Revenue Builders

Brian Halligan, former CEO and co-founder of HubSpot, revolutionized marketing with the concept of inbound marketing. He discusses the challenges of scaling a company, the importance of continuous improvement, and his new venture, Propeller, which invests in climate and ocean-related solutions.

Sales leader Carlos Delatore discusses the complexity of pipeline generation in open source software sales. Key topics include conducting thorough research on target accounts, tailoring messages to different personas, and key metrics such as net new meetings and visible opportunities. Importance of clear exit criteria for successful pipeline management is emphasized.

Keno Helmi, a five-time CRO with extensive experience in the technology industry, discusses the importance of proof of value (POV) in the sales process. He highlights the need for clear success criteria and involving the economic buyer (EB) to improve forecasting. Keno shares best practices for running a successful POV, including thorough qualification, defining objectives, and debriefing with the champion. He emphasizes the importance of presenting a comprehensive report to the EB after the POV.

Mark Roberge, co-founder at Stage 2 Capital and Harvard Business School lecturer, discusses the importance of context in sales hiring. He highlights the need for a hiring scorecard with attributes like coachability, intelligence, and curiosity. Mark emphasizes the role of role-playing in interviews and the continuous evolution of the hiring process.

Andy Price, Founder of Artisanal Talent and globally recognized for helping build and invest in successful software startups, discusses talent acquisition in the software industry, the importance of specialization in recruiting, and the role of sales leaders. They emphasize the importance of hiring the right sales leaders at each stage of growth, the key qualities for sales leaders, and the challenges and benefits of integrating AI into the hiring process.

Navy SEAL veteran and VMware COO, Mike Hayes, shares insights on leadership and decision-making. Topics include dynamic subordination, empowering others, creating a culture of idea generation, trying hard things, continuous learning, and humility in leadership.

Scott Sinatra, CEO and co-founder of Bountiful and a former senior sales leader at Glassdoor and LinkedIn, shares his expertise on navigating RFPs in B2B sales. He emphasizes the importance of building relationships within organizations and having a strong internal champion. Scott discusses the challenges of responding to vague RFPs and the critical need for strategic communication. He also highlights the necessity of making informed go/no-go decisions and aligns proposal criteria with client needs to stand out in competitive markets.

In this episode, John McMahon and John Kaplan host Murray Demo, a seasoned CFO with a wealth of experience at renowned companies. Murray shares valuable insights on the transition from sales leader to business leader, emphasizing the need for aligning with company-level problems and becoming a strategic thinker. The discussion explores the ideal profile of a Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) with a focus on business acumen and alignment with company goals. Murray also discusses the challenges of budgeting during economic downturns and the delicate balance between fiscal responsibility and agility. Key metrics for evaluating sales performance, including command of the business, pipeline management, and discounting, are highlighted. The episode concludes by addressing the burden of budgeting within organizations and the importance of aligning compensation programs with corporate strategies.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:00:50] Transition to Business Leadership[00:04:05] Aligning with Company Priorities[00:05:02] Adapting During Tough Times[00:16:06] Aligning Compensation with StrategyHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:00:50] Becoming Business Leaders - "The best sales leaders are actually business leaders. They've made a transition from carrying the bag and trying to make their number."[00:04:05] Sales and Business Strategy - "So how do my priorities or the company priorities get funded and does my team know that I utilize my seat at the table as well as I could to try to better the sales organization?"[00:05:02] Adapting During Tough Times - "When the recession hits, customers just don't have as much money to buy things. So you're going to have to pull back in marketing and you're going to have to pull back on sales."[00:16:06] Aligning Compensation with Strategy - "I think there has to be some thoughtfulness about how you transition from, you know, here's your quota. Here's what you can do on accelerators. It's all cash. To start mixing in more stock as you go."Listen to the full episode with Murray Demo in this link:https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/leading-through-economic-challenges-with-murray-demoCheck out John McMahon’s book here:Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jim Pouliopoulos, storyteller, author, and Senior Lecturer at Bentley University, discusses the importance of happiness in business and life. He emphasizes focusing on the process rather than the outcome and shares insights on minimizing negativity bias. They also explore the impact of regret on living in the present and the significance of character traits in sales hiring.

In this episode, hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan sit down with Jeremy Duggan, a seasoned sales leader with a track record of success. They delve into the challenges and strategies of building a sales team from scratch and inspiring them to achieve greatness. Jeremy emphasizes the importance of data, facts, and transparent leadership. He shares insights on the three R's of leadership, leading indicators for success, and the role of education and development in reaching sales goals. The episode highlights the value of constant self-improvement and learning in the dynamic world of sales leadership.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:01:09] Starting from Scratch and Inspiring Teams[00:01:51] Data and Facts in Leadership[00:02:03] Leading Indicators for Success[00:02:44] Education and Development[00:13:13] The Importance of Full Transparenc[00:13:38] Continuous Self-ImprovementHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:02:27] The Winning Lottery Numbers of Leadership - "What I say to people here is, when I talk to you about leadership and the three R's or the leading indicators in sales, what I'm actually doing is handing you the winning lottery numbers. All you've got to do is go down to the shop and buy a ticket."[00:05:41] The Importance of Inspection for Improvement - "Inspection is a mechanism for improvement because they know you have their best interest at heart."[00:09:18] Self-Coaching and Continuous Improvement - "I didn't really remember big mistakes, even though I know I've made loads of little ones because, for me, the whole point of making a mistake is immediately recognizing it, and then you figure out why you did it so you don't do it again." [00:11:28] Participate in Your Own Rescue - "You have to participate in your own rescue and have self-awareness and self-reflection. You don't wait for anybody to tell you or give you feedback. You give yourself the feedback first."Listen to the full episode with Jeremy Duggan in this link:https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/all-you-need-to-know-about-good-leadership-with-jeremy-dugganCheck out John McMahon’s book here:Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.