyk, which empowers the world's developers to build secure applications In todays packed episode we discuss - Convincing Organizations to Prioritize and Invest in New Solutions. - Why Winning Ugly is Sometimes the Key to Success in Early Stage Startups. - Hiring Key Players for a Strong Foundation. - Balancing Priorities of Sales Training and Enablement with Rapid Expansion. - Transparency and Confidence in Upselling Your Product. - The Importance of Honest Communication in Third and Fourth Line Leadership. All that and more in this episode!

In this episode you'll hear my interview with Jeff Kushmerek, the CEO and Founder of Infinite Renewals, which helps SaaS and B2B emerging tech companies reduce churn and significantly increase recurring revenue. I wanted to interview him to help us understand more about the importance NRR and GRR plays in growing and scaling revenue, and how Customer Success is at the heart of it. In this episode we'll cover: The most important metric to focus on this year given the ecomonic headwinds What companies get wrong when it comes to increasing value and reducing churn How new logo sales teams can play a crucial role in increasing retention and mitigating problems during implementation Why it's critical to involve CS in the sales prcoess and at which point should they be introduced How to avoid difficult customer conversations What sales reps should avoid doing to increase retention and NRR All that and more on this episode.

My guest today is David Fattal, Founder and Chief Technial Officier at Leia Inc. Leia combines nanotechnology and AI to build the future of 3D experiences. Just afew topics we cover today are: - David announces a game changing strategic partnership Reaching the maximum users in the shortest time possible. What it takes to of raise $350 million. The challenge of manufacturing nanostructures. The costs involved from prototyping to manufacturing Why it's important for a tech founder to hire a CEO as they scale up All that and more in this episode.

My guest today is Mark Haas, the VP of Sales at Incorta, which provides a unified data and analytics platform that makes it quick and easy to unlock the full potential of data from multiple complex source systems. In todays episode we cover: - How being creative in your pipeline generation will pay off. - Why research and effort will always trumph generic outreach. - How crafting compelling stories helps with overall success - The importance of individualized leadership coaching All that and more in this episode.

My guest today is Tony Craythorne, a Revenue Leader and CEO, who specializes in fast revenue growth for start-ups and growth stage companies. In todays episode we cover: - Why asking the right financial questions will protect you and dictate the problems that need solving. - Diversifying your revenue stream to prepare for unforeseeable obstacles. - The importance of having working synergy and chemistry. - Connecting the data from marketing to pivot from what isn't working. - Using circumstances outside of your control to become your best moving forward. - How to leverage your channel to scale revenue before scaling your sales team. All that and more in this episode.

My guest today is Deidre Hudson, a customer focused and data driven senior marketing leader with strong demand generation and customer aquisation skills. In todays episode we cover: How the right data can be used to inspire your sales strategies and campaigns The tools used to determine your right target audience based on all your data The key differences between demand generation and lead generation 5 Pillars of demand generation - People, Programs, Processes, Performance, and Product Using actionable data to test impact on different channels The power of having the right people in the right roles for the right reasons All that and more in this episode.

My guest today is Greg Reffner, CEO and Founder of Abstrakt, a real-time call coaching software that is transforming sales teams around the globe. In todays episode we talk about: - The variety of challenges that are presented when picking your consumer market - How customer success plays a huge factor in your product price point - Why creating your own outbound playbook might be your best play - Owning your mistakes and using them to elevate yourself and the team - His tough interviewing screening and coaching approach - Three things he looks for when hiring sales reps Tune in for all that and more in this great episode.

My guest today is Phil Lee, CRO of Foxit Sotware, the leading software provider of fast, affordable and secure PDF solutions, serving over 650 million users worldwide. In todays episode we discuss: - The paradigm shift he's making to go from $100M to $500M - Developing the right relationships to rip and replace market leaders - Why investing in customer success is a competitive advantage - The role digital marketing and the use of customer data will play in reaching the next phaese of growth - The 3 pillars of leadership he focuses on to maintain a successful orgainization and team All that and more in this episode.

My guest today is Casey Jacox, a sales & leadership coach who helps companies realize the power and impact that humility, vulnerability, and curiosity have on internal and external relationship building. Casey also wrote a book about relationship building called "Win The Relationship; Not the Deal" where he shares six principles to win new and existing relationships. He is also a proud father and husband and has his own podcast called The Quarterback Dad Cast, where he interviews guests to discuss topics at the intersection of what it means to be a dad at home and a leader at work. Casey is one of the most genuine, authentic, down to earth people you'll ever hear on this podcast, and I know you'll be inspired by his backstory. In todays episode we discuss: - Life long habits, confidence building, and the early setback that has been the Rocket Fuel for his success in life - How accountibility can be the driving force for new opportunities - How curiousity can allow you to find and unlock your 'why'. - The importance of a morning routine - The power of owning your failures and fears - How tonality can be the deciding factor in closing a deal All that and more on this episode.