Ep. 428 | Crafting Success: Navigating Diverse Landscapes in Business

Episode Summary 

In this episode of Sunny Side Up, Carolyn Najac interviews Christian DeMarais on crafting success and navigating landscapes in business. We discuss how engaging stakeholders successfully requires a blend of empathy, strategic narrative crafting, and in-depth understanding. He emphasises the power of understanding stakeholder perspectives and crafting a compelling narrative. Christian underscores the importance of empathy, especially towards internal stakeholders, viewing them as the real 'customers'. Finally, while discussing B2B and B2C dynamics, he emphasises the significance of listening to customers and efficiently leveraging resources across diverse teams. 

About the Guest 

Christian DeMarais is currently serving as Director of Revenue Operations and Strategy at Wix, where he has helped build and scale over 25 Sales and Account Management teams in 3 years. In addition to a career as a RevOps and Sales Strategy Pro, DeMarais is also an accomplished actor who recently had a recurring role in Maniac (Netflix), as well as guest roles on Mr. Robot (USA), The Equalizer (CBS) and Elementary (CBS). DeMarais holds an MFA in acting from NYU and a BA in Business Management and Theatre, with a Minor in Dance from Gustavus Adolphus College. 

Connect with Christian DeMarais 

Key Takeaways 

When engaging with stakeholders, immerse yourself in their perspectives, understanding their needs, concerns, and objectives. 

● Avoid Direct Objectives – Don't always lead with your end goal. Let stakeholders understand your objectives through the information you provide and the narrative you weave.

● Craft a Narrative: Whether it's a presentation, a proposal, or a report, build a story that captivates your stakeholders and takes them on a journey. 

● It's crucial to know what drives your stakeholders. Identify their priorities, financial metrics, time-saving efficiencies, or other KPIs, and cater your strategy to these.

● Empathy is key. While clear goals and KPIs matter, other aspects like ease of use and time-saving can be equally crucial. 

● Never judge. Understand the perspectives and challenges of all team members. Your internal stakeholders, often acting as your 'customers', need that understanding the most.

● Ensure your services or products cater to a broad spectrum of your customers' needs, making it easier for them to choose you over competitors. 

● Continuously seek and incorporate customer feedback to refine and improve your offerings. Centre your strategies around customer needs. Listening to and acting on their input can lead to product innovations and sustained growth. 

● Balance Macro and Micro Perspectives. Keep an eye on the broader business strategy while attending to day-to-day operations. 

Quote:

“Understanding is such a huge part of what we do. And I think understanding your customer, but a lot of times for RebLabs specifically, your customers are also internal stakeholders in the company and the business.” – Christian DeMarais 

Recommended Resource

The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg 

Shout-Outs 

Melanie Terranova – Head of RevOps at Wix 

Dhwani Dalal – Director, Sales Strategy & Operations at DocuSign

Meg Goetsch – Vice President, Global Sales Operations and Strategy at Forter 

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