Revenue Builders

Adaptability is a vital strength in today's fast-changing job market, yet many view it as a weakness. The discussion emphasizes the evolving perception of career mobility, where job-hopping is now common. Trust issues can hinder coaching, as some fear revealing their knowledge gaps. There's a strong link between being coachable and having the courage to embrace feedback, which can unlock potential. Curiosity is also highlighted as a crucial driver for personal and professional growth.

Joe Eskenazi, Chief Revenue Officer at Kong, dives into the crucial shift from a knowledge mindset to a performance mindset in B2B sales. He emphasizes goal-oriented strategies like role-playing and navigating objections to enhance sales effectiveness. Joe shares personal anecdotes on the power of intuition in sales conversations and the importance of genuine engagement with clients. He also discusses fostering a high-performance culture at Kong, leveraging AI for API management, and the balance between collaboration and individual empowerment.

George Mogannam discusses the critical gaps that hinder scalable growth in organizations. He highlights the importance of ideal hiring profiles and robust onboarding processes for effective recruiting. The podcast reveals the hidden costs of remote culture, noting that in-person connections foster better team cohesion and lower turnover. Additionally, George emphasizes the need for internal alignment, as miscommunication can stall hiring efforts. The role of sales kickoffs goes beyond training; they drive crucial peer interactions that enhance performance.

Eric Erston, the CRO of RegScale with a wealth of experience from companies like Rapid7 and Dynatrace, shares insightful strategies for cultivating top-performing sales teams. He discusses the significance of clear goals and effective time management, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer personas. Eric highlights the power of vulnerability in leadership, advocating for a culture of openness and continuous learning. He also addresses the challenges of remote work in sales and the necessity of adapting strategies to meet evolving market demands.

Dive into the world of sales leadership as Matt Maloney shares pivotal lessons for hitting sales targets. Discover why focusing on a few key use cases can lead to greater success than spreading resources too thin. Explore the importance of aligning sales strategies with the product’s true market fit and the dangers of misclassifying team roles. With insights on collaborating with technical founders and the significance of knowing your ideal customer profile, this discussion is a treasure trove for sales leaders and founders.

Bobby Morrison, Chief Revenue Officer at Shopify and veteran sales leader, discusses the transformative impact of AI on sales strategies. He reveals Shopify's innovative pod-based approach that blends sales, customer success, and engineering teams. Bobby emphasizes the importance of industry knowledge and shares insights on how AI streamlines workflows and enhances client engagement. He also reflects on navigating organizational changes through the Chaos Monkey initiative, promoting adaptability in sales culture and the need for meaningful customer interactions.

Discover the art of empowering champions who can advocate for your sales efforts. The discussion dives into how to build trust and prepare these champions to handle objections effectively. Additionally, there’s an exploration of the vital difference between authority and influence in sales, highlighting the importance of identifying true champions over mere coaches. Unlock strategies that enhance decision-making and navigate competitive challenges with ease.

In this episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan are joined by seasoned sales leader Jim Drill to discuss essential aspects of the B2B sales process, career development, and leadership. Jim shares valuable lessons from his extensive career, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer pain points, selling higher in the customer organization, and connecting solutions to concrete business metrics. Through insightful stories from his experience at companies like IBM, PTC, and beyond, Jim highlights how asking the right questions and staying curious can lead to substantial sales success. The conversation also delves into practical advice for young sellers and leaders, stressing the significance of structured training and continuous learning. Jim's anecdotes offer perspective on effectively driving urgency, building strong champions, and implementing impactful sales strategies.ADDITIONAL RESOURCESLearn more about Jim Drill:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimdrill/Watch Force Management’s Panel Discussion on AI in Sales Leadership: https://hubs.ly/Q03rlW4Z0Download the CRO Strategy Checklist: https://hubs.li/Q03f8LmX0Enjoying the podcast? Sign up to receive new episodes straight to your inbox: https://hubs.li/Q02R10xN0HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT[00:02:09] Jim's Early Career at IBM[00:05:23] Learning the Sales Process[00:07:13] The Importance of Curiosity and Learning[00:15:34] Advice for Young Sellers[00:21:15] Understanding Business Metrics[00:30:08] High-Level Sales Strategies[00:38:08] Budget Constraints and Problem Solving[00:38:43] The M and W Approach to Organizational Navigation[00:39:12] Connecting Metrics to Urgency and Champions[00:40:12] The Importance of Metrics in Sales[00:41:09] Creating Emotional Connections in Sales[00:45:51] The Power of the Champion Letter[00:56:58] The Role of Sales Leadership[01:00:31] Common Mistakes in StartupsHIGHLIGHT QUOTES"Knowledge builds confidence. Confidence turns into credibility. Credibility turns into enthusiasm. That turns into passion, and passion turns into persuasion. But the foundation is knowledge.""The urgency, lack of champions—if sellers are struggling, go back to your metrics. Where are you with your metrics?""Consultative selling is not just about providing solutions, but deeply understanding the pain points and creating value.""You can either do this, separate yourself and set yourself up for the future, or you're going to end up working for someone that did it.""Fires are going to happen. My job is to make sure the whole forest doesn’t burn down."

Dive into the art of sales negotiation with expert Tim Caito! Discover why starting early can transform outcomes and how to engage champions for support. Learn the power of focusing on the client's alternatives to gain leverage. Tim reveals strategies for effectively pushing back against procurement pressures by justifying costs. The importance of preparation and navigating power dynamics in negotiations is emphasized, equipping you to handle objections and create win-win situations. Perfect for anyone looking to enhance their negotiation skills!

Join Paul Capombassis, Chief Revenue Officer at MongoDB, as he shares his expertise in building high-performance sales cultures. Discover why he favors hiring disruptors over domain experts and the vital role of leadership authenticity. Paul reveals transformative initiatives like BDR to CRO and emphasizes the need for adaptability in fast-growing companies. Dive into the significance of structured career development and the importance of consistent leader enablement to boost team performance and drive growth.