Sales Talk for CEOs

Eduardo Coll, an innovative business growth expert, talks about conversational selling and leveraging networks. He emphasizes relationships over sales pitches, solving client problems, and utilizing personal and professional networks. CEOs should prioritize relationship-building, maximize their networks, and encourage team-wide sales contribution.

This week Alice shares her reflections after having time to think during the holidays. In this podcast she considers how CEOs should use their time to do what is most important to them and that are things only they can do.She talks about how CEOs need to stay in their genius zone and find others to do the rest. It’s tempting to continue doing so many things, just because you can, when someone else could do them better and leave you to do what you do best. As CEOs you always have so much going on and most of you are still heavily involved in sales as well. Alice points out that you need to start to think differently about your time. In this episode she recommends that you drink your coffee while it’s hot.Chapters00:53 Importance of using time effectively as a CEO   01:34 Being a better leader and supporting sales strategies   02:23 Metaphor of drinking coffee while it's hot  03:36 Taking time to enjoy and savor the moment   04:45 Tips for keeping coffee hot and writing things down   06:00 Importance of morning rituals and self-care    Social Links You can learn more about and connect with Alice Heiman in the links below.Connect with Alice on LinkedIn:(99+) Alice Heiman | LinkedInCheck out Alice’s website:Alice Heiman | Sales Consultant and Strategist for CEOs

SummaryLaura Gassner Otting, TEDx speaker and author of Wonderhell: Why Success Doesn’t Feel like it Should . . . and What to do About it, had an insightful conversation with Alice. Her career has spanned from a pivotal role in Bill Clinton's White House to achieving entrepreneurial heights. Laura and Alice discussed the concept of "Wonderhell," which most CEOs know well, it’s where the exhilaration of success is entwined with the challenges it brings and the feeling of wanting more. This episode offers a unique opportunity to gain insights from Laura's diverse experiences, shedding light on the complex dynamics of ambition, success, and the resilience required to thrive in leadership roles.Exploring "Wonderhell"Laura's journey through the highs of achievement and the lows of pressure showcases the duality at the heart of success. "Wonderhell" is not just about reaching the peak; it's about thriving amidst the challenges and relishing the journey. Laura shares, "I wrote Wonderhell because I found myself in it.” She reveals, “I was filled with imposter syndrome and anxiety and uncertainty and doubt and envy and exhaustion and burnout. And I was like, it's kind of horrible. Now, I'm stuck with the burden of my potential." She knew she had to figure it out and the book is the result of that.Key Insights from this episode:Embracing Ambition: Laura encourages CEOs to see ambition as a catalyst, not a flaw. It's the fuel that drives us towards greater heights. She states, "Embrace your ambition... It's okay for me to want more, that's totally cool."Success Beyond Finances: Success isn't just measured in dollars. Laura places immense value on personal relationships and internal fulfillment. She remarks, "I am proudest of the relationships that I built and deepened with my kids, my husband, and my friends."Emotional Balance: Achieving success brings a spectrum of emotions. Laura's approach is about finding an equilibrium between excitement and the anxieties that come with leadership. She advises, "Get comfortable being uncomfortable... understand that this is not the now; it's actually the new normal."Strategic Focus and Delegation: As a CEO, Laura highlights the importance of focusing on tasks unique to your skillset and delegating to others to enhance efficiency and satisfaction. Laura elaborates, "The highest and best use of your time is to do what only you can do."Embracing the JourneyLaura Gassner Otting teaches us that success is more than a destination; it's a continuous process of growth, challenge, and self-discovery. Her journey from the White House to entrepreneurship exemplifies the nuanced nature of leadership and the importance of embracing every part of the journey.Have you experienced your own version of "Wonderhell"? I’d love to hear from you. Join the discussion in the comments below. Chapters08:18 - Valuing Achievements Before Chasing Next Goals11:47 - Shifting Leadership Mindset to Positivity14:47 - Leveraging Intentional Focus for Opportunities18:12 - Prioritizing Culture for Business Success22:31 - Empowering Teams with Strategic Questions23:57 - Scaling Insights from '10x is Easier Than 2x'26:13 - Balancing CEO Ego with Effective Leadership30:28 - Importance of CEO-Audience Engagement34:07 - Embracing Ambition and Overcoming Doubts38:06 - Focusing on Long-term Business Trajectory42:57 - Balancing Business and Personal Life PrioritiesAbout GuestLaura’s secret superpower is seeing your greatness and reflecting it back on you, so that you can get “unstuck” — and achieve extraordinary results. A frequent contributor to Good Morning America, the TODAY Show, Harvard Business Review, and Oprah Daily, Laura is the Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of three books, Wonderhell, L

In the ever-evolving world of B2B sales, few stories are as compelling as that of Guillaume Moubeche, CEO of Lempire. Guillaume or “G” as his friends call him is one of the happiest, most friendly CEOs you will come across. But don’t let that fool you, he’s one determined founder. When he realized how hard it was going to be to raise money he completely changed his focus to the customer and it worked. But that’s not all, he got out there and made himself known. Using a live show on Facebook and his LinkedIn profile, he connected, helped and collected fans. His innovative tactics drove so much interest that he didn’t miss that investor money he decided to quit chasing. In this episode G tells Alice about the innovative ideas and unique approach he took to B2B sales. He practices what he preaches and is a living example that what he sells works. Why CEOs Should Listen:Blueprint for Bootstrapping Success: Discover Moubeche's strategies for starting from scratch and scaling to millions without external funding.Personalized Sales Tactics: Learn how personalization and building trust can transform your sales approach.Entrepreneurial Insights: Gain insights on how to nurture an entrepreneurial spirit within your sales team for unparalleled results.Episode Chapters:[02:12] The Genesis of Lempire: Charting the Birth of a Sales Revolution[06:02] The Power of Personalization: Shaping a Human-Centric Sales Approach[14:20] Building a Dynamic Sales Team: From Solo Efforts to Collaborative Success[20:58] Scaling Sales Operations: Evolving Strategies for Business Growth[35:47] The Inbound Advantage: Mastering the Art of Customer Attraction[41:30] Fostering Customer Trust: The Core of Successful SalesFor a comprehensive understanding of each chapter, tune in to the full podcast.—-------------------------About Guest👋 I'm G., and here's my story in a nutshell:\- Founded 2 businesses: one sold at $600k ARR, the other valued at $150M+\- Authored a book - "The $150M Secret"\- Featured in 200+ media outlets📈 $0-$20M ARR in 5 yrs without funding with lempire (lemlist, lemwarm, taplio, tweethunter, lemcal)💸 Sharing my learnings on Profit-led Growth: the only resource you need to grow a profitable SaaS businessWhat you'll get by following me:🚀 Actionable tips to grow a profitable SaaS business🔥 Transparent & actionable advice, no fluff💼 Exclusive updates on lempire’s growthReady to adopt a profit-led growth approach and bootstrap the SaaS of your dream? I’ll be posting business growth tips and tricks - so hit that “Follow” button!Peace, love & profit ✌️Social Links Connect with Guillaume Moubeche On Lempire's official website:lempire - Building the Future of RelationshipsConnect with Guillaume on LinkedIn:(99+) Guillaume Moubeche | LinkedInYou can learn more about and connect with Alice Heiman in the links below.Connect with Alice on LinkedIn:(99+) Alice Heiman | LinkedInCheck out Alice’s website:Alice Heiman - Alice Heiman

Every CEO's journey is unique, but few are as eye-opening as moving from the structured world of corporate to the unpredictable realm of startups. This is the path William Gilchrist, CEO of Konsyg, shares on Sales Talk for CEOs with Alice Heiman. His experience unveils not just the challenges but also the vital strategies he learned for thriving in a startup environment.In this episode, you’ll learn:Adaptability: Gilchrist's shift from corporate to startup highlights the need for flexibility and a diverse skill set.Honesty in Sales: A straightforward approach to client communication builds trust and long-term relationships.Networking: Effective networking is key to opening doors and driving growth.Team Building: The importance of assembling a team that shares your vision and commitment.Client Management: Strategies for successfully onboarding and managing clients to ensure continuous success.Episode Chapters:[00:01:22] From Corporate to Startup: Embracing New Challenges[00:05:24] Laying the Groundwork: Overcoming Early Hurdles[00:10:19] The Power of Connections: Networking for Success[00:24:49] The Trust Factor: Fostering Honest Client Relationships[00:29:33] Scaling New Heights: The Growth of KonsygCurious about how Gilchrist navigated these critical steps in his journey? Listen to the full podcast for an in-depth understanding of each chapter.About GuestWith an expansive career spanning over 15 years in technology sales across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, William stands as a global authority in the field. He possesses a B.A. in International Relations from Bowdoin College, a TEFL Certification from GLV Zhuhai / 平和英语学院, and dual Mandarin certifications from Cornell University and Beijing University / 北京大学.William's journey began in Shanghai's bustling corporate scene, serving as a Media Relations Manager for Wai White Dragon, a distinguished publication for the city's crème de la crème. Subsequently, he shifted gears, taking on the mantle of Director of Admissions and College Planning at Chicago's Hales Franciscan High School. Here, he was instrumental in rejuvenating the admissions department, crafting strategies to enhance enrollment from a specific demographic within the Chicago region. His next endeavor led him back to Asia, where he bolstered business development efforts in Singapore for TSL Marketing, orchestrating lead generation campaigns in both English and Mandarin for elite tech enterprises across J-APAC.William's prowess was soon recognized by tech giant, Google. As their Regional New Business Sales Manager for Asia-Pacific. He transitioned to the APAC Knowledge Manager role, emphasizing training and quality assurance for regional and international endeavors. William's sales spirit later propelled him to oversee Outbound Sales Teams for TradeGecko (acquired by QuickBooks) and MyDoc, both trailblazing startups based in Singapore.Currently, as the visionary Founder of Konsyg, William oversees comprehensive sales processes for Enterprises and SMEs on a global scale.Social Links Connect with William Gilchrist On Konsyg's official website:On-Demand Sales Solutions for Global Businesses | KonsygConnect with William on LinkedIn:(99+) William Gilchrist | LinkedInYou can learn more about and connect with Alice Heiman in the links below.Connect with Alice on LinkedIn:(99+) Alice Heiman | LinkedInCheck out Alice’s website:Alice Heiman - Alice Heiman

Imagine harnessing the power of 140 million credit card swipes to reshape your business strategy. That's exactly what Jonathan Silver of Affinity Solutions does, and he’s here to share his groundbreaking journey with us. In a dynamic conversation with Alice Heiman on Sales Talk for CEOs, Jonathan delves into the art of transforming consumer data into powerful business insights. This episode is a treasure trove for CEOs looking to navigate the complexities of data-driven decision-making and innovative business growth.Why CEOs Should Listen:Strategic Utilization of Consumer Data: Embrace the transformative power of consumer data in shaping business strategies.Business Agility: Learn from Jonathan’s journey about the importance of agility and responsiveness in today’s business world.Sales Team Optimization: Gain insights into assembling a sales force that resonates with your company’s mission and market needs.The Essence of Entrepreneurial Spirit: Discover the significance of resilience and creative thinking in driving business growth. Chapters00:03 The Changing Face of Sales in Business01:29 The Genesis of Affinity Solutions04:21 From Inflatable Potties to Data Pioneers08:04 Pivoting to a Winning Strategy13:06 The Rise of Card-Linked Offers22:05 Building a Robust Sales Team29:54 Achieving Product-Market Fit39:14 Verticalizing for SuccessListen to the full podcast for an in-depth understanding of each chapter. Listen NowAbout GuestJonathan Silver is the Founder and CEO of Affinity Solutions, the leading consumer purchase insights company focused on outcome-based solutions. Affinity provides comprehensive purchase insights and media measurement via exclusive, fully permissioned real-time, consumer purchase data, integrated with key ecosystem partners. This allows for seamless, privacy-centric, data access at an unprecedented scale. Affinity powers solutions for financial institutions, marketers, investment firms, consulting firms, and media & marketing enterprises by providing real-time demand signals and insights on consumer spending which drive high-value decisions that lead to better business outcomes.Silver’s vision for Affinity is to transform data insights into experiences that improve people’s lives. He is a graduate of Wharton and the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering. Social Links Connect with Jonathan Silver on Affinity Solutions official website:Consumer Purchase Data Tools - Affinity SolutionsConnect with Jonathan on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-silver-33b456/Link to CNBC Squawk Box https://www.cnbc.com/2023/11/13/consumer-spending-fell-in-october-according-to-new-cnbc/nrf-retail-monitor-tracking-card-transactions.htmlYou can learn more about and connect with Alice Heiman in the links below.Connect with Alice on LinkedIn:(99+) Alice Heiman | LinkedInCheck out Alice’s website:Alice Heiman - Alice Heiman

Have you ever wondered why, despite having amazing products, customers still struggle to understand your company's value?April Dunford, an authority on product positioning, discusses the critical role of positioning in sales and marketing. Known for her first book "Obviously Awesome" and her expertise in positioning, April shares her insights on why companies often struggle with positioning their products. She emphasizes that most companies have positioning, but it's not deliberate, leading to misalignment and missed opportunities. April highlights the transformative power of effective positioning, using an illustrative story from her early career where repositioning a product from enterprise CRM to CRM for investment banks led to significant business growth and acquisition by a major player.The episode underscores the common disconnect between how companies perceive their products and how customers understand them. April points out the importance of involving sales teams in positioning discussions, as they have direct insights into customer perceptions and competitors. And describes in her second book, Sales Pitch, how to translate the marketing work done for positioning into sales speak. April advises CEOs to routinely reassess their company's positioning, even if it seems satisfactory, to ensure alignment with market realities. She stresses the need for a cross-functional team approach to redefine positioning involving sales, marketing, and product teams. The episode serves as a crucial reminder for CEOs and sales leaders of the importance of clear and strategic positioning in today's competitive market. April Dunford's insights offer valuable guidance on how to approach this process thoughtfully and effectively to drive business growth and customer satisfaction.This podcast is a must listen and her books are both must reads. Chapters05:26 Lack of methodology and squishiness surrounding positioning in marketing0:09:02 Naming of April Dunford's books: "Obviously Awesome" and "Sales Pitch"11:12 Importance of aligning positioning with customer perception14:01 Components of positioning: competition, differentiation, value, customer, market19:07 Example of a company positioned as Enterprise CRM but found success in investment banking22:36 Shifting positioning to target specific industries led to success25:51 Understanding the buyer's perspective and guiding them through the buying process31:20 Buyers are overwhelmed with information and struggle to make decisions33:56 Poor positioning and difficult buying process on websites.39:07 Cross functional team approach to positioning.42:45 Leveraging product knowledge to identify unique value propositions.44:59 Characteristics of a Best Fit customer and market categories46:13 Mapping positioning to a sales narrative for effective storytellingSocial Links You can learn more about and connect with April Dunford in the links below.Connect with April on LinkedIn:(99+) April Dunford | LinkedInCheck out April's website:April Dunford - Positioning for B2B Tech CompaniesCheck out April's Podcast:Positioning With April DunfordCheck out April's NewsletterPositioning with April Dunford | SubstackYou can learn more about and connect with Alice Heiman in the links below.Connect with Alice on LinkedIn:(99+) Alice Heiman | LinkedInCheck out Alice’s website:Alice Heiman - Alice HeimanAbout GuestI spent the first 25 years of my ca

Gabriella enjoyed working with technical and operationally focused people tackling complex problems. She always worked in a team to do sales but didn’t like the lack of transparency to the team members as the deal progressed. She saw a need for a team selling tool. “I really didn’t have any other option than starting this business and seeing where I could go with it.”The team selling space had a huge need and Gabriella DeFlorio of Prelay knew she had to fill that need. Even with all her Go To Market experience, it’s different when you start a category and Prelay did that. She started small with some beta customers and about a year later she was really able to go sell. Her Go To Market background made her know she should be on the frontlines. It allowed her to continue gathering information to shape the product. “You can’t lose touch with the customers.” This keeps her close to her customers today, even though she has a sales team. The first sellers she brought on covered the deals end to end and soon after she brought on customer success and a head of sales keeping herself in the game as the subject matter expert. It was challenging to find the right people for an early stage company. Finding the right people who were ok with the ambiguity and who were utility players and product aware. ”Because of this we’re very focused on knowledge sharing.”Her biggest challenge, becoming a “household name.” Gabriella is excited about having Prelay become a name in the market. She feels it is important to stay focused on awareness. “It’s a space that is just being created.. There’s no team selling product like Prelay.” She stays involved on the product side and has directed her sellers to insert her where she is needed. Listen to her tell the story of starting a company and a category and growing her sales. Chapters00:04 Selling is a team sport, lone wolf sellers are outdated.03:22 Gabriella's background in scaling startups led to creating Prelay.10:54 Thoughtful R&D and user-centric approach in the beginning.13:04 The importance of CEOs staying close to the customer16:20 Challenges of scaling and growing the team22:30 CEO involvement in complex workflows and strategic deals23:49 Balancing involvement in deals with the sales team's capabilities25:03 Discussing the growth of the SE organization26:17 Importance of in-person connections and LinkedIn presence27:36 Building an advisory council for networking and supportAbout GuestIn a past life, Gabriella was an Olympic Trials hopeful and a competitive D1 cross country & track athlete at the University of Michigan. During her competitive running career, 7 leg surgeries failed to keep her off the D1 stage, reinforcing her core approach to life – persistence and perseverance can lead you to achieve feats that may seem impossible at first. Gabriella leveraged the same mindset when entering the tech industry, where she discovered a similar spark of excitement and passion in scaling companies. Taking on Silicon Valley, she helped scale core go-to-market at Fountain (YC W15) and at Truework (Sequoia-backed).Now at Prelay, she is building the future of revenue team collaboration.To learn more about Prelay, you can get in touch via gabriella (@) prelay.comSocial Links You can learn more about and connect with Gabriella DeFlorio in the links below.Connect with Gabriella on LinkedIn:(99+) Gabriella DeFlorio | LinkedInCheck out Prelay's website:Prelay | Drive Revenue Faster as a TeamYou can learn more about and connect with Alice Heiman in the links below.Connect with Alice on LinkedIn:(99+) Alice Heiman | L

How do you wind up being a business broker after a luxurious career in the high-end wine business?Funny story. After working in the corporate world around 2008 and 2009 Jessica Fialkovich and her husband saw her friend who had a luxurious wine business brokering really high-end wines around the world. They thought how fun it would be to taste wine and travel for a living so with the help of their friend started their own wine business. Three years later, it turns out that tasting wine all day was exhausting and they decided to return to something more corporate.    They hired a business broker to help them sell the wine business and as they say, the rest is history. Jessica and her husband now own Transworld Business Advisors, a thriving company offering M&A services and Exit Factor, helping small and midsize businesses to increase their valuation for an eventual sale. They’ve grown tremendously over the 10 years and how did they do it? At first, networking, door-knocking, and becoming a valued resource in her local business community. More recently she’s authored a very useful book called, Getting the Most for Selling Your Business and she and her husband have acquired several businesses. Jessica shares her secrets to making acquisitions. Successful acquisitions require patience, relationship-building, and a knack for spotting opportunities. As Transworld Business Advisors continues to grow, their commitment to community service and client relationships ensures a promising future.Join us in exploring Jessica's remarkable journey and uncover the secrets to thriving through strategic acquisitions!Chapters02:25 Jessica's transition from the wine business to business brokerage04:08 Decision to join a franchise model for business brokerage08:18 Challenges of hiring salespeople and the importance of cultural fit12:00 Growth of sellers and team expansion in recent years14:17 Researching and selecting new markets for expansion18:51 Writing a book as a lead generator23:07 Reasons for growing through acquisition: people, market share, services23:56 Importance of timing and readiness for acquisition deals25:25 Acquiring "fixer upper" businesses for strategic growth28:02 Learning and adapting to the acquired organization's operations31:33 Jessica's company culture and growthAbout GuestAs a business exit expert and speaker, Jessica Fialkovich helps small businesses owners with under $10 million in revenue who desire to build a legacy.She provides insights and guidance around the overwhelming world of buying and selling a business, giving peace of mind throughout the decision-making process.Jessica Fialkovich offers 10 years of thought leadership within small business M&A and has personally bought and sold multiple companies.Social Links You can learn more about and connect with Jessica Fialkovich in the links below.https://jessicafialkovich.com/https://www.tworld.com/locations/colorado/https://exitfactor.com/Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicafialkovich/You can learn more about and connect with Alice Heiman in the links below.Connect with Alice on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliceheiman/Check out Alice’s website:https://AliceHeiman.com

When investors are leaning on you to get “New Logos” you can lose sight of customer success and it can change or damage your culture. For Tom Lavery at Jiminny, compromising on customer success or culture were not options. Tom was a VP of sales before he, his wife and their technical cofounder started the company. He set out to solve some of the problems he faced around coaching as a sales leader. Tom understands that effective sales leadership starts with data. Jiminny's platform records, transcribes, and analyzes video, voice, and email communications, providing valuable insights for sales leaders.From the beginning he did the selling and his first hires for sales were not sellers, but customer success managers. This was pivotal to his growth because customers had high user adoption and because of that renewed and told others. His entire team is focused on customer success because of his strong culture. In seven short years, his team has grown tremendously, and they work as a team to retain customers, find new prospects and guide buyers through to a decision. Even with his amazing team, he plays an important role in sales. Listen to Tom share his growth story with Alice and his passion for maintaining a great culture. Chapters02:52 Tom Lavery's background and inspiration for starting Jiminny09:49 Getting the first sales through networking and local interactions12:22 User adoption and expanding the use of Jiminny12:29 Product market fit is tricky and takes time to achieve.15:22 Customer success was a priority and received more investment than sales.20:19 A formal referral process was implemented to drive referrals.24:55 Customer success and sales must work together in a team.27:14 CEO's involvement in sales is based on deal management and support.30:36 Importance of data mining and insights in sales and marketing.37:14 Changing players in the team as the company grows and matures.38:04 Tom Lavery talks about never giving up and offering supportAbout GuestTom has over 15 years of experience in high-growth VC/PE-backed SaaS companies.  Tom is currently the CEO and Founder of Jiminny, a Conversation Intelligence Platform that helps companies maximize their team's revenue.  Prior to starting Jiminny, he was SVP at Reward Gateway and saw them through two PE-backed buyouts.Social Links You can learn more about and connect with Tom Lavery in the links below.Connect with Tom on LinkedIn:(99+) Tom Lavery | LinkedInCheck out Jiminny's website:Revenue & Conversation Intelligence Software | Jiminny(99+) Jiminny: Overview | LinkedInYou can learn more about and connect with Alice Heiman in the links below.Connect with Alice on LinkedIn:(99+) Alice Heiman | LinkedInCheck out Alice’s website:Alice Heiman - Alice Heiman