The Thread Podcast

Justin Vandehey
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The Thread Podcast explores the future of enterprise sales in the era of AI.  Hosted by Justin Vandehey, founder of Thread, we bring together top sales leaders, enablement pros, and innovators shaping how go-to-market teams grow and win. Each episode dives deep into what’s changing in sales—from real-time AI coaching to modern revenue systems of action—and features actionable insights from CROs, RevOps leaders, startup founders, and the technologists building the next generation of tools. Whether you’re scaling founder-led sales or leading a global GTM team, you’ll walk away with new strategies to improve seller performance, accelerate deal cycles, and leverage AI for growth. If you’re ready to think differently about sales execution and the future of GTM, follow The Thread and join the conversation.

  1. 5D AGO

    Equity Is a Revenue Lever: Benjamin Roach on RevOps in the Incentives Economy

    In this episode of the Thread Podcast, Justin Vandehey interviews Benjamin Roach, Director of Revenue Operations at Optio Incentives, to explore what it takes to build RevOps in the equity compensation and incentives space. Ben shares his “traditional” path from sales into RevOps, why he deliberately took a step back into a junior ops role, and how getting technical became a career unlock. They dig into the complexities of selling and operating in equity management—where revenue can include ARR, transactional fees, and services, and where buyers span CFOs, CHROs, legal, and finance. Ben also shares his point of view on AI: where it can help participants and admins get fast answers, and why data quality and human oversight still matter. The episode closes with career advice for aspiring RevOps leaders and how to learn the craft. Key topics covered Why Ben moved from sales → RevOps (and why he “took a step back” to level up)Equity compensation complexity: strike price, taxes, vesting, global complianceHow Optio’s GTM motion sells “trusted partner + tech,” not just softwareMeasuring growth in equity management beyond traditional ARRAI in equity management: where it’s useful today and where it’s riskyCareer advice: become technical, stay curious, build a broader toolbelt Memorable moments / quotable lines “Stock options… were unknown to me. You get handed them and think, maybe one day I’ll make money.”“AI is only as good as your data models.”“Don’t be scared to take a step backwards.”“RevOps wears so many hats—you need a lot of tools on your toolbelt.”Chapters (suggested) 00:00 – Welcome + Ben’s intro  01:00 – From sales to RevOps (and why he took a step back)  02:10 – Why the equity/incentives space pulled him in  03:30 – Aligning finance, HR, and revenue metrics  04:45 – Why revenue isn’t just ARR in equity management  05:30 – Simplifying a complex story for CFOs/CHROs/legal  06:55 – Global compliance + product readiness constraints  09:00 – AI in equity: what it can and can’t do (yet)  11:05 – Career advice for aspiring RevOps leaders  13:45 – Plug: Optio + how to connect with Ben

    19 min

  2. DEC 12

    From PLG to Enterprise: Tyler Will on Building Modern GTM at Intercom

    In this episode of the Thread Podcast, Justin talks with Tyler Will, VP of GTM Strategy & Ops at Intercom, about how modern revenue organizations are evolving in an era defined by AI, PLG-to-enterprise transitions, and go-to-market speed. Tyler shares his journey from economic consulting and Bain, to GTM leadership at LinkedIn, to now scaling RevOps at Intercom. He breaks down the key differences between operating at a 20,000-person giant and a high-velocity SaaS company, why balancing PLG and enterprise sales motions requires intentional system and process design, and how Intercom rebuilt its routing, sales assist, and pricing guardrails to accelerate ACVs and bring clarity back to the customer journey. The conversation digs into how AI is reshaping selling—not by replacing reps, but by giving them time back. From auto-generating QBR decks to enriching data behind the scenes, Tyler explains why AI actually makes sales more human, not less. He also shares why the next generation of RevOps talent will shift from narrow specialists to curious generalists who leverage AI, understand the full GTM workflow, and act as true co-owners of the business. This is a high-signal episode for anyone thinking about PLG evolution, GTM design, AI-powered sales, and how RevOps must evolve to meet the moment. Chapters 00:00 — Intro + Tyler’s Background Justin sets up the episode; Tyler shares his path from consulting and Bain to LinkedIn to Intercom. 02:00 — Early Career Lessons: From Consulting to GTM How economic consulting and strategy work shaped Tyler’s analytical and leadership approach. 03:30 — Operating at Scale: LinkedIn vs. Intercom Why large enterprise GTM is committee-driven, and how smaller SaaS companies require speed, adaptability, and influence without authority. 06:00 — PLG, Sales-Led, and the Middle Ground How Intercom balances self-serve PLG customers with enterprise sales—and why a “Sales Assist” motion has become critical. 08:30 — Redesigning Routing, Guardrails & ACV Growth How simplifying and separating motions helped Intercom lift sales-led logos and drive higher ACVs. 10:45 — AI as an Amplifier, Not a Replacement Why AI frees reps from low-value tasks (QBR decks, data cleanup) and makes room for more human selling. 13:20 — The Real Risk: Overvaluing Human Busywork Why reps aren’t losing points for doing things manually—and why AI should elevate the conversation, not eliminate the human. 15:00 — The Future of RevOps Careers Why RevOps is shifting from specialists to generalists who use AI, understand systems, and act like business owners. 18:00 — What RevOps Leaders Should Learn Next Tyler’s advice to aspiring operators—how to become more valuable by being curious across the entire GTM ecosystem. 19:30 — Closing Thoughts + Intercom Hiring Tyler encourages RevOps pros to embrace the field and shape the future; Justin wraps the conversation.

    25 min

  3. NOV 14

    AI Is a Mirror, Not a Miracle: John Queally, Head of RevOps at Clari, on the Future of RevOps

    Episode Summary In this episode of the Thread Podcast, host Justin Vandehey sits down with John Queally, Senior Director of Revenue Operations at Clari, to explore how RevOps is evolving in the age of AI, and what it really means to build a data-driven go-to-market organization. John’s career spans consulting, analytics at JP Morgan, leadership roles at American Express and Qualtrics, and now Clari — one of the companies that helped define modern RevOps. He shares how his early assumption that tech companies were “amazing at data” turned out to be completely wrong, and why that realization led him to see RevOps as the spinal column and nervous system of every go-to-market organization. Together, they dive deep into: How to unify fractured data systems across sales, marketing, CS, and productThe difference between “tools” and true data architectureWhy AI is exposing every fault line in go-to-market organizationsThe human side of RevOps: partnerships, trust, and communicationWhat “world-class” looks like for RevOps in 2025 and beyondHow to balance machine intelligence with human intuition in salesAnd how leaders can prepare for the next generation of revenue operationsChapters 00:00 – Introduction Justin introduces John Queally and his path from consulting and banking to RevOps leadership at Clari. 01:10 – From JP Morgan to Clari: The Data Reality Check John shares how his early experience in finance led him to realize how disorganized data is across tech companies — and how that sparked his RevOps journey. 03:30 – Defining RevOps as the Spinal Column Why RevOps should serve as the connective nervous system for GTM — ensuring every function operates from the same base of facts. 05:00 – What “World-Class” RevOps Looks Like Today John explains how the definition of world-class RevOps is shifting toward data ownership, cohesive field experiences, and AI-enabled decision-making. 06:30 – AI vs. Human Intuition The ongoing tension between automation and human instinct in sales — and why RevOps needs to serve as a checkpoint, not a replacement. 08:15 – The Future of CRM and GTM Systems A look ahead at how the sales tech stack is evolving beyond monolithic CRMs into a connected ecosystem of specialized tools. 10:00 – Machine Learning and Predicting Customer Behavior John shares how Clari partnered with data science firm QuadSci to achieve 94% churn prediction accuracy — and how that insight gets surfaced seamlessly to the field. 13:00 – Cross-Functional Alignment at Scale Why true RevOps alignment comes from people, not tickets — and why John’s team embeds directly within every GTM function. 15:30 – Developing the Next Generation of RevOps Leaders The skills operators need to thrive in this next era — including data fluency, architectural thinking, and strategic ownership. 18:00 – The AI Wake-Up Call Why 80% of AI projects fail — and how RevOps leaders can prepare their orgs by fixing data quality and alignment first. 20:00 – Closing Thoughts John’s reflections on RevOps as a community-driven discipline, the future of collaboration, and why every GTM leader must now own their data story.

    26 min

  4. OCT 31

    Building B2B at B2C Scale: Max Mozes on RevOps, Data Strategy, and the Walmart for Business GTM Motion

    In this episode of the Thread Podcast, host Justin Vandehey sits down with Max Mozes, Director of Revenue Operations at Walmart for Business, to unpack what it takes to build a world-class B2B motion inside one of the world’s largest retail organizations. Before joining Walmart, Max carried a quota as a seller, scaled local business teams at LevelUp (acquired by Grubhub for $400M), and held key operational roles at Amazon Business — giving him a unique perspective on how to connect frontline sales experience with scalable systems and data strategy. Together, Justin and Max dive into: The evolution of RevOps from sales enablement to strategic business architectureHow Walmart is redefining B2B commerce for 30+ million potential business customersWhat RevOps looks like when you’re serving both local bakeries and Fortune 500sThe art of structuring and prioritizing massive datasets across millions of prospectsWhy data enrichment and hierarchy matter more than just “more data”What’s hype vs. what’s real when it comes to AI and GTM automationAnd the soft skills that separate good operators from great ones: agency, resourcefulness, and ownership Key Takeaways B2B at scale is an architecture problem. Data flows, enrichment, and prioritization define how sales teams actually execute.RevOps must translate complexity into clarity. The role is as much about storytelling as it is about systems.AI and data are only as powerful as the processes behind them. Automation should amplify human productivity, not replace it.Resourcefulness + Agency = Operator Superpowers. The best RevOps leaders identify problems, fix them, and bring solutions already in motion.Memorable Quotes “Every business in the U.S. is a potential Walmart customer — from a one-person bakery to a university with a $300M endowment.”  “There’s no sales team big enough to manually reach every account — so data prioritization becomes your growth strategy.”  “RevOps isn’t about the system you use. It’s about how you organize information so sellers can take action.”  “Agency and resourcefulness — that’s the difference between operators who just report problems and those who drive change.” Chapters 00:00 — Introduction: From Seller to RevOps Leader  02:00 — Lessons from LevelUp and Amazon Business  03:30 — Bridging Sales and Operations  05:00 — Inside Walmart for Business: Scaling B2B at Retail Scale  08:00 — Data Architecture, Enrichment, and Prioritization  11:00 — AI Hype vs. Reality in Enterprise RevOps  14:00 — Building Resourceful Teams and Taking Ownership  17:00 — Walmart for Business: Hiring and Next Steps Resources & Mentions Walmart for Business — https://business.walmart.comGrubhub acquires LevelUp — $400M acquisition (TechCrunch, 2021)Max Mozes on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxwellmozes About the Guest Max Mozes is the Director of Revenue Operations at Walmart for Business, where he leads strategy, data, and process optimization for one of the largest B2B commerce initiatives in the U.S. His career spans sales and RevOps roles at Amazon, Grubhub/LevelUp, and high-growth startups, giving him a rare perspective on building go-to-market infrastructure from both startup scrappiness and enterprise scale.

    23 min

  5. OCT 17

    Navigating RevOps in Healthcare with Chantel Hirschel, Head of RevOps at Sana

    In this episode, Chantel Hirschel, Director of Revenue Operations at Sana, discusses the unique challenges and opportunities in the healthcare industry, particularly in revenue operations.  She shares insights on transitioning from traditional B2B SaaS to healthcare, the importance of HIPAA compliance, and the role of AI in rev ops. Chantel also offers advice for aspiring leaders in the field, emphasizing the importance of communication and strategic thinking. Chapters Introduction to Chantel Hirschel(0:00)Transitioning to Healthcare Rev Ops(3:00)AI and Automation in Rev Ops(9:00)Leadership and Communication in Rev Ops(15:00)Future of Sales and Rev Ops(21:00)

    23 min

  6. SEP 26

    Building sales strategies in sports and entertainment with Larry Peters, CRO of World of Dance

    In this episode of the Thread Podcast, host Justin Vandehey speaks with Larry Peters, the Chief Revenue Officer of World of Dance.  They discuss Larry's extensive background in sales and marketing within the sports and entertainment industries, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer needs and the role of practice in sales.  Justin and Larry explores the integration of AI in sales strategies, particularly in enhancing team efficiency and customer engagement. Larry shares insights on building effective sales teams and the unique challenges of marketing to Gen Z consumers. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Larry Peters and His Background 08:40 Building Revenue Strategies in Entertainment 17:38 The Role of AI in Sales 24:20 Engaging with Gen Z Consumers

    30 min

  7. SEP 5

    Breaking Barriers in Supply Chain: Kara Brown on GTM, AI, and The Revenue Engine

    Summary In this episode of the Thread Podcast, host Justin Vandehey speaks with Kara Brown, founder and CRO of Lead Coverage, about her journey in the supply chain industry, the importance of go-to-market strategies, and the impact of AI on sales technology. Kara shares insights from her book, 'The Revenue Engine,' and discusses the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in achieving significant revenue milestones. The conversation also delves into the intricacies of the supply chain ecosystem and the necessity for companies to adapt to technological advancements. Takeaways Kara Brown emphasizes the importance of owning customer email addresses for effective marketing.The supply chain industry has a low bar for go-to-market activities, presenting opportunities for growth.Women entrepreneurs face significant challenges in reaching $1 million in revenue.Kara's book, 'The Revenue Engine,' serves as a framework for success in the supply chain sector.AI is transforming sales tech, but many companies are lagging behind in adoption.Understanding the total addressable market (TAM) is crucial for business strategy.Kara's agency focuses on companies that physically move freight or have the tech behind it.The conversation highlights the tactile nature of logistics and its importance in business.Kara's journey includes significant milestones, such as writing an IPO and launching a successful consulting agency.The future of sales tech will require companies to adapt to new tools and methodologies. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Kara Brown and Her Journey 04:14 The Revenue Engine: Framework and Insights 07:01 Target Audience and Ideal Customer Profile 10:14 The State of CRM in Supply Chain 13:00 AI and the Future of Sales 15:57 Kara's Philosophy on Market Engagement 18:42 Goals and Future Aspirations

    27 min

  8. AUG 15

    The Future of Sales: AI and Human Connection with Karan Singh, SVP of GTM Operations & Strategy @ LaunchDarkly

    In this episode of the Thread Podcast, host Justin Vandehey speaks with Karan Singh, SVP of Go-to-Market Strategy and Operations at LaunchDarkly. They discuss Karan's extensive background in various tech companies, the evolving role of AI in sales, and the importance of human connection in go-to-market strategies.  Karan emphasizes the need for productivity over leanness in sales organizations and highlights the challenges of training and developing sellers in a fast-paced environment. He also shares insights for new revenue operations professionals, stressing the importance of seller readiness and effective onboarding processes. Takeaways Karan Singh has a diverse background in tech, having worked in cybersecurity, data warehousing, and vertical SaaS.AI tools should enhance human connections rather than replace them in sales processes.Productivity is more important than leanness in sales organizations.The average tenure of a seller is around 18 months, highlighting the need for effective training.Investing in seller readiness early can lead to long-term success in sales organizations.Automation can help sellers focus on meaningful human interactions.Sales training should be consistent and comprehensive to ensure seller success.Understanding customer needs is crucial for effective sales conversations.Karan emphasizes the importance of developing B sellers into A sellers. The role of Rev Ops is multifaceted, requiring a focus on strategy, systems, and seller enablement. Chapters 02:26 Karan Singh's Journey in Go-to-Market Strategy 07:15 The Role of AI in Sales and Human Connection 10:36 Productivity vs. Leanness in Sales Organizations 14:13 Challenges in Seller Training and Development 18:53 Key Insights for New Rev Ops Hires

    26 min
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About

The Thread Podcast explores the future of enterprise sales in the era of AI.  Hosted by Justin Vandehey, founder of Thread, we bring together top sales leaders, enablement pros, and innovators shaping how go-to-market teams grow and win. Each episode dives deep into what’s changing in sales—from real-time AI coaching to modern revenue systems of action—and features actionable insights from CROs, RevOps leaders, startup founders, and the technologists building the next generation of tools. Whether you’re scaling founder-led sales or leading a global GTM team, you’ll walk away with new strategies to improve seller performance, accelerate deal cycles, and leverage AI for growth. If you’re ready to think differently about sales execution and the future of GTM, follow The Thread and join the conversation.

Information

  • Creator
    Justin Vandehey
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    143
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Thread Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Thread Podcast