Revenue Builders

James Underhill, Senior Director of Sales Operations at MongoDB, discusses the impact of AI on sales. He highlights the importance of combining AI with human skills for effective sales, explains how AI enhances territory management, coaching, and forecasting. The conversation also touches on the changing buying experience with AI in sales.

Former Product Led Sales leader at Dropbox and CRO at Asana, Oliver Jay, discusses the challenges of scaling PLG models. Topics include PLG dominance dynamics, struggles for non-leading companies, compatibility with enterprise sales, hybrid scalability approaches, and the layered nature of PLG growth.

John McMahon and John Kaplan delve into champion building in B2B sales, stressing early identification, relationship development, trust building, and value provision. They distinguish between coaches and champions, emphasize the need for authority and influence, and discuss educating champions and aligning them with critical business issues. The conversation also touches on adding value throughout the sales cycle, measuring accomplishment, and setting clear criteria to prevent competition from changing the rules.

In this curated episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, we delve into the nuances of hiring effective leaders for various growth stages within companies. Joined by Bill Cea, Managing Director at Foster Beck Associates, the discussion navigates through the distinct requirements of sales personnel and Chief Revenue Officers (CROs) across product market fit, deal stage, and scale stage. From debunking conventional job descriptions to unraveling the myths of hiring from big-name companies, the conversation provides invaluable insights into assembling the right sales team for sustainable growth.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:01:14] Product Market Fit Stage: Initial job descriptions often lack relevance; insights from product and engineering teams are crucial for identifying the right salesperson tailored to the product and market needs.[00:02:45] Warning Signs of Misalignment: Inconsistencies in the backgrounds of sales team members can signal organizational issues; diverse backgrounds without a common thread indicate potential problems.[00:03:25] Importance of Early-Stage Expertise: Startups require individuals capable of building from scratch; hiring from established entities may not align with the demands of early-stage growth.[00:04:07] The Fallacy of Big-Name Hires: Hiring from renowned companies doesn't guarantee success; candidates considering both startups and established firms may lack commitment to the startup's demands.[00:06:33] Aligning Expectations: Transparent communication about the challenges and expectations of a role is essential to prevent disillusionment and turnover.[00:07:52] Navigating Deal and Scale Stages: Accelerated hiring plans demand individuals with an entrepreneurial mindset; excessive hiring can lead to revenue dilution and dissatisfaction among sales teams.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:02:27] "If the sellers all look differently... there's something wrong... That's the 1st warning sign."[00:03:06] "You need somebody who truly understands how to develop something from nothing."[00:04:07] "Hiring a name brand... is the absolute opposite... It's a safer bet, bigger company, which completely is the absolute opposite, right?"[00:06:33] "Transparent communication... is essential to prevent disillusionment and turnover."[00:07:52] "Excessive hiring can lead to revenue dilution... dissatisfaction among sales teams."Listen to the full episode with Bill Cea through this link:https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/hiring-for-growth-strategies-for-scaling-sales-teams-with-bill-cea/Check 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/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

CEO of 1E, Mark Banfield, discusses Digital Employee Experience (DEX) and its impact on productivity. He emphasizes the importance of great employee experience for a great customer experience. Topics include measuring DEX, cost savings, building trust with customers, and the role of technical and executive champions in driving adoption of DEX solutions.

In this curated episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, we dive into the intricacies of decision-making, the role of intuition versus data, and the importance of checking one's ego with special guest, Brian McCarthy, Chief Revenue Officer at Rubrik. Brian shares insightful perspectives on how to blend gut instincts with data-driven approaches, the significance of being secure in one's decisions, and the value of course correction when needed. Through candid discussions and personal anecdotes, listeners gain valuable insights into effective leadership strategies and sales performance optimization.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:00:29] Intuition in Decision-Making: Brian discusses the significance of listening to one's gut instincts alongside analyzing data when making critical decisions.[00:02:11] Ego and Decision-Making: The importance of separating ego from decisions, being open to course correction based on new data, and avoiding ego-driven attachment to decisions.[00:03:33] Integrating Data and Intuition: Brian highlights the importance of considering both data-driven insights and gut instincts, along with input from key individuals, to make informed decisions and drive organizational success.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:00:49] "They give me the data and I just, I hear them. Sounds like there's a logical solution, but my gut just is something in my stomach... I just don't feel like I want to make the decision now."[00:02:30] "Get your ego out of the way and just change [the decision]... I've always found it's okay to make a decision based upon the data that you have."[00:03:54] "If you're really listening, you're listening to what the data tells you, you're listening to what your eyes are telling you, what your gut tells you... and then quickly execute."Listen to the full episode with Brian McCarthy through this link:https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/what-the-best-sales-leaders-do-with-brian-mccarthyCheck 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/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mark Wendling, Global VP of Data Cloud Sales and Alliances at Snowflake, discusses Snowflake's sales team structure and key skills for young sellers. Topics include customer pain points, memory in sales, negotiation, creating a vision for customers, tracking meaningful metrics, and scaling sales teams.

In this curated episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, we talk burnout with Marcy Stoudt CEO and co-founder of Revel Coach. Marcy helps leaders avoid burnout, become their best selves without sacrificing success in either area. In this segment she covers a few tips to avoiding burnout.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:00:27] Burnout affects individuals beyond just moms, particularly leaders who lose perspective and struggle to lead effectively when overwhelmed.[00:01:45] Your attitude towards upcoming challenges greatly influences burnout; maintaining a positive mindset is key.[00:02:25] Adopt a daily practice of living "above the line," clarifying your vision and taking action aligned with your desired self.[00:04:36] Recognize and address negative events and emotions that contribute to burnout, working to stay "above the line."[00:05:55] Clear clutter from your schedule, aligning commitments with your vision of success and avoiding unnecessary tasks.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:01:03] "There's a fine line between working too hard and being addicted... It's real and you can't generically say how to prevent it."[00:02:47] "Living above the line... You're defining who you want to be more often."[00:05:19] "Clearing clutter from her calendar is really important and just doing it to align to her vision of success with no comparison."[00:07:34] "Being honest with yourself about the addiction... my inability to extricate myself... became a self-fulfilling prophecy."Listen to the full episode with Marcy Stoudt through this link:https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/mastering-work-life-balance-with-marcy-stoudtCheck 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/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Experts discuss the rise of cloud marketplaces as a route to market for software companies, highlighting benefits like easy access to cloud budget, seamless transactions, and strategic relationships. They stress the importance of understanding the cloud ecosystem and building a go-to-market strategy. Topics include using cloud credits, marketplace as a common channel, Tackle platform integration with Salesforce, merging cloud and B2B software budgets, and leveraging cloud marketplaces for growth.

In this curated episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, John McMahon and John Kaplan delve into the essential characteristics of successful hiring companies, joined by J.R. Butler, founder of the Shift Group. Together, they explore the key elements that make a company excel in recruiting, developing, and retaining top talent, particularly athletes and veterans transitioning into sales roles.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:00:49] Characteristics of A-Players: A-Players are hungry to learn, self-starters with a no-victim mentality, and persistent learners from their mistakes.[00:01:23] Key Considerations for Hiring Companies: Sell the opportunity and potential outcomes. Foster a culture of excellence, growth, and development. Establish clearly defined goals to drive performance.[00:02:30] Culture Beyond Surface: True culture goes beyond superficial elements like themed Zoom days. It's about what people do when nobody's looking, emphasizing structure, practice, and rewarding the right behaviors.[00:05:08] Intimate Leadership: Leaders must understand the nuances of individuals, whether athletes or military veterans, to guide their growth effectively.[00:06:44] Work Preferences of Athletes and Veterans: Consider the unique situations of career transitioners, and understand their willingness to relocate or work remotely.[00:08:35] The Art of Selling the Opportunity: Companies should be adept at not only selling the job but also articulating why the candidate should choose them over other opportunities.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:01:08] "As a hiring company, you need to sell the opportunity and the potential outcome. But you also have to have a culture of excellence, growth, and development."[00:02:09] "Culture is what people do when nobody's looking. To create a culture where people do the right things, you've got to have that type of structure where they can practice and are rewarded for practice."[00:07:34] "Why would somebody want to work for this company? Why would somebody want to work for you? It's a really good exercise. So important."Listen to the full episode with JR Butler through this link:https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/assembling-a-top-sales-team-with-jr-butler/Check 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/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.