The Sales Consultant Podcast Derrick Williams

In this episode, Derrick interviews Rosalyn Santa Elena, Founder of The Revenue Operations Collective. Throughout the discussion we talk about the strategic imperative for companies to invest in RevOps early, the nuances of influencing without authority as RevOps professionals, and the common pitfalls encountered in forming a RevOps function. 
One of our favorite parts is when we talk through how to navigate personality conflicts and achieve alignment amidst strong personalities. We also get into optimizing two critical hand-offs in the business: Sales to Customer Success (CS) and from CS to Marketing where we should be closing the loop.

Toward the end, Rosalyn offers actionable advice on effectively communicating the contributions and value of RevOps within organizations. 

#salesconsultantpodcast #revops #revenueoperations #salesops #alignment #salesdata #crmdata #careeradvice #strategy #operations #customersuccess #sales #marketing #gtm #gotomarket #revenue #b2bsales #techsales 

Time Stamps:
[2:25] - Why companies should invest into Revenue Operations sooner.

[5:15] - Influencing without authority and the common pitfalls in forming a Revenue Operations function.

[13:55] - Achieving “alignment” when faced with strong personalities and personality conflicts.

[22:10] - Optimizing the hand-off from Sales to CS and how CS can be leveraged to drive more revenue.

[31:00] - Another hand-off that should be optimized is ‘CS to Marketing’ in terms of customer intelligence.

[33:25] - Thriving in her career as a working parent and how Rosalyn navigated her career differently than her male counterparts. 

[42:10] - How to communicate your contributions and value as a Revenue Operations person.

Connect with Rosalyn:Rosalyn’s LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosalyn-santa-elena/
The RevOps Collective website: https://therevopscollective.com

Connect with Derrick:Derrick’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrickis3linksales/
Follow Derrick on Instagram @derrickis3linksales

These interviews are also available on Derrick’s YouTube page - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFfMnGtGWVrzO3BorCimojw

John Barrows is the CEO of JB Sales and honestly one of my idols so it’s with great pride and honor that I can say this is his second time on the show.
In the first part of the discussion we get into some of the business lessons that John took from 2023 and as a result the adjustments he ‘s made in his company this year to remain profitable and fulfilled.  
From there we get into debunking the Predictable Revenue model, highlighting the transformative power of AI in sales, and what makes for a kick ass sales kick off. 

Toward the end of the conversation I hit John with some rapid-fire questions on topics like remote work, his preferred CRM, the future of Sales Development and we even talked a bit of hip-hop. 

In a serendipitous twist, the episode wraps up with a story about the number 55, and this just so happens to be our 55th episode.

#salesconsultantpodcast #artificialintelligence #aininsales #salestrainer #salestraining #ceo #founder #entrepreneurship #crom #salesdevelopment #predictablebrevenue #accountexecutive #fullcyclessales #prospecting #fillthefunnel #makeithappen #55

Time Stamps:
[02:30] - John reflects on lessons from 2023 and how he’s adjusting in 2024. He shares some incredible business lessons on building a business because you can versus because you wanted to.

[12:00] - Why John thinks the Predictable Revenue model is a joke.

[15:49] - How AI is changing the game and how salespeople won’t be replaced by AO but by people who know how to use AI.

[22:20] - John shares an AI tool he uses to analyze a client’s 10-K report and suggests outreach messaging based on what you offer.

[24:20] - What makes for a kick ass Sales Kick Off along with some horror stories from someone who has presented and trained at a tone of them.

[35:20] - We jump into some rapid fire questions about AI, the Super Bowl, Hip-Hop, remote work, his preferred CRM and why he switched recently, and the future of Sales Development.

Connect with John:John’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/
JB Sales Training: https://www.jbarrows.com
Sell better website: https://sellbetter.xyz

Connect with Derrick:Derrick’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrickis3linksales/
Follow Derrick on Instagram @derrickis3linksales

These interviews are also available on Derrick’s YouTube page - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFfMnGtGWVrzO3BorCimojw

This is an inspirational conversation with the legendary Ralph Barsi. Ralph has led global sales development teams at companies like Tray.io and ServiceNow. And it was then back, in 2015, that I first started following him and taking note of his talks.
Currently he is the VP of Sales at Kahua and as a first time VP of Sales we get to unpack what his first year has been like. We also get into several other topics like the importance of operationalizing practice in sales orgs, the importance of loving your haters as you grow in your career, and we even get into advice on how to structure payment terms in consulting engagements (which Ralph provides an interesting twist on with family trusts).
Ralph personifies servant leadership and what it means to be an authentic sales leader so I make sure to have a well rounded conversation with him to understand what truly underpins his success. With 30 years of experience in sales, sales leadership and consulting Ralph drops a ton of advice that you’re not going to want to miss.

#salesconsultantpodcast #sales #salesleadership #salesmanagement #salesdevelopment #vpofsales #practicemakesperfect #loveyourhaters #managementcareer #careeradvice #managementadvice #leadershiplessons #gtmconsulting #gtm #authenticity #inspiration

Time Stamps:
[2:22] - 75-Hard mental toughness program created by, Andy Frisella (https://andyfrisella.com).

[6:55] - Balancing everything as a father, a sales leader, thought leader, musician and more. 

[11:00] - The transferable sales skills and disciplines that come from music (not just sports). 

[18:26] - Operationalizing more practice in sales teams.

[20:50] - From leading Sales Development teams to being hired as a first time VP of Sales.

[27:00] - Advice to new managers. 

[29:00] - His opinion on how the number of haters will grow as you grow in your career.

[34:30] - How he got into consulting, his experience, and his consulting ambitions for the future.

[39:15] - Structuring consulting compensation and hassigning equity to a family trust.

[44:00] - Who helped him the most become who he is and why.

Connect with Ralph:Ralph’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphbarsi/
Ralph’s website: https://www.ralphbarsi.com

Connect with Derrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrickis3linksales/

These interviews are also available on Derrick’s YouTube page - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFfMnGtGWVrzO3BorCimojw

This interview is with an old friend and boss of mine; Pete Mickartz who is currently the Director of Sales at Veraset, the leading global location data provider enabling companies to innovate with anonymized GPS location data.
Throughout the first half of my discussion with Pete we delve into the story of his sales consulting venture, ZeroToTwenty. We explore Pete's leap of faith from a stable, full-time role to the unknown realm of entrepreneurship which was driven not just by ambition, but also by a bit of destiny. 
Listen to the interview and I promise you’re going to gain some very invaluable insights as Pete shares his firsthand experiences, from pioneering a solo sales consultancy to scaling Tenbound’s practice with a team of consultants. 

During the back half of the talk we run through some hot topics such as the transformative power of AI in sales, the evolving dynamics of remote versus onsite work environments, and the future trajectory of sales development. 

We wrap up with Pete’s candid opinions on the significance of social selling, thought leadership, and the delicate balance between individual talent and organizational culture. 

#salesconsultantpodcast #salesconsultant #salesconsulting #consulting #entrepreneurship #aiinsales #ai #remotework #onsitework #salesdevelopment #futureofsales #predictions #socialselling #culture #b2bsales #salesmanagement

Time Stamps:[2:90] - We unravel the inception of Pete's consulting venture, ZeroToTwenty. It unfolded almost serendipitously, as if he were summoned to consulting. This serves as a lesson to other budding entrepreneurs: heed the signs and opportunities that present themselves.

[6:20] - Pete walks us through his thought process from a monetary standpoint with regard to leaving a full-time gig with a solid salary to starting his practice from zero (pun intended).

[13:00] - For the first time on the show we talk through what it’s like to lead a group of sales consultants, myself included.

[22:00] - We discuss what it’s like and the thought process involved in switching from consulting to a full-time sales leadership role. Pete shares stories about building Tenbound’s practice and the workload that came with which leads to discussing pivotal moments that led to his return to full-time employment.

[33:30] - Pete shares a wonderful personal story about a book that his mother wrote for him while he was coming up which she gave to him when he turned 30.

[38:30] - I ask Pete his perspective on AI in Sales: is it more noise or a real game-changer?

[40:40] - We chat about Onsite vs Remote Work and which mode works best in his opinion when a company is rapidly growing.

[43:50] - The next topic is “the future of Sales Development”: will it continue to grow or is it a dying model? Pete shares what he thinks.

[49:30] Is social selling and thought leadership a ‘nice to have’ or is it essential to a sales strategy? Pete gives is a very open and honest answer to this one.

[55:00] - Lastly we talk about what’s more impactful on a sales team’s success, individual talent or environmental conditions.

Connect with Pete:Pete’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petemickartz/

Connect with Derrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrickis3linksales/

These interviews are also available on Derrick’s YouTube page - a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFfMnGtGWVrzO3BorCimojw" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

James Rores is the Founder and CEO of Floriss Group and I’m proud to say that this is my second time sitting down with James and picking his brain about the practice of sales consulting. A link to the first episode can be found below the time stamps.
James is very likely one of the most experienced sales consultants in the world and in this episode, James reflects on his 18-year track record. We delve into the intersection of tattoos and business, James' insights on the evolving preferences of B2B buyers, and whether traditional sales frameworks like BANT are still effective. James also shares his strategies for client acquisition, content creation, and pricing structures, offering valuable advice for fellow consultants.

#salesconsultantpodcast #salesconsultant #b2bsales #consultant #entrepreneurship #clientacquisition #bant #meddicc #content #engagementpricing #authenticity 

Time Stamps:
[3:30] - James explains how he’s managed to last 18-years in the Sales Consulting game but he also shares what it’s like flirting with the idea of working for someone again as an employee.

[11:30] - Over the past couple of years, James has undergone significant tattoo work, resulting in two full sleeves. I sought his perspective on the intersection of tattoos and the business world, especially within the realm of consultancy.

[16:50] - Citing a recent Gartner study revealing that "75% of B2B buyers favor a representative-free experience," I engage James to share his insights. This initiates a compelling discussion on the implications for the sales consulting industry. Link to research.

[23:42] - I ask James if he thinks BANT is broken. He drops some good knowledge along with his view on this hot topic.

[36:30] - James’ approach to out-bounding and driving client acquisition as a sales consultant.

[39:24] - James shares his thought process and approach to generating content for his consulting practice.

[42:25] - Advice to consultants on how to think about structuring pricing for engagements.

Here’s a link to our first interview:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sales-consultant-podcast/id1672599390?i=1000623482863

Connect with James:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrores/

Connect with Derrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrickis3linksales/

These interviews are also available on Derrick’s YouTube page - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFfMnGtGWVrzO3BorCimojw

In this episode, Matthew Armstrong, Head of Customer Success at Sidechain Security, shares insights into building a thriving customer success organization. 
We learn about aligning objectives with clear metrics, proactive engagement, and personalized approaches. 

We discuss the importance of cross-functional collaboration and gathering post-sale feedback for continuous improvement—essential traits of successful customer success initiatives. 

Matthew also offers practical tips for setting up a customer success team and emphasizes the importance of every person in every department of the organization adopting a customer-centric mindset.

#salesconsultantpodcast #customersuccess #cs #b2bsales #growth #value

Time Stamps:
[4:00] A story that epitomizes the pinnacle of customer success: From a modest $150,000 initial order to a staggering $40M in total purchases.

[8:00] - When customers fail to realize the value of their purchase.

{12:30] - When sales over promises on the capabilities of the product and CS is left to clean up.

[14:50] - Why CS should report into Sales or be its own business unit reporting to the CEO.

[18:30] - Collecting customer insights post-sale for the purpose of becoming more buyer-centric.

[20:00] - The importance of conducting interviews and truly being in tune with customer as opposed to only relying on stale surveys.

[22:00] - What it looks like in the early days of building out a new CS function including the top KPIs and where the priorities lie as a leader.

[25:00] - When it makes sense to assign a dedicated CS Manager (CSM) to a single account.

[27:35] - Advice to aspiring CS professionals: The worst thing you can say is, “that’s not my job”. 


Connect with Matthew:Matthew’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwarmstrong/

Connect with Derrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrickis3linksales/

These interviews are also available on Derrick’s YouTube page - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFfMnGtGWVrzO3BorCimojw