B2B Sales Trends

What does it take to succeed in today’s channel sales landscape?

Mark Conley, Vice President, Americas Channel Sales at Cohesity, joins Harry Kendlbacher to unpack the evolution of channel partnerships — and what it means to lead in an environment where influence, trust, and collaboration matter more than ever.

They talk about:

- How to build partner trust without controlling the outcome

- The unique challenges of managing distributed teams

- What sales leadership looks like in a fast-changing partner ecosystem

- And why clarity, consistency, and culture are critical to driving results

This one’s for anyone thinking about the future of sales leadership in a partner-first world.

In today’s fast-paced sales environment, it’s easy to focus on speed — but what’s the cost of moving too quickly?

Rich Sander, Commercial Vice President at Smurfit WestRock, joins Harry Kendlbacher for a conversation about why slowing down can actually help you close bigger, more strategic deals. From resisting pressure to pitch too soon to earning trust in highly commoditized markets, Rich shares a refreshingly grounded take on what it really means to lead a sales team that delivers long-term value.

They talk about:

- The importance of doing real discovery — even when clients think they’ve already solved the problem

- How to avoid being reduced to price in a commoditized market

- What it means to slow down the sales cycle without losing momentum

- Why intentionality, patience, and listening are your best tools in a high-velocity world

This episode is for anyone who’s felt the pressure to rush — and is ready to rethink what it takes to win with consistency.

In an era of automation and data overload, what role does human instinct still play in B2B sales?

Steven Jow, Executive Vice President of Sales at TD DYNNEX, joins Harry Kendlbacher for a wide-ranging conversation about selling through change — from navigating digital transformation and shifting buyer expectations to integrating AI tools without losing the personal touch.

They talk about:

- How Steve has led teams through major transitions, including going from legacy sales to full-funnel enablement

- The traits that still set great sellers apart — no matter the tech stack

- Why curiosity and coaching matter more than ever

- And how AI is changing the game (but not replacing it)

This one’s for anyone leading sales teams through transformation — or wondering how to stay sharp when everything else is evolving.

In today’s enterprise deals, selling to a single decision-maker is no longer enough. Salespeople need to navigate complex committees — and that means they can’t go it alone.

In this episode of B2B Sales Trends, Harry Kendlbacher sits down with JP Flores, Senior Sales Director at CrowdStrike, to talk about why elite sellers think more like orchestrators than lone wolves. From building internal alignment to leading outcome-driven conversations, JP shares how top-performing teams work together to win high-stakes, multi-threaded deals.

Whether you’re trying to increase win rates or level up your strategic conversations, this episode offers practical takeaways you can put into play immediately.

In high-stakes, complex sales, success often hinges on what happens before the RFQ ever goes out. In this episode of B2B Sales Trends, Harry Kendlbacher sits down with Shari Begun — VP of Global Sales — to unpack what it really takes to win large deals in today’s environment.

From account planning and roadmap conversations to stakeholder mapping and value defense, Shari shares practical strategies sales teams can use to shape buying decisions early, avoid competing on price alone, and close bigger deals with more predictability.

Whether you’re managing a long enterprise cycle or just looking to sharpen your RFQ approach, this one’s packed with takeaways you can use right now.

Procurement is often seen as the final hurdle in a deal — a price-focused gatekeeper that slows things down. But what if engaging procurement early could actually help you close bigger, more profitable deals?

In this episode of B2B Sales Trends, Harry Kendlbacher sits down with Mike Lander — former procurement director turned sales advisor — to rethink everything you thought you knew about working with procurement. From qualification strategies to trust-based negotiation, Mike shares practical advice that helps sales teams avoid the common traps and unlock meaningful growth through smarter stakeholder alignment.

Whether you're chasing enterprise deals, navigating complex buying processes, or looking to protect your margins, this episode will challenge your assumptions and leave you with actionable tactics you can use today.

In this episode of B2B Sales Trends, Harry Kendlbacher reconnects with Sachin Wadhawan, who first appeared on the podcast as a sales engineering leader—and now returns with fresh insights from his role as Chief Revenue Officer at a fast-growing startup.

Harry and Sachin dive into the challenges of standing out in crowded markets, why a technical sales background can be a hidden advantage for CROs, and how early-stage companies can build trust and credibility when competing against bigger, better-funded players. Sachin also shares practical lessons from launching an ambassador program, leveraging AI in both product and sales processes, and the evolving role of sales engineers in driving growth.

This conversation is packed with valuable insights for sales leaders navigating complex B2B environments, especially those in the SaaS and tech space.

In this episode of the B2B Sales Trends podcast, Harry Kendlbacher sits down with David Winneberger, Vice President and Head of Global Sales & Customer Service at Siemens Healthineers, to explore what it really takes to transform B2B sales teams.

They unpack why breaking out of a traditional sales mindset isn’t just about thinking differently — it’s about acting differently. David shares how Siemens Healthineers is using digital tools, data intelligence, and cross-functional collaboration to shift sales conversations from product specs to customer value.

Discover how service engineers, sales engineers, and commercial teams can work together to identify new opportunities, build deeper client relationships, and drive meaningful change — not just within the sales process, but across the entire customer journey.

Whether you’re a sales leader, account executive, or technical professional, this episode offers powerful insights into how to create impact in today’s complex B2B landscape.

In this 50th episode of B2B Sales Trends, host Harry Kendlbacher goes solo to reflect on one of the most urgent challenges in B2B sales today: declining win rates. Drawing on insights from the past 49 episodes—and 25 years of sales leadership—Harry breaks down the five steps of GPG’s proven Win Rates framework.

Learn why 60% of B2B deals are lost to “no decision,” and how sales teams can shift from surface-level conversations to outcome-focused strategies that actually move the needle.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

- How to qualify early for impact—not just fit

- Why stakeholder mapping is critical in complex deals

- How key agreements can replace guesswork with alignment

- What it takes to create urgency through Cost of Inaction

- How to close without compromising margins

If you’re a sales leader looking to win more deals faster—and with higher profitability—this solo episode is packed with practical insights to help you get there.

In this bonus edition of the B2B Sales Trends podcast, we’re spotlighting one of the most popular questions we ask our guests:

What are the top 3 traits that set elite salespeople apart?

We’ve pulled together insights from six sales leaders across industries—from cybersecurity to healthcare to marketing—and the answers are anything but generic.

You’ll hear from:

- Mark Grimwood (Salesforce)

- Kendall Ryerson (Carestream)

- Ford Williams (Redis, formerly ThoughtSpot)

- Lauren Cursiter (Google)

- Oliver Tate (Dentsu)

- Kelly Magnaudeix (GE HealthCare)

Tune in to hear what these top performers believe really makes the difference—and what they look for in the people they hire, coach, and promote.