WMYT - What makes YOU Tick? Tech Leaders Career Stories

Richard and Tolu @ Tick Talent
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Hello founders, leaders and growth minded people. Welcome to the WMYT? What Makes You Tick Podcast - where we bring you the stories, strategies, and decisions that define the real success formula in tech = to learn from those who've been there and done it! Here’s the big idea: Everyone needs role models and mentors. The best ones come from the people who are doing it - those leaders like you who’ve taken bold steps, made the hard decisions, failed a bunch of of times, and built something real, that matters to people. That’s why we created this podcast. For your inspiration and growth!

  1. E.124 - Why Rejection Builds Great Sales Leaders & Winning Teams w/ Jennifer Nguyen

    2D AGO

    E.124 - Why Rejection Builds Great Sales Leaders & Winning Teams w/ Jennifer Nguyen

    What builds great sales leaders? In this episode of What Makes You Tick, Jennifer Nguyen breaks down how rejection, adversity, and resilience shaped her career in sales, account management, and revenue leadership. From missing out on Junior Olympics competition to interviewing three times before landing a leadership role, Jennifer shares how mental toughness is developed — not learned — and why rejection is often the catalyst for long-term success. This conversation dives deep into: How rejection builds resilience in sales Why account management is more complex than new business The mindset required to build high-performing revenue teams How to hire for coachability and mental toughness Why great leaders take bets on people The role of self-awareness in leadership development How to raise the bar without burning out If you’re a sales leader, CRO, account manager, or founder building a revenue team, this episode will challenge how you think about performance, rejection, and growth. Topics Covered Accomplishing big goals is a journey that requires persistence. Mental toughness is developed through overcoming adversity. Account management is a complex role that requires a consulting mindset. Rejection can be a powerful teacher and motivator. Celebrating team achievements fosters a positive culture. Enablement for account managers is crucial for success. Taking bets on people is essential for leadership growth. Mapping accounts can streamline the sales process. Self-awareness is key to being coachable. Raising the bar continuously leads to personal and professional growth. Who This Episode Is For Sales leaders building high-performance teams Account managers looking to grow into leadership CROs scaling revenue functions Founders transitioning from founder-led sales Anyone navigating rejection in their career About Jennifer Nguyen https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifertaussignguyen/ Jennifer Nguyen is a revenue leader with deep experience in SaaS and account management. She has built and led high-performing teams, developed leaders of leaders, and champions mental toughness as a core driver of sustainable performance. 👤 About Richard Washington Richard Washington helps founders and boards build high-performing GTM leadership teams through Tick Talent, specialising in early-stage and scaling B2B startups. He hosts What Makes You Tick?, a podcast on leadership, growth, and the decisions that shape companies. Find out more. https://www.tick-talent.com/ Follow Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ Read Growth Magnet: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928 #SalesLeadership, #RevenueLeadership, #MentalToughness, #AccountManagement, #HighPerformanceTeams, sales leadership, revenue leadership, mental toughness in sales, how to handle rejection, account management strategy, high performing sales teams, sales career growth, leadership development in sales, coachability in hiring, resilience in business, how to build great sales leaders, SaaS sales leadership, sales mindset, revenue team development, handling churn as a leader, sales management advice, hiring for attitude not experience, pivoting into SaaS sales, women in sales leadership, building mental toughness,

    45 min
  2. How Top Leadership Roles Are REALLY Won (Best Bits) with Jacob Warwick

    5D AGO · BONUS

    How Top Leadership Roles Are REALLY Won (Best Bits) with Jacob Warwick

    Most executives run sophisticated go-to-market strategies… …but abandon that thinking when managing their own careers. In this Best Bits segment, we break down the operator mindset behind career leverage — how top revenue leaders create opportunity, build optionality, and position themselves for roles that are rarely posted publicly. This isn’t job search advice. It’s career strategy. What you’ll learn • Why treating your career like a GTM motion changes everything • The KPI that matters more than applications • How conversations create clarity, influence, and opportunity • Why the best executive roles are discovered, not advertised • How to build optionality and negotiate from leverage • Relationship habits that compound over decades Senior operators understand this: Careers don’t progress through luck. They progress through positioning, relationships, and strategic intent. If you lead revenue, build teams, or operate at the executive level, this conversation will challenge how you think about career growth and market positioning. Who this is for Revenue leaders (CRO, VP Sales, VP GTM) Founders & scale-up executives Senior operators navigating growth or transition Leaders who want leverage, not just their next role Key takeaway Run your career like a market. Opportunity stops being random when you create demand. If this resonates, share it with a leader in your network who thinks strategically about growth, influence, and long-term career leverage. Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, hiring, and building high-performance revenue organizations. CONNECT + SUBSCRIBE Connect with Richard Washington on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash Subscribe to Execs & The City by Jacob: https://www.execsandthecity.com/subscribe Get tech startup playbooks on Growth Magnet: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928 Try Jacob’s free LinkedIn review tool: https://freelinkedinreview.com/ About Jacob Warwick: Jacob is the go-to career strategist for high-performing executives. With over 15 years of experience, he’s coached more than 3,500 leaders to win life-changing comp packages, de-risk their careers, and build influence in competitive markets. He’s also the creator of the Execs & The City newsletter and podcast. Like if you’ve ever felt disposable in a job. Comment if you’re feeling the pressure to evolve. Subscribe so you don’t miss Part 3 (coming out soon) and more great mentors here to guide you.

    26 min
  3. E.123 - The Events to Revenue Playbook: How to Turn Face to Face Meetings Into Closed Deals

    FEB 25

    E.123 - The Events to Revenue Playbook: How to Turn Face to Face Meetings Into Closed Deals

    Most companies attend events. Very few dominate them. In this masterclass, Itai Manor explains how founders, revenue leaders, and go-to-market teams can turn events and conferences from “nice-to-have networking” into a repeatable, scalable revenue engine. Learn how to generate pipeline, close deals, and drive revenue from conferences with a proven B2B event strategy. This isn’t about showing up. This is about winning. Why Events “Don’t Work” for Most Teams Most teams: • show up unprepared • scan badges and have random conversations • follow up poorly (or not at all) • then wonder why nothing converts Events fail not because of budget or attendance — but because of lack of strategy. What You’ll Learn Why Most Events Fail The passive “show up and hope” mindset Mistaking presence for impact Why follow-ups rarely convert into revenue Events as a Go-to-Market Engine How events drive pipeline, partnerships, and trust When events make sense — and when they don’t Attending vs sponsoring vs hosting Pre-Event Domination How to prepare weeks before the event Identifying the right attendees, speakers, and side events Crafting a compelling reason for someone to meet you In-Event Execution How to run focused, intentional conversations What to stop doing at events Creating moments people remember Post-Event Follow-Through Turning conversations into meetings and revenue Why most follow-ups fail How to stand out after the event ends Real Examples & Tactical Playbooks Creative plays that break through the noise Messaging, hooks, and positioning that work What founders and sales teams can apply immediately Who This Episode Is For ✔ Startup founders (early to mid-stage) ✔ CROs, VP Sales, and revenue leaders ✔ GTM & demand gen teams ✔ Anyone investing time or budget into events and expecting real ROI What You’ll Walk Away With ✅ A new way of thinking about events ✅ The biggest mistakes to avoid ✅ Practical ideas to apply before your next conference ✅ A clear path to turning face-to-face moments into closed deals Events aren’t dead. Bad event strategy is. If you want events to drive real revenue, start here. Connect with Itai https://www.linkedin.com/in/itaimanor/ Follow Richard https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ #B2BSales #EventMarketing #RevenueGrowth #GoToMarket #StartupGrowth #WMYT #TickTalent

    47 min
  4. Best Bits: The Multiplier Hiring Playbook for Scaling Sales Teams

    FEB 22 · BONUS

    Best Bits: The Multiplier Hiring Playbook for Scaling Sales Teams

    In this Best Bits episode, Richard Washington shares the hiring framework that separates average hires from true revenue multipliers. Full length episode on Do Hard Things with Gabe Lullo here: https://youtu.be/N2guh2HeO6c?si=Xyp5RMWFpLISYFoL If you’re a founder, CRO, or sales leader scaling from early traction to repeatable growth, hiring the wrong sales talent can stall momentum, drain cash, and damage culture. This episode breaks down how to build a team that actually scales impact. 🚀 In this episode you’ll learn: • Why hiring based on CVs and past quotas leads to costly mistakes • The difference between adders, subtractors, and multipliers • The CORE traits every high-impact hire must have • How to identify ownership, resourcefulness, and execution in interviews • Why “industry experience” can be a hiring trap • How to build a collaborative culture that drives performance • What founders must do to avoid momentum-killing hires Richard explains how the best teams hire builders, not passengers — people who create leverage, take ownership, and accelerate growth. If you’re scaling a startup, building a revenue team, or tired of hires that look great on paper but fail in reality, this is essential listening. 🎧 Watch the full episode here: [link] 📩 Subscribe for weekly leadership & revenue insights: [link] About Richard Washington Richard is a global revenue leader and founder helping early-stage tech companies scale from $1M to $25M by hiring entrepreneurial go-to-market talent that multiplies impact. #SalesLeadership #StartupHiring #RevenueGrowth #SalesHiring #ScalingStartups #B2BSales #GoToMarket #Founders #RevenueOperations #Leadership

    12 min
  5. E.122 - Who Owns Growth? Sales vs Marketing vs Customer Success (Revenue Leadership Debate)

    FEB 18

    E.122 - Who Owns Growth? Sales vs Marketing vs Customer Success (Revenue Leadership Debate)

    Here’s a question most companies get wrong: Who really owns growth in a scaling company? Sales says, “We close it.” Marketing says, “We generate it.” Customer Success says, “We expand and retain it.” They’re all right. And that’s exactly the problem. In this episode of What Makes You Tick, we host a live debate between senior revenue leaders across Sales, Marketing and Customer Success to answer one big question: 👉 Who actually owns growth — and why do most companies treat it like an individual sport? Inside this conversation, we unpack: Why growth breaks down in the handoffs between teams Revenue ownership vs growth ownership The tension between pipeline creation and pipeline conversion Why Customer Success is still underestimated as a growth engine What true GTM alignment actually looks like The difference between individual performance and system performance The highest leverage move founders can make to accelerate growth If you’re scaling from $10M–$200M ARR, this conversation will feel very familiar. Growth doesn’t live inside departments. It lives in the system. 🎙️ Meet the Guests Eric Hachmer https://www.linkedin.com/in/erichachmer/ Fractional CRO and revenue strategist. Eric works with scaling B2B companies to build predictable revenue engines, align GTM teams, and turn strategy into execution. He specialises in enterprise sales leadership, revenue architecture, and building accountable growth systems. Neil Gray https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilsgray/ Fractional CMO and B2B growth operator. Neil partners with founders and leadership teams to sharpen ICP clarity, drive demand generation, and build marketing engines that support sustainable revenue growth — not vanity metrics. Andrea Bumstead https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreabumstead/ Fractional CCO and Customer Success leader. Andrea helps scaling SaaS companies turn retention, expansion, and customer experience into competitive advantage. She focuses on aligning CS to revenue outcomes and long-term customer value. 🎙️ About the Host – Richard Washington Richard Washington is co-host of Making Revenue Tick, GTM recruiter, and trusted advisor to B2B SaaS companies scaling from $0M to $250M+ ARR. He helps founders build revenue teams that actually perform — with strategy, talent, and execution that scales. 🔗 Follow Richard on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ 📩 Read his newsletter Growth Magnet → https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928 If you’re a Founder, CRO, CMO, VP Sales, Head of CS, or revenue leader trying to build a high-performing GTM system — this episode is for you. Growth isn’t an individual sport. It’s a relay race. And if you’re arguing about who owns it… you might already have a gap. Subscribe for more conversations on revenue leadership, hiring multipliers, GTM alignment, and building self-managing growth systems.

    1h 8m
  6. Best Bits: How to 10x Sales Productivity with AI (Agent Playbook Masterclass)

    FEB 15 · BONUS

    Best Bits: How to 10x Sales Productivity with AI (Agent Playbook Masterclass)

    “What if your sales team only did the 1% of work that truly matters?” Watch the full episode now https://youtu.be/pz8066MnkZo?si=9-a2m24B2LspKNYW In this high-impact masterclass segment, James Smith (SVP EMEA at ThoughtSpot) breaks down the exact framework he’s using to redesign his sales process with AI — not for 10% efficiency gains… but for 10X productivity. This isn’t about writing better emails with ChatGPT. It’s about rebuilding your sales engine from first principles. If you’re a founder, CRO, VP Sales, or scaling SaaS leader wondering: Why reps only spend ~20% of time selling Where AI actually fits in GTM How to build agents without being technical How to unlock real leverage instead of hiring more reps This is your blueprint. 🚨 The Big Shift Most teams use AI to make what they already do slightly faster. James asks a different question: “What if we mapped every task our reps do… and removed or automated the 99% that isn’t customer-facing?” From there, he: Lists every sales task across the process Identifies manual, non-selling friction Designs AI agents to remove it Prioritises by impact vs. ease Reimagines the rep’s role around high-value execution This is how you move from incremental gains… to structural advantage. 🧠 What You’ll Learn Why 10X productivity is about stacked multipliers (not one lever) How to reverse-engineer your sales process with an AI lens Why “efficiency gains” are the wrong goal How non-technical leaders can build AI agents today The difference between automation and true leverage How AI-native teams reclaim massive selling time Why the future rep spends dramatically more time with customers 🔥 Soundbites That Hit “AI removes the value of 99% of what we do — and 100Xs the 1% that’s left.” “If reps only did customer execution, productivity would step change.” “10X isn’t one lever — it’s 3X here, 5X there, 2X somewhere else.” 🎙️ About the Guest – James Smith James Smith is the SVP EMEA at ThoughtSpot, where he’s pioneering how AI can transform GTM productivity at scale. With senior leadership experience at Tableau and Salesforce, James is known for challenging conventional thinking, building elite teams, and applying first-principles design to revenue growth. At ThoughtSpot, he’s leading a 10X mindset shift — redesigning sales workflows, empowering reps with AI agents, and building human-centric, high-leverage systems. 🔗 Connect with James on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-smith-15627941/ 🎙️ About the Host – Richard Washington Richard Washington is co-host of Making Revenue Tick, GTM recruiter, and trusted advisor to B2B SaaS companies scaling from $0M to $250M+ ARR. He helps founders build revenue teams that actually perform — with strategy, talent, and execution that scales. 🔗 Follow Richard on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ 📩 Read his newsletter Growth Magnet → https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928 If this sparked ideas for your own AI journey, drop a comment. If you want the full conversation — including hiring, leadership, and 10X mindset — watch the complete episode on the channel. Subscribe for more masterclass-level conversations with the people redefining modern revenue.

    17 min
  7. E.121 - The Modern SDR Playbook: Why Data, Signals, and Team-Based Prospecting Win Today

    FEB 11

    E.121 - The Modern SDR Playbook: Why Data, Signals, and Team-Based Prospecting Win Today

    Hiring great SDRs and expecting them to perform without the right data, tools, or structure is like putting a Ferrari on cobbled streets, then blaming the car when it can’t go fast. In this episode of Making Revenue Tick, Richard Washington sits down with Matt Caloras, enterprise SDR leader and NYC chapter lead for SDR Leaders of the USA, to unpack what actually separates high-performing SDR teams from the ones that burn out, miss targets, and churn talent. This conversation isn’t about hustle, call volume, or working harder. It’s about: Building the right roads for your reps to succeed Why bad data breaks even the best SDRs How signal-based prospecting is replacing brute-force outbound What team-based prospecting (AE + SDR pods) looks like in practice How modern SDR orgs use data, intent, and timing to win And where AI genuinely helps — and where it doesn’t If you’re a sales or revenue leader scaling pipeline in today’s market, this episode will challenge some uncomfortable assumptions about SDR performance, enablement, and leadership accountability. The takeaway is simple: Great reps don’t fail. Bad systems do. What you’ll learn in this episode What “data-driven SDR” really means in modern sales teams How top SDR orgs use signals and intent to prioritise accounts Why brute-force outbound no longer works at scale How to structure alignment between SDRs and AEs in enterprise sales Why SDR burnout is often a leadership and infrastructure issue The realistic future of SDR in an AI-enabled world Who this episode is for SDR Managers and Directors Heads of Sales & Revenue RevOps and GTM leaders Founders moving beyond founder-led sales Anyone responsible for pipeline quality, not just activity About the guest Matt Caloras is an enterprise SDR leader with experience scaling global SDR teams and building modern outbound engines inside complex organisations. He also leads the New York City chapter of SDR Leaders of the USA, supporting SDR leaders through mentorship, community, and shared best practices. Join the conversation If your SDR team is underperforming, ask yourself: Are you asking for Ferrari results on cobbled streets? What’s the biggest constraint in your SDR org right now? Funnel 26’ Austin 3/5! go to thefunnelconference.com Connect with Matt Caloras on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-caloras11/ Find your local SDR Leaders Chapter: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sdr-leaders-of-usa/ 👤 About Richard Washington Richard Washington helps founders and boards build high-performing GTM leadership teams through Tick Talent, specialising in early-stage and scaling B2B startups. He hosts What Makes You Tick?, a podcast on leadership, growth, and the decisions that shape companies. Find out more. https://www.tick-talent.com/ Follow Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ Read Growth Magnet: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928 #sdr #salespipeline #salesdevelopment #saleshiring #salesleadership #saas #wmyt #ticktalent

    59 min
  8. Best Bits: AI Won’t Fix Bad Hiring, Multipliers Will - Revenue & Talent Leaders Explain

    FEB 8 · BONUS

    Best Bits: AI Won’t Fix Bad Hiring, Multipliers Will - Revenue & Talent Leaders Explain

    Are you hiring Multipliers, or Dividers and Subtractors? Take the scorecard now: https://www.multiplierscorecard.com/ Most companies are trying to fix their hiring problems by adding more AI. More automation. More screening. More tools. And it’s making recruitment worse, not better. In this episode, Richard Washington joins Heath Barnett on the Maxed Out podcast to unpack why AI is being applied to hiring in completely the wrong way — and how leaders should actually be thinking about talent, behaviour, and scale in an AI-driven world. This isn’t an anti-AI conversation. It’s a pro-leadership one. We explore why: AI is amplifying bad hiring decisions, not fixing them Most recruitment failures come from behavioural misalignment, not lack of skill “A Players” is a lazy label that hides real risk Culture killers often look like top performers on paper Multipliers scale teams — dividers quietly destroy them Richard breaks down the Multiplier framework, explaining how high-growth companies should hire for collaboration, ownership, resourcefulness, and execution — and why these traits matter far more than CVs, years of experience, or AI-driven scoring systems. If you’re a founder, revenue leader, or hiring manager: frustrated by mis-hires overwhelmed by AI hiring tools or struggling to scale GTM teams without damaging culture this episode will challenge how you think about recruitment — and probably save you from your next expensive mistake. 🔍 Topics Covered AI in recruitment: what’s broken and why Why automation doesn’t fix poor hiring strategy Multipliers vs Adders, Subtractors, and Dividers Behavioural hiring vs resume-based hiring Leadership, culture, and scaling GTM teams Why most companies misapply AI in talent acquisition 🎙️ Guest & Host Richard Washington – Founder, Tick Talent Heath Barnett – VP Revenue at Mixmax, Host of Maxed Out 💡 Key Insight AI doesn’t replace judgment. It magnifies it. If your hiring strategy is weak, AI will scale the damage. #hiring #saassales #revenuegrowth #saleshiring #wmyt #ticktalent

    1h 10m
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Hello founders, leaders and growth minded people. Welcome to the WMYT? What Makes You Tick Podcast - where we bring you the stories, strategies, and decisions that define the real success formula in tech = to learn from those who've been there and done it! Here’s the big idea: Everyone needs role models and mentors. The best ones come from the people who are doing it - those leaders like you who’ve taken bold steps, made the hard decisions, failed a bunch of of times, and built something real, that matters to people. That’s why we created this podcast. For your inspiration and growth!

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