RevOpsAF The Podcast

Think partner ecosystems are just for enterprise companies? Think again. In this eye-opening episode of RevOpsAF, Camela Thompson sits down with partner operations expert Allen Smolinski to reveal why 95% of businesses are leaving money on the table by neglecting their partner strategy.   🔥 What You'll Learn: • Why partner ecosystems make sense for EVERY business (yes, even yours) • The critical difference between RevOps and Partner Operations • How to avoid the "one distributor trap" that kills growth • Why partner portals fail and what to do instead • The data model mistakes that create operational nightmares • Level 2 & 3 analytics that transform partner performance   🎯 Featured Expert: Allen Smolinski brings 20+ years of partner ecosystem expertise, specializing in program management and data analytics. Connect with Allen: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smolinski/ • Website: https://thechannelmethod.com/   🔗 Resources Mentioned: • RevOps Co-op Community: https://www.revopscoop.com/membership/membership-options • Seattle RevOps Chapter: https://www.revopscoop.com/who-we-are/geographic-chapters   💡 Why This Matters: If you're in RevOps and partner operations keeps landing on your plate, this episode is your survival guide. Learn why dedicated partner ops roles are crucial and how to build systems that actually work.   👥 Join the Conversation: Drop a comment below with your biggest partner operations challenge! Our community of 18K+ RevOps professionals is here to help.   🔔 Don't Miss Out: • Subscribe for weekly RevOps insights • Hit the bell for notifications • Share with your RevOps team   About RevOps Co-op: We're a community of 18K+ revenue operations professionals sharing knowledge, best practices, and career growth opportunities. Join us at revopscoop.com Connect with us: • Website: https://www.revopscoop.com • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/revopscoop • Slack Community: https://www.revopscoop.com/membership/membership-options • Blog: https://www.revopscoop.com/learn/blog   Questions? Comments? Ideas for future episodes? Email us at community@revopscoop.com   This episode is brought to you by HG Insights - powering go-to-market strategy with AI-powered revenue growth intelligence. Learn more at www.hginsights.com   #revops RevOps #PartnerOperations #RevenueOperations #B2BSales #PartnerEcosystem #DataAnalytics #SalesOps #MarketingOps #BusinessGrowth #RevOpsCoop #PartnerStrategy #SystemsThinking

🚀 Think your product is ready for Product-Led Growth? Think again.   In this episode of RevOpsAF, host Camela Thompson sits down with Lauren Knight, a seasoned RevOps expert who's spent the last decade building go-to-market foundations for early-stage startups. Lauren breaks down the harsh reality: most PLG dreams fail on day one because companies rush into it without the proper foundation.   What You'll Learn: • The real definition of Product-Led Growth (it's not just a free trial!) • Critical signs your product ISN'T ready for PLG • Essential infrastructure requirements before making the switch • Why time-to-value is everything in PLG success • The hybrid approach that actually works • Realistic timelines for PLG implementation (spoiler: it's not 90 days) • How to identify if your customers are telling you they're ready   Featured Expert: Lauren Knight - RevOps expert specializing in go-to-market operations for early-stage startups. 🤝Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-knight725/   Ready to level up your RevOps game? 🔔 Subscribe for weekly RevOps insights 👍 Like if this helped you avoid a PLG disaster 💬 Comment with your biggest PLG challenge 📧 Join our community of 18K+ RevOps professionals: https://www.revopscoop.com/membership/membership-options   More RevOps Resources: 📚 Blog: https://www.revopscoop.com/learn/blog 🎓 Courses: https://www.revopscoop.com/learn/courses-education 🎪 RevOpsAF Conference: https://revopsaf.revopscoop.com/ 📺 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@revopscoop   Connect with RevOps Co-op: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/revopscoop 📧 Newsletter: https://www.revopscoop.com/   #RevOps #ProductLedGrowth #PLG #RevenueOperations #SaaS #GoToMarket #StartupGrowth #RevOpsCoop #RevOpsAF #ProductStrategy #CustomerSuccess #SalesOps #MarketingOps

Should you blow up your CRM… or is the real problem hiding somewhere else?   In this episode of RevOpsAF, Camela Thompson sits down with Alex Biale, Co-founder of Domestique, to tackle one of the most common (and costly) myths in RevOps: 👉 “A new CRM will fix everything.”   Spoiler: It won’t.   Together, they break down the real reasons systems fail — and why migrating from HubSpot, Salesforce, or anything else rarely solves the underlying issues. If your team is debating a CRM switch, you need to hear this before you spend six figures on a rebuild.   In This Episode You’ll Learn: → Why executives keep pushing for CRM migrations → The most misdiagnosed problems in RevOps → How to challenge leadership (without losing your job) → Strategy → Process → Tech → Data → Enablement: the framework that actually works → Why “garbage in, garbage out” still haunts every GTM org → How to speak the language executives listen to → What great consultants do before saying yes to a migration   Who This Episode Is For: ✔️ RevOps leaders ✔️ In-house operators ✔️  @salesforce  +  @HubSpot-CRM  admins ✔️ Consultants and agencies ✔️ Anyone who’s been told “We just need a new CRM”   Why This Matters: CRM migrations are expensive, disruptive, and usually unnecessary. Learn how to diagnose the real problem, push back confidently, and build a system aligned with the business — not the other way around.   🔗 Connect With the Guest Alex Biale (Domestique) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexbiale/ 🎙️ Listen to More RevOpsAF: https://www.revopscoop.com/learn/podcast   #RevOps #RevenueOperations #GTMStrategy #CRMStrategy #CRMMigration #SalesforceAdmins #HubSpotCRM #OpsLeadership #B2BOperations #GoToMarket #SalesOperations #MarketingOperations #CustomerSuccessOps #DataQuality #RevOpsAF #B2BPodcast #TechStack #ProcessDesign #BusinessSystems #OperationalExcellence

In this episode of the RevOpsAF Podcast, Camela Thompson, Head of Marketing at RevOps Co-op, chats with Jeremy Steinbring, Founder & CEO of RevOnyx, about one of the most dangerous trends in GTM today — AI Shiny Object Syndrome.   They unpack why RevOps teams are drowning in “AI-powered” tools that don’t deliver, how to spot hype before it hijacks your strategy, and where AI actually creates measurable value across the revenue engine.   👉 You’ll learn: → Why “AI as a shortcut” is killing operational focus → Where AI really adds value (and where it fails) → How to evaluate readiness before deploying new tools → Why retention and relationships are the true differentiators in 2025 → Practical frameworks for experimentation without wrecking your tech stack   🤝 Connect with: Camela Thompson – Head of Marketing, RevOps Co-op: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camela-thompson/ Jeremy Steinbring – Founder & CEO, RevOnyx: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremysteinbring/   🚀 Join the community: 👉 https://www.revopscoop.com   Connect with 18,000+ operators learning, growing, and swapping hard-won RevOps lessons.   #RevOpsAF #RevenueOperations #ArtificialIntelligence #RevOps #GTM #AIinRevOps #SalesOps #MarketingOps #CSOps #DataStrategy #Automation #Podcast

When everything in your go-to-market motion feels like a dumpster fire, how do you stay strategic instead of just surviving? In this episode of the RevOpsAF Podcast, co-host Camela Thompson, Head of Marketing at RevOps Co-op, sits down with Jacki Leahy, Founder of Activate the Magic, to talk about chaos, confidence, and control in Revenue Operations.   Jacki gets real about why roadmaps fall apart, how operators become “ticket takers,” and what it really takes to become a trusted strategic partner.   You’ll learn how to: 🚀 Build adaptive roadmaps that actually survive a reorg 📊 Use data and math to influence leadership decisions 💰 Partner with the CFO (and why that’s the secret to job security) 🧠 Set boundaries, prioritize impact, and avoid burnout 💬 Communicate value so you’re seen as a strategic advisor, not a task executor   If you’ve ever felt buried in requests, frustrated by constant pivots, or stuck proving your value — this episode is your blueprint for leveling up as a RevOps leader.   📢 Subscribe to the RevOps Co-op YouTube channel for weekly interviews, frameworks, and insights from the world’s top RevOps leaders.   🔗 Learn more and join our 18,000+ member community at www.revopscoop.com   🤝 Connect with Jacki https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackileahy/ 🪄 Activate the Magic https://activatethemagic.com/ 🧮 Annual Planning Pregame https://luma.com/v2rirxhl 🎨 More from Kate Dileo https://katedileo.com/   #RevOps #RevenueOperations #Leadership #CRO #SalesOps #CFO #RevOpsPodcast #GTM #ActivateTheMagic

What kind of RevOps operator are you — a Systems Architect, Growth Catalyst, Execution Engineer, or GTM Operator?   In this episode of the RevOpsAF Podcast, Matthew Volm sits down with Jared Barol, a seasoned RevOps and GTM leader, to break down the RevOps Archetype Matrix — a practical framework for identifying your strengths, hiring smarter, and scaling RevOps teams across every growth stage.   💡 In this episode, you’ll learn: → The OPS Framework: Operations, Performance, and Strategy — the 3 pillars of every great RevOps team → How to identify your RevOps archetype (Systems Architect, Growth Catalyst, Execution Engineer, or GTM Operator) → The biggest “gotchas” that can derail each archetype — and how to avoid them → How to build balanced RevOps teams across early-stage startups, growth companies, and public enterprises → Why AI will compress RevOps orgs — and how to future-proof your career   🔥 Perfect for: Revenue Operations leaders, Sales Ops pros, Marketing Ops, CS Ops, and anyone looking to elevate their RevOps career.   🤝 Connect with Jared: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredbarol/   🔗 Resources & Links: Join the community → https://www.revopscoop.com/membership/membership-options Explore more RevOps insights → https://www.revopscoop.com/learn/blog Take the Archetype Test → https://www.jaredbarol.com/revops-diagnostic   #revops #revenueoperations #revopsaf #salesops #marketingops #csops #leadership #gtmstrategy #careergrowth #RevOpsCommunity

In this fiery episode of the RevOpsAF Podcast, co-host Matthew Volm, CEO of RevOps Co-op, sits down with Camela Thompson, Head of Marketing at RevOps Co-op and longtime revenue operator, to unpack the real truth about hiring revenue operations consultants.   Camela’s been on both sides — as a consultant herself and as an operator who’s hired dozens. Together, she and Matt break down: 🚩 The red flags that signal a consultant will cause chaos, not clarity ✅ The green flags that prove they’re a true strategic partner 🧠 How to structure contracts, scope projects, and protect your team’s sanity ⚙️ Why there’s no such thing as the “best CRM” — only the one that fits your business 💬 The one hot take that will start a debate in every RevOps Slack   Whether you’re a RevOps consultant, fractional operator, or GTM leader hiring your first outside partner, this episode will help you avoid bad engagements and build scalable, trust-based relationships.   📊 What You’ll Learn: → How to properly scope RevOps projects before signing a contract → The difference between freelancers, agencies, and embedded ops support → Why communication and empathy matter more than certifications → How to vet consultants like you’d hire an internal team member → Why “build once, walk away” consulting is a recipe for failure   🔗 Related content: https://www.revopscoop.com/learn/blog https://www.revopscoop.com/membership/membership-options   🤝 Connect with Camela: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camela-thompson/ 🤝 Connect with Matt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewvolm/   💡 Not a member yet? Join the 18,000+ strong RevOps Co-op community for events, resources, and more episodes like this!

🎙️ In this episode of the RevOpsAF Podcast, host Matthew Volm (CEO & Founder of RevOps Co-op) sits down with Ralph Gootee, Co-founder and CEO of TigerEye, to uncover one of the most under-discussed growth levers in RevOps: territory management.   From scaling PlanGrid to a $875M acquisition by Autodesk to now building an AI-native platform for GTM intelligence, Ralph has seen firsthand how territory design can make—or break—revenue performance. He breaks down why equitable territories are the foundation of scalable growth, how politics often derail fairness, and what the next generation of AI-assisted optimization will look like.   📊 What you’ll learn: → Why territory design is the hidden lever behind every GTM motion → How to use data and AI to rebalance territories with fairness and precision → The math and politics behind territory planning (and how to survive both) → Why the best-performing GTM orgs use hybrid models (geo + named + vertical) → How RevOps teams can become true strategic partners to the C-suite   💬 Key quote: “When your highest-performing rep quits because they got the short end of the territory stick, that’s not a sales problem—it’s a RevOps problem.” — Ralph Gootee   📍 Perfect for: Sales Ops, RevOps Leaders, GTM Architects, and Operators focused on Systems, Process Management, and Thought Leadership.   🧠 Related content: Blog: https://www.revopscoop.com/blog Join the RevOps Co-op community: https://www.revopscoop.com/membership/membership-options   Learn more about TigerEye: https://www.tigereye.ai/   Follow Ralph Gootee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphleon/   Connect with Matthew Volm: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewvolm/   #RevOps #SalesOps #TerritoryManagement #RevenueOperations #GTMStrategy #TigerEye #RevOpsAF #MatthewVolm #RalphGootee

Your CRM isn’t starving for data — it’s drowning in the wrong kind. 🤯   In this episode of the RevOpsAF Podcast, co-host Camela Thompson chats with Arjun Ganatra, Business Systems Lead at Veriff, about how to eliminate manual data entry, clean up your CRM, and unlock real-time insights through AI-powered passive logging.   🧠 Arjun shares how his team automates data capture using tools like Momentum, how to decide what not to automate, and how to win rep buy-in without killing morale.   📈 What You’ll Learn 🧼 How to “set it and refine it” with passive logging ⚙️ What NOT to automate (yes, pipeline stages stay manual 🚫) 🤝 Tactics to get sales leadership buy-in and rep trust 💬 Using AI to auto-summarize calls & fill CRM fields 🔮 Future of RevOps: voice interfaces & collaborative AI   🧩 Perfect For Sales Ops • RevOps • CS Ops leaders focused on systems, process management, analytics, and thought leadership   🔗 Links & Resources 💡 Read more on the RevOps Co-op Blog: https://www.revopscoop.com/learn/blog 👥 Join the RevOps Co-op Community: https://www.revopscoop.com/membership/membership-options 🤝 Connect with Arjun Ganatra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunganatra/ 🎧 Follow Camela Thompson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camela-thompson/   🔔 Subscribe to RevOpsAF for weekly episodes with the world’s top RevOps leaders.   #revops #salesops #DataHygiene #crm #revenueoperations #AIinRevOps #automation #processmanagement #RevOpsPodcast #PassiveLogging

In this episode of the RevOpsAF podcast, host Matthew Volm sits down with Vince Chiofolo, SVP of Revenue Operations at Dash Solutions, to explore a hidden churn driver most operators overlook: payments. 💳   Nearly 50% of subscription churn is caused by failed payments—yet many revenue teams treat payments as a finance problem, not a RevOps one. Vince breaks down why payments are central to retention, NRR, and customer loyalty, and how RevOps can turn payment friction into a growth lever.   📊 What you'll learn in this episode: ↳ Why payment failures account for nearly half of all churn ↳ How inbound and outbound payments impact customer experience ↳ Case studies from Spotify & Uber on optimizing payments for growth ↳ Tactics for RevOps teams to reduce involuntary churn and expand TAM ↳ The role of AI in fraud mitigation and the future of payments   👥 Perfect for: Sales Ops, Marketing Ops, CS Ops, and RevOps leaders looking to improve churn, NRR, and retention.   🔗 Related Content RevOps structure & alignment: https://www.revopscoop.com/post/revops-is-having-a-moment-but-does-anyone-really-know-what-it-is-or-how-it-should-be-structured Opportunity best practices: https://www.revopscoop.com/post/back-to-basics-opportunity-best-practices   Join the RevOps Co-op community: https://www.revopscoop.com/membership/membership-options   🤝 Connect with Vince on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincechiofolo/ 🤝 Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewvolm/   💗 Not a member of RevOps Co-op yet? Join 17,000+ operators here: https://www.revopscoop.com/membership/membership-options   🔔 Enjoy this episode? Subscribe to the channel for more insights from the world’s best RevOps leaders. #RevOps #RevenueOperations #CustomerSuccess #Churn #Payments