Ep 45: Why Raising Revenue Targets May Cost You More Than You Think

Raising revenue targets sounds like progress. Until deals slow down, morale drops, and your strongest people quietly start disengaging.In this episode of Revenue Rewired, Jay Feitlinger and Sarah Shepard unpack why increasing revenue goals without changing the system behind them often costs far more than it delivers. Sparked by a real story from inside a sales organization, the conversation moves past quotas and pressure and into what actually breaks when leaders ask for more without addressing capacity, enablement, and flow.They explore how unrealistic targets create invisible friction across sales, marketing, and operations. From ghost handoffs between teams to burnout leaders do not see until it is too late, this episode pulls apart the assumption that pressure equals performance. You will hear why volume is often mistaken for progress, how quality gets lost in the middle, and what intentional planning really looks like when revenue goals are meant to be achievable.In this episode, you will learn:Why raising revenue targets without removing barriers slows growth instead of accelerating itHow the ghost handoff quietly drains momentum between marketing, sales, and deliveryWhat happens to culture and performance when teams are asked to do more with lessHow strong leaders work backward from targets to tools, capacity, and accountabilityWhy revenue growth is a systems challenge, not a motivation issueIf you are a CRO, CEO, or revenue leader responsible for aggressive growth goals, this episode will help you see the real cost of how targets are set and what needs to change before the bar gets raised again.Key quote from this episode: "Goals without resourcing are just pressure." – Sarah ShepardWhether you're a sales leader setting quotas, a founder planning for growth, or a rep trying to make sense of aggressive targets, this episode offers practical strategies to align your revenue goals with reality.Mentioned in this episode:Revenue Rewired book by Jay Feitlinger (foreword by Verne Harnish)The 5 revenue bottlenecks frameworkLencioni's Working Genius and the concept of "galvanizing" teamsAbout Revenue Rewired:Revenue Rewired is a podcast for B2B marketers, sales leaders, and business owners navigating the intersection of sales and marketing. Hosted by Jay Feitlinger and Sarah Shepard, each episode delivers actionable insights for mid market companies looking to grow revenue strategically.Contact Us:Email: [email protected]: www.stringcaninteractive.comReach out to the hosts on LinkedIn:Jay Feitlinger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayfeitlinger/Sarah Shepard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahshepardcoo/Buy the Revenue Rewired book: https://www.amazon.com/Revenue-Rewired-Identify-Leaks-Costing-ebook/dp/B0FST7JCXQKeywords: sales targets, revenue goals, sales leadership, quota setting, annual planning, sales team morale, B2B sales strategy, sales and marketing alignment, mid market growth, sales management, employee retention, revenue operations