The Transaction

In this episode, Matt and Craig explore the role of advisors in driving B2B business growth with Carilu Dietrich, an ex-CMO and current hypergrowth advisor to CEOs and CMOs. Carilu shares her insights on the importance of having a skilled team of advisors to support executives, highlighting the need for different types of advisors at various growth stages. The discussion also delves into the nuances of building valuable professional networks and how to effectively seek and maintain advisory relationships. The episode emphasizes that the right advisory connections can be pivotal in determining the success and growth trajectory of a business.Takeaways:Determine the specific areas where your team lacks expertise and seek advisors who can fill those knowledge gaps.Create advisory roles with clear goals, timelines, and built-in review periods to ensure the relationship remains beneficial.Actively attend and engage in industry events and speaking engagements to build your network.Regularly nurture relationships with your network through periodic meetings and informal get-togethers to maintain strong connections.Maintain a small group of trusted individuals who are intimately familiar with your challenges and can provide immediate feedback.When reaching out to potential advisors or network connections, reference their work and specify how their expertise could help with your current challenges.Continuously assess the value derived from advisory relationships and refine your advisory strategy to better align with your evolving business needs.Chapters:00:00 - Introducing B2B Famous05:29 - The Importance of Advisors10:10 - Building Trust with Advisors14:08 - Effective Executive-Advisor Relationships21:29 - The Value of Continuous Learning23:37 - The Quest for Knowledge and Networking25:06 - The Role of Advisors in Business26:41 - Building and Leveraging Networks30:43 - Effective Outreach Strategies39:56 - The Importance of Layers in Networking42:24 - Conclusion and Final ThoughtsQuote of the Show:“Trust is the biggest currency we have in business.” - Carilu DietrichSponsor:The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Connect with Carilu:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cariludietrich/ Website: https://www.carilu.com/ Shoutouts:Maria Pergolino https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariapergolino/ Dennis Lyandres https://www.linkedin.com/in/dlyandres/ Atlassian https://www.atlassian.com/ 1Password https://1password.com/ Oracle https://www.oracle.com/ Rick Schultz https://www.linkedin.com/in/rischultz/ Databricks https://www.databricks.com/ Diego Lomanto https://www.linkedin.com/in/diegolomanto/ AJ Gandhi https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjaigandhi/ Follow the Show:Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1 

In a compelling discussion, Dan Gottlieb, Vice President Analyst at Gartner, shares his expertise in sales strategies and AI integration. He emphasizes the need for modern sales teams to simplify processes and focus on adaptability and creativity. Dan highlights the importance of hiring talent with future skills and implementing point-of-view selling to enhance sales effectiveness. He delves into how AI can optimize sales research and emphasizes the use of interactive tools to boost engagement, making the sales experience more agile and buyer-focused.

In today’s episode, Matt and Craig are joined by AJ Gandhi, Chief Growth Officer at Marlin Equity. The discussion is an in-depth exploration of go-to-market (GTM) strategies. They cover the importance of core selling skills, the impact of over-reliant sales enablement tools, and the undervalued power of creative marketing. AJ emphasizes the critical role of coherent, cross-functional collaboration in GTM strategies and the need to reassess current methods to align with today's discerning buyers. They also discuss the importance of accurate marketing spend, talent development, and the overlooked strategic role of customer and partner funnels in driving business growth.Takeaways:Be realistic about growth objectives and ensure that spending on sales and marketing is justified by actual returns.Focus more on marketing activities influencing the self-managed buyer's journey as buyers become more self-sufficient.Prioritize marketing activities that can quantitatively demonstrate influence on the buyer’s journey rather than just focusing on attribution metrics.Define and rigorously pursue your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).Create and maintain a targeted list of potential customers. Ensure all marketing and sales efforts are aligned with engaging this list.Implement structured hiring and talent assessment practices to ensure you are onboarding the right people.Ensure the CEO and executive team understand the value of different marketing and sales strategies and invest in the most promising approaches.Chapters:00:00 - Introduction and Paella Party Realization01:06 - AJ's Networking and Social Schedule06:59 - The Value of In-Person Problem Solving10:48 - Rethinking Go-To-Market Strategies14:15 - The Importance of Marketing in the Buyer’s Journey21:38 - Holistic Approach to Pipeline Management28:50 - Marketing Spend and Attribution41:24 - Challenges in Sales Talent Development47:34 - Evaluating Marketing Investments50:04 - Building a Winning Team51:14 - Closing Thoughts and FarewellQuote of the Show:“People just need to step back and almost like forget all the stuff that they're doing that's part of the standard playbook. Take a step back and really think about what are we trying to do here and how do we actually influence these buyers’ dreams.” - AJ GandhiSponsor:The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Connect with AJ:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjaigandhi/ Website: https://www.marlinequity.com/ Shoutouts:Sydney Sloan https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydsloan/ Ryan Azus https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanazus/ RingCentral https://www.ringcentral.com/ Marc Benioff https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbenioff/ Jen Igartua https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-igartua/ Salesforce https://www.salesforce.com/ Guy Rubin https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubinguy/ Follow the Show:Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1 

In this discussion, John Common, CEO of Intelligent Demand, shares his insights on B2B growth strategy. He emphasizes the shift from siloed tactics to strategic integration for overall business efficiency. John also highlights the necessity of clear role definitions and effective collaboration between sales and marketing. He stresses the importance of regularly refining the Ideal Customer Profile and developing primary go-to-market motions to achieve scalable growth. Practical steps for CEOs to enhance business performance through alignment are also explored.

Andy Raskin, a renowned figure in the B2B space, dives into the art of impactful sales narratives. He emphasizes the shift from founder-led pitches to creating universal stories that resonate across teams. Andy discusses the importance of CEO involvement in storytelling and how it frames market changes. He shares insights on effective communication, urging leaders to convey the benefits of new approaches and foster a sense of movement rather than just selling products. Rich anecdotes and strategies make this a must-listen for anyone in sales.

In this discussion, Alec Paul, a LinkedIn strategist and Founder of SalesBrand, shares valuable insights on harnessing LinkedIn for brand building. He emphasizes the power of authenticity and vulnerability in connecting with audiences, encouraging leaders to share personal stories, including failures. Discover how high-quality content outperforms quantity, and learn about the evolving role of video on the platform. Alec also highlights strategies for optimizing profiles and promoting podcasts, making LinkedIn a potent tool for business growth.

Ray Rike, a passionate advocate for SaaS operators, joins the hosts to explore the world of metrics. He emphasizes the importance of understanding customer acquisition costs and the need for shared goals between marketing and sales teams. Ray critiques traditional marketing metrics, advocating for a focus beyond just top-of-funnel leads. The discussion also highlights effective benchmarking frameworks and the necessity of analyzing the entire customer journey to drive informed decision-making and improve business efficiency.

Jen Igartua, CEO of GoNimbly, is a multi-talented force in comedy and board game design. In a lively discussion, she unpacks the concept of signal-based selling, emphasizing the integration of diverse data sources to enhance B2B sales strategies. Jen shares her innovative approach to lead scoring and actionable insights for sales teams using algorithms and playbooks. She also explores the evolving roles of SDRs in a data-driven environment and the journey of her board game 'Side Effects,' highlighting its unexpected success.

Mark Kosoglow, an experienced sales professional and advisor at HockeyStack, shares his innovative sales strategies. He prioritizes creativity over sheer outreach volume, advocating for more meaningful interactions. Mark discusses the evolving landscape of sales, highlighting the importance of a seamless buyer experience amidst fragmentation. He introduces the concept of sales rooms for streamlined communication and emphasizes leveraging tools like Slack and AI to enhance buyer-centric engagement. Ultimately, he calls for a shift towards quality-driven sales approaches.

Dennis Lyandres, an advisor at ICONIQ Capital with vast sales and marketing experience, shares his insights on effective leadership and hiring strategies. He emphasizes seeking out candidates who are curious, humble, and growth-oriented. The conversation highlights the vital role of compassionate firing and proactive hiring in scaling businesses. Dennis also discusses the importance of continuous learning and tailored development plans in nurturing strong leaders, as well as the need for maintaining trust within teams for organizational success.