GTM Science - A show for GTM and RevOps leaders

CRO Stories is a segment of the RevOps Corner podcast, where we interview brilliant CROs and GTM experts to discover how revenue leaders are making massive impact in B2B SaaS. Hosted by USC Marketing Manager Rachael Bueckert. In this episode, we're sitting down with JD Miller, advisor and former chief revenue officer at Kantata, to discuss the most important lessons he's learned as a CRO. JD shares insights on the transition from startup to large publicly traded companies, the importance of data in driving strategy, annual planning best practices, and managing team dynamics and turnover. We also get to hear more about JD's newly launched book 'The CRO's Guide to Winning in Private Equity', which is available to order now on his website by clicking here. You can learn more about JD at his website or by following him on LinkedIn. 00:00 Introduction 00:26 JD Miller's Career Journey 03:46 Private Equity and Urgency in Business 05:11 Using Data to Drive Impactful Strategy 8:40 Preparing Companies for Scaling Beyond $20M ARR 10:47 Annual Planning and Setting Realistic Goals 15:00 Why CROs Get Fired 17:01 Analyzing Metrics and Sales Velocity 20:33 Adapting Strategies for Growth 23:10 Navigating Uncertainty with Weekly Analysis 24:17 The Importance of Transparency in Leadership 26:06 Building Contingencies into Annual Plans 28:43 Setting Realistic Goals and Managing Expectations 31:15 Having Hard Conversations with the Board 32:52 How to Keep Team Morale High 36:08 Setting Up Reps for Success with Territories 40:20 Aligning Company Values and Individual Goals 43:29 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Welcome to CRO Stories, a new segment of the RevOps Corner podcast, where we interview brilliant CROs and GTM experts to discover how revenue leaders are making massive impact in B2B SaaS. In this episode our host, USC Marketing Manager Rachael Bueckert , interviews Jessica Gilmartin, former Chief Revenue Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at Calendly. Jessica shares her extensive experience in marketing and sales, detailing her journey from Google to startups like Piazza and eventually to Calendly. She discusses the challenges and strategies behind integrating sales and marketing functions, particularly in a Product-Led Growth (PLG) and Sales-Led Growth (SLG) hybrid model. 00:25 Jessica Gill Martin's Career Journey 02:23 Restructuring and Team Alignment 06:40 Implementing Changes 07:26 Restructuring the Sales Org 12:33 Results of Sales and Marketing Collaboration 20:03 Future Plans and Advice for CROs

In this episode of The RevOps Corner, USC Marketing Manager Rachael Bueckert interviews founder and CEO Eddie Reynolds on how to create a bottoms-up plan. Eddie discusses the limitations of top-down growth models like the triple triple, double double double framework and advocates for a bottoms-up approach to create realistic and executable growth plans. He details the importance of granular data analysis, capacity planning, and the integration of both planning methods to align business goals with achievable strategies. The conversation covers net revenue retention, expansion revenue, forecasting sales, tactical capacity plans, and the metrics crucial for presenting to boards and investors. Eddie also shares practical insights from his experience at Salesforce on improving close rates, average sales price, and sales cycle for new team members. 00:00 Introduction 00:54 Top-Down vs. Bottoms-Up Planning 03:05 Benefits of Bottoms-Up Planning 03:59 Steps to Start Bottoms-Up Planning 07:12 Forecasting and Capacity Planning 11:33 Challenges in Capacity Planning 18:38 Outbound Prospecting Strategies 21:05 Inbound Lead Management 34:41 Blending Top-Down and Bottoms-Up Approaches 36:05 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes _____________________________________________________________________ GTM STRATEGY, GROWTH PLANNING, & REVOPS SERVICES ● Website ● LinkedIn ● TikTok

Welcome to the first episode of CRO Stories! This is a new segment of the RevOps Corner podcast, where we interview brilliant CROs and GTM experts to discover how revenue leaders are making massive impact in B2B SaaS. Our host, USC Marketing Manager Rachael Bueckert, sits down with Warren Zenna of The CRO Collective to talk about how CROs can thrive in their role -- and the mistakes companies make when hiring them. Know a CRO with experience in B2B SaaS >$30M ARR and experiences to share? You can email Rachael at rachael@unionsquareconsulting.com to be considered! 00:00 Introduction to CRO Stories 00:48 Warren's Background and Journey 01:40 Challenges in Ad Tech and Sales 03:36 Misalignment in Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success 06:28 Why We Need a Chief Revenue Officer 07:10 Defining the CRO Role 07:57 CRO Readiness and Hiring Challenges 09:00 The Impact of Hiring the Right CRO 14:01 Common Mistakes in Defining the CRO Role 23:09 Advice for New CROs Before You Take the Job 29:07 Evaluating Marketing and CRO Interactions 30:01 Establishing Your Process in the Interview 30:17 Assessing Revenue Operations Maturity 32:02 Understanding the Role of a CRO 35:32 Key Competencies for Sales Leaders 39:52 Ensuring CRO Support and Resources 47:01 What Can CROs Do When They're Not Being Supported Enough 50:30 Networking and Resources for CROs 51:52 Conclusion and Where to Find More Information

In this solo episode of The RevOps Corner, host Eddie Reynolds, founder and CEO of Union Square Consulting, shares a recent experience where an AE missed an opportunity to grow him as a customer. Eddie illustrates the mistakes that were made and how you can learn from them to increase your own expansion pipeline. The process that Eddie highlights is the same one he learned from his time at Salesforce, where he doubled customer spending in the first 12 months. Emphasizing the importance of fundamentals like ICP, buyer personas, and a strong onboarding process, Eddie discusses identifying healthy customers, segmenting them by industry and role, and drilling down on specific tactics to expand accounts. He underscores the significance of forming a point of view and doing in-depth research to open up expansion opportunities, particularly when approaching various stakeholders such as CFOs and CROs. 00:00 Introduction 00:29 Generating Expansion Opportunities 01:12 Missed Opportunities in Account Management 03:27 Fundamentals of Expansion Pipeline 06:08 Identifying Healthy Customers 07:01 Segmenting Customers for Success 09:19 Research and Forming a Point of View 11:48 Setting Up for Success 13:15 Conclusion and Next Steps _____________________________________________________________________ STRATEGIC REVENUE OPERATIONS AS A SERVICE ● Website ● LinkedIn ● TikTok

In this episode of RevOps Corner, host Eddie Reynolds interviews Adam Robinson, founder and CEO of RB2B and Retention.com. They discuss the abysmally low prospect response rates in today's market and the significance of leveraging thought leadership on platforms like LinkedIn to enhance outbound sales strategies. Eddie and Adam share insights from their own experiences building recognizable brands on LinkedIn and discuss practical steps for optimizing sales and marketing efforts in the B2B SaaS space -- with Adam providing some brilliant on-the-spot Inbound-led Outbound coaching and strategies. You won't want to miss this one! Want to learn more about Adam's solution for identifying anonymous website visitors? Click here! 00:00 Introduction 00:22 Guest Introduction: Adam Robinson 00:43 Adam's Career Journey 03:13 Eddie's Career Journey 05:52 The Problem with Outbound Response Rates 09:45 The Evolution of Sales Strategies 12:39 Leveraging LinkedIn for Sales 14:34 Content Creation and Personal Branding 22:42 Demand Creation vs. Demand Capture 26:12 Warm Outreach Campaign Strategies 27:13 Personalization vs. Relevance in Email Campaigns 29:05 Freemium Model and Conversion Rates 30:36 Leveraging LinkedIn for Outreach 32:02 Content as a Sales and Discovery Tool 37:54 Optimizing LinkedIn Connections 43:47 Balancing Automation and Personalization 49:51 Final Thoughts _____________________________________________________________________ STRATEGIC REVENUE OPERATIONS AS A SERVICE ● Website ● LinkedIn ● TikTok

In this episode of RevOps Corner, our host Mallory Lee chats with Andrew Nadeau, founder of Align.ly, to explore different ways of qualifying leads other than the "dead" MQL. They discuss whether MQLs are still relevant, the problems associated with traditional lead scoring, and the importance of intent signals. The conversation highlights how companies can improve lead routing, the nuances of automating lead to account matching, and how AI can assist in these processes. Both agree that while MQLs serve a purpose, a refined approach leveraging Salesforce campaigns and intent signals can streamline revenue operations. Check out Andrew's playbook for implementing a contacts-only strategy in Salesforce without skipping the lead -> Click here! 00:00 Introduction 00:33 Meet Andrew Nadeau: Founder of Alignly 01:41 Alignly's Solutions and Philosophy 03:55 The Debate: Is the MQL Dead? 08:06 Challenges with MQLs and Lead Scoring 12:02 Improving MQL Strategies 16:12 The Importance of Nurturing Leads and Contacts 21:44 Best Practices for Lead and Contact Management 22:59 Understanding the Sales Handoff Process 23:39 The Importance of Lead to Account Matching 25:25 Challenges with Contact and Account Management 29:41 The Role of Salesforce Campaigns in Marketing 31:35 Measuring Marketing Campaign Effectiveness 42:00 Leveraging AI for Sales and Marketing Alignment 43:58 Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways _____________________________________________________________________ STRATEGIC REVENUE OPERATIONS AS A SERVICE ● Website ● LinkedIn ● TikTok

In this episode of The RevOps Corner, host Eddie Reynolds speaks with Jim Wilson, partner at Costanoa Ventures, about blending inbound and outbound strategies to build an effective pipeline for B2B SaaS companies. They discuss definitions of inbound and outbound, account-based marketing (ABM), the importance of prioritizing quality over quantity, and how to balance experimentation with established practices. Jim emphasizes the value of salespeople owning their prospecting methods and integrating automated tools and content strategies. They share insights on engaging potential customers and refining lead assessment techniques, highlighting the art of selling alongside digital tools and processes. Jim is always happy to take calls or inbounds from great salespeople. You can reach him on LinkedIn or by email at jim@costanoa.bc 00:00 Introduction 01:22 The Role of ABM in Outbound Marketing 03:49 How Early-Stage Companies Should Experiment 06:23 Content Creation and Lead Qualification 09:01 How to Define Inbound Qualified Leads 14:37 The Importance of Sales Prospecting 20:19 Strategies for Combining Inbound and Outbound 27:24 Combining Different Types of Buying Signals 28:06 The Role of Salespeople in Targeting Accounts 29:13 Automation and Human Touch in Sales 30:46 Scoring and Prioritizing Accounts 32:55 Integrated Sales Strategies 33:08 Using a Pod Model 35:01 Leveraging LinkedIn and Social Media 42:19 The Power of Referrals and Warm Intros 45:02 The Art of Selling in a Tech-Driven World 48:13 Conclusion and Final Thoughts _____________________________________________________________________ STRATEGIC REVENUE OPERATIONS AS A SERVICE ● Website ● LinkedIn ● TikTok

Every lead you have, whether they've shown interest or not, is a lead that you've paid for. Whether you spent money on an ad to generate them, or you paid reps to find and research them, or you bought tickets to an event to meet them. Optimizing your lead qualification and routing is a practice that not only helps increase ROI on these leads going forward, but it can be applied to all of those contacts you've already spent money on. In this episode of The RevOps Corner, our host Eddie Reynolds is joined by Mallory Lee, SVP of RevOps Strategy at Union Square Consulting, to discuss lead qualification and routing strategies that help B2B SaaS companies get more out of every lead they earn – even the ones who seem like a bad fit. They explore common issues with the existing MQL process and share insights from their popular newsletter on how to improve lead qualification, reduce acquisition costs, and enhance sales and marketing alignment. The conversation touches on account-based scoring, the importance of high-intent leads, and methods to separate and prioritize leads effectively. Mallory and Eddie also highlight the significance of defining and refining ICPs and buyer personas and the need for continuous iteration in lead management processes. Near the end of the podcast, Eddie gives you an exercise you can do today to get you on the path to optimizing your lead scoring process faster than you think. 00:00 Introduction 00:51 Today's Focus: Lead Qualification and Routing 01:25 The Problem with MQLs 02:16 Marketing vs. Sales Perspective 03:26 Effective Lead Conversion Strategies 05:58 Inbound vs. Outbound: A Balancing Act 11:19 The Purpose of Your ICP Definition 11:15 Prioritizing High Intent Leads 22:49 Optimizing Sales and Marketing Alignment 24:07 Incentivizing Marketing: A Different Approach 24:35 The Importance of Revenue Focus in Marketing 25:44 Defining ICP and Personas: Going Beyond Basics 27:46 Challenges in Targeting and Resource Allocation 31:10 The Role of RevOps and Sales in Account Research 34:16 Lead and Account Scoring: A Holistic Approach 37:55 How Lead Scoring Allows Strategic Planning 40:18 Lead Qualification Exercise _____________________________________________________________________ STRATEGIC REVENUE OPERATIONS AS A SERVICE ● Website ● LinkedIn ● TikTok

You have no control over revenue growth if you can't see what's happening in your business. In this recording of our Revenue Factory Webinar hosted by Union Square Consulting and Growblocks, Mallory Lee (SVP of RevOps Strategy at USC) and Tony Holhbein (CEO at Growblocks) discuss how B2B SaaS companies can optimize their go-to-market strategies using the revenue factory model. They explore the complexities of creating a streamlined revenue operation, including the importance of understanding supply and demand dynamics and managing multiple customer journey lanes. They also examine the dangers of a blended funnel (Simpson's Paradox) and emphasize the need for clear, segmented funnels to improve efficiency and revenue outcomes. The conversation is filled with practical advice, including implementing effective tech stacks and ensuring strategic alignment. Real-life examples and best practices are shared, offering insights on how to avoid common pitfalls and achieve better pipeline management. Watch the full webinar on YouTube here! 01:06 Introducing the Revenue Factory Model 02:25 Visualizing the Revenue Factory 05:18 Complexities of the Revenue Factory 08:35 Multiple Production Lines in Revenue Operations 11:36 Efficiency in Production Lines 16:56 The Danger of Averages and Unblending the Funnel 24:38 Understanding Supply in Revenue Operations 26:15 Balancing Supply and Demand in Sales 27:16 Optimizing AE Utilization 20:20 Challenges of Scaling Sales Teams 31:16 Strategic Capacity Planning 33:02 Defining the Factory's Purpose 34:40 Steps to Achieve Product-Market Fit 36:17 Adapting Processes for Growth 41:01 Case Study: Nylas 45:34 Supporting CEOs with Flexible Strategies 48:52 Q&A and Final Thoughts _____________________________________________________________________ STRATEGIC REVENUE OPERATIONS AS A SERVICE ● Website ● LinkedIn ● TikTok