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.110 – The Do’s & Don’ts of Landing in Europe (EMEA Expansion Playbook) w/ Michael Schirrmacher

    3D AGO

    E.110 – The Do’s & Don’ts of Landing in Europe (EMEA Expansion Playbook) w/ Michael Schirrmacher

    Expanding into Europe isn’t just a natural growth move to go global - it’s a strategic minefield that will hurt those who don't learn from those who've been up the mountain! In this masterclass episode of What Makes You Tick, Michael Schirrmacher, SVP Growth @ Reveni. A world class EMEA GM, ex Bloomreach, Fast and Narvar, joins Richard Washington to break down exactly what it takes to land and scale successfully in EMEA. If you’re a US or International founder, CRO, or GTM leader planning your first European expansion, this episode is your EMEA Expansion Playbook. Learn how to avoid the classic mistakes, hire your first regional leader the right way, and build sustainable traction across multiple markets. 💡 In This Conversation, You’ll Learn The do’s and don’ts of landing in Europe — from first hire to full market launch Why US playbooks fail in EMEA (and how to fix them) How to find product-market fit again in a new region The difference between a local “hero” and a real regional builder How to align HQ and regional leadership without creating silos Why “trust” and “timing” matter more than budget in international expansion The cultural nuances that drive (or destroy) deals in Europe 🧭 Who Should Watch Founders expanding from the US (or out East) to EMEA CROs and VPs of Sales building international GTM functions Investors looking for playbooks that scale across markets Sales leaders entering new regions or rebuilding EMEA operations 👤 About Michael Schirrmacher Michael Schirrmacher has spent 15+ years building and leading go-to-market organizations across Europe. From early-stage startups to global scale-ups, he’s helped companies like Bloomreach, Fast and Narvar crack international growth, build cross-functional alignment, and lead high-performing teams across cultures. Now he's SVP Growth @ Reveni. Check them out! 🎙️ About the Show What Makes You Tick is a podcast by Richard Washington, founder of Tick Talent, featuring candid conversations with the world’s top GTM leaders, founders, and operators. Each episode unpacks real frameworks, battle-tested lessons, and behind-the-scenes stories from the people building the future of revenue. 🔗 Connect 👉 Michael Schirrmacher – LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelschirrmacher/ 👉 Richard Washington – LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ 🎧 Subscribe to What Makes You Tick @whatmakesyoutick | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1PrIjRzmSOGUQJSigtpXNS?si=06137d29432747d6 | Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/wmyt-what-makes-you-tick-tech-leaders-career-stories/id1699043715 #EMEAExpansion, #GoToMarketStrategy, #StartupGrowth, #SaaSLeadership, #WhatMakesYouTick

    1h 12m
  2. Best Bits: Great vs Bad Leaders - How Culture Multiplies Performance w/ Abi Williams

    6D AGO · BONUS

    Best Bits: Great vs Bad Leaders - How Culture Multiplies Performance w/ Abi Williams

    What really separates great leaders from bad ones? In this Best Bits episode of What Makes You Tick, Abi Williams , Founder at Lead Not Lag, Revenue Growth Operator, and former leader at Oracle, Meta, LinkedIn, Pluralsight, and Udemy, breaks down how to build teams that win with integrity and scale with culture. Abi shares the leadership lessons behind growing an SMB business unit from $2M to $25M ARR in just two years, coaching startups at Techstars, and leading high-performing teams across the globe. She shares lived experienc of: Why culture is your true performance multiplier How to hire and promote with integrity and alignment The cost of keeping “star performers” who erode trust How people-first leadership accelerates growth Why bad leaders can be your best teachers, if you pay attention If you’ve ever wondered how to balance empathy with execution, this conversation is your blueprint for building scalable, people-centric success. 🎧 What Makes You Tick is where tech founders, operators, and GTM leaders share the frameworks, failures, and mindset shifts behind growth that lasts. Connect with the Guests: 🔹 Abi Williams - LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/abiolawilliams/ 🔹 Richard Washington - LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ #Leadership, #Culture, #StartupGrowth, #SalesLeadership, #WhatMakesYouTick #ChiefRevenueOfficer #Founder #Startups #WMYT

    22 min
  3. E.109 - What a Stroke Taught Me About Life, Leadership & Success w/ Roderick Jefferson

    OCT 29

    E.109 - What a Stroke Taught Me About Life, Leadership & Success w/ Roderick Jefferson

    What happens when everything you’ve built suddenly stops. And you’re forced to rebuild not just your career, but yourself? In this episode of What Makes You Tick, Roderick Jefferson, bestselling author of Sales Enablement 3.0 and globally recognized keynote speaker, shares how a stroke changed his entire perspective on leadership, ambition, and the true meaning of success. From leading global GTM teams at Salesforce, Oracle, and Marketo to redefining what it means to enable people (not just train them), Roderick brings a deeply personal and practical playbook for every leader chasing impact without losing themselves in the process. In This Episode: What a life-changing moment taught Roderick about leadership, empathy, and resilience Why you train animals, but you enable people How to balance ambition with health, family, and purpose The mindset shifts that turn setbacks into sources of strength How to apply enablement principles beyond sales - to life itself About Roderick Jefferson Roderick Jefferson is an internationally recognized business and transformational speaker, known for his dynamic voice and practical frameworks that have shaped the future of sales enablement and GTM leadership. He’s spoken at and advised companies including: ATD Conference, B2BMX, Cisco, LinkedIn, MindTickle, Oracle, Salesforce (Dreamforce), SAP, Seismic, SiriusDecisions, Uber, and Zoom. He’s also the author of two Amazon bestsellers: 📘 Sales Enablement 3.0: The Blueprint to Sales Enablement Excellence 📘 Sales 3.0 Companion Workbook 📘 Pre-order his new book Stroke of Success https://www.roderickjefferson.com/stroke-of-success When he’s not on stage, Roderick can be found barbecuing or playing bocce with his family - reminding us all that success means nothing without balance. 🎧 Listen to What Makes You Tick What Makes You Tick is the flagship podcast uncovering the human side of high performance - hosted by Richard Washington, founder of Tick Talent. Each episode dives deep with world-class leaders, founders, and operators on leadership, mindset, and growth in tech. Available on: 🎧 Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Connect with the Guests 🔹 Roderick Jefferson — LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/roderickjefferson/ 🔹 Richard Washington — LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ #HopeIsNotAStrategy, #LearnAnywhereAchieveEverywhere, #IQplusEQplusAI3dot0, #strokeofsuccess, #GTMtransformation, #salesenablement, #keynotespeaker, #motivationalspeaker, #healthandwellness, #leadershipdevelopment, #WhatMakesYouTick, #TickTalent

    1 hr
  4. Best Bits: Why “A Players” from Big Companies Often Fail in Startups w/ Heath Barnett

    OCT 26 · BONUS

    Best Bits: Why “A Players” from Big Companies Often Fail in Startups w/ Heath Barnett

    How do you hire sellers who don’t just close deals - but multiply impact? Hear the full episode: https://youtu.be/viv8BikwTNg?si=6Ag_WGbFAZVZe-ul In this Best Bits from Making Revenue Tick, Heath Barnett, VP of Revenue at Mixmax and host of Mixology, joins Richard Washington to break down one of the biggest hiring traps in startups: The Resume Fallacy. Founders and GTM leaders often chase pedigree - hiring reps from big logos, proven companies, or “top performers.” But early-stage success demands something entirely different: resourcefulness, curiosity, and an operating system for ambiguity. In this 18-minute highlight, Heath shares: 💡 Why “top reps” from big companies often fail in startups 🎯 How to identify resourceful sellers who build process, not just follow it ⚙️ What early-stage leaders get wrong about hiring for potential vs proof 🧭 How to interview for grit, coachability, and execution under chaos 🤝 Why great recruiters often become exceptional SaaS sellers themselves If you’re hiring your first sellers - or levelling up your GTM team - this clip is your shortcut to avoiding expensive misfires and finding the multipliers who actually scale. About Heath Barnett Heath is a revenue leader and PLG operator who’s helped startups scale from early traction to hypergrowth. Currently leading Revenue at Mixmax, he’s known for building lean, high-impact sales teams and for hosting Mixology, a podcast for operators who care about doing the work that actually works. 🔗 Connect with Heath on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/gtmjuice/ About Richard Washington Richard Washington is the host of Making Revenue Tick and a trusted authority for tech founders looking to hire and scale elite revenue teams. Known for his contrarian, practical approach, Richard helps startups avoid costly hiring mistakes, align GTM teams, and grow from early traction to sustained success. Follow Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ Read Richard’s Newsletter Growth Magnet: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928 #StartupHiring, #SalesLeadership, #GoToMarket, #B2BSaaS, #MakingRevenueTick #WMYT #SalesHiring #SalesRecruitment

    20 min
  5. E.108 - Deconstructing Revenue: The $3M to $20M ARR Growth Stage Playbook w/ Dustin Clinard

    OCT 22

    E.108 - Deconstructing Revenue: The $3M to $20M ARR Growth Stage Playbook w/ Dustin Clinard

    What happens when your startup hits the messy middle - when scrappiness alone can’t scale? In this Making Revenue Tick masterclass, Dustin Clinard joins Richard Washington to unpack what it really takes to grow from $3M to $20M+ ARR. From a startups early stage to growth execution, Dustin reveals the unspoken rules of scaling - where founders stop being the cavalry, and teams learn to create their own momentum. You’ll learn: - Why “no one is coming to save you” is the single most important growth mindset - How to build systems that scale before you feel ready - The Resourcefulness Rule, and how top performers apply it daily - How to transition from founder-led revenue to true organizational leadership - Why hiring slows growth (until you learn to hire for leverage) If you’re a founder, CRO, or operator navigating that tough $3-$20M stretch, this episode will change how you think about growth, leadership, and accountability. About the guests: 🎙 Dustin Clinard, CEO at Ignis AI, connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinclinard/ Helping companies unlock potential, transform careers, and elevate the future of work. 🎙 Richard Washington, Founder at Tick Talent, and Host of WMYT? What Makes You Tick - Tech Leaders Career Stories, and Making Revenue Tick podcasts Connect on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ #StartupGrowth, #ARR, #MakingRevenueTick, #SaaSLeadership, #IgnisAI, #Founders, #ScalingStartups, #RevenueLeadership, #B2BSales, #WhatMakesYouTick

    1h 17m
  6. Best Bits: The Truth About Building an AI Startup (and Why It’s All About People)

    OCT 19 · BONUS

    Best Bits: The Truth About Building an AI Startup (and Why It’s All About People)

    What if the future of sales isn’t about automation — but about trust? In this episode of Making Revenue Tick, Rachit Kataria, co-founder and CEO of Centralize , joins Richard Washington to share the truth about building an AI startup in a noisy, high-stakes market. Fresh off a $4M seed round led by Salesforce Ventures, Rachit breaks down: Why enterprise sales is broken — and how relationship intelligence can fix it The difference between AI for good and the “AI that spams” How to build trust in a world flooded with automation What it really feels like to build through fear, uncertainty, and grit Why the best startups are never about the tech — they’re about the people Whether you’re a founder, sales leader, or investor, this conversation is a masterclass in building products (and companies) that actually matter. 🎧 Watch the full episode to learn how Centralize is helping teams at Brex, Intercom, Highspot, Sendoso, and Cresta win bigger and faster — by mapping the human networks behind every deal. 👉 Connect with the guests: Rachit Kataria, CEO and Co-Founder at Centralize https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachitkataria/ Richard Washington, Founder at Tick Talent https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ #AIStartups #RelationshipSelling #Centralize #StartupLife #MakingRevenueTick #WMYT #seedfunding

    15 min
  7. 107 - Buyer Coding: The 5 Love Languages That Close More Deals w/ Rich Patterson

    OCT 15

    107 - Buyer Coding: The 5 Love Languages That Close More Deals w/ Rich Patterson

    The old sales frameworks don’t fit today’s buyers. Want proof? Look at the quota attainment and sales cycle data. The market is heading for a cliff. The answer lies in the Psychology and Unlocking our Humanistic Unique Abilities. Get first access to Buyer Coding here: https://www.buyercoding.com/ In this episode of Making Revenue Tick - the Masterclass series from What Makes You Tick, friend of the pod Rich Patterson introduces Buyer Coding, a new psychology of selling that explains how people actually like to buy. Forget MEDDIC. Forget SPIN. Forget playbooks written for another era. This is about decoding your buyer’s mindset, and adapting your approach in real time. You’ll learn: What Buyer Coding is and why it’s redefining modern sales The 5 Buyer Codes: Analyzer, Defender, Validator, Visionary, and Closer How to identify each buyer type within minutes of a call Why traditional frameworks break down with complex, multi-threaded deals How Buyer Coding drives stronger connections, faster deals, and higher win rates Why the future of sales isn’t about scripts or tech, it’s about empathy, decoding, and alignment This conversation goes beyond tactics. It’s about evolving from process-driven selling to truly human, buyer-led growth. If you lead a sales team, run a startup, or sell into the enterprise - this episode will change how you think about every deal from here on. 🎧 What Makes You Tick - with Richard Washington Conversations with leaders who redefine how we hire, sell, and grow startups and scaleups in the AI era. About Rich Patterson: Sales strategist, leadership coach, and creator of the revolutionary Buyer Coding™ framework that has transformed how thousands of professionals approach sales psychology. With over 15 years of experience across Fortune 500 companies and startups, Rich discovered that every buyer operates from one of five distinct psychological profiles. This breakthrough led to the creation of the Buyer Coding™ framework. Rich Patterson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richhitsgoals/ Check out Buyer Coding: https://www.buyercoding.com/ About Richard Washington Richard Washington is the host of Making Revenue Tick and a trusted authority for tech founders looking to hire and scale elite revenue teams. Known for his contrarian, practical approach, Richard helps startups avoid costly hiring mistakes, align GTM teams, and grow from early traction to sustained success. Follow Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ Read Richard’s Newsletter Growth Magnet: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928 Big Questions You'll Hear Answered: Why sales frameworks are broken What is Buyer Coding? The 5 Buyer Codes explained How to spot buyer types in real time Adapting your style to match each code Why “persona selling” no longer works Buyer Coding in enterprise vs SMB deals How AI will evolve sales psychology How to train your team to sell the way buyers buy Closing thoughts: empathy as a sales superpower Follow the podcast to meet a new Virtual Mentor in Leadership every week. Right here on What Makes You Tick. @WhatMakesYouTick #BuyerCoding #SalesPsychology #ModernSelling #WhatMakesYouTick #GoToMarket #WMYT

    1h 5m
  8. Best Bits: Stop Hiring “Resumes”, Start Hiring Multipliers | Sales Hiring for Startups

    OCT 12 · BONUS

    Best Bits: Stop Hiring “Resumes”, Start Hiring Multipliers | Sales Hiring for Startups

    See if you're hiring Multipliers, Adders, Subtractors or Dividers https://www.multiplierscorecard.com/ Most startups make the same mistake - they hire resumes, not attitudes and behaviours. They say they do, but when the chips are down, they go for experience. In this Best Bits episode, Richard Washington sits down with Brent Holloway, Founder at SaaS Sales Advisors and Mastiff Software to talk through how to build elite sales teams by hiring multipliers - people who make everyone around them better. If you’re a founder, CRO, or startup sales leader, this 20-minute masterclass shows you exactly how to spot, test, and hire talent that scales with your business. You’ll learn: - The “Moneyball” strategy behind smart sales hiring - Why top performers from big brands often fail in startups - How to test for coachability and resourcefulness in interviews - The difference between Adders, Subtractors, Dividers, and Multipliers - The frameworks Brent and Richard use to build winning GTM teams Whether you’re hiring your first AE or scaling to 50 reps, this clip will change the way you think about recruitment and leadership forever. 🎧 Full episode available on What Makes You Tick — the show for founders, sales leaders, and revenue builders who want to understand what truly drives performance. Get it here https://youtu.be/_NHP2ZCHyIk?si=lMIYOrk8NfPGqQeq Connect with us: Brent Holloway on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-holloway/ Richard Washington on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ Learn more about Tick Talent: https://www.ticktalent.com See if you're hiring Multipliers, Adders, Subtractors or Dividers https://www.multiplierscorecard.com/ #SalesHiring, #StartupLeadership, #Multipliers, #TickTalent #WMYT #WhatMakesYouTick, #GoToMarketStrategy #Startups #SalesRecruitment

    21 min
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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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