SBI, The Growth Advisory

JD Miller, a trusted advisor to Chief Revenue Officers and author of The CRO’s Guide to Winning in Private Equity, shares valuable insights on navigating boardroom dynamics. He highlights the importance of preparation for tough questions and emphasizes effective communication strategies. Miller discusses the balance between transparency and strategic intent, focusing on enhancing board engagement and maintaining trust. Key takeaways include the significance of predictable interactions and mastering follow-up for sustained engagement with board members.

In this episode, Anthony Erickson, SBI Managing Partner, hosts JD Miller, author of “The CRO’s Guide to Winning in Private Equity,” to explore the critical role predictability plays in achieving consistent growth in today’s fast-moving business environment. Together, they break down the common challenges business leaders face when trying to predict outcomes and provide practical solutions for improving forecasting. Key Takeaways: • Game-changing tools and frameworks for improving forecasting reliability.• Striking the right balance between trusting the numbers and listening to your intuition.• Prioritizing predictability across all levels of an organization is key to drive alignment.

In this conversation, Mike Hoffman speaks with Sudhakar Ramakrishna, President and CEO of SolarWinds, about the role of AI in IT and business and the challenges of commercial efficiency and productivity. Sudhakar shares insights on how SolarWinds has integrated AI into their products to improve customer experience and operational efficiency. They also discuss the importance of talent management and how AI can assist in identifying and enabling better talent within organizations. Key talking points: AI integration and its role in Go-To-Market Strategies Talent Management and how AI has developed better talent for companies Challenges in commercial efficiency and productivity since the pandemic

Join Mike Hoffman and Nick Mehta, CEO of Gainsight, as they discuss the importance of customer success management as a driver of commercial efficiency and focusing on its role in enhancing customer retention and expansion for sustainable growth. Their conversation highlights AI's impact on streamlining interactions and personalizing experiences, boosting satisfaction. Additionally, they discuss the need for businesses to regularly reevaluate their strategies is emphasized to adapt to evolving market dynamics and customer expectations for greater efficiency.   Key Talking Points: • The role of customer success in driving Commercial Efficiency at Gainsight • AI's transformative impact on customer interactions • How CEO’s can reevaluate business strategies for enhanced efficiency

Taking the helm of a carve-out can be a substantial shift for CEOs accustomed to leading larger organizations. Though the challenges may appear daunting, success starts with a thoughtful evaluation of the available talent and resources, followed by a focus on executing high-impact goals that accelerate your return on go-to-market. Join Mike Hoffman, SBI CEO, and Jeff Williams, Aptia President and CEO, as they discuss the critical priorities for carve-out organizations and share the unexpected insights Aptia gained on their path to independence. Key Talking Points: • The three key focal points for starting out in a carve-out • How understanding the operating model helps you make the right investments • Ways to effectively drive ROI on go-to-market spend

Businesses across a wide range of industries are adopting AI as a key driver of growth. While it has brought unprecedented levels of success for some, the prevalence of AI also highlighted critical shortcomings in the grid infrastructure that is struggling to keep up with the energy demands of today’s cutting-edge technologies. Listen in on the discussion with host Mike Hoffman, SBI CEO, and Jerry Kent, Chairman and CEO of Cequel III and TierPoint, as they uncover how the data center operations business has leveraged the AI boom to drive growth and the challenges faced by the industry as a result of the increased power demand. Key Talking Points: • How TierPoint helps businesses outsource data operations effectively • The current state of energy demand and future projections • Why a shortfall in power availability could limit growth potential

The importance of effective communication in today's dynamic market cannot be overstated, especially for publicly traded companies. CEOs must master the art of conveying their message to the street while managing their reputation and risk. Tune into the discussion with host Mike Hoffman, SBI CEO, and Tom Ryan, Co-Founder and CEO of ICR Inc., discussing managing expectations and setting realistic goals to drive success. They will share strategies for crisis management, maintaining transparency, and dealing with activist investors. This discussion is essential for CEOs looking to enhance their communication strategies and achieve sustained success. Key Talking Points: • Effective communication is essential for managing reputation and risk • Setting realistic goals is crucial for driving valuation and success • Having a crisis plan and transparent communication during crises is vital • A balanced approach to capital allocation ensures long-term value creation • Building relationships with top shareholders can help avoid activist investors

For CEOs who just got back into the seat in our post-COVID business environment, unpredictability and rising costs seem to hinder the efforts of any growth strategy. Today’s market leaders have clear, focused segmentation supported by streamlined commercial processes, helping their businesses drive consistent profitability. Tune into the discussion with host Mike Hoffman, SBI CEO, and Jeff Kiesel, Chairman, CEO, and President of Restaurant Technologies, as they explore how the shifting thought processes of a CEO in a post-Covid business environment and how the right plan can help them bounce back to sustainable growth. Key Talking Points: • How effective segmentation drives predictable growth • Why being more direct in client communications can speed up deals • What sales processes are needed to help raise commercial productivity

CEOs who succeed the founder of a company must lead the company differently from how the founder did it to ensure that the company scales sustainably. But without much of a roadmap or guide, how do these ‘second CEOs’ get it right without having to resort to costly trial and error? Join Mike Hoffman, CEO of SBI, as he meets Matt Sharrers, Executive Chairman of SBI, to discuss his new book, “The Second CEO”. Written based on learnings from his own experience as a CEO succeeding the founder of SBI, as well as from conversations with other second CEOs, the book highlights reasons why founder CEOs are not always the best at helping their companies scale and how second CEOs need to take a different approach to company leadership. Key Talking Points: How second CEOs differ from founder CEOs Why second CEOs can help a company scale better The right time for founder CEOs to make way for a new CEO

Many CEOs and CROs often see their sales teams gaming the compensation system, but the reps only do what they are incentivized to do. By focusing sales reps on driving behaviors leaders want, CEOs can capture higher quality deals and increased revenue from existing customers. Continue the conversation with host Mike Hoffman, SBI CEO, and Chris Cabrera, Founder and Board Member of Xactly, as they explore how growth dynamics can affect key decisions and how the right incentives enable sellers to excel in capturing greater value. Key Talking Points: • Why sales reps game the compensation system • How to capture more value from customer renewals • Aligning CEO and board expectations of growth versus value