The Sell Like A Leader Podcast

David Kreiger sits down with Tom Stearns and Peter Cleary for a rare two-guest episode inspired by their newly released book, Graphic Sales: How to Build a Prospecting Playbook for Sales Leaders. Together, they turned decades of real client work and hard-learned lessons into a sales book unlike any other. In this episode, they cover: Why most sales leaders are misdiagnosing their biggest problem What a sales manager's day actually looks like once a real playbook is in place The evergreen fundamentals that have driven pipeline for decades and will still matter How the "Hell No" list transforms SDR performance, protects AE time, and stops your team from chasing wrong leads If you're a revenue leader who's been putting out fires instead of building a system, this episode is for you. And if you want to start applying these ideas right away, you don't have to wait for the episode to sink in. You can actually get your hands on the material behind it. Download the first two chapters of Graphic Sales for free, along with the templates and tools behind the book here: https://www.stearns.io/ And if you want to go a level deeper, there are also paid kits available. Use code PODCAST for 30% off.   Connect with Tom Stearns: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomstearns/ Connect with Peter Cleary: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterecleary/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/  https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes!  https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

David Kreiger sits down with Jason Mironov of TA Associates to unpack how growth-focused investors evaluate sales organizations. With over a decade of experience leading investments in tech-enabled services, Jason brings a rare "outside-in" lens to what revenue leaders must do to build an investment-ready business. In this episode, he breaks down: Why gross vs. net retention tells the real story of your repeatability and why you should be tracking 10-15 key data points from day one Why spending an extra month upfront on sales education pays the biggest long-term dividends for rep productivity Why vibe coding your way into an enterprise customer base is a myth, and how AI is leveling the playing field for analytics What founders and revenue leaders should be building right now if they ever want institutional investment If you're a revenue leader who wants to understand how world-class investors evaluate talent, culture, and the "direction of travel" for your revenue, this conversation is for you.   Connect with Jason Mironov: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmironov/ https://www.ta.com/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes!  https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

David Kreiger sits down with Aaron Ross, author of the bestselling Predictable Revenue, to revisit the principles that reshaped how the SaaS world thinks about sales, and examine what those principles mean in today's high-noise environment. Aaron brings two decades of perspective on outbound, specialization, and pipeline building, and he challenges revenue leaders to stop chasing the playbook and start developing the instincts the current climate demands. In this episode, he breaks down: Why the tactics from Predictable Revenue may have changed, but the core principles are more relevant than ever How AI is accelerating buyer attention fragmentation, and why ICP focus is now a non-negotiable The case for even deeper sales specialization as AI agents take on more of the SDR and AE workload Why the corporate world's hunger for stability is colliding head-on with a fundamentally non-linear era How emotional agility, intuition, and creativity are becoming the true competitive differentiators in sales leadership Aaron's outside-in perspective will challenge how you think about building predictable revenue in 2026.   Connect with Aaron Ross: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronross Serendipity Sheet (new projects): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gCSfmPJRKzwl_1g2z5nxoEEOWDBAXojGglEUGU6yIp8/edit?pli=1&tab=t.0 www.freshair.substack.com www.IronCrown.co www.Delphi.ai/airzilla http://www.fromimpossible.com/talk Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

David Kreiger sits down with Caryn Kopp, Chief Door Opener at Kopp Consulting, to explore why today's prospecting landscape is stacked against sellers, and what sales leaders need to do differently to break through. Caryn brings a human-first philosophy to prospecting built on 27 years of opening C-suite doors, and she challenges some of the most common assumptions. In this episode, she breaks down:  Why executive buyers ignore outreach that "feels" AI-generated How precision targeting and disciplined ICP selection outperform volume  The structural shift sales leaders must make to build a predictable pipeline The difference between using AI for research vs. outsourcing your thinking Why prospecting requires a different DNA than closing, and why most AEs shouldn't own both If you're a revenue leader trying to balance AI efficiency with real pipeline results, this conversation will challenge how you think about prospecting in 2026.   Connect with Caryn Kopp: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carynkopp/ https://koppconsultingusa.com/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/  https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

David Kreiger sits down with Chris Bondarenko, Chief Revenue Officer at 360 Learning, to explore what it really takes to build and scale high-performing revenue teams in today's rapidly evolving sales environment. Chris brings a people-first approach to sales leadership that emphasizes the strategic importance of hiring the right personas, developing talent through continuous learning, and understanding where AI actually creates value versus where it falls short. In this episode, he breaks down: Why top sales reps need to think like quarterbacks The three specific ways AI helps top performers win How to define clear success personas for each sales role and hire against these personas The two core revenue processes that must be clearly defined before any SaaS company can scale effectively You'll also hear Chris's perspective on why people will always be the differentiator in sales, the dangers of rushing to automate without considering brand impact, and why leaders need more time to simply think about their business. Connect with Chris Bondarenko: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisbondarenko/ https://360learning.com/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/  

David Krieger sits down with Justin Shriber, CEO and co-founder of Terret, to explore the dividing line between sales organizations that thrive with AI and those that don't. With three decades of leading teams through major technology transformations at Oracle, LinkedIn, and high-growth startups, Justin has a front-row seat to how AI is reshaping sales. In this episode, Justin breaks down: Which sales roles are most vulnerable How AI should act as a thought partner for sales reps Why most AI initiatives fail and how leaders can set the right scope to win early How AI is shifting sales from volume-driven lead generation to quality-driven engagement What "closed-loop revenue" looks like and why it's the future of forecasting, execution, and decision-making You'll also hear how great sales leaders are using AI to transform rep behavior, improve deal quality, and expand margins without adding headcount. This episode will challenge how you think about talent, tools, and what sales really looks like going forward.   Connect with Justin Shriber: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinshriber/ https://terret.ai/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/  

David Kreiger sits down with Thomas R. Leidigh, CEO and founder of Infinity, to unpack one of the most overlooked growth levers in sales: the buyer data hiding in your existing customer base. After 30 years of building high-performing inside sales teams, Tom has seen the same pattern repeat itself—companies chase new logos while leaving millions in untapped revenue sitting inside their own accounts. In this episode, Tom breaks down how analyzing your buyer data can reveal: Which customers are primed for upsell and cross-sell What unmet needs exist that your customers haven't voiced yet Where your true revenue potential is (and how much of it you're missing) How to build the sales talent and structure to actually capture that opportunity You'll also hear how Tom's Buyerlytics® framework helps teams turn these insights into actionable, measurable growth. If you want a clearer path to ROI-driven, sustainable revenue—starting with the customers you already have—this episode is your roadmap.   Connect with Thomas R. Leidigh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasleidigh/ https://www.infinitydelivers.com/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/  

David Kreiger sits down with Lee Salz, bestselling author of 7 business books and ranked #6 in the world on Global Gurus' Top 30 Sales Thought Leaders for 2025. In this episode, David and Lee challenge the traditional discovery meeting approach that most salespeople rely on. Here are the questions they tackle: Why do traditional discovery meetings fail? How can salespeople provide value in first meetings? How to create "consultation cliffhangers" that make prospects eager for the next meeting?  Sales leaders and revenue teams will leave with fresh ideas to rethink their approach, engage prospects more effectively, and ultimately drive higher results. Connect with Lee Salz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leesalz/ https://salesarchitects.com/white_paper/top-10-ways-to-offer-meaningful-value/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

David Kreiger chats with John Barrows, the founder and lead trainer of JBarrows Consulting, working with teams at Salesforce, LinkedIn, Google, and more. He's the author of I Want to Be in Sales When I Grow Up!. In this episode, David and John tackle the anxiety many parents and sales leaders feel about the future of work. Here are the questions they try to answer during their conversation: What skills will remain uniquely human and valuable? What are the fundamentals for success in an AI world? What does adding value mean when AI can generate insights? Have we over-systematized everything to the point where people are easily replaceable? This episode is a must-listen not just for parents, but also for sales leaders who want to help their teams thrive in this AI-driven world.   Connect with John Barrows: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/ JB Sales Elite Program: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KzlX0ByV4Cp8LBfCz50vYde2KyaMlcHL/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/  

David Kreiger chats with Jake Dunlap, CEO of Skaled and author of "The Innovative Seller." Jake brings 12 years of experience helping CEOs, CROs, and CMOs transform their businesses with AI-driven revenue strategies. In this episode, we dive into: Outdated sales methodologies: The Challenger Sales, Predictable Revenue, MEDDIC, and BANT.  The four C's framework: Commitment to technology and AI proficiency, current go-to-market strategy, customized sales journeys, consistent performance optimization, and generative AI deployment. Rapid-fire Q&A   Connect with Jake Dunlap: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakedunlap/ https://skaled.com/ https://meetjourney.ai/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

David Kreiger chats with Frank Sondors, the co-founder and CEO of Salesforge. He helps B2B companies generate more sales pipeline and reduce costs by blending humans and AI agents. He scaled to $3M ARR in 12 months and is looking to get to $10M ARR next. In this episode, we dive into: AI agents and human SDRs: Sales integration, blending human and AI, market testing with AI, pipeline efficiency, guardrails and safety in AI, SDR role evolution, AI-driven outreach, cross-customer learnings, autonomous and copilot modes, and the future of sales teams. Rapid-fire Q&A   Connect with Frank Sondors:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/franksondors/ https://www.salesforge.ai/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/  

David Kreiger chats with Roee Hartuv, who heads the Revenue Architecture practice at Winning by Design. He's a B2B startup executive with more than 20 years of experience working at high-growth SaaS companies. In this episode, we dive into: AI integration in sales: Technology landscape, AI's emerging role, changing buyer-seller dynamics, AI in customer interaction, future sales funnel impacts, human element in sales, competitive edge, and AI-driven GTM. Rapid fire Q&A   Connect with Roee Hartuv: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roeehartuv/ https://winningbydesign.com/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger  https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/  

David Kreiger chats with Jessica Klek, the CRO at User Interviews. For +20 years, Jess Klek has worked and led teams in B2B SAAS organizations like LinkedIn, SalesLoft, and 6sense. She has also been a fierce advocate for women in technology often speaking on panels, and was voted the Best Female Executive in tech by Women In Sales America. In this episode, we dive into: Building high-performing sales teams: Hiring the right talent, skills to look for when hiring, tailored training and development programs, measuring the impact of sales training, effective sales incentives, cross-functional collaboration, quarterly realignments, transparent compensation. Rapid fire Q&A   Connect with Jessica Klek: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaklek/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

David Kreiger chats with Valerie Schlitt, the Founder of VSA Prospecting which she launched in 2001. She has recently sold VSA and entered a new life stage, managing the one customer service client she retained. In this episode, we dive into: Collaborating with competitors: Competitors becoming mentors and thought leaders for each other, the concept of "frienemies," shared learning, building relationships, common challenges, mutual help, and overcoming hesitation. Rapid fire Q&A   Connect with Valerie Schlitt:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerieschlitt/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/  

David Kreiger chats with Mitchell Kasprzyk, the VP of Sales at Compyl. He has driven growth across SaaS startups and enterprise organizations by shifting from traditional selling to a consultative approach that helps buyers make meaningful progress. In this episode, we dive into: Transitioning to management role: Mentorship and learning from thought leaders, focusing on team development, development of coaching and leadership mindset, reducing micromanagement, understanding your team's current capabilities, developing a performance framework, creating a transparent motivational environment, implementing data-driven decision-making, and fostering a continuous learning culture. Rapid fire Q&A   Connect with Mitchell Kasprzyk: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchell-kasprzyk-3296b898/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes!  https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/  

David Kreiger chats with Maxwell Nee, the CRO of Scoreapp, a Quiz Marketing Platform with 7,000 paying clients. He's also a multi-award winning entrepreneur, bodybuilder & dancer and has been featured in TV, Radio, Forbes, Singapore's The Business Times & The Australian Business Review. In this episode, we dive into:  Innovation and trust in sale teams: focusing on picking mature impactful ideas for execution, building a successful team by having the right people in the right seats, the importance of two-way trust in team settings, the value of transparent feedback in a team setting and its impact on team dynamics, creating feedback loops for continuous improvement, how to maintain consistent accountability, using customized quizzes and tailored conversations for more effective lead engagement, deeply understanding client pain points with standardized assessments and the importance of prospecting opportunities to help others beyond just making a sale. Rapid Fire Q&A Connect with Maxwell Nee:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxwellnee/    Connect with David Kreiger:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/  

David Kreiger chats with Rich DeGuzman, an experienced revenue-focused GTM executive and VP at Vensure Employer Solutions, where he leads national HCM West strategy. Rich's expertise in GTM strategy, M&A, and B2B partnerships has earned him consistent recognition, including Chairman's Club and Board of Directors distinctions. In this episode, we dive into:    Leadership Coaching and Training in Sales: building a robust leadership bench within sales organizations, how to have conversations about career aspirations and leadership roles within your team, coaching reps to think strategically like leaders, avoiding common missteps in promotions, repurposing talent within your team, bridging the gap between theoretical training and real-world sales scenarios, active leadership exercises you can use, encouraging self-evaluation and continuous learning, leveraging internal champions to guide AI adoption, maximizing productivity with quick disqualification of opportunities, and the power of connectivity at in-person events.   Rapid Fire Q&A Connect with Rich DeGuzman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richdeguzman/   Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

David Kreiger chats with Mike Kavanagh, VP of Commercial Sales N. America for OneTrust, a leader in data privacy and consent management. He has been in B2B sales for 16+ years, and transitioned into sales management about 10 years ago. During that time, he led Enterprise sales teams, partner teams, and cross functional teams including marketing, customer success, and operations. In this episode, we dive into:    B2B Sales Fundamentals - The challenges for sales leaders and their teams in 2024 and what's going to look like for 2025, how to structure the prospecting function, the concept of propensity data, getting the entire org to collaborate, talking about the product vs. learning about the buyer business' problems, how to instill business acumen in your sales reps so they can better understand the business context, presenting pricing as a story, modeling the sales behaviors you want to see as a leader, questions for team reviews, the metrics you can't miss in your dashboard, time management in sales, skill adjustments to help SDRs, how sales managers should be supporting AEs, hiring BDRs from your SDRs, the dark side of tools being used these days by SDRs, the best uses for AI and making the case for call recording.  Rapid Fire Q&A Connect with Mike Kavanagh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikejkavanagh Connect with David Kreiger:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

David Kreiger chats with Danny Wasserman, a former restaurateur turned Enterprise SaaS seller and currently a leader at Databricks. He has researched, architected, and delivered sales enablement content that globally serves SMB, Commercial, Enterprise, Partner, and Customer Success teams. Whether in front of the room facilitating, in the studio hosting a podcast, or in the back office ghostwriting communications for executives, Danny remains equally committed to always playing for the team and never losing sight of humility. In this episode, we dive into:  Conversation Intelligence (CI) and Revenue Intelligence (RI): the origin story of business intelligence, Gong and CI, the market pivot that made CI a necessity, the different adoption phases, how to assess basic adoption vs. applying a higher level of analysis, evaluating sales behaviors objectively, forecasting with a lot more science than humans could, transforming pipeline reviews meetings, making coaching good for the seller and the manager, lifting win rates, internal and external obstacles to using CI tools, aligning the implementation of CI and RI tools with your organization's cultural values to facilitate acceptance and utilization, and effective dashboard design.   Rapid Fire Q&A Connect with Danny Wasserman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannybwasserman/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

David Kreiger chats with Erin Dues, a seasoned sales leader with 13+ years of experience in technology and SaaS, incl. 9 years specializing in HR tech. As VP of Sales for Assessment and Succession within Korn Ferry's Digital business unit, Erin is focused on expanding Korn Ferry's talent technology solutions to a broader market. She has built high-performing sales teams at WorkTango, Asana, LinkedIn, and HubSpot. In this episode, we dive into:  The Listening Tour Strategy: The importance of doing a listening tour when joining a new organization, how to implement a listening tour step by step, why you should follow it with a vision mission session, running in-person and virtual interactive planning sessions, gaining buy-in before implementing change, how to create ongoing feedback loops within a sales team to maintain alignment and motivation, and radical candor as a leadership principle.  Rapid Fire Q&A Connect with Erin Dues: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erindues/   Connect with David Kreiger:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger   https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/  

David Kreiger chats with Bob Spina, who is developing a Sales Advisory practice and has just departed from ON24, where he led Enterprise Sales. Previously, Bob led the Strategic sales team to record growth at Gong. He has a proven track record of unlocking seller performance and building high-performing teams across various organizations, from startups to mid-sized firms, and even a half-billion-dollar business at Cisco.  In this episode, we dive into:  Strategies for high-performing enterprise sales teams: behind the scenes of Gong's growth, the need for a different playbook when transitioning from SMB to enterprise sales, tackling enterprise-level challenges, the right time to hire frontline managers when building enterprise sales teams, coaching your team on account planning, the "Groundswell Outbound Approach", why extended enablement programs are key, the role of customer success when going upmarket and building trust between sales leaders and their teams. Rapid Fire Q&A Connect with Bob Spina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobspina/   Connect with David Kreiger:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

David Kreiger chats with Michael Maximoff, the owner of Belkins, a top-ranked B2B Lead Generation Agency. Michael specializes in creating budget-smart strategies that deliver impactful growth solutions for clients and is also the driving force behind the newsletter "From Zero to Agency Hero" and the voice of the popular Growth Podcast. In this episode, we dive into:  Cold Email Playbooks for Sales Teams: the most important thing in the outreach approach (is not personalization!), how to start building a cold outreach playbook for your team, defining a strategy to engage and nurture your leads, how to generate appointments with higher buying intent, deciding when to do cold calling and when to do cold emailing, omnichannel vs. multichannel outreach approach, the hidden cost of AI in SDR teams and how your team can improve email deliverability. Rapid Fire Q&A Connect with Michael Maximoff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-maximoff/ Connect with David Kreiger:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

In this episode, David Kreiger chats with Terence Lee, Protecht's VP of Risk for North America. His deep understanding of the market has been key to rapidly facilitating Protecht's growth across NA. Before Protecht, he held sales leadership roles at companies like Origami Risk and SAI Global, where he helped build successful sales departments. In this episode, we dive into: Market entry to expansion: Initial steps in market entry, tackling challenges, balancing short-term and long-term strategies, lead generation tactics, the importance of parallel outreach efforts, outsourcing vs. internal team management, conversation value, complementary strategies, critical sales skills, and building trust and credibility. Rapid Fire Q&A    Connect with Terence Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terenceplee/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/  

In this episode, David Kreiger talks with Brian Signorelli, the advisor at Tome. Brian began his tech sales career at HubSpot in 2012 as one of the first 50 AEs. Over nine years, he helped grow the company from $30M to $1B in revenue and later held senior sales leadership roles at Vendr and Lattice before joining Tome. In this episode, we dive into: Stepping into a new team: Understanding the company context, evaluating key differences in early-stage vs. later-stage company needs, skill adaptation by stage, aligning vectors for scalable growth, adjusting managerial skills over time, putting the right team in place, and navigating the intersection of AI and sales Rapid Fire Q&A   Connect with Brian Signorelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-signorelli/ www.quotarelief.co Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/  

David Kreiger chats with David Rubinstein, a seasoned sales leader with 15+ years of experience. He started building sales teams at Gen Video before scaling operations at Salesforce for 6 years. He grew the team from 5 to 50 while boosting revenue from $75M to $250M at Outreach and oversaw a team of 50+ driving sales, solutions, operations, and enablement at Kustomer. Now, he is the SVP of Sales at Spark. In this episode, we dive into: Measuring Enterprise Sales Performance: Managing different levels of performance, understanding the plan and filling gaps, weekly activity sharing for reflection and self-assessment, and monitoring through the right metrics. Scaling Enterprise Sales Teams: Focusing on relationship mapping and structuring territory, standardizing decisions to streamline the process, identifying parallels with competitors, and maintaining a good culture. Rapid Fire Q&A   Connect with David Rubinstein: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daverubinstein/   Connect with David Kreiger:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/   Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

David Kreiger chats with Craig Herman, CRO at Aware where he is responsible for all GTM functions - Sales, CS, Marketing & Partnerships. Craig has more than 20 years of success in driving revenue in several areas, including enterprise software, SaaS, and partner sales, to name a few.   In this episode, we dive into: Ecosystem Strategy: Three key pillars for entering new markets, the importance of technology partnerships in ecosystems, the role of resellers, using AI and technology to find industry-specific communities, and the power of networking and building contacts. Effective Sales Tactics for New Markets: Structuring partnerships and consultant agreements, the role of BDRs in building networks and tapping into communities, leveraging internal and partner networks for warm introductions, and adding value and mutual benefit in sales outreach. Rapid Fire Q&A Connect with Craig Herman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-herman-aab3/   Connect with David Kreiger:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

David Kreiger chats with Andy Hershey, CRO at Sovos where he leverages his expertise to drive growth as a leader in global tax compliance solutions. Andy has over 23 years of experience in sales and leadership roles across three companies, including Splunk and NS1. At Splunk, he spearheaded the transition from on-premises to SaaS, scaling a $2 million SaaS business to over $1 billion as Global VP. In this episode, we dive into: Adoption in the sales cycle: Selling with an adoption mindset, bringing customer success expertise, the new metric of success for salespeople, non-transactional sales processes, preventing wrong expectations, and reducing customer churn. Rapid Fire Q&A Connect with Andy Hershey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyhershey/ Check open sales roles at Sovos: https://sovos.com/careers/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

David Kreiger chats with Stevie "KillCreek" Case, who started her 20+ year tech career accidentally as the world's first female pro gamer; she has led sales teams and revenue organizations at 0 to 1 startups and big brands, including Visa and Twilio. Currently, she is the CRO of Vanta, an extremely fast-growing company helping SaaS automate their compliance, where she leads all go-to-market efforts. Stevie is also a Founding Partner in a new $5M fund called 20SALES with seven other female GTM leaders from leading SaaS standouts. In this episode, we dive into:  Scaling global remote sales teams: the challenge of maintaining a consistent experience for both customers and employees across a large international remote-first team, diversifying the team to reflect a growing diverse customer base and create a balanced and inclusive organizational culture, how to foster idea generation and feedback at all levels, gathering and acting on "wacky ideas," building strong interpersonal bonds within a remote-first team, implementing regular QBR meetings for team alignment and performance monitoring, and why training and development should be priorities for rapidly growing organizations. Rapid Fire Q&A Connect with Stevie Case: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steviecase/ Connect with David Kreiger:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

David Kreiger chats with Ethan Satterfield, who has been in sales for ten years. Ethan has been in SDR Leadership for over four years at companies like SalesLoft, 6Sense, and now DataGrail. He is a people leader who looks to make a positive impact on people's lives both as a human and a professional.  In this episode, we dive into:  Building Culture in Remote Sales Teams: how a leader's authenticity impacts the team culture, real examples of how a positive culture directly impacts sales victories, how to foster an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing and learning, strategies to ensure new team members integrate into the existing culture swiftly, the benefits of pairing up reps and doing consistent check-ins, how to create an inclusive workplace, examples of team exercises to build confidence and camaraderie, boosting morale and motivation through events like BDR Appreciation Week and leveraging one of the most underutilized resources at a company. Rapid Fire Q&A Connect with Ethan Satterfield: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethan-satterfield-85b19a61/ Connect with David Kreiger:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow the Podcast LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

David Kreiger chats with Ralph Barsi, VP of Sales at Kahua, a leading construction management platform. Prior, Ralph held executive roles at Tray.io and then ServiceNow, where he built and led a team of 230 people across the globe during the company's growth from $1 billion to over $4 billion in revenue. He is also an advisor at Scale Venture Partners. In this episode, we dive into: Developing Strategy: the real purpose behind a framework and a strategy, strategy vs. tactics, using answer-first thinking, SMART goals and initiatives, the importance of chronicling your work, and why you should track your own metrics in addition to the corporate dashboards. Framework #1: The Strategy Slide Framework #2: Plan On A Page Framework #3: The 6-Pager Rapid Fire Q&A Episode Resource: Get Ralph's Sample Strategy Slides for AEs and SDR leaders: https://bit.ly/strat-slide-temp Connect with Ralph Barsi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphbarsi/ https://www.ralphbarsi.com/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/  

In this episode (Part II of II), David Kreiger continues chatting with Andy Paul, a renowned sales expert, author of three best-selling books (including Sell Without Selling Out), and the host of The Win Rate Podcast, and they dive into: Mastering Experimentation in Sales: why a sales process can be stifling, the importance of tolerance for ambiguity, and how managers should encourage their sellers' individuality within a sales framework; how to structure your experiments to draw valuable conclusions, know if an experiment was successful, and the danger of small sample sizes; why sellers should embrace financial conversations with prospects, and the need for genuine interest and assistance beyond the sales paradigm. Experiment #3: it's all about business acumen! Rapid Fire Q&A Note: Part I of this interview was released as Episode #7.  Connect with Andy Paul: https://www.linkedin.com/in/realandypaul/ Connect with David Kreiger:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

In this episode (Part I of II), David Kreiger chats with Andy Paul, a renowned sales expert known for his innovative B2B selling strategies. With a career spanning decades, Andy is a trusted advisor to CEOs, entrepreneurs, and sales leaders around the world. He is also the host of The Win Rate Podcast and the author of three best-selling books, including Sell Without Selling Out.  In this episode, we dive into: Experimenting in Sales: how over-reliance on technology and rigid sales processes can reduce effectiveness, the systemic issue with sales that doesn't create a culture of experimentation, how sales leaders can cultivate a culture of creativity and experimentation within their teams, narrowing down your ICP through experimentation, and the two questions managers should be able to get answers from their sellers regarding every single opportunity in their pipeline. Experiment #1: the old-school way is new again and the thing you should invest in if you have a six-figure ACV. Experiment #2: the one where you can not pitch a product. Note: Part II of this interview will be released soon as Episode #8. Connect with Andy Paul: https://www.linkedin.com/in/realandypaul/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow us on the LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

In this episode, David Kreiger chats with Autum Grimm, the CRO and co-founder of PartnerTap, where she empowers channel and sales leaders to maximize revenue alongside their partners. Autum is an active member of the Latinx tech community, passionately supporting diverse founders and advocating for gender and racial equity at all levels. In her personal time, she extends her impact by championing organizations dedicated to serving youth in Clark County. In this episode, we dive into: Embracing Co-Selling: partner leveraging benefits, shifting away from the "Lone Ranger" mindset, the role of data and what types of data sales leaders should prioritize for successful co-selling, and how co-selling benefits not just lead generation but also strengthens existing client partnerships. Co-Selling Teams: the need for robust training and change management, how to foster a sales culture that thrives on collaboration and inclusivity, designing compensation structures to incentivize both sales professionals and partners, establishing the appropriate protocol for your co-sell program, pitfalls of not having a clear execution strategy, and measuring co-selling outcomes using KPIs. Rapid Fire Q&A Connect with Autum Grimm: https://www.linkedin.com/in/autumgrimm/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com Subscribe to the podcast and follow the Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

David Kreiger chats with Victoria McGlone, founder & CEO of Three Cliffs - Home of The AE Playbook ™. With 20 years in tech sales, she is passionate about helping salespeople make more money and learn skills they don't get taught at business school or in traditional sales training courses. She's also a breast cancer survivor who made it her mission to help other families with young children navigate their cancer journeys. In this episode, we dive into subjects like: - Evolved Sales Skills: how salespeople now need a deep understanding of their buyers' problems and how digital literacy can help, how emotional intelligence (EQ) now outperforms traditional schmoozing, cultivating social intelligence (SQ) in sales, and the higher standards for success in today's sales landscape. - Data and AI in Sales Training and Decision-Making: how sales leaders can overcome reservations in adopting AI, the relevance of a single source of truth for data, best practices for ensuring the data fed into AI systems is accurate and useful, the impact of data-informed AI on the development of sales training programs, and how AI can enhance listening capabilities and provide actionable feedback. Connect with Victoria McGlone: https://www.threecliffs.ca/   https://www.linkedin.com/in/vmcglone/ Victoria's children book: https://thegoodcancer.ca/ Connect with David Kreiger:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/  

In episode #4, David Kreiger chats with Joe Venuti, the VP of Sales at Global Market Innovators. This is the 4th company he's held a VP title at. Joe has a strong background building and scaling high performing sales and sales dev team at companies like Cube Software, UpKeep, and Sendoso.  In this episode, we discuss: - Rock-Solid Processes for Sales Leaders - why sales leaders under pressure to achieve more with limited resources need a structured and organized approach to sales. - Rules of Engagement in Sales - the concept of ROEs, their role in aligning sales teams, avoiding internal conflict, and improving prospect and customer experience, and the consequences of not having clear ROEs. - Pitfalls and Best Practices for Implementation: steps to identify the most pressing issues to solve for, how to secure buy-in across the entire executive team, and how to deal with resistance from top sellers. - Post-Implementation Challenges: managing adherence, handling exceptions and deviations, and the importance of continued focus on processes and efficiency. - Rapid Fire Q&A Connect with Joe Venuti: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-venuti-04b34b49/ Connect with David Kreiger:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

In episode #3, David Kreiger chats with Thomas Parbs, VP of Sales at HAAS Alert. Thomas has an impressive 21+ year career in Sales and Sales Leadership, is a three-time AA-ISP Top 25 Most Influential Sales Leader award recipient, and the current President of the Chicago Chapter of Emblaze (formerly AA-ISP). He is also a US Marine Veteran and holds over 30 certifications. In this episode with Tom Parbs we discuss: - Mentorship In Sales: why empowering others, including advocating for women in sales with organizations like #GirlsClub, is at the core of Tom's leadership philosophy. - The Difference Between Managing and Mentoring: why it's crucial for sales leaders to understand this distinction, how mentorship is critical in sales, and the reciprocal benefits of mentorship for mentors and mentees. - Remote Work and Mentorship Opportunities: how a flexible-work model can impact the dynamics of mentorship and leadership within an organization, and how tech tools can help. - Cultivating a Culture Of Mentorship and Learning: how to to nurture a learning mindset within your sales teams, how to instill resilience in mentees, and the benefits of structured mentorship programs. - Rapid Fire Q&A Connect with Thomas Parbs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-parbs/ https://www.haasalert.com/ Connect with David Kreiger:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

In episode #2, David Kreiger chats with Mark Hunter, CSP, "The Sales Hunter," a recognized top influential sales and marketing leader who is also the author of A Mind for Sales, High-Profit Prospecting, and High-Profit Selling. Mark helps companies identify better prospects, close more sales, and profitably build long-term customer relationships. In this episode with Mark Hunter we discuss: - Sales as a Collaborative Effort: the concept of viewing sales as a team activity involving both colleagues and customers and how Mark's experience shaped his views on team-based sales strategies. - Support Systems for Sales Leaders: the importance of support systems like mastermind groups and how tools like LinkedIn can enhance networking and support for sales leaders. - Carpool Selling, Multithreading, and Relationship-Building: strategies for sales teams to create value through internal and external relationships, and why building multiple relationships with large accounts is critical. - Mindset Over Product Knowledge in Sales Training: focusing on mindset training over product knowledge for sales excellence and actionable activities that sales leaders can implement with their teams. - Challenges in Transitioning to Sales Leadership: potential pitfalls when top salespeople move into leadership positions, the qualities necessary for effective sales leadership, and how to do a self-assessment. - Sales Planning for Long-Term Opportunities: the strategic decisions that sales leaders need to make and the importance of creating incremental relationships for your people to build on over the quarter and the year. - Rapid Fire Q&A Connect with Mark Hunter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhunter https://thesaleshunter.com/ Connect with David Kreiger:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

In this first episode host David Kreiger, with 20+ years in sales, dives into key sales and leadership strategies for 2024. He reflects on evolving sales trends, especially with AI, and stresses the importance of personal growth, resilience, and consistency.  This episode provides practical advice for both new and experienced sales professionals to excel in today's sales environment: 1. How can technology help you sell better without losing the human touch? David reveals how he uses AI at SalesRoads to understand his clients better but not to do the selling for him. Find out why he thinks AI is a great tool but not a substitute for human salespeople. 2. What does it take to have a positive mindset in sales? David shares his secret weapon and how a simple habit helps him cope with the challenges and stay resilient in sales. Learn how to use this technique to overcome the highs and lows in sales. 3. Why is consistency the key to success in sales? David talks about the importance of having a daily routine and sticking to it. He also discusses how managers can support their sales teams with regular coaching and feedback. Discover how to improve your performance and achieve your goals with consistent practices. 4. How can you grow and learn as a salesperson? David shares his favorite resources for gaining new knowledge and insights on sales strategies. He also emphasizes the importance of self-investment and personal development.  Follow David Krieger on LinkedIn for top-notch sales tips and insights and subscribe to the podcast to learn from other sales leaders. See you in the next episode with our first guest!