Revenue Builders

John Rowell shares how meticulous preparation transforms the sales game. He emphasizes the importance of understanding a buyer's needs before making a call, turning cold outreach into warm connections. Effective prep builds trust, allowing for authentic conversations. By comparing sales to elite athletics, Rowell highlights that top performers obsessively prepare to hit their targets. The podcast underscores how a structured approach enhances efficiency and confidence, leading to meaningful relationships in sales and entrepreneurship.

In this engaging discussion, Tony Marino, a seasoned executive coach and former CHRO at Fiserv, shares insights on resilient leadership. He highlights the parallels between sports and business, advocating for a 'corporate athlete' mindset. Marino emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, prioritizing key tasks, and maintaining physical and mental health to prevent burnout. He also dives into the transformative power of feedback and navigating team dynamics, stressing the necessity for well-rounded leaders skilled in various critical areas.

Matt Nolan, the CRO of Redwood Software, shares valuable insights from his journey scaling a revenue organization past $200M. He discusses the crucial shift from being a deal-maker to a system-builder and how to navigate the complexities of cultural integration post-acquisition. Matt highlights the importance of authentic leadership in building trust and emphasizes that understanding existing cultures is key when implementing new strategies. He also touches on the challenge of balancing learning with initiating change as a new leader.

Marcello Gallo, Chief Revenue Officer at Sigma Computing with over 20 years in enterprise sales, shares his unconventional journey into sales. He emphasizes the importance of structure and mentorship in driving revenue growth. The conversation dives into transitioning from technical roles to sales, underscoring the need for a deep understanding of customer needs. Marcello discusses the role of effective communication in navigating complex sales processes and highlights the significance of a growth mindset and aligning with product-market fit for sustainable success.

In this short segment of the Revenue Builders Podcast, we revisit the discussion with Jane Thompson of BigPanda to unpack the art and science of selling into strategic accounts. Jane shares hard-won wisdom on navigating multi-divisional enterprises, building champions across layers of influence, and translating technical capabilities into board-level business value. If you want to elevate from tactical selling to true strategic impact, this episode delivers the roadmap.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:00:45] Focus beyond standard research—find personal executive insights to connect meaningfully.[00:01:15] Strategic sellers must bridge technical solutions to business outcomes.[00:02:00] Map value by stakeholder: technical director, VP, CIO—tailor it to each.[00:03:30] Selling to multi-divisional organizations requires managing multiple champions, needs, and value props.[00:04:15] Ecosystems are interdependent—solutions impact multiple departments.[00:05:00] Use the “M and W Effect” to navigate accounts vertically and horizontally.[00:06:00] Prevent single-threading—schedule multiple meetings at once and communicate openly.QUOTES[00:01:20] “Anyone can go read a 10-K, but go find personal tidbits that help you build a champion at every level.”[00:01:55] “You have to translate what you do into business issues—or you’re not going to be a good strategic account rep.”[00:02:40] “If you think in a strategic sense, mapping value by stakeholder becomes second nature.”[00:04:00] “It’s a skill to unify multiple divisions with multiple stakeholders into a single ROI conversation.”[00:05:10] “If you’re not moving up and down in the org chart, you won’t make it in strategic accounts.”[00:06:05] “Be transparent—reach high and wide without being sneaky. It works if done right.”Listen to the full conversation through the link below.https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/selling-into-strategic-accounts-with-jane-thompsonEnjoying the podcast? Sign up to receive new episodes straight to your inbox:https://hubs.li/Q02R10xN0Check out John McMahon’s book here:Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4Check out Force Management’s Ascender platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/Force Management is hiring for a Sales Director. Apply here: Revenue Builders Podcast, John Kaplan, John McMahon, Force Managementhttps://hubs.li/Q02Zb8WG0Read Force Management's eBook: https://www.forcemanagement.com/roi-of-sales-messaging

Matt Nolan, Chief Revenue Officer at Redwood Software, dives into his extensive journey in global revenue strategies and scaling automation solutions. He discusses the crucial role of company culture in recruitment and the art of hiring proactively, emphasizing that strong leadership significantly influences team success. Matt shares insights on navigating board relations, the impacts of remote teamwork during the pandemic, and the importance of creating a high-performance culture that drives growth. Listeners gain practical strategies for building winning sales organizations.

In this short segment of the Revenue Builders Podcast, we revisit the discussion with Bob Ranaldi of FTV Capital to unpack the delicate dynamics between CROs, CEOs, and board members. From managing expectations to avoiding pitfalls of dysfunction, this conversation dives deep into how CROs can approach board interactions with strategy, self-awareness, and alignment. Perfect for revenue leaders who want to strengthen executive relationships and drive healthy boardroom collaboration.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:00:35] Understand the Board’s Purpose: CROs must recognize the board’s role in needs analysis and bringing strategic value—not just oversight[00:01:10] Diversify Board Experience: Great boards consist of varied backgrounds and expertise; avoid redundancy in experience sets[00:01:45] Root Cause vs. Surface Complaints: Before raising issues with the board, ensure the CRO and CEO have sought resolution together.[00:02:15] Bring Solutions, Not Just Problems: Leaders must shift from venting to proactive solution-building[00:02:50] Avoid Commiserating with Board Members: CROs should direct internal concerns to CEOs first, not the board—keep relationships clear and constructive.[00:03:30] Align Board Expertise with Department Needs: Strong boards mirror company functions, acting as mentors to department leaders when the CEO is confident and secure.QUOTES[00:00:55] "The board needs to do a needs analysis… making sure you don’t have redundancy in experience is really important."[00:02:00] "If you’ve got a problem and you’re not thinking about a solution, then you’ve got to look in the mirror."[00:02:50] "If you're bringing something to me that looks like you don’t have a solution, you’re just complaining."[00:03:50] "The really good CEOs bring in board members who can act as mentors aligned to each function.[00:04:15] "For that to work, the CEO must be very secure in their job."Listen to the full conversation through the link below. https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/understanding-the-nuances-of-the-cro-ceo-relationshipEnjoying the podcast? Sign up to receive new episodes straight to your inbox: https://hubs.li/Q02R10xN0Check out John McMahon’s book here: Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4Check out Force Management’s Ascender platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/Force Management is hiring for a Sales Director. Apply here: https://hubs.li/Q02Zb8WG0Read Force Management's eBook: https://www.forcemanagement.com/roi-of-sales-messaging

Jane Thompson, Director of Strategic Accounts at Big Panda, brings 25 years of sales expertise to the table. She dives into the challenges of managing B2B strategic accounts and emphasizes the need for value-driven selling. Key traits for success include confidence, curiosity, and a deep understanding of customer needs. Jane discusses the necessity of building trust and the pitfalls of mismatched skills in account management. She also addresses how startups can approach large clients by honing in on their Ideal Customer Profile for effective targeting.

Frederik Maris, CRO at Atoss Software SE, shares his expert insights on hiring elite enterprise sales talent. He emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence, character, and curiosity over traditional resumes. Learn about the ICE criteria—Intelligence, Character, Coachability, and Experience. Frederik reveals how to spot top performers by blending instinct with analytics. He discusses the relevance of 'Spin Selling' in interviews and highlights how self-awareness can be gauged through specific questions, proving intuition is key in hiring.

John Rowell, co-founder of Pinned Golf, shares his inspiring journey from a successful sales career at EMC and Dell Technologies to launching an innovative golf startup. He discusses critical skills like preparation and leadership that paved the way for his entrepreneurial success. Rowell explores the importance of defining customer profiles and the emotional connections in sales. He also highlights the unique challenges of working with friends and the thrill of creating market-defining golf products, showcasing a blend of passion and strategy in business.