Revenue Builders

Find out how to improve revenue teams by treating accounts as franchises and owning numbers. John Kaplan shares strategies for effective account planning and building a successful operating rhythm.

In this curated episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, we engage in a riveting conversation with Alan Chhabra, the Executive Vice President of Worldwide Partners at MongoDB. Alan delves into the intricacies of establishing, nurturing, and enhancing partnerships within the realm of sales and channel organizations. Alan shares insights into prioritizing partnerships, aligning them with customer needs, enhancing sales productivity, and turbocharging relationships with various types of partners.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:01:12] Importance of partnering strategy for selling software at scale.[00:02:15] Assessing partnerships through a customer-centric lens: relevance, ecosystem enhancement, and simplifying procurement.[00:03:55] Focusing on crucial partners: cloud providers, system integrators, ISVs, and resellers.[00:08:49] Convincing partners by highlighting the additional value MongoDB brings to drive their sales.[00:10:40] Establishing trust and momentum through successful mutual deals, leading to a long-term relationship.[00:11:57] Factors that can potentially disrupt partnerships: compensation model changes, competitive products, lack of focus, or overextension.[00:13:44] Turbocharging partnerships with system integrators by offering certification programs aligned with high-margin, strategic projects like cloud migration.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:01:33] "You really need people around the product set to be able to sell at scale."[00:05:37] "It was a nice agreement at the top, but there's no underlying relationship at let's call it the street level."[00:09:44] "That's when trust is established, and then you can build and maintain a long-term relationship."[00:11:06] "Partnerships at the central level, they can be struck quickly, but they also can be destroyed quickly."[00:14:26] "There's ways that companies like MongoDB can get big with SIs if we help them with the cloud migration journey."Listen to the full episode with Alan Chhabra through this link:https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/the-ideal-partnership-with-alan-chhabraCheck 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/

Jeremy Burton is the CEO of Observe and a board member of Snowflake. He has a background in product management and marketing, with experience at companies like Oracle, Symantec, and Dell.In this episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast hosted by John McMahon and John Kaplan, Jeremy Burton, CEO of Observe, shares insights from his transition from working at large companies to leading a startup. He emphasizes the importance of introspection and humility, building a culture of open feedback and discussion, and understanding the continuous process of product-market fit. He also discusses the potential of AI to transform industries and increase productivity, while acknowledging its limitations.Tune in to this conversation with John McMahon and John Kaplan on the Revenue Builders podcast.HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT[00:09:01] Importance of optimism and comfort with the unknown in a startup[00:10:53] Importance of being prepared to make mistakes and learn[00:13:11] Pride is detrimental, need to readjust and reassess decisions[00:19:42] Look for a startup that could become a big company[00:21:50] Importance of humility and listening to customer feedback[00:26:01] Building for larger enterprises can have a stronger value proposition[00:29:30] Focusing on solving customer problems rather than cool features[00:40:31] Skill sets of sellers and understanding users and enterprise[00:47:38] Generative AI can automate troubleshooting tasks and improve efficiency[01:00:00] Marketing's role in making sales successfulADDITIONAL RESOURCESLearn more about Jeremy Burton and about their company:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jburton0/https://www.linkedin.com/company/observe-inc/Download our Sales Transformation Guide for Leaders:https://forc.mx/3sdtEZJHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:54:33] "And I think all of those kinds of industries where a domain expert is required to explain, they're sort of the gatekeeper and you've got to pay them a lot of money. I think that interface is changing. It's going to be blown wide open. And so, if your value is in doing this translation from complicated domain specific language to layman's, you find somewhere else to add value because that's not going to be it."[00:55:52] "But the number of people that can then interact with that is going to be an order of magnitude greater. And so you better make sure your system can scale because more people are probably going to engage. There's a whole bunch of sort of caveats that I think almost every software company is going to have to think through, which is why, if you don't have someone really important in your company working on this, then you're making a mistake."

In this curated episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, we engage in an insightful conversation with Hollie Castro, a seasoned Chief People Officer and business transformation leader. Hollie delves into the evolving landscape of loyalty in the workforce, dissecting changing career expectations, motivations behind career transitions, and the shifting definitions of loyalty across different life stages. Holly shares invaluable insights on redefining loyalty in the modern workplace, emphasizing the importance of mindset shifts and transparent conversations between leaders and their teams.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:00:52] Traditional career longevity is evolving; individuals are more inclined to pursue diverse career paths, influenced by factors like peer comparison, financial gains, and personal growth.[00:01:44] Different life stages dictate varied motivations for career changes. Social media plays a pivotal role in shaping individuals' perceptions of success.[00:03:01] Loyalty remains a fundamental concept, but the expression and expectations surrounding loyalty have transformed over time. Leaders must adapt to the changing dynamics of employee loyalty.[00:04:49] A shift in mindset is crucial. Loyalty doesn't necessarily equate to lifelong commitment; it involves honest conversations and continuous re-recruitment efforts.[00:06:28] How employees exit a company is as vital as their contributions while working there. Leaving transparently and with a positive plan benefits both the departing individual and the organization.[00:08:25] The world is smaller than perceived; leaving a positive legacy matters, as personal reputations endure through professional connections and references.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:01:18] "Social media is a powerful force. So when they perceive their peer group to be, you know, making more money or having a bigger title, that has a huge influence on how they think about themselves."[00:04:49] "Loyalty means something different... It's more about having an honest conversation. Somebody's going to leave. Who's going to leave? What do we need to do to re-recruit them?"[00:06:54] "How you leave is more important than actually everything you did because it's the only thing people will remember about you."[00:07:42] "At some point, you're going to quit a job. And when you do that, how you do it... are you going to be a pro or are you going to be a loser?"Listen to the full episode with Hollie Castro through this link:https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/hiring-in-the-post-covid-19-era-with-hollie-castroCheck 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/

Doug May, Chief of Staff to the CRO at Datadog, discusses the importance of quantifying value in the sales process. Discovery, building trust, and presenting business value assessment results are key. They also highlight the significance of aligning solutions and understanding customer challenges, as well as the value of creating a customer version of the sales process and utilizing a message framework in sales.

Join hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan on the Revenue Builders podcast as they delve into the art of storytelling in sales with Maury Rogow, CEO of Rip Media. Discover how storytelling shapes sales strategies, transforms brands, and influences purchasing decisions. Uncover the crucial role storytelling plays in building relationships, captivating audiences, and driving revenue.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:01:10] The significance of storytelling in sales for both salespeople and executives.[00:01:27] Understanding the customer journey and tailoring stories for various stages.[00:02:07] Making customers the heroes of your stories to address their needs and solutions.[00:03:42] Simplifying complex information into compelling narratives for emotional connection.[00:08:09] Adapting storytelling techniques based on the buyer's position in the purchasing cycle.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:00:49] "Your brand will thrive or die based on the story you tell."[00:01:47] "The folks that tell great stories, get to the point, and build relationships bring in the 6, 7, even 8-figure deals."[00:06:32] "It's not about you; it's about how you help those on the other side of the table. They need to be the hero."[00:07:13] "If you walk in there to serve, the 'what's in it for me,' they're thinking what's in it for me to be sitting here with you."Listen to the full episode with Maury Rogow through this link:https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/make-your-customer-the-hero-with-maury-rogowCheck 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/

John McMahon and John Kaplan as they express gratitude to their dedicated audience while reflecting on the impactful moments of 2023. In this festive episode, the duo discusses the diverse array of esteemed guests, key takeaways, and listener engagement that shaped the Revenue Builders Podcast. From top-tier executives to specific sales strategies, the hosts invite feedback and suggestions for future episodes. They also share exciting plans for 2024 and offer a heartfelt holiday message to their listenersCheck 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/

Mark Thurmond, COO of Tenable and a seasoned revenue builder, shares his expertise on assembling top-notch sales teams. He emphasizes the 'three H's' of recruitment: intellect, passion, and work ethic, explaining how these traits shape effective teams. The discussion dives into the importance of robust sales enablement strategies that empower teams with essential skills. Additionally, Mark highlights the need to eliminate friction within organizations to enhance productivity, ensuring sales teams can operate efficiently and responsively.

Anne Gary, Managing Director at Force Management, discusses decision criteria and mastering sales champions. Topics include aligning product differentiators, risks of scope creep, preparing champions and quantifying pain, the role of champions in controlling decision criteria, feedback and champion influence, and managing stakeholders with champions.

Cedric Pech, CRO at MongoDB, discusses transitioning to a CRO role, purposeful leadership, building a vision, and creating a culture of patriots in an organization.