Sales Talk for CEOs

Your go-to-market workflow might be costing you sales without you even realizing it. Many companies still rely on outdated workflows that don’t align with the way customers buy today—creating friction instead of closing deals. In this episode, Alice Heiman breaks down what’s broken in most GTM workflows and how to fix it so your sales team can move faster and convert more leads. If you want to streamline your marketing-to-sales handoff, eliminate bottlenecks, and boost revenue, this episode is for you.Connect with Alice HeimanLinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliceheiman/Alice’s Website: https://aliceheiman.com/

Could chocolate and AI hold the key to peak human performance? Shahreen Reza, founder of Astreas, explains how a chance conversation about pizza with an astronaut led to space-approved chocolate truffles infused with nutrients designed to boost mental clarity and endurance. Now she's taking performance coaching to the next level by combining wearable tech data with AI-driven insights. Shahreen shares how CEOs can use these cutting-edge approaches to stay at the top of their game.Connect with ShahreenLinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shahreen-reza-2824a125/https://www.linkedin.com/company/astreasCompany Website: https://astreas.co/Connect with Alice HeimanLinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliceheiman/Alice’s Website: https://aliceheiman.com/

Every CEO wants a team of top-performing sellers—but is it actually possible? Sales expert Tania Doub reveals why most sales teams struggle and how to fix it. Discover the key framework that helps sellers gain confidence, build momentum, and consistently exceed quotas. If you're ready to transform your sales team, this episode is a must-listen.About GuestTania Arakelian Doub is the CEO and Founder of Mindful Quadrant, a groundbreaking sales enablement company. With a passion for guiding sales professionals to achieve extraordinary success, Tania combines her extensive experience in the demanding field of sales with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by salespeople. Her innovative approach is rooted in her own journey of navigating the pressures of a high-stakes sales environment while also balancing personal responsibilities. Tania is committed to helping others not only meet but exceed their sales targets by connecting them with their intrinsic motivations and strengths. She has developed practical tools and strategies to inspire sales teams to embrace and overcome challenges, turning potential obstacles into opportunities for growth.About Guest CompanyMindful Quadrant is a leading sales enablement company that empowers salespeople to excel in their careers by offering a comprehensive array of resources designed to enhance their skills and performance. The company provides training sessions, workshops, tools, books, and personal coaching to equip sellers with the knowledge and confidence needed to achieve their sales goals. At the heart of Mindful Quadrant's philosophy is its focus on personal motivation and the belief that embracing challenges can lead to significant achievements. The unique approach developed by Tania Arakelian Doub is built on her personal experiences of thriving in a challenging sales environment while maintaining a balanced family and work life. This approach enables individuals to transform difficulties into a driving force for action and success. Additionally, Mindful Quadrant offers a complimentary assessment that provides a personalized report, helping individuals identify and overcome barriers to their sales performance.Social Linkshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/taniadoub/ https://www.mindfulquadrant.com/ https://twitter.com/taniadoub https://www.instagram.com/taniadoub/ https://www.facebook.com/mindfulquadrant https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtaniadoubConnect with Alice Heimanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/aliceheiman/https://aliceheiman.com/

After struggling to hire the right sales team, Russ Macumber made a bold decision—he returned to founder-led sales. The result? A 40% increase in revenue. In this episode, he shares the hard lessons learned from scaling a startup, hiring salespeople, and building a high-retention client base. Tune in for real-world insights on what it takes to grow a sales-driven company.About GuestRuss Macumber is a seasoned entrepreneur and digital marketing expert known for his innovative approaches and thought leadership in the digital realm. With a passion for helping businesses grow their online presence, Russ co-founded Impressive Digital, a leading digital marketing agency focused on delivering cutting-edge solutions. His experience spans various aspects of digital marketing, including search engine optimization (SEO), conversion rate optimization (CRO), and marketing automation. Russ is recognized for his strategic mindset and ability to tailor marketing campaigns that yield significant results for clients. Additionally, he is adept at fostering client relationships and ensuring that the services provided align with the unique goals of each business. Through his leadership, Russ has been a driving force behind the success and growth of Impressive Digital.About Guest CompanyImpressive Digital is a dynamic digital marketing agency headquartered in Austin, known for its comprehensive approach to boosting businesses' online presence. The agency utilizes a strategic combination of SEO, Google Ads, and social media to increase web traffic and brand visibility. Impressive Digital's services extend beyond attracting visitors; they focus on converting these visitors into loyal customers using Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) techniques and custom-designed landing pages that enhance user experience (UX). The company is also proficient in maintaining customer relations through CRM systems, email marketing, and automation, thus fostering customer loyalty and repeat business. Impressive Digital's hallmark approach, the GAS™ system, seamlessly integrates all facets of digital marketing to create a synchronized and effective marketing strategy. The agency is renowned for its proven track record in driving substantial results for leading clients by elevating traffic, conversion rates, and revenue through meticulously crafted campaigns. More than a service provider, Impressive Digital positions itself as a partner, dedicated to exceeding business objectives and propelling growth.Social Links 🔗 Connect with Russ Macumber: LinkedIn | Website🔗 Connect with Alice Heiman: LinkedIn | Website

Most CEOs think they’re doing thought leadership, but the truth? They’re doing it wrong—if they’re doing it at all.In this solo episode, Alice Heiman breaks down the biggest mistakes CEOs make when it comes to thought leadership and why those missteps are costing them sales. She reveals why most CEOs struggle to build their personal brand, how it impacts their sales team, and what they should be doing instead to drive revenue.If you’re a CEO who wants to make sales easier, attract high-value customers, and become the go-to leader in your industry, this episode is for you.Connect with Alice HeimanLinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliceheiman/Alice’s Website: https://aliceheiman.com/

How does a CEO turn a passion for solving business challenges into a billion-dollar company? Katherine Kostereva, CEO of Creatio, shares her inspiring entrepreneurial journey, from her beginnings at IBM to building a globally recognized no-code platform. Discover how she bootstrapped her company for six years, secured $200 million in funding, and created a collaborative culture that fuels growth. Learn actionable strategies on prioritization, building strong sales teams, and leveraging partnerships to scale efficiently. About GuestKatherine Kostereva is the Founder and CEO of Creatio, a global vendor of an AI-native platform designed to automate CRM and workflows using no-code. With a lifelong passion for technology, she launched Creatio in 2014, bootstrapping the business with a clear mission to empower businesses to automate their ideas in minutes without writing a single line of code. A decade later, in 2024, Creatio achieved unicorn status and raised $200 million at a $1.2 billion valuation. The funding is aimed at advancing AI capabilities and driving further innovation in the no-code and CRM space.Social LinksShe’s Building A No-Code CRM And Workflow Automation Empire B2B tech startup Creatio is latest female-founded unicorn | Fortune Creatio CEO Katherine Kostereva on origin story, 'founder mode,' mentoring, Ukraine - Bizwomen Katherine Kostereva | CEO | Creatio (27) Katherine Kostereva | LinkedIn Book recommended by Katherine: https://www.amazon.com/Amp-Unlocking-Hypergrowth-Expectations-Intensity/dp/1119836115Podcast recommended by Katherine: https://www.blitzscalingvc.com/podcastConnect with Alice HeimanLinkedIn Profile: (27) Alice Heiman | LinkedInAlice’s Website: Alice Heiman | Sales Consultant and Strategist for CEOs

What happens when two QA professionals turn their frustrations with the industry into a groundbreaking solution? In this episode, Alice Heiman sits down with Ivan Barajas Vargas, co-founder of MuukTest, to explore how he and his partner transformed the QA automation process using AI. Ivan shares his journey from bootstrapping to landing funding, his pivot to a top-down sales strategy, and the lessons learned from building a thriving startup. If you’re a CEO looking to scale smarter, embrace innovation, or rethink your sales strategy, this conversation is packed with actionable insights you won’t want to miss.About GuestDuring the 15 years that Ivan Barajas Vargas worked in QA and test automation, he realized that testing was slow and required an army of QAs to get it automated. In 2019, he and Renan Ugalde founded MuukTest, an AI-powered solution that effortlessly automates software testing in days instead of years. Since being part of top startup accelerators like MassChallenge and TechStars, MuukTest received grants from the National Science Foundation’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, as well as being included in Google for Startups’ Latino Founders Fund for 2023, among other grants.Social Links Connect with Ivan Barajas VargasOur website: MuukTest - Test Automation ServicesIvan's LinkedIn Profile: (50) Ivan Barajas Vargas | LinkedInMuukTest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/muuktest/Connect with Alice HeimanLinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliceheiman/Alice’s Website: https://aliceheiman.com/

Referrals are an often-overlooked yet highly effective way to boost sales. In this episode, Alice Heiman dives into the transformative impact of a formal referral selling process. Learn why referrals outperform cold outreach, how they lead to higher-quality leads, and why they drive stronger customer retention. With real-world statistics and practical advice, you’ll gain the tools to build a referral system that consistently delivers results for your sales team.Connect with Alice HeimanLinkedIn Profile:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliceheiman/Alice’s Website: https://aliceheiman.com/

Dan Pontefract, author of Work-Life Bloom, joins Sales Talk for CEOs to share a groundbreaking approach to leadership. Key takeaways include redefining CEO responsibilities to include care, balancing humanity with execution, and fostering engagement through positive reinforcement. Dan also introduces a unique framework for navigating work-life cycles, offering practical advice for CEOs to inspire their teams and drive sustainable success. About GuestMy new book, WORK-LIFE BLOOM is a Thinkers50 Top New Management Book for 2024 and won the Gold Medal - Axiom Business Book Awards. Otherwise, I'm a leadership strategist, author, consultant, and keynote speaker. Other award-winning books include LEAD. CARE. WIN., OPEN TO THINK, THE PURPOSE EFFECT & FLAT ARMY. I help leaders realize that the future of work is now. Dan Pontefract is a renowned leadership strategist, author, and keynote speaker with over two decades of experience in senior executive roles at companies such as SAP, TELUS, and Business Objects. Since then, he has worked with organizations worldwide, including Salesforce, Amgen, the State of Tennessee, Nestlé, Canada Post, Autodesk, BMO, the Government of Canada, Manulife, Nutrien, and the City of Toronto, among others.As an award-winning and best-selling author, Dan has written five books: WORK-LIFE BLOOM, LEAD. CARE. WIN., OPEN TO THINK, THE PURPOSE EFFECT, and FLAT ARMY. Dan also writes for Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and other outlets.Dan is a renowned keynote speaker who has presented at four TED events and has delivered over 600 keynotes . He is an adjunct professor at the University of Victoria’s Gustavson School of Business and has received over 25 industry, individual, and book awards.Dan’s career is interwoven with corporate and academic experience, coupled with an MBA, B.Ed, and multiple industry certifications and awards. Notably, Dan is listed on the Thinkers50 Radar, HR Weekly’s 100 Most Influential People in HR, PeopleHum’s Top 200 Thought Leaders to Follow, and Inc. Magazine’s Top 100 Leadership Speakers.About Guest CompanyDan offers a range of options to help you, your team, your entire organization, or your event with various leadership and corporate culture insights. Options include keynotes, workshops, strategic planning sessions, assessments, master classes, and various learning modules. Tailored or off-the-shelf, Dan's repertoire of knowledge and solutions is as wide as his musical tastes. (hint: very wide) Inquire: speak@danpontefract.comSocial Links https://www.danpontefract.com/content/https://www.linkedin.com/in/danpontefract/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-pontefract-group/Books: https://www.danpontefract.com/content/booksbydan/Podcast: https://www.danpontefract.com/content/podcast/Blog: https://www.danpontefract.com/content/blog/Book recommended by Dan: https://www.danpink.com/books/drive/Podcast recommended by Dan: https://munkdebates.com/listen/Connect with Alice HeimanLinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliceheiman/Alice’s Website: https://aliceheiman.com/

Meta DescriptionDiscover the journey of a CTO turned co-founder who mastered founder-led sales and embraced the power of niche specialization to scale a thriving business. Learn how strategic focus and teamwork drive success.About GuestJamon is a software developer, business owner, husband, father of four, and new grandpa, located in southwest Washington state. He is co-founder of Infinite Red, Inc., a fully remote React Native app consultancy located across the USA and Canada. He learned to code at age twelve in order to make games and that led to a lifelong obsession with coding. He is still making games to this day, and also plays ice hockey (as a goalie) on a Finnish-American team and takes any excuse that he can to drive his tractor around his 3 acres.Social Links Jamon (@jamonholmgren) / XJamon (@jamon.dev) — Bluesky(20) Jamon Holmgren | LinkedInJamon Holmgren's Personal Websitehttps://infinite.redBook recommended by Jamon: The Culture Code | Unlock The Secrets to the Most Successful TeamsPodcast recommended by Jamon: The Leadership Podcast – We Study Leaders – The Leadership PodcastConnect with Alice HeimanLinkedIn Profile: (20) Alice Heiman | LinkedInAlice’s Website: Alice Heiman | Sales Consultant and Strategist for CEOs