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SaaSy Talk Unfiltered
By Ricky and SeanTechnology
SaaSy Talk Unfiltered episodes
- SaaSy Talk S01.16: The Need for Data-Driven Innovation in B2B Go-to-Market Strategies
About The Guest(s): Chris Walker leads a powerful team that is challenging the current reality of B2B "Marketing" and "Sales". This traditional organizational structure, division of responsibilities, and process for budgeting/planning is failing B2B companies. They are designing and building a new future for how B2B companies and Revenue Teams operate. Chris also hosts the B2B Revenue Vitals podcast which mixes live Q&As and chats with today’s top B2B leaders to share tangible advice and tactics.
Key Takeaways:
The traditional MQL-based model in B2B go-to-market strategies is subjective and lacks data-driven insights.
Companies should adopt a performance-based objective data model to determine the stages of their revenue system.
The B2B go-to-market space needs more science and data to drive innovation and optimize revenue systems.
Early-stage founders should prioritize marketing and align their strategies with the changing buying behaviors of B2B customers.
Sales velocity is a key metric that combines sales cycle length, win rates, opportunity volume, and deal sizes to assess the health of a company's revenue engine.
The metrics used in B2B go-to-market strategies often incentivize behaviors that are not customer-centric and can lead to inefficiencies and wasted resources.
As companies scale, the traditional MQL-based model becomes unsustainable and requires a new operating model that is adaptable and data-driven.
Continuous optimization and the use of data are crucial for driving growth and innovation in the B2B go-to-market space.
Quotes:
"We need a lot more science and data and a lot less opinions and past experiences in B2B revenue generation." - Chris
"The core problem in the MQL-based model is that it's subjective and lacks data-driven insights." - Chris
"Companies should determine whether to publish pricing on their website based on what their customers want." - Chris
"The metrics in a company incentivize the MQL, the meeting, and the qualified opportunity, even though it's not good for the company." - Chris
"You don't feel the pressure of it until the investments are large enough and the ROI starts to break down." - Chris
Chapters:
00:00:37 Background in engineering and product management00:03:51 Need for more data-driven decision-making in B2B revenue generation
00:11:25 Disadvantages of the current marketing approach.
00:14:00 Subjectivity in the MQL, SQL, SQL model.
00:22:00 Importance of large-scale aggregated data for go-to-market success.
00:23:00 Using real data to make informed decisions when raising capital.
00:29:34 Acknowledging the shift in B2B buying behavior since 2012.
00:35:47 Transitioning from brand awareness to demand creation.
00:40:15 Key revenue team metrics: sales velocity and marketing ROI.
00:42:27 Should B2B SaaS companies list pricing on their website?
00:45:45 B2B buyers trust sales reps less, prefer self-qualification.
00:51:49 Scaling challenges when ROI starts to break down
00:52:52 The pressure to maintain high growth rates
00:53:04 Quick FireRound
Listen to SaaSy Talk Unfiltered on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZVkJ12FIqD39oqgj7Kcjq
Listen to SaaSy Talk Unfiltered on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saasy-talk-unfiltered/id1709426070
Listen to B2B Revenue Vitals on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1AJwHPDw2RuybeMnn7CnNP?si=26392520576e40f2
Follow Chris Walker on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0K09cBbbyOJm-LGKl59Ybg
Follow SaaSy Talk Unfiltered on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SaaSyTalkUnfiltered
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https://www.linkedin.com/in/seandiljore/57 min - SaaSy Talk S01.15: The Future of Sales: Embracing Technology and Human Connection
About The Guest(s):
Richard Lane is the co-founder and chief commercial officer of durhamlane, a B2B revenue acceleration agency established in 2011, which focuses on sales opportunity creation in the UK, EMEA and North America, bridging the gap between marketing outputs and the inputs that sales teams need to be successful.
Richard is a true thought-leader, entrepreneur, business coach, and a sought-after Sales 2.0 practitioner, trainer and consultant. A regular speaker at conferences, roundtables and panel contributor, Richard co-hosts durhamlane’s podcast; “The Insiders”
Summary:
Richard Lane shares his journey into the tech industry, from aspiring to be a rockstar to finding his passion in sales. He discusses the challenges he faced when starting his own business and the importance of creating a long-term plan. Richard also highlights the common challenges businesses face in their sales efforts, such as lack of pipeline, and how durhamlane helps address these challenges through their methodology and tools like Magic35. He emphasises the importance of being interested in others and having meaningful conversations in sales. Richard also discusses the future of sales, including the role of AI and the alignment of sales and marketing under RevOps.
Key Takeaways:
Lack of pipeline is a common challenge in sales, and consistent effort in pipeline creation is crucial.
Being interested in others and having meaningful conversations is essential in sales.
Technology, such as AI, can augment sales efforts and improve efficiency.
The alignment of sales and marketing under RevOps can lead to better results and scalability.
Quotes:
"No one recommends sales to anyone."
"You need to make your first hundred calls. You need to speak with people. You need to understand how to have a conversation."
"The more interested you become in other people, amazingly, you become more interesting to them."
"The human is at the center.”
"There won't be sales or marketing, there'll just be a RevOps team."
"You've got to find the right person who is the right fit for your business."
"Have fun in what you do and get to know people. Business will happen."
Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction and background of Richard's journey into the tech industry
00:01:00 Richard's transition into sales and founding Durham Lane
00:09:00 Common challenges faced by businesses in their sales arm
00:10:00 The importance of consistent levels of well-qualified pipeline
00:11:00 Introduction to Magic 35 and its role in creating qualified opportunities
00:19:00 Importance of making mistakes and learning from them
00:21:00 Technology's role in practicing and coaching sales skills
00:32:00 The future of durhamLane
00:34:00 Expanding into new markets and establishing a global footprint
00:35:00 Quick Fire Round
Subscribe on Spotify:
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https://www.linkedin.com/in/seandiljore/39 min - SaaSy Talk S01.14: The Importance of Sales and Marketing Alignment in Early Stage Companies
About The Guest(s):
Russell Banzon is Gong's Vice President of Marketing, serving the revenue marketing team on all things pipeline and revenue-generating programs. He's held similar positions at companies like Talkdesk and Conga previously. In his spare time, Russell is passionate about helping start-up founders as an advisor and contributing to his local performing arts school in the Bay Area (where he did hip-hop dance for over a decade!).Summary:Russell shares his journey into marketing, from his early days in finance and sales to his current role at Gong. He emphasizes the importance of having a mentor and being open to learning in order to succeed in marketing. He also discusses the challenges of aligning sales and marketing and offers advice on how to overcome them. Russell highlights the role of content marketing in Gong's success and the need for a differentiated point of view. He also touches on the metrics that early-stage companies should focus on and the importance of revenue and pipeline. Russell shares his excitement about the future of marketing, particularly in the realm of AI and productivity gains.Key Takeaways:- Having a mentor and being open to learning are crucial for success in marketing.- Alignment between sales and marketing is essential, and it starts with clear communication and a shared understanding of goals.- Content marketing can be a powerful tool for differentiation and attracting an audience.- Early-stage companies should focus on revenue and pipeline metrics to ensure success.- AI is transforming marketing and driving productivity gains.Quotes:- "Don't choose your seat on the rocket ship, just get on the rocket ship." - Russell- "Being different is better than being 1 percent better." - Russell- "Sales and marketing should both report into the CEO in the early days." - Russell- "Marketing leaders should be paid based on the success of the company."- "AI is driving productivity gains in marketing, but it's important to use it strategically."Chapters:(01:00) Early days in marketing and the unglamorous tasks(03:00) Importance of having a differentiated point of view in marketing(04:00) Tips for building a brand and getting raving fans(06:00) The role of content marketing in Gong's success(07:00) Importance of measuring marketing success with revenue and pipeline(10:00) Building an audience that can be monetized as the company grows(11:00) Misalignment around what success looks like(23:00) Ideal scenario for inside sales to report into sales(30:00) Impact of AI on marketing and content creation(31:00) Future of marketing with AI convergence(37:00) Quick Fire-RoundSubscribe on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZVkJ12FIqD39oqgj7KcjqSubscribe on Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saasy-talk-unfiltered/id1709426070Subscribe on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@SaaSyTalkUnfilteredSubscribe on Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/company/saasy-talk-unfilteredSubscribe to our Newsletter:https://substack.com/@saasytalkunfilteredVisit our Website:https://saasytalkunfiltered.transistor.fm/Follow Ricky Sevta on Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickysevta/Follow Sean Diljore on Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/seandiljore/41 min - SaaSy Talk S01.13: Balancing Founder's Passion and CEO's Strategy
About The Guest(s): David is one of the early pioneers of the digital industry in the mid 90’s Dave has worked within consulting, publishing and digital pure plays for nearly 30 years. Working as an Executive, NED and Chairman with some of the world's most successful digital disruptors. From building Australia's first online bank (Commbank) in 1997, launching eBay Australia in 1999, managing Microsoft Australia's digital presence (1999-2005), building Australia.com in 42 countries and 15 languages for Tourism Australia, through to building challenger brands such as CarAdvice (bought by ASX:NEC in 2014), iProspect, Adrenaline (sold to Red Balloon in 2018) and presently CEO of Fergus (global SaaS platform for Tradespeople powering over $4bn in trade jobs). Dave often advises private equity and venture capital firms on their investments and sits on several boards as a non-executive director.
About Fergus: Headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, Fergus was founded by veteran plumber Dan Pollard, in 2014. Fergus set out to solve the problems that had plagued his business for years. Since that time, Fergus has revolutionised the way trade businesses operate in New Zealand and Australia and has become recognised as a global leader in trades software.
Currently serving tens of thousands of tradespeople in eight countries, Fergus’ mission is to provide all trade businesses with access to software tools to organise their business without burying them in the admin.
In June 2022 Fergus announced it has raised $15M in Series B growth funding via Octopus Ventures in the UK and continues to invest for the benefit of its customers.
Key Takeaways:
Luck played a significant role in David's career, from receiving old computer gear as a teenager to being in the right place at the right time with the internet boom.
Hiring good people is crucial in a services business, as they directly impact customer satisfaction and success.
Founders should embrace their unique strengths and let go of certain responsibilities as the company grows, focusing on their passion and the problems they want to solve.
The role of a CEO is like being a head coach and team owner, balancing the needs of the team and the expectations of the board.
Diversity of thought is essential for innovation and growth, and companies should strive for a culture that values and embraces different perspectives.
Quotes:
"You have to blame my dad a little bit. I wanted to be a musician… he forced me to do a university degree in economics and business." - David
"Founder juice is something you can't emulate… all founders are insane." - David
"Founder-led product is the hardest thing… it's about being founder-influenced, not founder-led." - David
"Diversity of thought is the most important thing… it's not just about the obvious diversity factors." - David
Chapters:
(03:51) Challenges of being a CEO after the founder
(07:43) Founder's role and value in a company
(13:23) CEO Transition blueprint and challenges
(15:33) Biggest mistake made as a CEO
(17:33) Overthinking and risk aversion in business
(18:43) Successful cultural and diversity initiatives
(00:25) Metrics used to measure the health of the business
(00:27) The overcrowding of the FSM market and potential roll-ups
(00:33) Importance of customer feedback for innovation
(38:15) Quick Fire-Round
Subscribe on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZVkJ12FIqD39oqgj7Kcjq
Subscribe on Apple:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saasy-talk-unfiltered/id1709426070
Subscribe on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@SaaSyTalkUnfiltered
Subscribe on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saasy-talk-unfiltered
Subscribe to our Newsletter:
https://substack.com/@saasytalkunfiltered
Visit our Website:
https://saasytalkunfiltered.transistor.fm/
Follow Ricky Sevta on Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickysevta/
Follow Sean Diljore on Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/seandiljore/
41 min - SaaSy Talk S01.12: From Homeless to CEO: Draven McConville's Inspiring Journey
About The Guest(s):
Draven McConville is the founder and CEO of Klipboard, an all-in-one field service platform for job management, scheduling, accounting, communications and more.
Summary:
Draven McConville shares his journey from being homeless at 18 to becoming the CEO of Klipboard. He emphasises the importance of hustle, determination, resilience, and self-development in his success. He also discusses the challenges of delegation and the need to surround yourself with people who are smarter than you. Draven provides valuable insights into securing funding, including the importance of finding the right investors who can bring more than just capital to the table. He also highlights the need for a robust financial plan and the importance of building a strong culture within the company. Draven concludes by discussing his excitement for the future of Klipboard and the field service market.
Key Takeaways:
Hustle, determination, resilience, and self-development are crucial for success.
Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you and delegate tasks.
Find investors who can bring more than just capital to the table.
Have a robust financial plan and understand the metrics of your investment.
Build a strong culture within the company and foster open communication.
Quotes:
"People buy from people. Features don't sell." - Draven
"Know your customer, know your market, and don't be a jack of all trades." - Draven
Chapters:
(00:33) Draven's journey of becoming homeless and hustling (02:19) Starting clipboard and addressing the market gap in field service
(05:23) Balancing doing and delegating as a leader
(07:30) Transitioning from founder to CEO and inspiring the team
(09:27) Learning to be empathetic and building rapport with the team
(12:42) Importance of communication and accountability in early-stage startups
(14:09) Strategy for securing funding and attracting talent
(16:53) Importance of angel investors and their added value (20:01) Tips for evaluating venture capital firms and their support (24:16) The challenge of creating a five-year plan
(26:29) The importance of credibility as a founder
(28:44) Tips for building relationships with investors
(31:07) Choosing investors based on their alignment with business strategy
(32:04) Treating investor prospecting like a sales journey
(36:28) Focus on customer needs, not product features
(37:42) People buy from people
(39:36) Quick Fire Round
Subscribe on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZVkJ12FIqD39oqgj7Kcjq
Subscribe on Apple:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saasy-talk-unfiltered/id1709426070
Subscribe on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@SaaSyTalkUnfiltered
Subscribe on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saasy-talk-unfiltered
Subscribe to our Newsletter:
https://substack.com/@saasytalkunfiltered
Visit our Website:
https://saasytalkunfiltered.transistor.fm/
Follow Ricky Sevta on Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickysevta/
Follow Sean Diljore on Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/seandiljore/
43 min - SaaSy Talk S01.11: Creating Demand: The Art of Outbound Sales with Tito Bohrt
About The Guest(s):
Tito Bohrt is the founder and CEO of AltiSales, a company dedicated to building world class SDR teams. Tito blogs for Sales Hacker, is a mentor for the Alchemist Accelerator, a frequent public speaker for Sales events such as Outreach’s Unleash, and the Sales Development Conference. Tito grew up in South America, attended Duke University, and speaks 3 languages.Summary:Tito Bohrt, founder of AltaSales, shares his passion for outbound sales and how it all started with a unique opportunity during his college years. He discusses the importance of understanding the buyer's journey and creating demand rather than just capturing it. Tito emphasizes the need for sales professionals who can differentiate themselves from AI and provide value to prospects. He also challenges the notion that outbound is more expensive than inbound, highlighting the scalability and potential of outbound sales. Tito's insights shed light on the future of sales development and the role of SDRs in creating demand.Key Takeaways:- Understanding the buyer's journey and creating demand is crucial in outbound sales.- Sales professionals who can differentiate themselves from AI and provide value will thrive.- Outbound sales can be more scalable and cost-effective than inbound in the long run.Quotes:- "Selling is not an action. Buying is an action. Selling is just designing the buyer's pathway to completing their transaction." - Tito- "As long as you can differentiate yourself from a bot and provide value, you'll win as an SDR." - TitoChapters:(01:00) Story of starting a successful outbound team in college(07:00) Playbooks as guidelines for executing go-to-market strategies(09:00) Different approaches for demand capture and outbound sales(15:00) Tito emphasizes the need for hiring sales professionals, not just salespeople.(17:00) Tito discusses the importance of evaluating sales professionals' performance.(19:00) Tito explains his interview process for identifying real sales professionals.(22:00) Tito gives tips on creating an ideal customer profile (ICP).(26:00) Tito shares his thoughts on the two-step process vs full cycle AEs.(28:00) Tito predicts the return of SDRs in the future.(33:00) The difficulty of closing enterprise deals with inbound(36:00) AI is just another technology, not the death of SDRs(44:00) Quick Fire-RoundSubscribe on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZVkJ12FIqD39oqgj7KcjqSubscribe on Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saasy-talk-unfiltered/id1709426070Subscribe on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@SaaSyTalkUnfilteredSubscribe on Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/company/saasy-talk-unfilteredSubscribe to our Newsletter:https://substack.com/@saasytalkunfilteredVisit our Website:https://saasytalkunfiltered.transistor.fm/Follow Ricky Sevta on Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickysevta/Follow Sean Diljore on Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/seandiljore/48 min - SaaSy Talk S01.10:The Power of Partnerships in the SaaS Industry
About The Guest(s):
Gauri Chawla, a strategic executive, known for forging global partnerships with key players in SaaS, system integration, and IT/digital realms. She's a sought-after advisor for C-suite leaders, specializing in advancing partnership functions, ecosystem building, cross-functional engagement, brand awareness, and market growth. With a vast international network, she excels in team leadership across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. Gauri serves on the board of Papirfly and leverages her expertise to identify partnerships, devise strategies, and drive revenue growth.
Gauri's career includes leadership roles at Showpad, Marketo, Oracle, and IBM. She holds a Juris Doctorate from Pace University School of Law and a Bachelor of Commerce (with honors) in international business and management information systems from Queen’s University at Kingston.
SummaryGauri shares her journey in the SaaS industry, starting from her days at Oracle to her current role as an executive at InRiver. She explains how she got hooked onto the SaaS industry and the pivotal moments in her career that led her to focus on partnerships and alliances. Gauri emphasizes the importance of partnerships for early-stage startups and provides tips on how to approach and measure partnerships effectively. She also discusses the role of partnerships within an organization and the need for proper enablement and collaboration. Gauri shares valuable insights and advice based on her extensive experience in the industry.Key TakeawaysPartnerships are the fastest way to revenue for B2B SaaS startups.
Early-stage startups should focus on collaborating with regional partners before targeting big consulting firms.
Enablement is crucial for successful partnerships, both on the technology and consulting sides.
Metrics for measuring partnerships should include sourced revenue, sourced pipeline, length of sales cycle, conversion rate, and certifications.
Partnerships should be treated as a separate go-to-market motion and managed as a distinct function within the organization.
Quotes
"Partnerships is like dating, and you're never going to be exclusive with one person."
"Partnerships should be tied to revenue, but it's important to have realistic expectations and focus on qualified opportunities."
"Trust yourself and know your worth. Sometimes walking away is the best decision."
"Partnerships have a big contribution to how well your customers are doing and how well you're doing."
"Partnerships should be a separate go-to-market motion, separate from sales and marketing."
Chapters:
(01:00) Gauri's decision to transition to the cloud and SaaS industry
(06:00) Gauri's experience in building partner ecosystems
(10:00) Importance of collaboration and value proposition in partnerships
(14:00) Ricky discusses the importance of enablement for partners
(17:00) Ricky asks about metrics for measuring partnership success
(18:00) Gauri suggests tying partnerships to revenue and qualified opportunities
(27:00) Gauri discusses her transition into different roles and her desire to build something from scratch
(28:00) Gauri emphasizes the importance of knowing when it's time to leave a job
(29:00) Gauri shares her passion for helping startups and providing advice and connections
(31:00) Gauri discusses the joy of seeing her team members succeed in their careers
(32:00) Gauri reflects on the valuable advice she has received, including trusting oneself and knowing one's worth
(35:00) Quick Fire Round
Subscribe on Spotify:
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Subscribe on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saasy-talk-unfiltered
Subscribe to our Newsletter:
SaaSyTalkUnfiltered | Substack
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Ricky Sevta | LinkedIn
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Sean Diljore | LinkedIn
40 min - SaaSy Talk S01.09: Gap Selling and Beyond: Mastering the Art of Problem-Centric Sales with Keenan
About The Guest(s): Keenan is A Sales Growth Company’s CEO/President and Chief Antagonist. He’s been selling something to someone for his entire life. He’s been teaching and coaching almost as long. With over 20 years of sales experience, which he’ll tell you he doesn’t give a shit about, Keenan has been influencing, learning from and shaping the world of sales for a long time. Finder of the elephant in the room, Keenan calls it as he sees it and lets nothing or no one go unnoticed.
Keenan’s passion for problem solving reaches well beyond the sales and business world. He is the celebrated author of Not Taught: What It Takes to be Successful in the 21st Century That Nobody’s Teaching You and Gap Selling: Getting the Customer to Yes: How Problem-Centric Selling Increases Sales by Changing Everything You Know About Relationships, Overcoming Objections, Closing and Price be successful, you must learn the new rules for success. Gap Selling has been voted among the sales community as one of the best sales books of all time.
Father of 3 amazing girls, PSIA Certified Level 2 ski instructor (see, more coaching) and avid Boston sports fan, Keenan keeps crazy busy when he’s not focused on A Sales Growth Company.
Summary: Keenan discusses the importance of understanding the customer's needs and the gap between their current state and desired state. He emphasizes the need for salespeople to focus on solving problems and providing value rather than relying solely on product-led growth strategies. Keenan also shares his journey into sales and how he developed the gap selling methodology.
Key Takeaways:
Salespeople should focus on understanding the customer's needs and the gap between their current state and desired state.
Product-led growth strategies are not a substitute for effective selling and understanding the customer's problems.
Hiring the right salespeople is crucial, and individuals with critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities make great salespeople.
Building a strong company culture and providing challenging opportunities can help retain top sales talent.
Quotes:
"Really good selling is training, is to baseball."
"You need a hustler, someone who is not afraid to kick down doors and do different shit."
"The best salespeople understand that every single person who bought their product bought it for a different reason."
"Start looking at the person and stop using stupid rubrics."
"Build a culture and only hire people who fit that culture."
Chapters:
(00:02) Keenan explains how the concept of gap selling came about.
(00:05) Keenan emphasizes the need for differentiation beyond the product.
(00:06) Keenan dismisses the idea that product-led growth is effective.
(00:09) The importance of understanding the "why" in sales
(00:10) The need to hire sales reps before sales leaders
(00:12) Training salespeople on the business before the product
(00:15) The transition from individual contributor to sales manager
(00:18) The importance of bringing your ideas to the table for promotion
(00:26) The impact of AI on sales and its potential future
(00:33) Keenan's hiring process and what he looks for
(00:41) Attacking behaviors, not people
(00:42) Quick Fire-Round
Subscribe on Spotify:
SaaSy Talk Unfiltered | Podcast on Spotify
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SAASY TALK UNFILTERED - YouTube
Subscribe on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saasy-talk-unfiltered
Subscribe to our Newsletter:
SaaSyTalkUnfiltered | Substack
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Ricky Sevta | LinkedIn
Follow Sean Diljore on Linkedin:
Sean Diljore | LinkedIn
46 min - SaaSy Talk S01.08:The Importance of Sales Enablement in Tech Companies
About The Guest(s):
Nate Vogel, an accomplished professional with an impressive track record in the field of Sales Enablement with 30+ years’ experience leading teams at Southwestern Advantage, Tableau, Salesforce and now Gong. Over the past two years, he has held the position of Global Vice President, GTM Enablement at Gong where he excelled in fostering growth and sales development within the organization. Prior to that, Nate's expertise in Enablement flourished during his nine-year tenure as Global Vice President of Sales & Partner Enablement at Tableau and Salesforce, where he spearheaded sales training, partner, and leadership development programs. Under his leadership, Nate expanded his team at Tableau from just 3 Enablement professionals to over 80+, empowering them to efficiently train thousands of sellers, leaders, and partners worldwide.
Beyond these accomplishments, Nate has a genuine passion for employing data-driven methodologies and frameworks to gauge the effectiveness of Enablement strategies. His dedication to embracing analytics and metrics has contributed significantly to the success of his initiatives. In addition, he has traveled extensively, sharing his expertise in over 40 countries, and accumulating an impressive 3 million air miles. Personally, he also finds inspiration in his diverse range of hobbies, including exploring new destinations, staying up to date with fashion trends, expressing creativity through design, and enjoying the simple pleasure of a good cup of tea. Nate lives in Seattle, Washington with his wife, Rachel a yoga instructor, and son, 12-year old Pierson Jett who is becoming a great basketball player.
Summary:Nate's tech and sales enablement journey, emphasizing its importance for companies of all sizes and the impact of AI on the industry.Key Takeaways:Enablement is important for both small and large companies and should be aligned with revenue goals.
Measuring enablement effectiveness requires tracking metrics such as training satisfaction, content adoption, and revenue impact.
Collaboration between enablement and other teams is crucial for success, including marketing, product, and customer success.
Managing enablement across global teams requires defining competencies and focusing on partner enablement.
AI presents opportunities for improving training and performance in the enablement industry.
Quotes:
"Enablement is built to help hit and exceed revenue targets."
"Building with the people, for the people makes a really big difference."
"Choose competencies and define them clearly to align with strategic initiatives."
"Partners are a crucial part of the GTM strategy and should not be overlooked."
"AI is changing everything and will have a significant impact on the enablement industry."
Chapters:
00:00 Background of Nate's tech journey
00:01 Discussion on the importance of sales enablement in both small and large companies
00:03 How to ensure sales enablement strategy aligns with company goals
00:08 Measuring the effectiveness of sales enablement through metrics
00:10 The challenge of training effectiveness and the importance of data analysis
00:14 Showcase of enablement's value leads to increased investment
00:19 Enablement should be led by example and involve sellers and leaders
00:32 Aligning with executives and using strategy documents for effective enablement
00:41 Creating a structure for global enablement teams
00:43 Learning from mistakes and sharing best practices
00:51 Nate's excitement about the future of AI
00:52 Quick Fire-Round
Subscribe on Spotify:
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56 min - SaaSy Talk S01.07:The Importance of Team in Startup Success
About The Guest(s):
Serge van Dam is an active Investor / Director of going-global Kiwi software / SaaS companies, including: Montoux, Re-Leased, Tourwriter, Raygun and Cogo.
Originally an Organisational Psychologist, Serge is most interested in growth strategies, and has expertise in B2B sales, marketing and distribution. He spent a decade as an acknowledged thought leader in fintech, having been part of the leadership team at M-Com - the world’s leading mobile banking and payments platform - which was acquired by Fortune 500 company Fiserv in 2011.
Serge is an Operating Partner at New Zealand’s most successful venture capital firm - Movac - and is an advisor to various New Zealand Government agencies. He was also named New Zealand’s Angel Investor of the Year for 2020.
Serge grew up in Argentina, is married with two children, and lives in Wellington. When not helping grow companies, you will find him in the great outdoors, arguing over politics, playing cards or with a novel in hand.
Summary:
Serge, an operator with benefits, shares his insights on the tech industry and his transition from being an operator to an investor. He emphasises the importance of the human element in business and the value of supporting founders. Serge discusses the potential of the New Zealand SaaS scene, the challenges of go-to-market strategies, and the need for clarity in investor relationships. He also predicts a shift in the SaaS playbook and the rise of AI in marketing and sales.
Key Takeaways:
Serge describes himself as an operator with benefits, as he is actively involved in the businesses he invests in and supports founders.
He passionately believes that the human element is not just crucial but the heart and soul of any business, and that supporting founders is an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling experience.
Serge sees the potential in the New Zealand SaaS scene, particularly in verticalised SaaS solutions for small businesses.
He highlights the importance of understanding the ideal customer profile and the derived economic value for customers in go-to-market strategies.
Serge predicts a shift in the SaaS playbook, with a move away from brute force sales methods and a greater reliance on AI and data-driven marketing and sales.
Quotes:
"For me, it's a human project, not an economic one." - Serge
"The ideal customer profile seems to remain dark art. You must understand your target market." - Serge
"The only thing that matters is the team. The right team will find a way." - Serge
"Take the people you get into bed with very seriously. It's harder to get out of an investor relationship than a marriage." - Serge
"In hindsight, 2024 will have been the year where the whole traditional SaaS playbook was munched up, put in the blender, and out came this other thing." - Serge
Chapters:
(02:42) Transitioning from operator to investor
(05:00) Excitement about the New Zealand SaaS scene
(07:00) Common pitfalls in go-to-market strategy for Kiwi companies
(09:00) The need for an experimental mindset in go-to-market strategies
(09:44) Successful brands focus on repeatability and scalability
(11:40) Founder needs to build processes and upgrade leadership team
(12:38) Dunbar's number and the difficulty of maintaining personal relationships
(16:50) Impact of unicorn years on capital raising and cost reduction
(20:38) Lessons learned when transitioning to an investor
(22:50) Tips for founders when seeking investors
(32:00) Human connections remain important, but methods will change
(32:59) Quick Fire-Round
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36 min
About SaaSy Talk Unfiltered
From the publisher's feed
Join Ricky and Sean as they chat with phenomenal guests – the top SaaS Founders, Leaders, Investors, and Individual Contributors out there. Our mission? To share their stories, the rollercoaster…
journeys they've taken, and the invaluable lessons they've acquired. Tune in for an unfiltered and enlightening exploration of the world of SaaSy Talk!