In the Spotlight

In cybersecurity, the people buying the product aren't the ones approving the spend. That gap is where most deals die.In this episode of In the Spotlight, Roi Carmel sits down with Prateek Goel, Senior Director of Customer Advocacy and Business Value Advisory at Wiz (now part of Google), to unpack what value selling actually looks like inside the world's fastest-growing cybersecurity company — and why the human part of the job is getting more important, not less, as AI gets better at the math.Prateek has spent 20 years inside some of the best sales teams in the industry — American Airlines, Capital One, Okta, Sumo Logic, Aviatrix, and now Wiz. He's been the first value hire three times. At Wiz, he built the practice from scratch when the company was a pure product-led motion. Today, Wiz is past $1B ARR, and his team is orchestrating value across every major deal globally.In this conversation, Prateek and Roi cover:· Why "value selling" isn't an ROI spreadsheet — it's a narrative your champion carries into rooms you're never in· The three dimensions every value conversation has to hit: outcome, quantification, and personal impact· How to tell if your company is ready for a value team — and the pain point that signals it· The maturity journey from "show me the demo" to "a business case with every pricing proposal"· Why cybersecurity makes value selling existential — technical buyers, non-technical CFOs, and no seat in the boardroom· How Wiz scales 10 value consultants across a billion-dollar sales org using AI and Spotlight· Why AI makes the human parts of value consulting more valuable, not less· The role of a diverse team in getting to 10 different angles on the same problemThis isn't about building better spreadsheets. It's about arming your champions to win the conversations you can't be in.About Our Guest: Prateek Goel is the Senior Director of Customer Advocacy and Business Value Advisory at Wiz, the world's fastest-growing cybersecurity company, now part of Google. He has spent over two decades in enterprise strategy and value consulting — helping executives quantify and realize the impact of cloud security investments. Before Wiz, Prateek led business value functions at Aviatrix and Sumo Logic, and was part of the value team at Okta. His earlier career included financial planning and strategy roles at Capital One Auto Finance, revenue management and strategic alliances roles at American Airlines, and a summer at Bain & Company. He is also a member of the Outcome Selling Advisory Ecosystem. Prateek holds an MBA from Emory University's Goizueta Business School and is based in Frisco, Texas.Connect with the Spotlight Community:🌐 www.spotlight.ai📧 [email protected]🔗 www.linkedin.com/company/spotlight-ai🐦 twitter.com/Spotlightai_X📘 www.facebook.com/spotlight.ai.facebook📸 www.instagram.com/spotlight.ai_insta▶️ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRNvCTs8wCLEhzDOGNSIGbQ🎙️ https://open.spotify.com/show/1bwxYCo3zl1pi6COOuQSCl?si=B4SRjV2lTi6sC1PH-_63sQ🎧 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-the-spotlight/id1876027307

Most sales leaders are stuck running the machine. Few stop to ask whether the machine is even working.In this episode of In the Spotlight, Roi Carmel sits down with Yuval Yeret, CEO and Founder of Yeret Agility, to break apart the two hats every revenue leader wears — operating the team and building it — and why most teams only do one.Yuval has spent over two decades helping organizations build self-improving teams, starting in product and engineering and now working directly with go-to-market leaders. His approach borrows hard-earned lessons from product development and applies them to how sales and marketing teams adopt new processes, frameworks, and tools.In this conversation, Yuval and Roi cover:· Why leaders who only operate eventually stop improving· The 30% adoption problem — and why most change initiatives fail before they start· Why deploying a framework like MEDDPICC isn't a project, it's a journey· How Computer Associates launched a competitive campaign in 6 weeks while other divisions were still planning· Why co-creating change with sales teams beats inflicting change on them· What product-market fit has to do with internal tool adoption· The role of cross-functional teams when you're building the system, not just running itThis isn't about running more sprints. It's about building teams that learn while they sell.About Our Guest:Yuval Yeret is the CEO and Founder of Yeret Agility. He has spent over two decades helping business, product, and go-to-market leaders improve focus, flow, and speed to impact. His career started in software engineering and R&D leadership before shifting to organizational design — how teams coordinate around complex work and how leaders build systems that actually improve over time. Yuval has worked with organizations including Gillette, CME Group, CA Technologies, Siemens, and CyberArk. He is a SAFe Fellow (one of fewer than 50 globally), a Professional Scrum Trainer at Scrum.org, co-author of the Kanban Guide for Scrum Teams, and a Brickell Key Award winner recognized by the Lean/Kanban community. He hosts the Scaling with Agility podcast with over 100 episodes and is based in the Boston area.Connect with the Spotlight Community:🌐 www.spotlight.ai📧 [email protected]🔗 www.linkedin.com/company/spotlight-ai🐦 twitter.com/Spotlightai_X📘 www.facebook.com/spotlight.ai.facebook📸 www.instagram.com/spotlight.ai_insta▶️ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRNvCTs8wCLEhzDOGNSIGbQ🎙️ https://open.spotify.com/show/1bwxYCo3zl1pi6COOuQSCl?si=B4SRjV2lTi6sC1PH-_63sQ🎧 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-the-spotlight/id1876027307

Join us for a grounded conversation on why sales fundamentals matter more than ever, especially as AI, automation, and tooling flood the go-to-market motion, with David M. Boyle, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at RevCentric Partners, 2x CRO, and former enterprise sales leader at PTC, BMC Software, Zscaler, and others.In this episode of In the Spotlight, David and Roi unpack why selling has not fundamentally changed, even as the noise around AI has exploded. From weak hiring decisions and sloppy qualification to sellers rushing deals instead of slowing down to build real conviction, this conversation focuses on what actually creates qualified opportunities and durable enterprise wins.David shares hard-earned lessons from building and leading sales organizations, learning directly from the originators of MEDIC, and coaching teams in the trenches on how to run better first meetings, build stronger champions, and document value that stands up under scrutiny.Key takeaways include:- Why fundamentals outperform tools when the market gets noisy- What great sellers do differently in first and second meetings- Why hypothesis-driven selling beats discovery theater- How poor qualification creates downstream pipeline risk- The traits leaders should hire for when building resilient sales teamsSpecial focus areas:- Curiosity as the cornerstone of elite sales performance- Proof points, specificity, and the cost of vague messaging- Slowing down deals to increase deal size and win rates- Sellers as orchestrators in an AI-assisted GTM world- Where AI saves time, and where human judgment cannot be outsourcedAbout our guest:David M. Boyle is Co-Founder and Managing Partner at RevCentric Partners, where he helps CROs and sales leaders strengthen fundamentals, improve qualification, and build repeatable enterprise sales motions. A 2x CRO and proven enterprise seller, David has held senior leadership roles at PTC, BMC Software, Zscaler, and other high-growth technology companies. His work is rooted in teaching what the legends taught, directly in the field, where deals are won or lost.Connect with the Spotlight Community:🌐 www.spotlight.ai🔗 www.linkedin.com/company/spotlight-ai🐦 twitter.com/Spotlightai_X📘 www.facebook.com/spotlight.ai.facebook📸 www.instagram.com/spotlight.ai_insta▶️ https://youtu.be/Q4xpffA9kGo

Join us for a candid conversation on why enterprise deals stall, why more sales tech has not fixed sales outcomes, and what actually moves deals forward with Mark Pecaro, Founder and CEO of Scale AI GTM, advisor to CROs and RevOps teams, and former global sales leader at Firefly, Sumo Logic, Mixpanel, and Cisco.In this episode of In the Spotlight, Mark and Roi unpack where value selling breaks down in practice. From misidentified champions and MEDDPICC gaps to bloated tech stacks and underpowered execution, this conversation cuts through theory and focuses on what actually closes enterprise deals.Mark shares hard-earned lessons from scaling sales organizations, advising founders on the path from $10M to $25M ARR, and partnering closely with RevOps leaders at the center of modern GTM execution.Key takeaways include:Why value selling fails when execution is weakThe difference between coaches, champions, and real deal unblockersHow MEDDPICC should be used as a living execution framework, not a checklistWhy more pipeline does not fix mid and late funnel breakdownsWhere sales technology adds value, and where it becomes noiseSpecial focus areas:Champion influence vs authority in enterprise dealsValue realization as a post-sale growth engineWhy RevOps is shifting from operational support to strategic leadershipHow AI should improve deal traceability, not add more workflowsWhat RevOps teams should prioritize when planning their 2026 tech stackAbout our guest:Mark Pecaro is Founder and CEO of Scale AI GTM, where he partners with founders and CEOs of ambitious B2B SaaS companies to accelerate growth from $10M to $25M ARR. He is an advisor to Spotlight.ai and a seasoned revenue leader with executive experience at Firefly, Sumo Logic, Mixpanel, MapR, and Cisco. Mark brings a rare blend of enterprise sales leadership, RevOps insight, and GTM execution experience.Connect with the Spotlight Community:🌐 www.spotlight.ai📧 [email protected]🔗 www.linkedin.com/company/spotlight-ai🐦 twitter.com/Spotlightai_X📘 www.facebook.com/spotlight.ai.facebook📸 www.instagram.com/spotlight.ai_insta▶️ https://youtu.be/-atp39TXluU

Join us for a candid conversation on sales excellence, value selling, and adaptive discovery in cybersecurity with Gary Olson, CRO of Sysdig and veteran sales leader from Snyk, Zscaler, AT&T Cybersecurity, and Symantec.In this episode of “In the Spotlight,” Gary shares what he's learned over 30+ years leading global sales teams — and how he's now applying that experience to drive go-to-market transformation at Sysdig, with a special focus on precision, MEDDIC, and team alignment.Key takeaways include:- Why MEDDIC fails when it’s treated like a checklist — and how to bring it to life- The real job of value selling: mapping business impact, not just product features- How to qualify fast and accurately — and the cost of not doing so- What “adaptive discovery” looks like in high-velocity sales cycles- From pitch decks to dialogue: the shift toward dynamic, customer-led conversations- Building a repeatable, scalable, insight-led sales motion in a noisy, copy-paste marketSpecial focus areas include:- Why sales teams are drowning in tools but starving for clarity- What’s changing in cybersecurity GTM in 2025 — and how to keep up- The CRO’s playbook for reducing noise, shrinking blind spots, and driving execution- How Sysdig is using Spotlight to unify GTM and surface the “vital few” actions that matter- A forward-looking view of sales in 2030: autonomous, value-driven, and deeply humanAbout Our Guest:Gary Olson is the Chief Revenue Officer at Sysdig and one of the most respected voices in cybersecurity sales. He has scaled global revenue teams at companies like Snyk, Zscaler, AT&T, and BMC, and brings a mission-driven, operationally rigorous approach to every sales organization he leads.

Join us for the launch of a powerful new cybersecurity value selling series in this episode of "In the Spotlight," featuring David Koppe, Head of Value Management at Sysdig and veteran of GE, BMC Software, Bladelogic, and MongoDB.In this deep-dive conversation, David shares actionable insights from 30+ years in enterprise technology and value engineering, including how to translate technical cybersecurity solutions into boardroom-relevant business cases.Key takeaways include:Why “we don’t sell technology”—the mindset shift that unlocks real enterprise valueThree levels of the value conversation: practitioners, economic buyers, and the CFOMeasuring value in cybersecurity: from noise reduction to breach risk mitigationHow to build business value assessments (BVAs) that actually close dealsUsing force multiplier frameworks to communicate the true ROI of AI and automation in securityThe evolving role of CISOs: from operational triage to strategic reporting and board communicationSpecial focus areas include:Coverage vs. risk reduction: quantifying the intangible in cybersecurityAlert fatigue and prioritization: using value as a lens for tooling efficiencyHow AI is changing value realization metrics and customer expectationsTactical KPIs: vulnerability age, critical alert burn-down, MITRE coverage, and moreAbout Our Guest:David Koppe leads the Value Management Office at Sysdig. A pioneer in enterprise value engineering, David has helped define and scale value programs at some of the most innovative B2B software companies over the last three decades. He brings a rare combination of business strategy, sales enablement, and cybersecurity expertise to this must-listen episode.

Join us for a masterclass in modern sales methodology in this pivotal episode of our "In the Spotlight" series, featuring Peter Cohan - founder of Second Derivative and architect of contemporary discovery practices.In this deep-dive conversation, the creator of The Great Demo methodology reveals groundbreaking approaches to value selling and buyer enablement that are reshaping enterprise sales:- The evolution of value selling from business case development to full buyer enablement lifecycle strategies- Demo-qualified lead framework with its six critical elements for effective solution design- Vision Generation demos - the 5-minute alternative to painful "harbor tour" presentations- Quid pro quo discovery techniques that transform interrogations into collaborative conversations- Future-proofing discovery through AI-supported processes and the critical role of human curiosity- DIKW framework (Data-Information-Knowledge-Wisdom) for modern sales enablementSpecial focus areas include:- Building mutual solution validation between buyer and seller- Cultural assessment techniques for complex sales environments- The "myth of the informed buyer" and vision re-engineering strategies- Practical examples from 25+ years of training global sales teamsAbout Our Guest:Peter Cohan: Founder/Principal of Second Derivative and author of sales methodology classics The Great Demo and Doing Discovery. A recognized authority in sales enablement, Peter has trained thousands of professionals across 3 continents while developing frameworks used by leading tech enterprises worldwide. His third book on advanced discovery techniques is forthcoming.

Join us for another enlightening episode of our "In the Spotlight" series, where we engage in a thought-provoking conversation with Neil Wadhwani, a seasoned technology executive with over 25 years of experience in sales, pre-sales, IT ops, and digital marketing.In this insightful discussion, Neal shares his expertise on value selling, the role of sales engineers, and the impact of AI on sales processes, drawing from his extensive experience at companies like MongoDB, AppDynamics, Adobe, and Microsoft.Key highlights of this episode include:- Neal's perspective on value selling and its evolution in the era of consumption-based models- The critical role of sales engineers in the value selling process- MongoDB's vision for combining value consultants and sales engineers- The impact of AI on sales engineering and future predictions- Insights on selecting and implementing AI-powered tools like Spotlight AI- Valuable lessons learned in value selling and relationship-driven salesFrom redefining the role of sales engineers to leveraging AI for enhanced efficiency, this session is packed with valuable insights for anyone looking to enhance their sales strategy and drive business growth in the modern tech landscape.About Our Guest:Neal Wadhwani: A customer-focused technology leader with extensive experience in high-growth enterprises and various executive leadership roles. Neal currently leads value consulting and sales engineering for the Americas at MongoDB.

Join us for another enlightening episode of our "In the Spotlight" series, where we dive deep into the world of value selling with Tom Pisello, known as the ROI guy. With 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur and thought leader, Tom shares his invaluable insights on the evolving landscape of B2B sales.In this thought-provoking discussion, Tom explores:• The holistic approach to value selling across the entire buyer engagement lifecycle• The concept of the "golden thread" of value in B2B companies• The current "Purchase Pessimism Pandemic" and its impact on sales• Strategies for effective discovery and stakeholder alignment in complex B2B deals• The role of automation and AI in scaling value programs• The future of value selling and sales enablementFrom redefining value selling approaches to leveraging AI for deal inspection and coaching, this session is packed with actionable insights for anyone looking to enhance their sales strategy and drive business growth in today's challenging B2B environment.About Our Guest:Tom Pisello: A veteran entrepreneur, author of "The Frugalnomics Survival Guide" and "Evolved Selling," host of the Value Talk podcast, and founder of the Value Collective Community and Genius Drive Company.

Join us for another enlightening episode of our "In the Spotlight" series, where our CEO engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Mike Eckhoff, an experienced revenue leader with a rich background in emerging software technologies.In this insightful discussion, Mike shares his expertise on value selling, sales strategies, and leadership, drawing from his extensive experience as CRO at companies like MOSTLY AI, Armory, and Tricentis, as well as his senior leadership roles at Eggplant, HP Software, and Mercury Interactive.Key highlights of this episode include:- Mike's perspective on value selling and its importance beyond ROI calculations- Insights on effective deal inspection and sales methodology implementation- The success story of Tricentis' go-to-market transformation- Strategies for scaling rapid growth and building sustainable sales models- Lessons learned from challenges in sales leadership- The potential of AI-powered tools like Spotlight AI in transforming sales processesFrom redefining value selling approaches to leveraging customer champions, this session is packed with valuable insights for anyone looking to enhance their sales strategy and drive business growth.About Our Guest:Mike Eckhoff: A customer-centric revenue leader with extensive experience in emerging software technologies, from startups to large enterprises. Mike has developed innovative growth strategies and led successful sales and customer success teams across various organizations.

Join us for another insightful episode of our "In the Spotlight" series, where our CEO engages in an enlightening conversation with Genady Rashkovan, Global VP at Tricentis. In this session, we explore the evolving landscape of customer experience (CX) and the critical role of value realization in today's SaaS-driven business environment.Genady Rashkovan, with his 25-year journey in customer-facing roles, shares his unique perspectives on the objectives of CX organizations and the future of Customer Success Manager (CSM) roles. As a TSIA advisory board member, Genady brings a wealth of industry knowledge to the discussion.In this candid conversation, Genady delves into:- The top objectives for CX organizations and their maturity journey- The importance of differentiating between happy customers and successful customers- Challenges in the sales-to-CS handoff and strategies to overcome them- The role of technology in scaling customer success efforts- The evolution of CSM roles and the need for industry expertiseFrom the importance of creating positive product sentiment to the need for cross-functional collaboration, this session is packed with valuable insights for anyone looking to enhance their customer experience strategy and drive value realization.About Our Guest:Genady Rashkovan: Global VP at Tricentis, responsible for end-to-end post-sale customer experience. With extensive experience in CX, CS, services, and support, Genady is passionate about driving value realization and enhancing the customer journey.

Join us in the latest session of our enlightening Fireside Chat Series, where our CEO, Roi, engages in a thought-provoking conversation with the brilliant minds of Eran Yaniv and Keith Butler. In this session, we delve into the transformative journey of Perfecto, exploring key insights and lessons learned in the realms of sales strategy and organizational growth.Eran Yaniv, a serial entrepreneur with two significant exits under his belt and currently the Founder of Sidetalk, shares his unique perspectives on the "Hero Methodology" and the evolution of sales processes. Keith Butler, President and CRO of Observe, brings his extensive experience to the table, discussing professional sales leadership and the importance of partnerships.In this candid conversation, Eran and Keith recount their journey at Perfecto, the pivotal moments that defined their success, and their strategic approach to building a scalable sales machine. From the challenges of founder-led sales to the importance of integrating sales and marketing, this session is packed with valuable takeaways for anyone looking to elevate their go-to-market strategy.About Our Guests:Eran Yaniv: A serial entrepreneur currently leading Sidetalk and the chairman of Trendemon. Eran has a wealth of experience in transforming startups and scaling businesses through innovative sales strategies.Keith Butler: President and CRO of Observe, Keith has held leadership roles in various companies, including Perfecto, RSA, and BMC. His expertise in sales and go-to-market strategies has been instrumental in driving organizational success.

Dive into the essence of value selling with Ruvi Kitov, former CEO of Tufin, in this enlightening episode of the "Value Sales Fireside Sessions", hosted by Roi Carmel. Ruvi shares his 20 yr journey from founding Tufin to becoming a key advisor and investor, focusing on the pivotal role of value selling in transforming sales strategies. Discover the challenges of scaling sales teams, the importance of aligning with customer needs, and the future impact of AI on sales. This session is a must-watch for sales executives and entrepreneurs seeking to elevate their sales approach and achieve lasting business success.

Join us in the second session of our enlightening Fireside Chat Series, where our CEO, Roi Carmel, sits down with the legendary Tom Schodorf to delve deep into the nuances of value selling. With decades of experience transforming sales strategies and scaling businesses, Tom brings a wealth of knowledge from his time at IBM, BMC, and as the CRO of Splunk, where he spearheaded the company's meteoric rise from $30 million to $1 billion in revenue.In this candid conversation, Tom shares his journey, the pivotal moments of his career, and his perspective on value selling as a cornerstone of modern sales strategies. About Our Guest:Tom Schodorf, a renowned figure in the tech industry, has made significant contributions to the sales domain through his roles at IBM, BMC, and Splunk. Currently, as a consultant, coach, and angel investor, Tom advises CROs and CEOs on go-to-market strategies, sharing insights drawn from his rich career.

Join us for a deep dive into sales productivity, data quality, and the evolution of enablement with Kari Neidig, Sysdig VP of Productivity and Readiness, and one of the industry voices redefining how go-to-market teams connect enablement, readiness, and value realization.In this episode of In the Spotlight, Kari and Roi unpack what productivity really means for modern revenue teams — from fixing qualification and rep confidence to separating AI hype from measurable impact. Kari shares insights from years leading enablement and readiness across top tech companies, offering a playbook for enablement, RevOps, and GTM leaders navigating the AI-powered future of sales execution.Key takeaways include:- Why “productivity” is the new north star for enablement and RevOps- How to turn sellers into decision guides, not product pitchers- The hidden cost of poor qualification and how to fix it- How to cut through AI noise and focus on value that scales- Why real-time enablement and clean data drive true seller confidenceSpecial focus areas:- Turning admin work into automated insights with AI- Building data credibility through evidence, not text boxes- How leadership and AI task forces accelerate adoption- Why top-down alignment is essential for lasting behavior change- Practical lessons from enablement peers and industry leadersBook mentioned:Frame: Making a Sale by Brent Adamson and Karl Schmidt — a modern take on building customer confidence and coaching sellers in the age of AI.About our guest:Kari Neidig is VP of Productivity and Readiness and a veteran enablement leader with experience at Talkdesk, Cloudera, VMware, and Oracle. She’s part of a new wave of leaders connecting enablement, RevOps, and AI to measurable revenue productivity.Connect with the Spotlight Community:🌐 www.spotlight.ai📧 [email protected]🔗 www.linkedin.com/company/spotlight-ai🐦 twitter.com/Spotlightai_X📘 www.facebook.com/spotlight.ai.facebook📸 www.instagram.com/spotlight.ai_insta

Join us for a deep dive into MEDDICC adoption, sales discipline, and the shift from storytelling to evidence-based forecasting with Bill Norberg, Managing Partner at Sales MEDDIC Group (SMG) and veteran sales leader with decades of experience building and coaching global sales organizations.In this episode of In the Spotlight, Bill shares lessons from over 20 years leading sales teams and helping hundreds of companies transform how they qualify and advance deals using MEDDICC. From his early days at PTC — the birthplace of MEDDIC — to today’s work with SMG and Spotlight joint customers, Bill brings a unique perspective on what it takes to embed MEDDICC as both a language and a mindset.Key takeaways include:- Why MEDDICC succeeds when treated as an engagement model, not a checklist- How sales leaders can turn “storytelling” into actionable, evidence-based reviews- The difference between a coach and a true champion — and why reps often get it wrong- How to align seller timelines with customer compelling events- What “being faithful” to the methodology really looks like in practiceSpecial focus areas include:- Why adoption must start at the top — and how leadership sets the tone- The role of RevOps and AI in operationalizing MEDDICC and reducing rep burden- Why CRM text boxes often create noise instead of clarity- The rep mindset shift: from showing progress to identifying gaps- How SMG and Spotlight are helping organizations drive predictable execution at scaleAbout Our Guest:Bill Norberg is Managing Partner at Sales MEDDIC Group (SMG), where he helps global revenue teams embed MEDDICC to achieve consistent, evidence-based execution. With more than 20 years of leadership experience, Bill has built high-performance sales teams, developed global channel and alliance strategies, and coached executives across industries. He was part of PTC during the early development of MEDDIC and continues to drive its adoption worldwide.Connect with the Spotlight Community:🌐 www.spotlight.ai📧 [email protected]🔗 www.linkedin.com/company/spotlight-ai🐦 twitter.com/Spotlightai_X📘 www.facebook.com/spotlight.ai.facebook📸 www.instagram.com/spotlight.ai_insta