The Revenue Formula

Exploring new research, the discussion highlights that remote workers are clocking in significantly less time than their in-office counterparts. It emphasizes the cognitive risks posed by AI, suggesting it may hinder critical thinking and slow skill development. The podcast delves into the importance of in-person interactions for career growth and soft skills, while also addressing the demographic disparities in remote work access. Overall, it raises urgent questions about the impact of technology on future productivity and cognitive functions.

In this episode, we talk about the messy shift from founder-led sales to something more scalable. A lot of teams trip up here. It's not just about hiring the right people, it's about whether the company is actually ready for them.Early sales hires often fail because the structure, process, or timing is off. The conversation introduces the idea of level awareness, a way to figure out if your setup matches the stage you're in. The same problems tend to repeat, whether you're at $1M or $50M ARR.(00:00) - Introduction (02:12) - Challenges in Founder-Led Sales (05:36) - Diagnosing Founder-Led Sales Issues (08:36) - Hiring Challenges and Misconceptions (11:12) - Framework for Scaling Sales Teams (13:39) - Levels of Sales Maturity (19:20) - Defining Level One (23:27) - Hiring for Stage Level Fit (25:25) - Common Founder Regrets (27:13) - Hiring Sales Leaders with Level Awareness (34:53) - Challenges of Premature Scaling (36:31) - Conclusion (37:37) - Next Week: Is Remote Work & AI Making Us Less Productive?

Did AI actually kill SEO? Or are recent traffic drops for sites like HubSpot a sign of something else entirely? In this episode, we’re joined by Sam Dunning, founder of Breaking B2B and a leading expert on search strategy, to unpack what’s actually happening in the world of SEO. We talk about how AI overviews are changing the way people find information, and what it all means for marketers and revenue teams.Sam shares when SEO still makes sense, when it doesn’t, and what to focus on if you want to drive real pipeline today. We also dive into AI-generated content, the role of brand in LLM-driven search, and how to build a practical keyword strategy that works in 2025.(00:00) - Introduction (01:58) - Did AI kill SEO? (06:17) - When SEO doesn't make sense (10:05) - Does SEO still take forever to build? (12:24) - Should we just generate AI content? (15:39) - Buidling a Money Keyword Matrix (22:20) - Who should own the matrix? (24:45) - Quicker vs longer strategies (29:07) - Old school SEO in a world of LLMs (34:08) - Brand builders have a step up (36:21) - Common LLM hacks (43:00) - Measuring SEO in a world of LLMs (48:24) - Nothing's changed. Everything's changed. (50:29) - Wrapping up

Nobody wants to touch pricing. It’s political, it’s messy, and if it goes wrong, everyone remembers who led the project. But here’s the thing—when it works, it really works.In this episode, Toni and Raul talk about why pricing changes freak people out, what actually happens when you go through with them, and how even small tweaks can drive serious revenue. They’ve both run pricing projects that paid off big, and they’ve got the scars to prove it.If pricing’s been on your to-do list forever but you keep punting it… this one’s for you.(00:00) - Introduction (01:36) - The dread of pricing changes (04:29) - Balancing new prices and losing customers (05:53) - Lead pricing changes without losing your job (08:55) - Who should own pricing changes? (10:10) - Creating a pricing steering committee (12:38) - Consultants in pricing projects (17:00) - Are we over complicating it? (19:44) - Churn and pricing relationship (25:02) - The external and internal narrative (29:47) - Phasing pricing changes (31:10) - Pricing moves in PLG (32:59) - Conclusion

In this episode, we’re joined by Chris Tottman from Notion Capital. Before becoming a VC, Chris co-founded MessageLabs and helped grow it into a $700 million exit, so he’s seen the startup journey from both sides of the table.We talk about what really happens when your product-market fit starts to slip—and why it quietly wrecks your entire go-to-market strategy. Sales start missing targets. Marketing can’t get traction. Churn creeps up. But most teams keep pushing forward without realizing the core problem is the product just doesn’t fit anymore.(00:00) - Introduction (09:55) - Common mistakes in Go-To-Market strategies (19:54) - Identifying a VC case (30:05) - Importance of Product Market Fit (39:38) - Transitioning from VC to PE (50:07) - Next week: pricing changes

Not all consultants are worth it. Some drive real impact. Others just burn your time and budget.In this episode, Toni and Raul dive into how to tell the difference. They break down when it actually makes sense to bring in outside help, how to vet someone properly, and the biggest red flags to avoid.You'll learn why consulting is a real skill, what good execution support looks like, and how to think about pricing and value. (00:00) - Introduction (02:48) - Do you actually need consultants? (05:22) - The consulting relationship with startups (08:29) - Identifying red flags (10:41) - The hammer people (16:17) - Consulting is a skill (21:14) - Consultants as challengers (24:40) - Pricing and value in consulting (30:06) - Execution and enablement (33:38) - Summary (35:45) - Next week: Chris Tottman on VCs

In a world of AI-generated noise and automated outreach, Cliff Simon has built a multi-million dollar business by doing something simple but rare: showing up in person.In this episode, Cliff shares how he turned events, community dinners, and authentic relationships into a powerful go-to-market strategy. He breaks down why most event-based approaches fail, what it really means to play the long game, and how founders and revenue leaders can drive growth without relying on cold outreach.Never miss a new episode! Join our newsletter at revenueformula.substack.com(00:00) - Introduction (01:53) - The Importance of In-Person (06:01) - The Role of Pavilion (08:08) - Building Relationships (12:09) - Building for Long Term (16:41) - Modern Networking Tactics (21:58) - Evaluating Event Success (24:57) - Common Misconceptions in Event Strategy (26:34) - Effective Event Strategies (31:39) - The Power of Personal Branding (32:13) - Comparing Rev Ops Events (36:28) - Next Week: What You Need to Know About Consultants

We sat down and unpacked the messy, unfiltered reality of being a startup CEO.The kind no one tells you about. Not at panels. Not in TechCrunch puff pieces. And definitely not on LinkedIn.This isn’t a “how I built this” highlight reel. It’s what actually happens when you’re juggling investors, layoffs, spin cycles, fundraising failures, and the kind of decisions that keep you up for months.We dig into why CEO life is less “Davos and private jets” and more “burnout, pressure, and zero control.” What it’s like to be the person everyone expects answers from, even when you’re not sure yourself. And why founders need less hype—and way more empathy.Never miss a new episode! Join our newsletter at revenueformula.substack.com(00:00) - Introduction (01:44) - Inside the minds of CEOs (06:47) - Transparency and communication (08:37) - Dealing with the worst problems (09:51) - Limited control and influence (10:59) - Fundraising challenges (15:54) - Financial realities of CEOs (24:57) - The emotional toll (27:24) - Decision-making pressures (37:16) - Final thoughts

Is outbound dead? Not exactly. But it is changing fast.In this episode, Raul and Toni break down why the old outbound playbook is failing, where it still works, and how AI is reshaping the SDR role. We get into why brute force cold calls and emails are hitting their limits, why connect rates keep dropping, and where smart teams are still seeing success.We also talk about the rise of “new world SDRs,” how AI tools are changing prospecting, and how to use spiffs to actually build skills, not just spike activity. If you lead a sales team or run outbound, this one’s for you.Never miss a new episode! Join our newsletter at revenueformula.substack.com(00:00) - Introduction (02:09) - Problems with the old world SDR approach (12:31) - The role of SDRs in the age of AI (16:15) - What should SDRs do now? (25:26) - Using SPIFS to drive change (36:09) - Conclusion and final thoughts (37:25) - Up next: the real life of a CEO

Discover the secrets of a groundbreaking GTM playbook, previously reserved for elite gatherings. It shifts the focus from relentless lead chasing to harnessing users as growth champions. Explore how companies like Notion and Snowflake are redefining revenue through community engagement and genuine connections. Learn about the value of tailored interactions and innovative strategies to nurture user relationships. Plus, find out how charismatic launch events can amplify brand presence and foster customer loyalty.