
Revenue Builders
Welcome to the Revenue Builders podcast, a weekly show featuring B2B sales leaders and executives. Hosted by Five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management’s Co-Founder John Kaplan, the show goes in the barrel, behind the scenes with the people who have been there, done that and seen the results. Revenue Builders covers the best practices for scaling and growing your business, while sharing the pitfalls to avoid. Great conversation. Solid interviews. Tangible takeaways to help you succeed. If you enjoy our content, please subscribe, rate and review the show to help us reach more people.
This show is brought to you by: Force Management where we help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Check out forcemanagement.com more information
Latest episodes

Oct 13, 2024 • 8min
Demonstrating Opportunity with Your SKO
Discover how to supercharge your sales kickoffs by aligning them with strategic company goals. Learn why demonstrating the opportunities available to revenue teams is vital for their engagement. The hosts emphasize the importance of career growth and targeted training to tackle sales challenges. Clear communication about the purpose behind sales goals can foster a motivating culture that resonates year-round. Overall, it's about creating a purposeful kickoff that inspires success!

22 snips
Oct 10, 2024 • 1h 5min
Mastering Negotiation in B2B Sales with Keno Helmi
Keno Helmi, a seasoned five-time CRO with expertise at leading tech firms, dives into the intricacies of B2B sales negotiation. He stresses the importance of managing price perception and positioning products as premium offerings to highlight value. Keno outlines a negotiation protocol that includes qualifying conditions and preparing for trade-offs. He emphasizes early engagement with procurement and leveraging non-price elements, alongside mastering ROI discussions to navigate objections and close successfully.

Oct 6, 2024 • 6min
The Manager Curse: Being a Super Rep with Tammy Sexton
Tammy Sexton, the Chief Revenue Officer at Aerospike and a seasoned sales professional, shares her journey of shifting from account executive to first-line manager. She discusses the trap of becoming a 'super rep,' where new managers inadvertently overshadow their teams. Emphasizing the importance of effective coaching, Tammy advocates for recognizing individual strengths and fostering empowerment among sales reps. She provides actionable strategies for new managers to encourage team success while driving revenue goals.

27 snips
Oct 4, 2024 • 1h 33min
A Revenue Builder’s Journey: From Seller to Leader to Operating Partner
Bill Binch, a seasoned sales leader and Operating Partner at Battery Ventures, discusses his career trajectory from Oracle to startups like Marketo. He shares insightful lessons on transparent leadership, strategic hiring, and the vital role of adaptability in embracing AI technologies. Bill emphasizes mentorship and patience as key factors for career growth and explores the transition from being an individual contributor to a leadership role. His practical advice on enhancing sales performance and navigating market challenges provides a roadmap for aspiring revenue leaders.

Sep 29, 2024 • 11min
Understanding Your People with Hollie Castro
Hollie Castro, a seasoned Chief People Officer and business transformation expert, joins the discussion to emphasize the power of understanding team dynamics. She highlights the importance of building meaningful connections with team members to boost leadership effectiveness. Expect insights on hiring strategies that prioritize complementary characteristics and the significance of embracing diverse perspectives for innovation. Hollie shares her experiences advocating for curiosity and empathy to navigate cultural differences and foster selfless teamwork.

Sep 26, 2024 • 57min
Optimizing a Customer Success Team
Sasha Anderson, Global Head of Customer Success at Canva, shares her expertise in customer success management. She discusses the evolving role of CSMs, debating the balance between commercial and technical focus based on product complexity. Sasha emphasizes the significance of customer value in consumption-based models and the need for alignment between sales and CS teams. The challenges of specialization within CSMs and strategies for building a high-performance culture are also highlighted, making this a treasure trove of insights for leaders in the field.

Sep 22, 2024 • 8min
Aligning on Metrics with Your Customer
Anne Gary from Force Management joins the discussion, bringing expertise in aligning metrics with buyers. She emphasizes the significance of identifying customer pain points during the discovery phase. The conversation navigates the challenges of establishing effective customer success metrics, highlighting the difference between financial and technical aspects. Practical advice is offered for sales reps to bridge these perspectives, underlining the importance of preparation and communication in sales discussions.

Sep 19, 2024 • 1h 1min
What the Best Sales Kickoffs Do
Join sales experts John Kaplan, known for his expertise in event structuring, and John McMahon, a speaker on effective sales kickoffs, alongside MongoDB's Alan Chhabra, who offers partnership insights. They discuss how to create impactful sales kickoffs that motivate teams and align with business goals. Key topics include maximizing participation, the importance of clear messaging, engaging presentations, and the power of role-playing for skill development. They also stress the need for collaboration with partners to enhance the overall event experience.

Sep 15, 2024 • 7min
Engaging the 100lb Brains
Join Carl Froggatt, a seasoned expert from Deep Instinct, and Joe Lynch, a pro from Citibank, as they delve into the art of closing high-stakes deals. They emphasize the importance of engaging critical '100-pound brains' early in the sales process. Discover why companies like Citibank prioritize solutions over flashy tech. The duo shares strategies for fostering internal champions and navigating the complexities of resource allocation within organizations. Get actionable insights on aligning stakeholder priorities for successful outcomes.

Sep 12, 2024 • 15min
Interviewing for Your Next Role
Job transitions can be daunting, but there are effective strategies to thrive. Discover the art of strategic networking while managing your energy. Prioritize opportunities that align with your long-term goals rather than just a title. Learn how to treat interviews like sales calls, solving problems and asking insightful questions. Plus, hear about one candidate's memorable approach that combined silence, confidence, and a wink to stand out. It's about energizing your job search and showcasing your potential!