Find My Catalyst Podcast

How Do You Select Your Sales Stack? Mike is joined by Dan Cilley and Steven Wright of Vendor Neutral. Dan is the Co-Founder of Vendor Neutral and Steven is a Certification Analyst. The Vendor Neutral mission is to simplify the Sales Tech selection at all levels. This is a follow-up from an earlier podcast where Mike discusses the stack we use and implement with our Catalyst Sale clients. Questions Answered: Why do organizations come to Vendor Neutral for help? What is the Vendor Neutral S.T.A.C.K. framework? What are some internal questions we can start with? Why do folks struggle with these questions? What are the challenges with stakeholder alignment? How does empathy play a role? Key Takeaways: Vendor Neutral assessments are buyer facing Understand your own process first. What we need to look for more often than not is the emotional transfer, the buyer journey. Invest some of this thinking into both the Buyer and the Seller journey. Remember your internal customers Show Links: www.vendorneutral.com Is Your Tech Stack Enabling Your Sales Org? Thank You Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. This podcast is brought to you by Catalyst Sale - you can learn more about Catalyst Sale, and the products and services we provide via the following links. Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit Demystify Sales - the course

Habit Creation, Workforce Performance, Communication - with guest Luke Thomas This week I am joined by Luke Thomas. Luke is the Co-Founder of Friday and a former colleague. Friday is building software that aids high-performing people in the habit creation process and improving performance at work. We discuss creating habits, communication tools we all use and how to get people motivated to start a habit. Questions Answered: How do we build and form habits? How do we get technology to compliment the people doing the work? How do we know which communication tool to use? Why do frameworks resonate with us? Key Takeaways: Having a trigger dramatically improves the probability that people will do the "thing" (task, habit, etc..) People process seeing emojis as a facial reaction. Text can be easily misinterpreted. Communication channels need to adapt. If you deliver the right thing on the wrong channel, it may not work. When you ask for information that people can provide behind a screen, you tend to get better data. In-person is the richest communication channel Show Links: www.friday.app luke@friday.app Luke on Twitter Thank You Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. This podcast is brought to you by Catalyst Sale - you can learn more about Catalyst Sale, and the products and services we provide via the following links. Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit Demystify Sales - the course

The Distress of Busyness Mike and Jody discuss how to combat the stress of busyness and eliminate feeling as though you are underwater. "Stress is good, it's distress that makes us feel bad." - Lee Cockerell Questions Answered: Is this distress real or is it manufactured? How do I get a handle on all that needs to be done? If we are feeling distressed, what do we do? Key Takeaways: Put a date or deadline on your to-do items. Otherwise, you are likely to put the task off again or never return to it. Be sure to have a process you use and then trust your personal processes. Focus on high impact items By pushing things off to tomorrow, you don't actually address the challenge you have out there. Have a day to focus on the things that aren't urgent but are important. Identify opportunities to do things that you really enjoy. Realize that you are not alone. You aren't the only one who has had this level of stress. We would love to hear how you combat stress in your life/business. Share your tips via twitter. Show Links: Link to Tweet Mentioned in the Podcast Gather Data Assess the Data Eliminate the Noise Ask For Help Start Moving Forward Reassess Mike on Twitter Thank You Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. This podcast is brought to you by Catalyst Sale - you can learn more about Catalyst Sale, and the products and services we provide via the following links. Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit Demystify Sales - the course

What can you find on the other side of risk? This week is a bit different, this episode was recorded live at Disney's Wilderness Lodge. Jeff Noel and I had an awesome conversation around risk, what you'll find on the other side of risk, and the importance of doing things that are scary. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Make sure you engage with Jeff via Twitter or LinkedIn, to continue the discussion. Show Links Jeff's Podcast - If Disney Ran Your Life Jeff's Blogs Mind Body Spirit Family Health Work Health Jeff's Twitter Jeff's first episode on the Catalyst Sale podcast Call to Action Take Jeff's challenge, grab a piece of paper, write at the top of it, "I was put on this world to...", complete this sentence, paragraph, etc. until you bring yourself to tears. Thank You Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. This podcast is brought to you by Catalyst Sale - you can learn more about Catalyst Sale, and the products and services we provide via the following links. Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit Demystify Sales - the course

What happens when you get out of your office, and step into the operation? This week Justin Welsh joins me on the podcast to discuss a number of topics. We discuss success and failure in sales, burnout and imposter syndrome, the transition from individual contributor to manager and leadership, and the importance of getting out and working in the operation. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Make sure you engage with Justin via Twitter or LinkedIn, to continue the discussion. Show Links Justin on Twitter Justin on LinkedIn The Official Justin - Justin's Website Call to Action How are you thinking about innovation in your organization? How can you improve your capabilities and understanding by working within other groups, by putting yourself in their shoes? Thank You Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. This podcast is brought to you by Catalyst Sale - you can learn more about Catalyst Sale, and the products and services we provide via the following links. Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit Demystify Sales - the course

#161 - Common Mistakes in Sales This week on the Catalyst Sale Podcast, Jody and Mike discuss three common mistakes in Sales. We tend to focus on the solution instead of the customer problem We forget that the customer is the hero in their story We try to have one solution fit all challenges Key Takeaways: We forget that it's all about the customer We continue to miss on empathizing with the customer We don't take the time to design our interactions with the customer based on an understanding of how they go through the process You don't come in and save the day, you help out on their big adventure Be a catalyst that helps them with their success Make the buyer look like the hero If you try to solve for each of them using the same lens, you are going to create some risk that is not necessary for the organization Use the right tool for the right problem inside your organization and realize that there are different perspectives that are necessary in order to look at each of these problems Show Links Dan Tyre Episode Donald Miller Episode Building a Storybrand Podcast Sun Tzu Quote "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle." Call to Action How are you thinking about revenue operations inside your organizations and do you see the distinction between the customer decision-making process and your sales process? How are you overcoming those challenges? Thank You Thank you for rating and reviewing the podcast via iTunes, Google Play, or your favorite podcast platform. Ratings & reviews help others discover the podcast - thank you for helping us get our message out to the community. Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. Catalyst Sale Service Offerings Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit Demystify Sales - the course Are you looking for a way to improve your capability in sales, and grow your business? Would you like a framework, methods, approach, and tools that can help you put the concepts discussed on the podcast, into practice? This course is designed for you. We will apply the Revenue Operations Framework (Know your Customer, Know your Business, Know your Approach) and the foundational Sales Skills (Gathering Data, Story, Time Management, Project Management), to help you design your playbook, and start executing. Thank you

Pricing, Productizing Services, and Creating a Product Ladder - with guest Paul Klein This week Paul Klein joins me on the podcast to discuss pricing, time, value, and making the transition from W2 to K1. Paul is the host of the Pricing is Positioning podcast, a Keynote speaker, and business consultant. Thanks Paul for the awesome discussion. Questions: What does the transition from W2 to K1 typically look like? How do you think about productizing services? Why do we fall into the hourly rate trap? If value is subjective, how can that help or hurt us? What are some common misperceptions around pricing when moving from W2 to K1? Why do we over complicate the process? Key Takeaways: Most people undervalue their services, their expertise The first sale is to yourself Recognize that there is value in what you do You can't serve every client in every vertical Make it easy for customers to do business with you Give your customers three (3) choices when it comes to pricing - the sweet spot At the end of the day, it's about the value to the client Value is very subjective People buy outcomes, not time Every brand should have a product ladder Leverage your expertise to build out your design Not all customers are created equally, not all services are created equally Show Links PaulKlein.net Pricing is Positioning Podcast Call to Action What processes, roles, systems, do you want to "blow-up" in your organization? Let us know via twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. Thank You Thank you for rating and reviewing the podcast via iTunes, Google Play, or your favorite podcast platform. Ratings & reviews help others discover the podcast - thank you for helping us get our message out to the community. Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. Catalyst Sale Service Offerings Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit Demystify Sales - the course Are you looking for a way to improve your capability in sales, and grow your business? Would you like a framework, methods, approach, and tools that can help you put the concepts discussed on the podcast, into practice? This course is designed for you. We will apply the Revenue Operations Framework (Know your Customer, Know your Business, Know your Approach) and the foundational Sales Skills (Gathering Data, Story, Time Management, Project Management), to help you design your playbook, and start executing. Thank you

Guest - Dan Pontefract, Author - Open to Think Dan is the author of Open to Think, an awesome read on the process of thinking, aspects of thinking, issues that get in the way of thinking, and what you can do about improving your thinking. We hope you enjoy this discussion as much as we did. Thank you for listening to & sharing the Catalyst Sale Podcast. Questions Addressed Why do we struggle with thinking? Why do we like to go to the signal? How do we overcome stress, distraction or both? What are some ways leaders can build empathy? Prioritization - how can we do better at this? What inspired Dan to write the book? What are the three types of thinking? What are some examples of where things have gone bad when we fall to think? Key Takeaways Busyness gets in the way of Thinking We are distracted Our minds wander Think of the dogs in up - "Squirrel" Inability to say no gets in the way of Thinking We forget to subtract We are addicted to the dopamine hit We are good at doing. Plato's warning about the Book. We are distracted In 2016 distracted driving outpaced drunk driving accidents We don't like to say no We need to remove distractions and consciously invoke willpower Executive function is not fully formed until the mid-20s Be mindful - be into the point of why you are where you are Attentiveness to what is going on "in the moment" Block things out Empathize / life is difficult these days Rational empathy - sensing (mind of someone else) Emotional empathy - feeling the pain Sympathetic empathy- observing and reacting Time is our most precious asset/resource Prioritization - When the leader helps the team with management of their time good things tend to happen. Recognize the way the leader prioritizes will be different from the team. This should not be micromanaged. Indirect - Don't accept the default meeting times - Free up time Direct - Coach, guide. The inspiration for Open To Think Maybe there is a lack of purpose because our thinking is not like it was back with the greeks. Cole - How many more mother's days to they have left? Dream, Decide, Do - Repeat Types of Thinking - ~ min 31 of the episode. Open Thinking revolves around three types of thinking. Creative Thinking - Do you Reflect? Critical Thinking - Decide - How are you making that decision? Applied Thinking - commitment to take action on something you have decided. Don't skip critical thinking to get to applied thinking, and don't skip applied thinking to get back to creative - Leverage your loops Hawaii example Rushed and not thought through Listen to the evidence "Beware the barrenness of a busy life" - Socrates Show Links Dan's Twitter Open To Think Purpose Effect Flat Army Catalyst Sale - Live Chat Catalyst Sale - Podcast List Thank You Thank you for rating and reviewing the podcast via iTunes, Google Play, or your favorite podcast platform. Ratings & reviews help others discover the podcast - thank you for helping us get our message out to the community. Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. Catalyst Sale Service Offerings Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit ---------------------- Subscribe to the Catalyst Sale Podcast Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Google Play Catalyst Sale In every business, in every opportunity, there is someone who can help you navigate the internal challenges and close the deal. There is a Catalyst. We integrate process (Catalyst Sale Process), technology and people, with the purpose of accelerating revenue. Our thoughtful approach minimizes false starts that are common in emerging markets and high-growth environments. We continue to evolve our practice based on customer needs and emerging technology. We care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. Sales is a Thinking Process.

Transparency, Investment, and Struggle - with Rand Fishkin Rand is an author, founder, recent founder/ceo of SparkToro. His book "Lost and Founder" is one that I wish I would have been able to read before we started Catalyst Sale. This episode has a fair amount of range, we cover a number of topics including investment, learning, diversity, and struggle. Thank you Rand for the awesome discussion. Questions Discussed Do Founders feel like they are the only ones struggling with their problem? Why should Founders not think that the organization who is going to provide some funding has their best interest at heart? How do you explain the different types of investment? Is there something you can do to help inspire curiosity? Where does diversity play in all of this? How do the MVP and EVP concepts apply to intrapreneurs? Key Takeaways When Founders take capital or attempt to raise capital, they don't fully understand the mechanics of the investors from which they are raising and they don't understand how priorities can shift from year to year. VC is kind of a default for a lot of Founders when it probably shouldn't be. Only 20% of capital firms that beat the market This changes the fundamental incentives of what you need to do as a business It enforces the importance of communication, transparency and alignment Sometimes the story you want to tell, isn't the one they want to hear I cannot think of a good reason to intentionally impair the most important part of your job which is decision making Find four or five people that you have a connection with who do the same work as you, but are not directly competitive and ask if you can join an e-mail/slack/what's app group to share your experiences There is a ton of opportunity in doing some extra work in order to get a better outcome If you know you are going to launch to a large audience, don't launch until people are truly impressed Show Links Rand on Twitter SparkToro Lost and Founder Call to Action What processes, roles, systems, do you want to "blow-up" in your organization? Let us know via twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. Thank You Thank you for rating and reviewing the podcast via iTunes, Google Play, or your favorite podcast platform. Ratings & reviews help others discover the podcast - thank you for helping us get our message out to the community. Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. Catalyst Sale Service Offerings Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit Demystify Sales - the course Are you looking for a way to improve your capability in sales, and grow your business? Would you like a framework, methods, approach, and tools that can help you put the concepts discussed on the podcast, into practice? This course is designed for you. We will apply the Revenue Operations Framework (Know your Customer, Know your Business, Know your Approach) and the foundational Sales Skills (Gathering Data, Story, Time Management, Project Management), to help you design your playbook, and start executing. Thank you

Lessons From Golf That We Can Apply In Business This week on the Catalyst Sale Podcast Jody and Mike discuss how the lessons learned in golf apply to business and sales. There are so many lessons that we can take from the course that apply to business and in life. Plus we introduce you to 'el guapo'. Key Takeaways: Don't let the last shot beat you You must be able to compartmentalize and move on You can plan a couple of shots ahead Be careful about how you rush into things This too shall pass. At any point in time, you can have a very positive set of events change the situation that you are in Assess and execute Take advantage of what you have in front of you. Stay focused Establish clear guideposts to ensure that you are constantly moving forward Realize that you have a number of tools that you can apply to the problem you are trying to solve Show Links Demystify Sales - Sales for Non-Sales Professionals - Podcast Listener Link Catalyst Sale Courses Catalyst Sale Call to Action Buy the course, do the work, and let us know how this has impacted you and your business. Thank You Thank you for rating and reviewing the podcast via iTunes, Google Play, or your favorite podcast platform. Ratings & reviews help others discover the podcast - thank you for helping us get our message out to the community. Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. Catalyst Sale Service Offerings Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit Demystify Sales - the course Are you looking for a way to improve your capability in sales, and grow your business? Would you like a framework, methods, approach, and tools that can help you put the concepts discussed on the podcast, into practice? This course is designed for you. We will apply the Revenue Operations Framework (Know your Customer, Know your Business, Know your Approach) and the foundational Sales Skills (Gathering Data, Story, Time Management, Project Management), to help you design your playbook, and start executing. Thank you