Revenue Builders

In this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, John Kaplan and John McMahon talk to Hollie Castro. The Chief Human Resources Officer & SVP, ESG for Yeti, talks about how the company overcame the incredible challenges that they faced during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.Hollie shares her perspective on how workforce needs have changed post-COVID, as well as how the increasing need to attract Millennial and Gen Z hires calls for a new approach to culture and expectations. She offers her winning tips for how hiring managers can rise to the challenge in order to hire and retain great talent from Millennial, Gen Z, and diverse groups.Additional Resources:Connect With Hollie Castro on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollie-castro-mba-nacd-dc-6526452/Help displaced minorities achieve self-sufficiency | https://www.casamarianella.org/More about Force Management | https://forc.mx/3waMDDSWeather Recruitment Challenges: Make Your Talent an Advantage | https://forc.mx/3zaLLAz3 Tactics to Help Managers Retain Top Talent During the Great Resignation | https://forc.mx/3MkbeL6HIGHLIGHTSHow Yeti fared during the height of the COVID-19 pandemicThe truth about having Gen Z and Millennials in the workforceHow companies can improve their hiring process A diverse workplace requires intentional hiring effortCareer paths aren't always linearBe mindful of your ambition vs your constitutionQUOTESHollie: "What we're learning is people want the flexibility but they also like to come back together from time to time to connect and be social. It's a very social culture."Hollie: "How you leave is more important than actually everything you did. Because  it's the only thing people will remember about you. So are you honest and transparent? Are you having authentic conversations, are you putting a good plan in place that leaves your team and the organization in the best possible state?" Hollie: "The more clear you are about the thing you're going toward, the better probability you'll have of landing that. In my experience, careers aren't linear. Sometimes things show up and you're like, oh I don't know, this is kinda risky. Do the assessment of your calculated risk but sometimes the most unorthodox thing that shows up will be the thing that is the best growth for you."Hollie: "What happens with people that are really good is an organization will tend to want to give them more, whether it's in their job description or not. If that's not happening for you and you want that, make it known. I always say, nobody cares about your career as much as you do." Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064

In this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, John Kaplan and John McMahon talk to John Hanlon, an experienced sales leader on all things leadership, from being coachable, to taking on a new VP of sales role. Hanlon talks about key learnings you can gain from past failures and the top traits that all good leaders possess. Digging deeper, Hanlon shares one key thing that good leaders can’t have, if they want to do their job effectively. Additional Resources:Connect With John Hanlon on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-hanlon80/More about Presidio | https://www.presidio.com/More about Force Management | https://forc.mx/3waMDDSDon’t Let Your Sales Initiative Fail: Lead from the Front | https://forc.mx/3GupnE8Taking on a New VP of Sales Role? Key Resources to Help You Get Started | https://forc.mx/39XgJloLearn more about CASA (Court Appointed Service Advocate) | https://childadv.net/casaHIGHLIGHTSYou learn more from your mistakes than successesListening in leadershipBe both coachable and adaptableThe person with no ego winsGUEST BIO John Hanlon has more than 25 years of industry and international experience in information management software, hardware and service. Since joining EMC in August 2000, he has held leadership roles including Vice President, Network Attached Storage Unit; Senior Vice President, Mid-Market Sales; and President, EMC Americas Sales and Customer Operations. Prior to Dell/EMC, John Hanlon was VP of Sales (Americas) for Parametric Technology Corporation. He also served for 7 years as an Officer in the United States Navy.QUOTESHanlon: "It's our job to add value, break down barriers, make people more successful, get them promoted, watch them develop and grow. But if people aren't comfortable coming to you to talk about their problems or their situation, you're flawed as a leader. You're done." Hanlon: "People want to work for people that are real. No phony baloney. Don't try to kid me. Be transparent. Be honest. Because we've all worked for people who tend to tell you what you want to hear or are a little bit full of themselves."Hanlon: "This is what a leader is all about. It's about being accountable, about being self-aware, and recognizing when you're wrong. Because if you don't know that you're wrong, you can't alter your course." Hanlon: "Sometimes you lose to win, sometimes you take a step back to go five steps forward. But if you can keep that ego in check, you can go a lot farther as a leader." Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064

In this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, John Kaplan and John McMahon talk to Jeremy Duggan, a veteran sales leader who helped build AppDynamics into a juggernaut before it was acquired by Cisco for $3.7 billion. From recruitment and retention all the way to creating revenue, Jeremy knows how to lead and provides a proven formula for success that includes caring about your people and using data effectively. Additional Resources:Donate to Save the Children | https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/More about Force Management | https://forc.mx/3waMDDSHow to Hire the Right Sales Talent for Growth | https://forc.mx/3MLtiOU3 Tactics to Help Managers Retain Top Talent | https://forc.mx/3lrj0aPHIGHLIGHTSRecruitment, Retention, and RevenueA Players: How to hire and keep themYou need to inspire and inspect your people all the time Actionable tips to improve your leadership skills Always be thinking of what you can do betterKnow how to use data effectivelyQUOTESJeremy: "If you can recruit people, and then you can retain and inspire those great people, and then you have a fact-based methodology around to drive results, if you take care of those three things, then you've got a fantastic job of building a really incredible company."Jeremy:  "Look, when I talk to you about leadership and the three Rs, or the leading indicators in sales, what I'm actually doing is I'm handing you the winning lottery numbers. All you gotta do is go down to the shop and buy a ticket." Jeremy: "I can't really remember big mistakes even though I've made loads of little ones. Because for me the whole point of making a mistake is that it makes you recognize it and then you figure out why you did it, so you don't do it again. So then you don't kind of remember it, because you've fixed it." Jeremy: "If you care about people, it overcomes a lot of things that you might do wrong. You might have a bad day, you might lose your temper with something, you might get something wrong. But if people  know you fundamentally care about them, then they'll change it."Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064

In this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, John Kaplan and John McMahon talk to the Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at UPS, Kevin Warren. Kevin takes us through his journey in business, starting from his time as a salesperson in Xerox to where he is now at UPS. Kevin talks about constant improvement and ensuring that you are learning new things to keep up with dynamic markets. He applies this mantra even at UPS, where he took on the enormous challenge of elevating the established company marketing and brand strategy to adjust for modern times and new markets. Additional Resources:UPS Blue Horizons Minority Incentive Program | https://bit.ly/3PhYnvEGeorgetown Scholarship | give.georgetown.edu/LucyWarrenScholarshipMaking the Most of Every Lead: Key Questions to Help Sales and Marketing Alignment | https://forc.mx/3uPZSHFMore about Force Management | https://forc.mx/3waMDDSHIGHLIGHTSHow a sales job led to an Executive VP and CMO positionConstantly assess and update your personal skill set The importance of a mentor-mentee relationship The journey from Xerox to UPSShifting industries, learning the language and gaining credibility Partnerships and relations are everythingProtecting a well-established brand in a dynamic industryGUEST BIOKevin Warren is the Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at UPS. In this role he’s responsible for U.S. and International Marketing, The UPS Store, Digital Channels, Revenue Enablement, Business Planning, Forecasting & Pricing, Digital Marketing, Customer Experience, Brand Relevancy, and the company’s Ware2Go subsidiary. His highly developed perspective on data-centric business and non-traditional engagement channels is driving change at UPS and setting new standards in digitally enabled customer experience. As the e-commerce business era takes shape, Kevin is shaping those critical aspects of UPS strategy that will deliver the business of the future.Most recently, Kevin served as Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for Xerox Corporation, where he was responsible for marketing, worldwide channel strategy, salesforce effectiveness, and global client engagement for the company’s diverse portfolio of hardware, software, and services.Previously, Kevin served as president of Global Growth Opportunities, responsible for accelerating revenue growth outside the United States. In addition, he had strategic oversight for two Xerox operating units, Global Imaging Systems and Xerox Canada, as well as leading the company’s 3-D printing strategy.He also led the integration activity surrounding Xerox’s $1.5 billion purchase of Global Imaging Systems. In 2007, he was named chairman, president and chief executive officer of Xerox Canada and in 2010, was named president of U.S. Client Operations. Kevin joined Xerox in 1984 as a sales trainee in Washington, D.C.Kevin is a board member for Fiserv, Georgetown University, and the UPS Foundation. He is also a current member of the Executive Leadership Council and a founding member of the Black Executive CMO Alliance (BECA). Previously, Kevin served on the board of Illinois Tool Works and the national board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.A native of Washington, D.C., Kevin received his Bachelor of Science in finance from Georgetown University and is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School, having completed the Advanced Management Program.QUOTESKevin: "Because the industry is changing, that means your skillset's got to be changing, you've got to be changing faster. So the 2022 version of Kevin has got to be better than the 2021. It's the same sort of thing as far as looking at your skills and competencies and what you're bringing to the table." Kevin: "It was almost really a race of me gaining internal credibility and learning the industry in the company at a depth level deep enough so then I can leverage my commercial knowledge and see things from fresh eyes to get the benefit of that different experience." Kevin: "The marketing function led-effort worked well with our communications function to come up with our purpose statement, which is 'Moving our world forward by delivering what matters.'"Kevin: "If you're in an industry that's dynamic, that's moving more to digital and you've got new players and wannabe disruptors, it's good; you gotta have that trust. But you also have to, an exam question on momentum is 'Is this a company that's on its way up, or are its best days behind it? Is this a company that's agile and innovative? Cool, digital? Is this a company that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion and thinks the environment is important?"Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064

In this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, John Kaplan and John McMahon talk to author, entrepreneur, public speaker, and sales leader Maury Rogow. Maury talks about using powerful storytelling techniques in the context of sales, and how marketing and sales teams should be working together seamlessly to attract and convert customers. Maury also takes us into the story of how he got into Hollywood and how he transformed himself from the kid who couldn’t raise his hands in school to a capable public speaker, and that one time he opened for comedian Joe Rogan. Additional Resources:Key Characteristics for CROs to Hone in Each Stage of Growth | https://forc.mx/3uUCM3ZTaking on a New VP of Sales Role? Key Resources: | https://forc.mx/3KTEismDonate to breast cancer research: https://drsusanloveresearch.org/Check out Maury's book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TB1FKLX/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0Connect with Maury on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauryrogow/More about Force Management | https://forc.mx/3waMDDSHIGHLIGHTSMany salespeople fail because they lack this basic skillYour customer is the hero of the story Always know where you are in the buyer's journeyGet the S-T-U-F-F in your stories to make them effective Know your customer's learning styleThe messaging must be seamless from marketing to salesThe shy kid who couldn't raise his hand in schoolIntroducing the E-P-I-C story structureHow Maury got into Hollywood and the lessons learned Advice for connecting to people remotelyQUOTESMaury: "Your brand will thrive or die based on the story you tell. That's for the sales people and it's for executives too. The reason I say that is it's all based on fact but I got to get it across fast. Salespeople are failing out there because they don't have the basic skills to grab attention and then be memorable." Maury: "Sure, you get plenty of sales without your story in there. They're probably low value, they're probably the cheap shots, you're probably making quota or getting to your quota. But the folks that are really good at this, the folks that really can tell a great story, can get somebody else to share, they're the ones bringing in the six, the seven, even eight-figure deals because they're building a relationship." Maury: "The hero of the story is them. You're not the hero. Don't tell me you're here to make a bunch of money. Don't tell me your IPO is gonna put 10 million in your pot. Nobody wants to hear that. They want to hear how it helps them. And if you get served because of it, fantastic. But they're the hero of the story." Maury: "If you confuse, you will lose. Gotta keep it simple." Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064

In this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, John Kaplan and John McMahon talk through their experiences with recruiting talent, and why many companies often stumble in this fundamental step. Your employees are the lifeblood of your business, and to be successful, you need to hire the right people. In this era of mass resignations and global hiring, business leaders and interviewers need to hone in on the characteristics, skill sets and knowledge of what will make sales talent successful in your company.Additional Resources:Hiring Great Sales Talent: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/revenue-builders/id1610203369HIGHLIGHTSStop relying solely on the resume or LinkedIn profiles Sales people are not created equal Interviewers need to both qualify the candidate and sell the opportunityLook for qualified candidates, not friendsCompanies should equip their employees with skills and knowledgeDon't sleep on the references How candidates can prepare for the interview QUOTESJohn MacMahon: "If I'm gonna be in a fast growing company, two of the most essential characteristics I have to have in a person is intelligence and drive. Because skills take a lot of time to develop. If somebody's really smart in a classroom, I can teach them stuff. On the job, I can teach them stuff pretty quickly. But it's the skillset that takes a really long time to develop." John Kaplan: "I found that some of the best interviewers have emotionally connected to what they do matters and why it matters and therefore, it comes across the interview process. I find people woefully prepared to really talk about why what they do matters." John MacMahon: "The mistake that a lot of first time leaders make is they are almost looking more for a friend than they are for a candidate that can really be successful int he role. Because of that they do some people a disservice because they truly don't have the knowledge or the skillset to be successful. But they like the person."John Kaplan: "The knowledge and skills are the responsibility of the company to bring them the knowledge that they're going to need and to give them  the opportunity to enhance their skills, to develop the skills, to position that knowledge effectively. The responsibility of the individual is to bring their character to that equation."  Learn More about Force Management here: www.forcemanagement.comCheck out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064

In this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, John Kaplan and John McMahon talk to veteran recruiter, Chad Peets. As a Managing Director of Sutter Hill Ventures, Chad is responsible for  building the go-to-market teams globally for their portfolio companies. Chad talks about his process for recruiting, particularly for the CEO and CRO roles. Having been in the recruitment industry for more than two decades, Chad shares his expertise on which qualities to look out for in candidates in order to ensure success for your organization. HIGHLIGHTSBuilding a world-class sales organization goes beyond recruitment Managing expectations is a balancing actExperience will bring you successQuestions that CRO candidates should ask when looking for new opportunitiesThe War on Talent and The Great ResignationWhy CROs have the hardest job in software sales Traits of a candidate that's going to be hired QUOTESChad: "You bring the fundamentals of the playbook. But every time you go into a situation, it's a unique situation so you're gonna have to tweak and make changes to that playbook to adjust, if you will, for the company that you're in, the market that you're in, the product that you're selling, etc.”Chad: "You have to be focused on the long-term and building out world class sales organizations. This recruiter has to be focused on exactly that. If they're focused on transactions, if they're focused on fees and you and you can figure this out really quickly, what their objectives are, their objective has to be your objective."Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064Additional Resources:Key Characteristics for CROs to Hone in Each Stage of Growth | https://forc.mx/3uUCM3ZTaking on a New VP of Sales Role? Key Resources: | https://forc.mx/3KTEismMore about Force Management | https://forc.mx/3waMDDSConnect with Chad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadpeets/

On this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to veteran football coach JD Brookhart. JD has led an interesting life, working as a coach for the Denver Broncos and several college football teams. He coached the Akron Zips to their first MAC Championship Title in 2005 and brought the team to their first collegiate bowl as a Division One program. Beyond his life in football, JD also earned accolades as a salesperson during his time with Xerox and is now a managing partner at CJ&M Holdings. JD talks about the parallels between coaching football and managing sales teams, particularly in building a team, motivating them, and knowing how to lead them to success. HIGHLIGHTSParallels between sports coaching and sales work You need to know what motivates you and what motivates your teamNobody cares about what you know until they know you care  Team chemistry can be just as important as individual talentAlways work just a little bit harder to find success Leverage your network and believe in the power of who Accountability, Productivity, and Persistence QUOTESJD: "You got to have three rules to hiring. Number one, you got to know how to hire, two, you got to know how to fire, and number three, you got to do number one so you don't have to do number two." JD: "The guys that I've seen that are really good coaches, many times have been walk-arounds trying to prove themselves. Guys that worked up the ranks, that came from smaller schools. Sometimes those guys that have been there, they understand what it takes to be good and the time that we have to put in to be great." JD: "It’s always great to be on a winning team, but we’ve all been in a situation when things aren’t going so well. Whether it be the revenue numbers or the Games in the win column – that’s when real leaders differentiate themselves."JD: "I look back on it, and I don't know of a job that I got by myself. I had somebody helping me or somebody I met along the way, which just changed the course of my life. I've just been fortunate to be around the people I've met through the course of my career." Connect with JD via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jd-brookhart-ba647977/

Few can understand what happens in a war unless you’ve been in the middle of one. Often the lessons that come after the homecoming are some of the toughest to learn. The moral injuries that our veterans face often go unnoticed and untreated. That’s what sparked Sgt. Anthony Anderson’s walk from Wisconsin to California featured in the Almost Sunrise Documentary.  In this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, Anthony talks about his own lessons learned and how those leading companies can support veterans re-entering civilian life. Anthony’s experience is also a great testament to what it takes to be a great leader.  HIGHLIGHTSWhy Anthony joined the militaryLessons learned while volunteering to serve in Iraq twiceWar has no peerCombat and survival instincts change youReintegration after service comes with its own issuesPost-Traumatic Stress Disorder vs Moral InjuryWalking from Milwaukee to California to raise awarenessThe families of veterans need help tooDonate your time, not just your moneyQUOTESAnthony: "Some of the things that I took away, certainly in the first time, much earlier in the war with different kind of mission, how much chaos is surrounding you and how little control you have over these things, but how ultimately you have to make decision."Anthony: "I learned very early that people want to be understood in one way and seen in one light, but they also don't want to let on what actually allows people to get to know them." Anthony: "Some of the chaos in war is not just what's happening outside, it's what's happening in your heart and in your mind." Anthony: "Wars may end when peace treaties are signed. But wars don't end in you."  Anthony: "When the drumbeat for war is beating louder, and everybody starts to put into to context the need to go to war, and how much it's gonna cost, and how quickly we'll do it, etc…. We need to put decision makers accountable for things like, how many doctors, how many nurses, how many psychiatrists psychologists, peer mentors etcetera do we need to have in place, and will they be in place before the first shot is fired, and if not, when will they be there." Additional Resources:Almost Sunrise: http://sunrisedocumentary.com/LiT Beard CO: https://litbeardco.com/Project Welcome Home Troops: https://projectwelcomehometroops.org/American Corporate Partners: https://www.acp-usa.org/OJAI Earth Yoga: https://www.ojai.earth/missionMore About the Episode: https://forc.mx/3Ks0vOjConnect with Anthony via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-anderson-441177129/

HIGHLIGHTSHow a business travel company survived COVID-19 lockdowns Achieving growth and pivoting in a time of crisis Using content to drive brand recognition and revenue on a budgetDiscussions about Product-Led GrowthAlways try to find out how and why your customers are buyingBiggest challenges over the last two years for a CMOWe need to create second-line leaders Look for problem solvers, not victimsDonate to UkraineQUOTESKaplan: "Everybody's boat went down at the same time. Around the world, it's one of those rare times where everybody's boat in the harbor goes down, but not everybody's boat rose at the same time. And I was just really really impressed that the way your answer was, it's now time to get close to our customers." Meagen: "When there's no wind, you row." Meagen: "Back then, we were focused. We knew what we had to do. We had to create a sense of urgency. As I said, inbound dried up. Nobody was looking for travel solutions. In fact, the first thing was, are you kidding me we're in a pandemic why are you trying to sell this?" Meagen: "Originally we were targeting the travel manager, but they all got furloughed. So now we need to switch and which was the smarter thing to do, is target the CFO who manages travel under procurement typically, and finance and accounting." Meagen: "We need to switch, we need to redefine our ICP, the right customer profile to go after, and I needed product marketers. And I just thought I'm gonna go heavy on product marketer's content, we're gonna build academies. So when the travel manager gets their job back, there's gonna be a new world." Meagen: "You want the ability to self-serve and get the low end of the market, but you get big money in the mid-market and upper side of it. So don't leave that on the table. Either develop both, and it's going to be a lot easier to sell if it's an amazing product and has product market fit, and you're not going to get product led growth without product market fit."McMahon: You can't be all things to all people, especially as we talked about how marketing has expanded so much in the last 10 years. You can't be an expert in every different disciplines. You need to hire great leaders underneath you. And that should be a lesson for any leader that's listening on the phone.” Connect with Meagen and her work with the links below: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meageneisenberg/Website: https://tripactions.com/ Additional Resources:Donate to Ukraine: https://tripactions.com/ukraineMaking the Most of Every Lead: Key Questions to Help Sales and Marketing Alignment | https://forc.mx/3uPZSHFWhat CROs prioritize to drive PLG success | https://forc.mx/3K0HqCBConnect with Mike with on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemcsally/Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064