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The Playbook Universe Episode 16 | Sam Costello - The North Star is the Customer

Sam Costello shares his career journey and insights on reinventing ...

Sam Costello shares his career journey and insights on reinventing oneself to achieve success in sales and leadership roles spanning banking, top tech companies, and startups.

Influenced by his father and ...grandfather's sales backgrounds, Sam earned a finance degree but ensured his first job involved sales. Early days working for his brother's landscaping business shaped Sam's customer-first mindset. This focus on customer success became central to his approach.

A chance encounter opened Sam's eyes to tech sales. He pivoted to CA Technologies and learned enterprise software sales. Sam credits CA with providing his sales foundation. Major successes followed at Oracle, including a $30 million deal.

But it was a conversation with that client's CIO that sparked Sam's interest in startups. He joined Perfecto Mobile and embraced mentorship from sales gurus Keith Butler and Rob Watson. Their MEDDIC mindset approach to sales transformed Sam's perspective to always focus on customer success.

Sam stresses the importance of seeking feedback and remaining coachable to drive continual growth. Even today, he focuses on enabling his team. After Perfecto, Sam saw joining Harness and its mission as his next opportunity to make an impact.

Though Sam remains dedicated to driving Harness's success, his broader purpose is helping people through work and philanthropy. He may start a foundation someday. For now, building something great at Harness motivates him.

Key Takeaways:

- Start with the customer's needs to drive success
- Pivoting into new opportunities can unlock potential
- Embrace mentorship from sales experts to evolve
- Remain coachable and seek feedback to grow
- Find purpose beyond your company's mission
- Take risks to reinvent yourself throughout your career

Sam's story provides inspiration for achieving success by putting customers first, leveraging mentorship, and continually reinventing your career. His insights apply to sales and beyond. It's a must watch![+] Show More

Special Edition | Rick Kickert - Enablement Formula For Success

The conversation between Ollie, Simon, and Rick covers the evolving ...

The conversation between Ollie, Simon, and Rick covers the evolving landscape of sales enablement and its crucial role in driving revenue growth. Rick emphasizes the need for sales teams to ...adapt to changes in technology and buyer behavior, leveraging data and insights effectively to succeed in a competitive market. He discusses the productive capacity model, highlighting key components such as hiring, onboarding, pipeline generation, conversion, and customer expansion. Rick also shares insights into Rev-Logic's approach to providing revenue enablement as a service, leveraging technology and industry expertise to drive sales effectiveness. Throughout the conversation, there's an emphasis on the importance of continuous learning and collaboration within the sales community to stay ahead in a rapidly changing environment. The discussion concludes with reflections on the impact of enablement in driving predictable and repeatable success in sales and the value of learning from industry experts and peers through platforms like podcasts. Overall, the conversation provides valuable insights into the critical role of enablement in driving sales success and supporting continuous learning and adaptation within sales organizations.

Key Takeaways from the Entire Podcast:

1. **Introduction and Background**: Rick Kickert, co-founder of Rev-Logic, brings extensive experience in revenue enablement, having worked with influential leaders such as Dali Rajic. Simon and Ollie, introduce Rick, highlighting his energy and promise for an insightful discussion.

2. **Enablement Dynamics**: Enablement is defined as aligning with business goals and integrating them into the company's DNA. Rick's journey from a buyer to an enablement expert was driven by the opportunity to expand his skill set and professional network.

3. **Sales Evolution**: The focus should shift towards buyer enablement, adapting to changing buying behaviors, leveraging technology, and emphasizing product-led growth to provide unique and context-rich communication.

4. **Enablement's Role**: Establishing robust enablement programs, even in early-stage organizations, is crucial for scalability and long-term success. Continuous evaluation and adaptation are necessary to maintain productivity and reduce attrition.

5. **The Formula for Success**: Rick emphasizes making the go-to-market team as productive as possible to achieve revenue goals. The productive capacity model includes hiring, onboarding, pipeline generation, conversion, and customer expansion or consumption.

6. **Rev-Logic's Approach**: Rev-Logic aims to provide revenue enablement as a service, leveraging experienced operators in the field to help companies achieve their revenue goals. Continuous learning and collaboration within the sales community are emphasized for shared knowledge and insights.

Overall, the podcast provides valuable insights into the critical role of enablement in driving predictable and repeatable success in sales, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and collaboration within the sales community.[+] Show More

The Playbook Universe Episode 15 | Alex Varel - Purpose Driven Leadership

In the dynamic landscape of leadership, individuals like Alex Varel, ...

In the dynamic landscape of leadership, individuals like Alex Varel, CRO at Multiverse, stand as beacons of innovation and purpose-driven growth. In a recent podcast hosted by Simon Kouttis and ...Ollie Kuehne, Alex shared profound insights garnered from his extensive career journey, highlighting pivotal moments, the significance of recruiting suitable individuals, and the art of maintaining a pulse on operations, especially in his role as a Chief Revenue Officer (CRO).

Evolution of Leadership Playbook

Alex's journey unfolds against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving leadership playbook. With notable stints as GVP at Zscaler and mentorship under Carlos Delatorre at MongoDB, Alex embodies the ethos of progressive leadership, driven by a blend of resilience, adaptability, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

Navigating Remote Work Realities

The discussion delved into the transformative impact of COVID-19 on work dynamics, underscoring the need for leadership to provide support amidst challenging times. The transition to remote work has necessitated a re-evaluation of traditional approaches, emphasizing trust, autonomy, and the ability to maintain productivity amidst distractions.

Old Guard vs. New Guard Leadership

Exploring the dichotomy between traditional and modern leadership methodologies, Alex emphasized enduring principles of hard work and adaptability. However, he also underscored the importance of purpose-driven leadership, aligning personal objectives with broader societal contributions.

Recruitment as a Game-Changer

A pivotal moment in Alex's journey came with a realization of the criticality of recruiting and identifying the right talent. His interview approach focuses on establishing connections and delving into candidates' formative years to understand their motivations—a philosophy anchored in prioritizing intangibles like drive and coachability over experience.

Multiverse's Path to Success

At Multiverse, Alex champions a culture of excellence and inclusivity, driven by a shared commitment to achieving significant commercial outcomes while making a positive impact on the world. With audacious growth plans and a focus on talent recruitment and nurturing, Multiverse stands poised to redefine workforce transformation.

Conclusion: Redefining Leadership Excellence

In conclusion, Alex Varel's journey epitomizes the evolution of leadership in an ever-changing world. With a focus on purpose-driven growth, talent recruitment, and a relentless pursuit of excellence, Alex and Multiverse are poised to leave an indelible mark on the world of leadership and workforce transformation.[+] Show More

The Playbook Universe Episode 14 | Spencer Tuttle - Sales Rep to CRO in 8 years!

Join us in this engaging podcast featuring Spencer Tuttle, Chief ...

Special Edition | Casey Ellis and Dave Gerry - Founder vs CEO, is 2 a crowd?

In this Special Edition episode from Hunters and Unicorns, we're ...

Pavel Dolezal -"The Founders Edition" - #004

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns; The Founders Edition. Today we ...

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns; The Founders Edition. Today we welcome Pavel Dolezal, CEO and co-founder of Keboola. Our anticipation is high to learn more about the remarkable initiatives they ...are pursuing. Pavel's story is quite unique; although many companies typically originate from the West Coast or places like Tel Aviv, Keboola's roots trace back to Eastern Europe. Join us as we delve into the beginnings and shed light on the evolving market dynamics, highlighting the emergence of companies like Keboola from that particular region.

Key Takeaways:

1. Pavel recounts his entrepreneurial journey, highlighting three ventures, including internet portals in the late nineties. He emphasizes the need for venturing beyond local borders and seeking co-founders with aligned moral and ethical values for a long-term commitment, emphasizing the importance of building a client-focused company.

2. The co-founder selection process involved identifying co-founders with a shared vision and technical capabilities. The motivation for founding Keboola stemmed from a desire to simplify data usage for businesses by integrating and orchestrating tools in a modern data stack.

3. Pavel emphasizes the need for hands-on understanding through customer interactions and initial implementations, debunking the idea of a sophisticated framework for startups. The two approaches to startup initiation are outlined, either addressing a specific problem within a familiar vertical or identifying a broader market need.

4. Initial efforts focused on reaching out, organizing events, and engaging with potential customers. Key customer, Tomas Chopra, provided crucial insights and challenged them to simplify complex processes for end-users.

5. They recognized a niche in retail, combining physical and virtual elements, and further explored industries like fast-food operations and banking. The validation process involved focusing on customers with large CRM and logistics systems.

6. They tested and refined their hypotheses, targeting different market segments and industries to understand market positioning. Bootstrapping helped in building a strong culture and a committed team, allowing them to adapt and scale when the time was right.

7. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the digital transformation, aligning with their market positioning. They emphasized the importance of understanding when to sell a finished product versus involving customers in the product development journey.

8. Hands-on involvement from the leadership is seen as crucial for rapid adaptation in a rapidly changing environment.

9. Different methodologies like Agile, Six Sigma, and Lean are selectively applied based on the development stage and requirements.

10. Olli Krebs, Keboola’s advisor, helped them refine their deal lifecycle and introduced a structured approach to evaluating deals, improving efficiency. They realized the importance of understanding who excels in what aspect and how to effectively utilize individual strengths within the team.

Key Themes:

• Target Market Focus
• Focused on MSP, particularly in the advertising industry.
• Emphasizing speed and efficiency in delivering results for clients.
• Partnerships and Pipeline Building
• Collaborating with major networks like Publicis Group.
• Believes in a blend of partnerships and building an independent pipeline.
• Deal Strategies
• Successful deals involve 3 to 4 partners, especially in the enterprise space.
• Emphasis on testing and verifying claims before implementation.
• Growth Strategy
• Looking to double down on successful strategies.
• Aiming for ambitious growth in the next 12 months.
• Prioritizing hiring VP-level talent with a focus on cultural fit.
• Adaptability and Evolution
• Acknowledging the need to evolve as the company grows.
• Recognizing the changing dynamics and potential future shifts in the industry.
• Technological Advancements
• Mention of AI advancements and the need for an automated data platform.
• Global Expansion
• Expanding globally, with initial focus on UK, Ireland, and North.
• Strategic Guidance
• Seeking advice and guidance from experts, like those associated with Ray Dalio.
• Adaptive Leadership
• Accepting role changes and decentralization of decision-making.
• Observations on the Future
• Reflecting on the potential shifts in humanity and technology in the coming years.[+] Show More

The Playbook Universe - Olli Krebs #013

🎙️ Insights from Olli Krebs: Navigating 30 Years in Sales 🌟 In our ...

🎙️ Insights from Olli Krebs: Navigating 30 Years in Sales 🌟

In our latest Playbook Universe episode, we had the privilege of speaking with Olli Krebs, a sales veteran with three ...decades of experience. During this time, he achieved notable milestones including 15 President's Club recognitions, involvement in five acquisitions, participation in one IPO, and membership in two Chairman's Strategic Advisory Council (SAC) circles. Notably, Olli was an integral part of the initial Blade Logic crew and was among the earliest hires in the European market.

Here are some key takeaways from this enlightening conversation:

1️. European Expansion: European software and SaaS companies are making waves in the US market, challenging Silicon Valley's dominance. Innovation hubs are emerging across Europe, fostering tech growth.
2. Value of European Investors: European investors offer guidance and experience, beyond capital, to startups.
3. Cultural Adaptability: Sales strategies vary due to cultural differences, emphasizing adaptability and understanding local markets.
4. Sales Training: Sales training should emphasize mastering the craft and understanding the company's ethos.
5. Managerial Transition: Transitioning from an individual contributor to a manager requires a delicate balance of relationships and authority. It's complex, requiring guidance and coaching to lead effectively.
6. Understanding 'Why': Emphasize understanding the 'why' behind methodologies, focusing on collaboration and individuality.
7. Sales Fundamentals: People buy from people; honesty and integrity are paramount in sales. Align with customer needs, provide solutions, and build strong relationships.
8. Key Traits: Confidence and adaptability are vital for sales professionals, especially in dynamic markets like cryptocurrency.

Olli's wisdom underscores, that sales, at its core, is about understanding customer needs, offering solutions, and building lasting connections. It's a journey of evolution, from traditional relationship-focused sales to a consultative approach, especially for enterprise solutions. Success lies in embracing change, upholding ethics, and embodying confidence. Thank you, Olli, for these invaluable insights!

🚀 #SalesLeadership #BusinessInsights #HuntersAndUnicorns[+] Show More

Anant Bhardwaj -"The Founders Edition" - #003

The Hunters and Unicorns session with Anant Bhardwaj, Founder and CEO ...

The Hunters and Unicorns session with Anant Bhardwaj, Founder and CEO of Instabase unveiled an extraordinary journey, starting from humble beginnings to becoming the visionary founder of a groundbreaking AI ...company, Instabase. The emphasis on developing applications around real-world use cases struck a chord, highlighting the need to identify broader relevance beyond a specific scenario for achieving impactful market fit.

Key Takeaways;

1. Early Life and Education: Grew up in a rural part of India called Nalanda, Bihar, without modern amenities. Initially struggled adjusting to a city environment due to a shift in language and educational medium to English.

2. Career Aspirations: Initially wanted to join the Army like family members but was rejected due to colour blindness. Had an interest in literature, poetry, and writing but was discouraged from pursuing it as a career.

3. Academic Journey: Accidentally got into computer science during college in India and discovered a passion for programming. Moved to the US for a master's at Stanford but felt pressure to start a company during this time. Pursued research projects at MIT, one of which was Data Hub, exploring abstracting complex data for diverse applications. Faced challenges with visa status and legal issues but was supported by MIT during this period.

4. Discovery of Commercial Use: Identified a commercial use case with companies like Zenefits and Lending Club needing data extraction from diverse sources like PDFs and images.

5. Product Development and Market Fit: Iterated the product based on market needs and feedback, eventually finding a product-market fit in data extraction and analysis for various industries. Emphasized a fearless and experimental approach to adapt to new opportunities and discover viable product uses.

6. Key Advice from Martin Casado: "Use cases precede the product; product precedes the platform; platform precedes the ecosystem." Don't build a product without understanding the use case it solves. Don't build a platform without a real product. A platform allows value creation by someone other than the creator.

7. Discovery of Product-Market Fit: Understand the key drivers and drags for customers; drivers are critical to why they buy. Find the one or two core drivers that make customers want to buy your product. Prioritize features that cater to these key drivers and address critical pain points.

8. Approach to Product Development: Engage in parallel experimentation to find both the use cases and the right product. Engage early customers to help validate and define the product, ensuring it addresses their needs. Focus on problems applicable across a wide range of industries to have a broad market impact.

9. Building a Platform: Allow customers to create value by building their own apps on your platform. Separate the product from custom services and prioritize building a scalable product. Be open to iterating and adjusting the product based on customer feedback and use cases.

10. Ecosystem Building: Move towards creating an ecosystem by enabling third-party developers to build on the platform. Aim for apps built by one entity to be usable and valuable for another, promoting a broader ecosystem.

11. Early Growth and Funding: Achieved significant growth from $250k to $5 million in a year, gaining investor interest. Raised funding at a $1 billion valuation in 2019 due to perceived strong product-market fit.

12. Challenges in Scaling Sales: Initially, sales were handled by the founder, but transitioning to a sales team required careful planning. Incorrect hiring and lack of understanding of sales dynamics led to a wasted year in scaling sales.

13. Building an Effective Sales Team: Hiring salespeople requires careful consideration of ramp-up times, quotas, and net new revenue targets. Defined sales process stages: first meeting, technical deep dive, proof of value, success criteria, business value, commercial and pricing, legal.

14. Sales Process and Experimentation: Focused on identifying and repeating successful use cases to drive sales effectively. Employed a small growth team for experimentation and exploration of new use cases and verticals. Launched a self-serve product (iHub) to understand the market, not focusing on specific deal sizes initially.

15. Sales Velocity and Incentives: Emphasized velocity of feedback and signal collection over deal size to learn from a larger customer base. Experimenting with sales team incentives to encourage high-velocity growth and learning from a diverse customer set.

Episode 3 of 'The Founders Edition' is not to be missed![+] Show More

Jeremy Burton -"The Founders Edition" - #002

Welcome to Episode 2 of Hunters and Unicorns: The Founders Edition. ...

Jyoti Bansal -"The Founders Edition" - #001

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns: The Founders Edition. Today we ...

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns: The Founders Edition. Today we welcome Jyoti Bansal!

Key takeaways from this episode are:

- How AppDynamics became the industry blueprint for sales execution ...best practice.
- The relationship between Product Market Fit and Sales Motion.
- Appointing the right advisors at the right times is imperative for scalability.
- Understanding the evolution of the sales process as you approach $10m in sales.

Jyoti Bansal is a multi-unicorn founder, currently the founder and CEO of two high-growth technology companies: Harness and Traceable AI.

In addition to running Harness and Traceable, Jyoti is highly involved in developing the next generation of technology companies through mentorship and investment.

In 2017 he launched BIG Labs and in 2018 co-founded VC firm Unusual Ventures with John Vrionis. The firm currently has more than $1 billion under management.

Jyoti shares his incredible journey with us. His passion for the highest calibre of sales execution is profound and he reflects on the lessons he’s learned from his own advisors – industry titans; Dev Ittycheria, John McMahon, Dali Rajic, Jeremy Duggan and Joe Sexton

Jyoti candidly opens up about his own awakening regarding giving sales the same parity as product strength. He also delves into why slowing down in order to forecast correctly is crucial to onward success and cadence.

In this episode, Jyoti discusses:

- How the Business Value Assessment was a game changer for AppDynamics
- How to stimulate customer affinity
- The importance and limitations of founder lead sales
- Why Business Value Realisation is the true metric for sustained success
- When to adopt a top-down sales approach vs down-top, vs the “sandwich” strategy

This podcast is full to the brim of insight, honesty and undeniable tenacity.

How do you identify a good seller? When’s the right time to appoint a CRO? Is the rolodex enough anymore for a salesperson?

Jyoti answers these questions and many many more in the first edition of The Founders Edition, bought to you by Hunters and Unicorns. Don’t miss it!![+] Show More

The Playbook Universe - Dan Miller #012

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns: The Playbook Universe. Today we ...

Hunters & Unicorns - Founders Edition Promo

Welcome, dear listeners, to a brand-new podcast series that's about to ...

The Playbook Universe Episode 16 | Sam Costello - The North Star is the Customer

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