A View from the CRO Hot Seat

In this episode of The Emblazers: B2B Leaders Igniting Revenue, Tim Riesterer chats with a panel of top CROs at the Emblaze Revenue Summit 2025 to discuss the current state of B2B revenue.  The discussion features Ken Powell, Chief Revenue Officer, Sona Jepsen, Chief Revenue Officer/Chief Commercial Officer, Jenny Dingus, SVP, Global Sales, and Cindy Reiss-Clark, Chief Commercial Officer. They zoom into the realities of leading revenue growth, navigating challenges, and shaping commercial strategy. The conversation sheds light on the nuances of their roles, offering insights into what it takes to drive results in uncertain times and highlighting the evolving nature of these positions. Ken, Sona, Jenny, and Cindy unveil the realities of their roles, emphasizing the importance of strong leadership, effective team alignment, and the ability to adapt in uncertain times. They discuss the delicate balance between managing immediate pressures and fostering long-term growth, stressing the need for both strategic thinking and operational execution.  Tune in to learn: How CROs balance growth with cost control in times of uncertainty Why effective leadership and cross-functional collaboration are key to driving success How important data, innovation, and customer-centric strategies are in scaling revenue operations Episode highlights: (00:00) Introduction (02:14) Who to learn from across the industry (05:30) Why these CROs chose to take their roles (13:07) How CROs drive change with people and culture (19:58) Tactics CROs are ready to try (23:56) What these leaders are all in on (27:16) Ineffective tactics CROs are killing (32:09) How to navigate economic uncertainty (38:08) How to build the right habits to transition to a CRO role Links and Resources: Connect with Abby Kerr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbycathkerr/ Connect with Tim Riesterer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-riesterer/  Connect with Ken Powell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenpowell/ Connect with Sona Jepsen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonajepsenpinkdragon/ Connect with Jenny Dingus: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennydingus/ Connect with Cindy Reiss-Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindy-reiss-clark/ Subscribe to The Emblazers for more conversations with leading B2B thinkers. Explore the Emblaze revenue community and start a membership today.   Learn about Tim Riesterer As Chief Strategy Officer at Corporate Visions and Chief Research Officer at Emblaze revenue leaders’ community, Tim Riesterer is a pioneering force in developing customer conversations that break through the status quo and drive measurable business results. His innovative approach helps companies craft differentiated messages and deploy them through powerful self-service and sales-directed tools that consistently outperform traditional content strategies. A recognized expert in value creation and capture, Tim enables organizations to transform their customer conversations through proven methodologies that elevate their market position and drive sustainable growth.   Learn about Abby Kerr  As Director of Content & Community at Emblaze, Abby Kerr designs content experiences that spark conversations and strengthen the connective tissue between B2B revenue leaders. With a background spanning brand voice strategy, enterprise B2B content, and education, she brings a sharp eye for nuance and a deep understanding of how people learn and grow. A champion of insight-driven storytelling and peer-to-peer learning, Abby helps make Emblaze a place where leaders don’t just consume content—they contribute to it. She’s also a warm, un-shy introvert who reads fiction, asks big questions, and drinks her coffee black.   Learn about Ken Powell As an accomplished Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) at K1x, Inc., Ken Powell is a strategic leader with over 25 years of experience driving revenue growth across both large publicly traded companies and early-stage ventures. His leadership spans roles in commercial strategy, marketing, product management, and sales performance, with a particular focus on leading revenue teams through transformation. Ken’s expertise lies in orchestrating high-impact strategies that drive revenue scaling and organizational efficiency, making him a sought-after expert in managing growth in dynamic market environments. Through his work, Ken has helped organizations adapt to shifting economic landscapes while maintaining focus on long-term profitability and growth.   Learn about Sona Jepsen As the Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Revenue Officer at Curinos, Sona Jepsen has a rich background in driving sustainable revenue growth at some of the world’s leading brands, including American Express, Rolls Royce, and FIS Global. With expertise in client management, sales enablement, commercial strategy, and partnerships, Sona is passionate about breaking down silos and fostering cross-functional collaboration. She thrives on leveraging data-driven insights to create strategic plans that align sales and marketing efforts, ensuring businesses deliver exceptional customer value while achieving financial success. Sona’s approach to leadership emphasizes empowering teams to thrive in both stable and high-growth environments.   Learn about Jenny Dingus As the Senior Vice President of Global Sales at Clio, Jenny Dingus specializes in scaling high-performing sales teams and executing go-to-market strategies in the legal tech space. She focuses on driving sales growth by developing repeatable sales processes and building strong customer relationships. Jenny’s expertise lies in managing top-of-funnel teams, solutions engineering, and leveraging cross-functional partnerships to deliver value to clients and create predictable, scalable revenue growth. Her strategic insight and ability to align sales teams with company goals have been pivotal in Clio's success in the SMB market.   Learn about Cindy Reiss-Clark Cindy Reiss-Clark is a seasoned Chief Commercial Officer with over 25 years of experience in leading commercial organizations in the pharmaceutical supply chain industry. At the helm of sales, marketing, product management, and customer service functions, Cindy drives customer-centric strategies that align product and market strategies with business goals. Her expertise in developing and executing strategies that enhance customer experiences and deliver measurable results has been key in scaling companies’ commercial operations. Cindy’s focus on building high-performing teams and her relentless pursuit of operational excellence have been instrumental in the growth of the companies she has led.