A SEAT at THE TABLE: Helping business leaders grow their influence

Jane Singer
  • 5.0 (11)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Join the discussion as we unpack what’s working, what’s not and how to stand out and win in a competitive market.

  1. 2d ago

    Building High Performing Sales Pipelines

    Why More B2B Sales Outreach Isn't Creating More Sales Episode Summary AI has made it possible for B2B sales teams to research prospects, write emails and contact thousands of potential customers faster than ever. But is faster outreach actually producing better sales results? In this episode of A Seat at the Table, host Jane Singer speaks with Praise Obia, a B2B sales professional experienced in building outbound pipelines from scratch across SaaS and fintech markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Praise explains why she moved away from the traditional high-volume "spray and pray" sales model toward context-driven outreach built around understanding the buyer. They discuss why American sales playbooks don't always translate to European or African markets, how to build trust with multiple stakeholders, where AI fits into modern sales prospecting—and why using AI without human insight can actually make sales teams less effective. Key Topics 1. Why B2B Sales Strategies Don't Work Across Every Market Selling in the US, Europe and Africa requires different approaches. Praise found that African markets can be highly relationship-driven, while European buyers may have lower tolerance for cold interruption and require broader internal consensus. The lesson: companies expanding internationally can't assume a sales playbook that worked in one market will automatically work somewhere else. 2. Why Multi-Threading Matters in Enterprise Sales Instead of relying on one decision maker, Praise recommends identifying the buying group surrounding a deal. Who influences the decision? Who controls budget? Who has technical concerns? Who can help move the deal forward internally? Building trust with multiple stakeholders can create a stronger foundation for complex B2B and enterprise sales. 3. Research Before You Reach Out Context-driven selling starts with research. Praise looks at a prospect's role, recent promotions, professional history, LinkedIn activity, interests and business situation before deciding how to approach them. Different stakeholders also care about different things. A CFO may respond to financial impact, while a CTO may care about technical issues. The objective is to understand enough about the buyer to make the outreach genuinely relevant. 4. Is AI Making Sales Teams Less Effective? AI can dramatically accelerate prospecting and outreach—but speed can create a new problem. “Speed without context isn't efficiency. It's just more noise at scale.” Praise argues that salespeople who allow AI to do all their research and message creation risk losing their own understanding of the customer. AI should help salespeople work faster. It shouldn't replace the thinking, research and judgment that make outreach credible. 5. Stop Measuring Sales Success by Volume Sending 1,000 emails doesn't mean you've built an effective pipeline. Praise suggests replacing the question “How do I reach more people?” with a more useful one: “What do I actually understand about this specific buyer's world that justifies me showing up in their inbox at all?” The meeting itself isn't the ultimate goal. The goal is understanding the buyer well enough that they would rather speak with you than a competitor. Chapter Markers 00:00 – Why outbound pipeline development is so difficult 02:00 – Building a sales pipeline from scratch 03:36 – How sales differs across the US, Europe and Africa 06:32 – Why American sales playbooks can fail in Europe 09:30 – Building an outbound pipeline for European buyers 11:42 – Personalization and multi-stakeholder selling 13:16 – How to provide value before speaking with a prospect 17:02 – Why sales outreach needs to become more human 18:04 – Using AI without creating generic outreach 22:01 – Is AI making sales teams less skilled? 24:27 – Faster outreach vs. deeper buyer knowledge 27:47 – Replacing "spray and pray" with context-driven sales 29:31 – Earning the right to contact a prospect 30:31 – What really matters when building a sales pipeline 33:18 – The principle that works across different markets Important Quotes “Urgency destroys [trust]...the deal is dead before it starts.” — Praise Obia “Speed without context isn't efficiency. It's just more noise at scale.” — Praise Obia “What do I actually understand about this specific buyer's world that justifies me showing up in their inbox at all?” — Praise Obia “Don't ask, how do I reach out to more people...how do I earn the right to reach the right person?” — Praise Obia “The meeting is just a byproduct. It's not the goal.” — Praise Obia Key Takeaways 1. More outreach isn't necessarily better outreach. In complex B2B sales, understanding fewer high-value prospects more deeply can be more useful than maximizing activity alone. 2. Localize the sales motion, not just the message. Different markets have different attitudes toward cold outreach, relationships, trust and decision-making. 3. Use AI to amplify human judgment—not replace it. AI can accelerate research and execution, but effective outreach still depends on understanding the buyer and providing relevant context. CONNECT WITH Praise Obia LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/praise-obia/  website - praiseobia.com More About A Seat at The Table Connect with A Seat at The Table on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seat-at-the-table-podcast/ Follow Jane Singer on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-singer/ SEND US A MESSAGE THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System. Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

    Building High Performing Sales Pipelines

  2. 6d ago

    How to Resolve Conflict in a Family Business Before It Becomes a Crisis

    Conversations that Keep Family Businesses Strong Family businesses face a challenge that other companies don't: business disagreements can quickly become family conflicts - and family conflicts can threaten the business. Succession, sibling rivalry, different visions for the company's future, unclear roles and power imbalances can create friction. Sometimes the conflict is obvious. Other times, family members avoid difficult conversations until resentment has been building for years. So how can family businesses resolve disagreements without damaging either the company or their relationships? In this episode of A Seat at the Table, host Jane Singer speaks with Michael Kern, former CHRO and conflict and culture consultant, about practical ways family-owned businesses can prevent and resolve conflict. Michael explains why the best time to address family business conflict is before there's a crisis—and how open conversations about individual goals, roles and expectations can prevent misunderstandings from becoming major disputes. Why Conflict Develops in Family Businesses Every family business is different, but many conflicts begin when family members have different interests that haven't been openly discussed. One person may expect to eventually run the company. Another may want to leave. Someone else may want greater influence without becoming CEO. The problem is that families frequently make assumptions about what other family members want. Michael recommends starting these conversations early and revisiting them regularly because people's goals change. Important questions include: Where does each person see the business going? What role does each family member want? What does success look like for them personally?Getting those expectations into the open can expose differences while they're still manageable.How Do You Resolve Family Business Conflict?When conflict has already developed, Michael uses principles from mediation. The first step isn't deciding who's right. It's understanding what each person actually wants. That requires listening without immediately making judgments. Family members often create their own stories about why another person behaves a certain way. Those assumptions can become barriers to resolving the real problem. Michael recommends reflective listening - demonstrating that you understand what another person's position means to them - and asking questions with genuine curiosity. The objective is to move away from competing positions and uncover the interests underneath them. Someone saying “I want to be president” may actually be looking for respect, security, greater involvement in decisions or recognition of their contribution. Once those underlying interests are understood, families have more options for finding solutions. Give Everyone a Voice Power dynamics can make family business disagreements particularly difficult. Founders, senior family members or more aggressive personalities may dominate conversations. Quieter family members may accommodate them simply to preserve the relationship. That doesn't mean they agree. A neutral facilitator can create space for every family member to speak and ensure that nobody's interests disappear simply because someone else has a stronger personality or more organizational power. Michael also asks participants what they respect about each other. That can shift the conversation away from everything that's wrong and remind people that they usually share something fundamental: an interest in maintaining important relationships and, often, protecting the business. How Do You Make an Agreement Last? Getting everyone to agree in a meeting isn't enough. Michael recommends what he calls “navigating the future.” Before considering a conflict resolved, ask what could realistically derail the agreement six months or a year from now. What happens if circumstances change? What obstacles could emerge? Can everyone actually deliver what they've agreed to? The agreement should also be documented. Without a written understanding, two people can leave the same meeting believing they agreed to very different things. Regular check-ins are equally important. Family members' goals evolve, businesses change and outside circumstances can alter what is practical. A six-month review can determine whether the agreement still reflects everyone's expectations. The Best Strategy: Don't Wait for a Crisis Perhaps the most important lesson is prevention. Family businesses should discuss roles, expectations, succession and individual ambitions before disagreements become entrenched. Family members entering the company may also need clearer conversations about where they fit. Being part of the family doesn't automatically mean someone wants—or is ready—to eventually lead the company. The goal is to replace assumptions with conversations. Because when family members understand what everyone wants, they have a much better chance of protecting both the relationships and the business. In This Episode 00:00 – Why family business conflicts become so complicated 02:46 – Why difficult conversations need to start early 06:00 – Common causes of family business conflict 09:56 – How mediation can resolve serious disagreements 12:37 – Reflective listening and removing judgment 15:29 – Positions versus underlying interests 17:46 – Using respect to rebuild common ground 20:28 – How to make agreements last 22:56 – “Navigating the future” and anticipating problems 24:58 – Why regular follow-ups matter 25:56 – Why family business agreements should be documented 29:16 – Making sure quieter family members are heard 30:53 – Managing power dynamics within the family 33:11 – Why prevention is better than crisis intervention 35:15 – Helping the next generation find the right role About Michael Kern Michael Kern is a former Chief Human Resources Officer and a conflict and culture consultant with experience working with family businesses, organizational culture and mediation. He helps organizations navigate difficult conversations, understand competing interests and build agreements designed to work in the real world. Website:  www.mediatormindset.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwkern/ SEND US A MESSAGE THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Learn more about the Consistent Marketing System. Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

    How to Resolve Conflict in a Family Business Before It Becomes a Crisis

  3. Sep 11

    Why Culture Initiatives Fail After Year One

    Why Psychological Safety at Work Matters—and Why Culture Initiatives Fail Most organizations say they want employees to speak up, contribute ideas and challenge assumptions. But do employees actually feel safe doing it? When people believe speaking up could hurt their careers, they begin to self-silence. They stop questioning decisions. They hold back ideas. They see potential problems but don't mention them. And the consequences can extend far beyond employee engagement. Organizations can lose innovation, talent, productivity—and sometimes the ability to identify serious risks before they become crises. In this episode of A Seat at the Table, host Jane Singer speaks with Christina Scott, founder of Catalyzing Change, a leadership coaching and organizational development firm. Christina explains why psychological safety isn't simply about making employees feel comfortable. It's an operational strategy that can directly affect organizational performance. Why Do Workplace Culture Initiatives Fail? One of the biggest mistakes organizations make is treating culture change as a campaign. Leadership holds a town hall. Emails go out. Meetings are scheduled. Everyone talks about the new initiative. Then it gradually disappears. Christina argues that real culture change needs to become part of the organization's systems, processes and decision-making. There is also a difference between organizational change and transition. Change is what happens—a new leader, strategy, system or organizational structure. Transition is how people psychologically and emotionally respond to it. Organizations that implement change without helping employees navigate the transition risk resistance and failure. What Makes an Organization Thrive? Christina developed the THRIVE framework, six conditions she believes help create healthy organizations, teams and individuals: Trust: Can people trust each other, speak truthfully and trust their own judgment? High Standards: Does everyone understand what's expected, and are standards high enough to produce excellent work? Resources: Do employees have the staff, budget, materials and support needed to meet those standards? Impact: Is the organization achieving the impact it says it wants to create? Voice: Can employees speak up safely—and does speaking up actually make a difference? Evolution: Can the organization adapt as its environment changes? Together, these conditions provide leaders with a practical way to think about organizational culture beyond vague goals such as creating a "great place to work." What Is Self-Silencing at Work? Self-silencing happens when employees decide that the safest option is to keep quiet. They may have ideas, spot problems or disagree with a decision, but instead decide to "mind their business," do their job and go home. From the employee's perspective, silence can feel like survival. For the organization, however, the cost can be enormous. It loses ideas and innovation from people it is already paying to contribute. Eventually, talented employees may disengage completely or leave. Christina's Unmute Yourself framework addresses both sides of the problem. Organizations need to create environments where people feel safe speaking up, while individuals also need to develop the confidence and skills to express ideas, challenge assumptions and have difficult conversations. Why Is Psychological Safety a Business Issue? Psychological safety is sometimes dismissed as a "soft" workplace benefit. Christina argues that it is foundational to organizational excellence. An organization can have an impressive strategic plan, ambitious KPIs and sophisticated technology. But those systems become less effective when employees are afraid to point out problems. The consequences can become particularly serious in environments where mistakes affect physical safety. If employees see something wrong but don't feel safe enough to report it, what looks like a technical failure can actually have a people and culture problem underneath it. Leaders therefore need to model the behavior they want to see: asking questions, admitting mistakes, encouraging disagreement and creating opportunities for employees to practice speaking up. Can Workplace Culture Be Measured? Culture may seem intangible, but Christina argues that it can be measured. Instead of simply asking, "Do we have a good culture?", organizations can examine specific factors: Do employees trust leadership? Do they have the resources needed to perform? Can they contribute their ideas? Do they feel safe speaking up? Are standards clear? Do employees believe their work has an impact? Surveys, one-on-one conversations and focus groups can reveal patterns that broad questions about "culture" often miss. Why Do Good Employees Leave? Compensation isn't always the reason. Christina identifies two major factors: bad managers and unhealthy organizational cultures. Employees want to feel safe, contribute their abilities and know that their ideas have value. When they're continually told—explicitly or implicitly—to "stay in their lane," talented people can become frustrated and leave. Toxic cultures can also spread. People working around destructive behaviors may gradually begin adopting those same behaviors themselves. That's why organizations can't focus exclusively on financial and productivity targets while ignoring how people work together. Building Culture That Lasts There is no single culture solution that works for every organization. Christina favors a diagnostic approach: ask questions first, identify where the real problems exist and then develop an intervention appropriate for that organization. That could involve leadership coaching, team development, strategic planning or organization-wide support during a major change. The objective isn't to create a temporary initiative. It's to build systems and behaviors that continue working after the consultant, coach—or latest culture campaign—is gone. Episode Timestamps 00:00 – Why psychological safety matters at work 02:03 – Why culture initiatives fail 04:50 – The six elements of the THRIVE framework 08:44 – What causes employees to self-silence? 11:40 – Psychological safety is a two-way street 12:32 – Teaching employees how to speak up 13:47 – When silence becomes an organizational risk 14:56 – Psychological safety and organizational excellence 16:41 – How to measure workplace culture 21:07 – Why employees leave managers and toxic cultures 23:48 – How toxic workplace culture spreads 26:56 – Why leaders need support too 28:32 – Creating sustainable organizational change 29:34 – Why culture change isn't one-size-fits-all 31:22 – Why early intervention matters About Christina Scott Christina Scott is the founder of Catalyzing Change, a leadership coaching and organizational development firm. She has partnered with federal agencies, government, higher education institutions and mission-driven organizations to help leaders close the gap between their stated values and the everyday reality employees experience. Her work focuses on leadership development, organizational culture, psychological safety and creating sustainable change that helps people and organizations thrive. Website:  www.catalyzingchange.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-l-scott/ SEND US A MESSAGE THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Learn more about the Consistent Marketing System. Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

    Why Culture Initiatives Fail After Year One

  4. Sep 6

    How a Saxophonist Built a Business Beyond Music

    Talent may get you started. But building a sustainable career as a musician, artist, designer, creator or freelancer requires something else: you have to learn how to turn your creativity into a business. In this episode of A Seat at The Table, Jane Singer talks with Joe Reeve, an award-winning saxophonist, entrepreneur, creative community founder and public speaker who has spent 15 years making a living as a professional musician. He learned that being good at your craft is only part of what determines whether you can turn that talent into a sustainable career. Joe's advice to aspiring creatives: A less talented creative with strong business skills can often get more work than a highly talented creative who doesn't understand business. So what separates the people who dream about making a living from their creativity from those who actually do it? The Four Skills Creatives Need to Build a Career Joe identifies four things that have been fundamental to building his career: 1. Networking When Joe was starting out, he made business cards and personally visited bars, restaurants, nightclubs, hotels and other venues that might hire live musicians. He approached roughly 30 or 40 venues. Only two responded. But one was looking for a saxophonist at exactly that moment — and that opportunity gave Joe his first regular residency. That led to more contacts, more opportunities and eventually a professional career. His lesson is simple: you have to put yourself where opportunities can find you. 2. Business Skills Creative talent doesn't automatically teach you how to price your services, negotiate a fee, market yourself, find customers or run a company. Joe learned those skills as he went. Today, when he speaks with music and creative students, he encourages them to learn the fundamentals of marketing, sales, negotiation and business alongside their creative craft. Because once you decide to earn your living from your creativity, you're not only a creative. You're running a business. 3. Resilience Freelancing and entrepreneurship come with high highs and low lows. There will be rejection. There will be periods when work isn't coming in. There will be days when you're questioning whether any of it is working. Joe explains why developing resilience — and learning not to quit at the first hurdle — is one of the most important skills for anyone trying to build a non-traditional career. 4. Personal Branding Long before "personal brand" became a marketing buzzword, Joe was learning that people weren't simply hiring a saxophonist. They were hiring Joe. Today he uses social media not only to demonstrate his musical ability but also to let people understand who he is, what he cares about and what it's like to work with him. That familiarity builds trust. By the time some clients meet him, they already feel as though they know him. For freelancers, consultants, creators and entrepreneurs, that can become a significant competitive advantage. The Importance of "Aggressive Patience" One of the most useful ideas in this conversation is what Joe calls aggressive patience. Building a career takes time. But patience doesn't mean sitting around waiting for something to happen. It means continuing to take small actions while accepting that the results may take longer than you want. Joe describes these as the 1% actions that gradually compound. The opportunity you want might not happen today. But continually taking those small actions increases the chances that you'll eventually be in the right place when the opportunity appears. Why Overnight Success Usually Isn't Overnight Social media can make successful creative careers look deceptively easy. We see the performance, successful business, big audience or exciting project. We don't see the years that came before it. Joe compares it to a movie training montage. Several years of hard work can be compressed into a few minutes, making the journey appear much faster and easier than it actually was. That distorted view can make creatives and entrepreneurs feel as though they're falling behind. Joe's advice is to play the long game. He also points out that when you're constantly focused on the next goal, it's easy to overlook how far you've already come. You climb one mountain, reach the top — and immediately notice a bigger mountain in the distance. Sometimes it's worth looking back down the mountain you've just climbed. The Reality Behind Social Media Success Social media is important for building a creative career, but it also creates one of its biggest psychological challenges: comparison. Joe describes social media as a highlight reel. Someone may appear to have a thriving business, hundreds of thousands of followers and an enviable lifestyle while privately struggling financially or professionally. That makes comparing your real life with someone else's social media presence particularly dangerous. The success you see online rarely tells you the complete story. For creatives building their careers, Joe recommends using social media strategically to build visibility and trust — without allowing it to become the benchmark by which you judge your own progress. Growing a Creative Business Without Burning Out As Joe's career has expanded beyond performing into public speaking, entrepreneurship and running his Creative Meetup community, he has encountered another challenge familiar to many entrepreneurs: You can't keep adding more without eventually deciding what deserves your time. Joe has reduced the number of wedding performances he accepts and increased his pricing so he can maintain the quality of his music business while creating time to develop other parts of his career. It's an important transition for any successful freelancer. At first, the challenge is getting enough work. Eventually, the challenge becomes deciding which work deserves your time. Questions This Episode Answers Can you really turn a creative passion into a full-time career? Yes, but Joe's experience demonstrates that talent alone isn't enough. Networking, business knowledge, resilience and personal branding all play important roles in creating a sustainable career. What business skills do musicians and creatives need? Creatives benefit from understanding marketing, sales, pricing, negotiation, networking, financial realities and how to position themselves professionally. How do freelancers find their first clients? Joe's own career started by proactively approaching potential venues, networking and putting himself in situations where opportunities could emerge. Is networking important for creative careers? For Joe, networking was one of the most important drivers of his early career. One connection frequently led to another, creating a compounding network of opportunities. How can creatives use personal branding? Show people more than your work. Helping potential clients understand who you are and what it's like to work with you can create familiarity and trust before they ever contact you. How do you deal with rejection as a freelancer? Joe emphasizes resilience, self-belief and accepting that rejection and slow periods are normal parts of building an independent career. How long does it take to build a successful creative career? There is no universal timeline. Joe argues that one of the biggest mistakes is expecting results too quickly. Sustainable careers often require years of consistent effort. How do you stay motivated when your business isn't growing fast enough? Focus on what Joe calls aggressive patience: continue taking small, useful actions while accepting that meaningful results may take time. Does social media help creatives get clients? It can. Joe uses social media to demonstrate his work and build a personal connection with prospective clients. But he also warns against comparing your real life with other people's curated online success. How do you avoid burnout when you're self-employed? As opportunities grow, you may need to become more selective, manage your time carefully, increase prices and decide which parts of your business deserve the most attention. Key Moments 00:00 Can you turn creativity into a career? 01:35 From saxophonist to entrepreneur 04:14 The reality of running your own business 07:00 Four skills every creative needs 07:08 Why networking matters 09:23 Why creatives need business skills 10:58 Building resilience 11:42 Personal branding for creatives 14:56 Self-belief and playing the long game 18:04 The power of "aggressive patience" 21:15 The myth of overnight success 25:08 Managing multiple businesses without burning out 29:28 The danger of com SEND US A MESSAGE THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Learn more about the Consistent Marketing System. Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

    How a Saxophonist Built a Business Beyond Music

  5. Sep 3

    The Cybersecurity Problem Nobody Is Fixing

    Companies are spending more on cybersecurity than ever. Yet cyberattacks, breaches and vulnerabilities continue to increase. What if we're trying to solve the wrong problem? In this episode of A Seat at The Table, Jane Singer talks with cybersecurity expert Greg van der Gaast at Sequoia Consulting, about why many cybersecurity failures aren't really technology failures at all. They're symptoms of deeper problems in the way an organization operates. Greg has spent more than 25 years in cybersecurity, including working undercover for the U.S. government and advising executives, boards and organizations on cybersecurity risk. But today, he argues that companies need to stop thinking about cybersecurity primarily as a technical problem. Instead, executives should ask a different question: What is happening inside our organization that allowed this vulnerability to exist in the first place? Why More Cybersecurity May Not Make You More Secure When a vulnerability is discovered, the conventional response is usually to add another security tool, process, test or layer of protection. Greg argues that this treats the symptom rather than the cause. An unpatched system, badly configured server, vulnerable application or outdated piece of technology didn't simply appear. Decisions, processes and behaviors inside the organization allowed that problem to develop. The underlying issue could be poor software engineering, inadequate lifecycle planning, unclear ownership, bad incentives, weak governance, inefficient processes or an IT function that isn't operating effectively. Fix those underlying problems and companies can potentially eliminate entire categories of cybersecurity risk rather than paying indefinitely to mitigate them. Greg shares the example of a SaaS company with a large number of software vulnerabilities. Instead of building a bigger application-security function to continually find and fix vulnerabilities, the company addressed weaknesses in its engineering practices. Within 12 months, vulnerabilities fell by 87% — without adding more security work. But the benefits went far beyond cybersecurity. The application became more reliable, customer renewals improved, engineering turnover dropped and the company's AWS bill fell by €2.3 million. The security vulnerabilities were signals of a much bigger business problem. Cybersecurity as a Quality Problem One of Greg's most useful ideas is surprisingly simple: Treat cybersecurity vulnerabilities as quality defects. If a manufacturer repeatedly discovers the same defect, management doesn't simply build a bigger department to repair defective products forever. It asks what is happening earlier in the process that's creating the defect. Greg argues that companies should apply the same thinking to cybersecurity. Why wasn't the software patched?Why was the system misconfigured?Why is unsupported legacy technology still operating?Why was insecure software developed?Why wasn't the technology lifecycle planned?Why did employees have access to systems they didn't need?Keep asking "why" and eventually the conversation moves away from cybersecurity technology and toward management, processes, organizational structure, incentives, accountability and leadership. That's where Greg believes many cybersecurity problems really begin. Why Blaming Employees Misses the Point Companies frequently describe employees as their biggest cybersecurity weakness. Greg challenges that assumption. If a marketing intern clicks a phishing link and that action can bring down a company's critical financial systems, the real question isn't simply why the employee clicked. Why was one employee's mistake capable of causing so much damage? There should have been multiple layers of organizational and technical protection between that phishing email and a critical production environment. Blaming the employee can prevent companies from investigating the systemic failures that made the incident possible. Why Cybersecurity Is a Leadership Issue Many CEOs, CFOs and other senior executives assume cybersecurity belongs to IT because they don't consider themselves technically qualified to make cybersecurity decisions. Greg believes that can be a costly mistake. Executives don't necessarily need deep technical cybersecurity expertise. They already understand many of the skills needed to address the underlying problems: accountability, incentives, governance, organizational structure, quality, investment decisions and operational efficiency. In fact, Greg argues that once executives understand cybersecurity from first principles, they may be better positioned to make the strategic decisions that improve security than people looking at the problem exclusively through a technical lens. Cybersecurity becomes a business management problem — not simply an IT problem. What You'll Learn in This Episode Jane and Greg discuss: • Why cybersecurity spending keeps increasing without eliminating cyber risk • Why cybersecurity vulnerabilities should be treated as quality defects • How poor engineering practices create security vulnerabilities • Why fixing root causes can be cheaper than continually mitigating cyber risk • How organizational health affects cybersecurity • Why IT processes, governance and incentives deserve more attention • Why executives don't need to be cybersecurity experts to improve security • How cybersecurity problems can expose waste elsewhere in the organization • Why blaming employees for phishing attacks can hide larger systemic failures • How IT and business alignment affects cyber risk • Why adding more cybersecurity technology isn't always the answer • How continuous improvement and root-cause analysis can be applied to cybersecurity • Why CEOs and CFOs should take a more active role in cybersecurity strategy • How better technology management can improve security, productivity and profitability at the same time 00:00 Why cybersecurity may not be a technology problem 02:22 What cybersecurity gets wrong 09:13 Fixing the cause instead of the vulnerability 12:13 When cybersecurity is really an organizational problem 16:19 Why CEOs should rethink cybersecurity 23:15 Why blaming employees misses the real problem 24:28 Does more cybersecurity spending make you safer? Questions This Episode Answers Why do companies keep getting hacked despite spending more on cybersecurity? Greg argues that companies frequently spend money mitigating vulnerabilities without addressing the organizational behaviors and processes creating those vulnerabilities. Is cybersecurity really an IT problem? Technology is certainly involved, but many vulnerabilities originate in management decisions, software development practices, lifecycle planning, incentives, governance and organizational structure. Can better business processes improve cybersecurity? Yes. Greg's approach focuses on improving the underlying processes that produce technology, reducing the number of vulnerabilities that need to be managed later. Should CEOs understand cybersecurity? Executives don't necessarily need to understand the technical details of hacking. They do need to understand how organizational decisions create or reduce risk. Are employees really the weakest link in cybersecurity? Greg argues that blaming an employee for clicking a phishing link can miss the bigger issue: the organizational and technical failures that allowed one mistake to cause significant damage. Does spending more money on cybersecurity make a company safer? Not necessarily. Greg discusses why the maturity of IT and business processes — and alignment between IT and the business — can be more important than simply buying more cybersecurity tools. How can companies reduce cybersecurity costs? Instead of continually paying to mitigate recurring vulnerabilities, Greg recommends tracing security problems upstream and addressing the processes, behaviors and organizational structures that create them. The Bigger Takeaway Cybersecurity vulnerabilities aren't just threats that need to be managed. They're clues. They can reveal poor engineering, inefficient IT operations, weak governance, bad incentives, outdated systems and other organizational problems that may already be costing the company money. Get more B2B insights: Subscribe to A Seat at The Table's newsletter for weekly B2B strategy: https://seat.fm/join-our-newsletter/ Learn how to build a consistent B2B marketing system: https://seat.fm/marketing-mentor/ Connect with Greg van der Gaast:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregvandergaast/ Sequoia Consulting: htt SEND US A MESSAGE Stop starting over again each month. We'll work one-on-one build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Learn more about the Consistent Marketing System. Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

    The Cybersecurity Problem Nobody Is Fixing

  6. Aug 28

    Why More Views Won’t Grow Your B2B Sales

    Key Insights:  “A fan base is not a customer base in B2B.” “It's not about who's going to 'like' me, but who's going to pay me?” Episode Description Getting more views feels like marketing success. But if you're selling a specialized B2B product or service, reaching more people may not get you any closer to a sale. The marketing playbook that works for consumer brands doesn't necessarily work for B2B. Consumer products such as food, toothpaste or detergent have enormous potential audiences. For these companies, reaching more people can increase the pool of potential customers. Most B2B companies face a very different situation. If you're selling industrial equipment, supply chain technology, materials, professional services or another specialized B2B product, your total addressable market may be relatively small. That changes how you should think about marketing. Instead of optimizing for more views, you need to optimize for better views. In this episode of A Seat at the Table, Jane Singer explains why B2B marketers need to stop treating marketing like a popularity contest—and why “fewer but better” can be a much more effective strategy for building brand authority and ultimately generating sales. What You'll Learn In this episode, you'll discover: Why B2B companies shouldn't judge marketing success by the same metrics used by consumer brands and influencers.Why thousands of views from the wrong audience can be less valuable than 20 views from potential customers.How optimizing content for reach can actually dilute its value to the niche audience you're trying to attract.Why a large following or email list isn't necessarily a valuable customer base.The difference between building a fan base and building a customer base.Why targeted marketing often works even when traditional metrics don't make its impact immediately obvious.How consistency and frequency help B2B companies build authority over a longer sales cycle.Why marketers need to ask “Who is likely to pay me?” rather than simply “Who is likely to like me?”The B2B Marketing Metric That Matters One of the biggest traps in B2B marketing is assuming that bigger numbers automatically mean better results. A LinkedIn post might attract thousands of views and dozens of likes. But how many of those people actually work for companies that could buy your product? For B2B marketers, audience quality matters more than audience size. A post seen by 19 relevant decision-makers could potentially be more valuable than one seen by 10,000 people who have no need for what you sell. That means B2B marketers need to rethink what successful marketing looks like. Instead of asking: “How do we reach more people?” Ask: “How do we repeatedly reach the right people?” That shift affects everything from the channels you use to the content you create and the metrics you use to evaluate marketing performance. Why B2B Marketing Takes Time Effective B2B marketing is rarely about one viral post, one email or one campaign. It's about repeatedly providing useful, relevant information to a narrowly defined audience. That can make B2B marketing frustrating because its impact isn't always immediately visible in a dashboard. Someone may read your newsletter or see your content for months—or even years—before becoming a customer. That's why consistency matters. The goal isn't to win the attention game this week. It's to become known and trusted by the relatively small group of people who could eventually buy from you. Fewer people. Better people. Reached consistently. That's a very different marketing strategy from chasing views. Build a B2B Marketing System You Can Actually Maintain If you know your company needs to market more consistently but marketing keeps getting pushed down the to-do list, the Consistent Marketing System is designed to help. It's a one-to-one program for B2B companies that want to turn sporadic marketing into a practical, repeatable system—so marketing gets done consistently without requiring an enterprise-sized marketing department. Learn more about the Consistent Marketing System Questions This Episode Answers Why am I getting views on LinkedIn but no B2B sales? High engagement doesn't necessarily mean you're reaching potential customers. If the people viewing or liking your content aren't part of your addressable market, those numbers may have very little connection to sales. Should B2B marketers focus on reach or audience quality? For specialized B2B companies, audience quality usually matters more. Your potential customer base may be relatively small, so the goal isn't necessarily to reach as many people as possible. It's to repeatedly reach the people most likely to need—and buy—what you sell. Are views and likes good metrics for B2B marketing? They can tell you whether content is attracting attention, but they don't necessarily tell you whether your marketing is reaching potential buyers. A smaller audience made up of relevant decision-makers can be far more valuable than a large audience with little purchasing potential. Why doesn't social media engagement translate into B2B sales? Social media platforms are designed to generate engagement across broad audiences. B2B companies often need to reach a much narrower group of buyers. That's why a post can generate considerable engagement without generating meaningful sales opportunities. Can a B2B company be successful without going viral? Absolutely. B2B marketing doesn't need to go viral to work. Consistently delivering useful, relevant content to a narrowly defined group of potential customers can build authority and trust over time. Why is consistency so important in B2B marketing? B2B buying decisions often happen over long periods of time. Consistent marketing keeps your company visible and gives potential customers repeated opportunities to become familiar with your expertise and value. Quotable Ideas From This Episode (from Jane Singer, host, A Seat at The Table podcast and media founder) “You want to think of it from the point of view of fewer but better." - Jane Singer, A Seat at The Table "It's not about who's going to like me, but who's going to pay me?” - Jane Singer, A Seat at The Table “A fan base is not a customer base in B2B.” - Jane Singer, A Seat at The Table “When you're optimizing to get more views, more clicks, more likes, you dilute the value of what you're providing people.” - Jane Singer, A Seat at The Table “This post only got 19 views. Is that a failure? No, not necessarily if it were 19 people who actually would buy your product.” - Jane Singer, A Seat at The Table “You have to be able to plant seeds and keep watering and then finally get a harvest.” - Jane Singer, A Seat at The Table Learn more about the Consistent Marketing System SEND US A MESSAGE Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

    Why More Views Won’t Grow Your B2B Sales

  7. Aug 23

    Getting Consumers Off the Couch and Into Stores

    After decades of focusing on driving online sales, brands are recognizing the critical importance of human connection. The return to physical retail, driven by Gen Z, mean that brands now have to close the gap  between brand promise and customer experience. How do we now leverage physical retail to build engagement and create an in-store experience that get consumers away from their screens and into the store. I’m Jane Singer and welcome back to A Seat at The Table where we take a look at what’s working, what’s not and best practices so that you can get your seat at the table. Today we are joined by Irma Sandoval, a brand-side marketing leader at Logitech with decades of experience shaping category-defining marketing, especially at retail and in-store experiences And Carolyn Walker, owner of Stay Gold, a specialist in brand strategy, that turns insight, culture, and creativity into real-world results. In this podcast Carolyn and Irma will be discussing • What brands get wrong about human connection. • When physical retail delivers and when it doesn’t. • The gap between brand promise and customer experience. • How culture and emotion actually drive commercial results. If you are looking to leverage your physical stores, this is the podcast for you! USEFUL LINKS: Carolyn Walker:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynwalker/ Response Agency:  https://stay-gold.co Irma Sandoval at Logitech: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irma-sandoval-55528212/ SEND US A MESSAGE Stop starting over again each month. We'll work one-on-one build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Learn more about the Consistent Marketing System. Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

    Getting Consumers Off the Couch and Into Stores

  8. Aug 19

    Preparing to Survive A Supply Chain Crisis (with minimal damage)

    Episode Summary On this episode of A Seat at the Table, Jane Singer welcomes Susan Kargel founder of Brute Mitigator and a leading expert in freight forwarding, customs clearance, trade compliance, and operational resiliency. Together, they tackle the increasing complexity of global supply chains, rising risks—especially from cyberattacks—and the rapidly evolving landscape of customs regulations. The episode explores best practices for business continuity, building redundancy, leveraging AI (and recognizing its limits), and practical ways logistics and supply chain professionals can prepare for an era of exponential change. Key  Points 1. The New Era of Supply Chain Risk The rise in disruptions: tariffs, cyberattacks, natural disasters, technology outages, and their extensive impact on logistics and customs operations (Jane Singer, Susan Kargel at 00:00:00).Why compliance is now "at the table"—and why it's crucial to integrate customs and trade teams into resilience planning (00:01:37).Common misunderstandings among leadership about supply chain resilience and the oversimplification of business continuity planning (00:02:19).2. Moving Beyond Basic Business Continuity Plans Gaps in standard business continuity planning: lack of detailed processes for operational recovery after technology failures (00:02:50).The essential role of cross-functional planning—engaging leadership, IT, HR, compliance, and operations to identify and prioritize critical functions, define restoration priorities, and establish clear communication channels (00:06:21).Importance of "fire drills" and scenario planning to transform contingency procedures from paper plans into instinctive, actionable responses (00:08:26).3. Building Redundancy in Customs & Logistics Operations Real-world supply chain continuity: using hybrid models of in-house and third-party customs brokerage to avoid single points of failure (00:13:03).How documentation, data sharing, and vendor relationships can serve as insurance policies to minimize business disruption (00:14:08, 00:16:02).The risk of losing "tribal knowledge" of manual processes—why documenting old workarounds is essential as experienced staff retire (00:18:20).4. Dealing with the Surge in Customs Complexity Rapidly changing tariffs and enforcement: impact on U.S. importers and the need for up-to-date, validated documentation (00:19:39).Why accurate classification, valuation, and country-of-origin tracing are more vital than ever in the face of stricter enforcement and whistleblower incentives (00:22:42).The compounding cost of errors, from penalties to demurrage and delayed shipments (00:25:22, 00:26:02).5. AI, Automation & the Human Factor in Customs and Logistics The promise of AI: improving efficiency in customs declaration processing, document handling, and inventory management (00:28:38).Using machine learning to extract data from documents, reduce manual entry, and highlight discrepancies (00:29:40).Risks: overreliance on AI can erode process knowledge and may propagate errors if not audited by subject matter experts (00:31:19, 00:36:17).Security considerations: understanding data privacy, AI data usage, and toggling off default data sharing settings (00:33:09).Legal responsibility for errors: customs will not accept "AI made the mistake"—final accountability remains with the company (00:35:37, 00:36:44).6. Building Team Resilience - Tools & Training The value of structured, practical training for logistics teams—building bench strength, team alignment, and documentation of both digital and manual contingencies (00:41:41).Highlights from Susan Kargel’s online courses: templates, guides, communication plans, business-critical function assessment, crisis workshops (00:41:41–00:43:04).Actionable Takeaways Integrate functional leaders with IT in resilience planning—Business units know operational priorities; IT needs these priorities to restore systems effectively.Develop and test crisis communication plans—Repeated, hands-on scenario drills ("fire drills") prepare teams for actual disruptions.Build redundancy in customs processing—Consider hybrid approaches, ensure data is shareable and workflows are documented, not siloed.Stay current on customs regulations and enforcement—Assign resources to monitor changes, audit classification and valuation, and document every step.Embrace AI with caution—Use it to automate repetitive tasks but maintain human oversight for accuracy, compliance, and documentation.Document manual workarounds—Prevent knowledge loss as experienced staff retire, especially for reverting to manual processes during crises.Invest in training—Equip teams to understand both technical and manual aspects of operations for true resilience.Notable Quotes "[Compliance is] at the table now. That's very exciting." (Susan Kargel 00:01:48)"If your system goes down... there's no online system to process it. You’re going to have to go find another declaration processing system." (Susan Kargel 00:04:36)"Just because you use AI, if there's a mistake, you can't tell customs, 'Oh, I used AI and it told me that.' You're still responsible for the outcome." (Susan Kargel 00:35:37)"You want to kind of control your own destiny and you need your providers too. But both can help each other." (Susan Kargel 00:15:35)"Build knowledge, build strength, build teamwork—just things that companies should have." (Susan Kargel 00:43:40)Resources & Further Learning Brute Mitigator online courses – logistics team resilience, crisis planning, and customs compliance (link in show notes)U.S. Federal Register and Customs Bulletins—stay updated on regulatory changesIndustry trade associations and customs broker webinars for ongoing learningAbout the Speakers Susan Kargel is the founder of Brute Mitigator and brings 40 years of experience in global logistics, customs, and compliance, specializing in preparing supply chains for operational disruptions and cyber threats.Jane Singer is the host of A Seat at the Table, focused on what's working, what's not and best practices in business, supply chain, and leadership.  She is also managing director of 'Inside Fashion', a platform for apparel industry information and 'The Current Situation in Sourcing', a quarterly market intelligence report for C-suite apparel brand leadership.Learn more about BruteMitigator:  https://www.brutemitigator.com SEND US A MESSAGE Stop starting over again each month. We'll work one-on-one build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Learn more about the Consistent Marketing System. Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

    Preparing to Survive A Supply Chain Crisis (with minimal damage)
See All (279)

5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

Join the discussion as we unpack what’s working, what’s not and how to stand out and win in a competitive market.

Information

You Might Also Like