🎙️ With Jackie Strachan, HR Tactics (Part 1)

In this episode of the Sales Trajectory Podcast, Jason Howes sits down with Jackie Strachan from HR Tactics to explore what effective HR actually looks like inside SME environments—where resources are tight, roles evolve quickly, and getting people decisions right is critical to growth.

The conversation moves beyond theory into practical application, highlighting one of the most common challenges in growing businesses: poorly defined roles. Without clarity around what success looks like, recruitment becomes inconsistent, onboarding is fragmented, and retaining high-performing employees becomes increasingly difficult.

Jackie shares why dynamic position descriptions—built to evolve with the business—are far more effective than static job specs, and how clear role design directly impacts performance, engagement, and risk. In sales environments particularly, misaligned roles and unclear expectations can lead to underperformance, disengagement, and broader psychosocial risks.

A key theme throughout the discussion is leadership accountability. Culture is not accidental—it is designed, reinforced, and communicated consistently. From setting behavioural expectations to ensuring non-negotiables like workplace conduct are clearly understood, strong leadership creates environments where individuals know how to succeed.

The episode also addresses the realities of cost pressures and organisational change, with practical advice on how to manage shifting responsibilities without creating confusion or setting employees up to fail.

For sales leaders, the message is clear: success is not left to chance. High-performing teams are built through structured onboarding, clear expectations, and ongoing support—not by expecting new hires to “figure it out” on their own.

🎯 Key Takeaways

Role clarity is the foundation of effective recruitment, performance, and retention.
 Dynamic position descriptions outperform static job descriptions.
 Poor role design can lead to disengagement, underperformance, and psychosocial risk.
 Culture is shaped through clear expectations and consistent leadership.
 Sales teams perform best when onboarding and support are structured and intentional.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Introduction to HR Tactics & Jackie Strachan
 08:20 – Why defining roles properly changes recruitment outcomes
 19:00 – Managing cost pressures and evolving roles
 23:39 – Sales management and onboarding challenges
 32:24 – Building a culture that supports sales success

Guest: Naomi Herzog – Director of Growth & Strategy, Marchese Partners Architects

In this episode, Jason Howes is joined by Naomi Herzog, Director of Growth and Strategy at Marchese Partners Architects, to unpack the forces shaping Brisbane’s built environment and the future of architecture, housing, and city growth.

Naomi shares her career journey—from questioning the quality of housing available to young families in Brisbane, to building one of Australia’s earliest modular container homes, and now stepping into a senior leadership role helping shape large‑scale, luxury, and community‑focused developments across Queensland.

The conversation explores how business development in architecture has evolved, shifting away from transactional wins toward deep strategic relationships, collaboration between practices, and long‑term capability building. Naomi explains why partnering with other architects, consultants, and contractors is no longer optional—and how this approach helps firms grow sustainably without burning out teams or over‑hiring during boom cycles.

Together, Jason and Naomi dive into the once‑in‑a‑generation transformation of Brisbane, driven by Olympic preparation, major hospital expansions, and unprecedented infrastructure investment. Naomi offers a candid view on the risks facing the industry, including escalating construction costs, feasibility pressure, and the danger of chasing work that doesn’t align with a firm’s true strengths.

A central theme is housing affordability and liveability. Naomi outlines why density must be done better—not bigger—and advocates for smarter, design‑led solutions such as mid‑rise developments, co‑living models, modular construction, and well‑planned inner‑city density that supports essential workers, families, and ageing Australians.

The discussion also highlights:

• What high‑performance architectural cultures look like today
• Why retaining experienced project architects is becoming a critical challenge
• How flexible work models and senior mentorship can strengthen teams
• Lessons architecture can learn from European cities around density, wellbeing, and design quality

This episode is a thoughtful, practical conversation for leaders in property, construction, architecture, and city‑shaping roles—and for anyone interested in how Brisbane can grow without losing its soul.

🏗️ Major Projects Featured in This Episode

• Chevron One – Gold Coast
  A landmark 41‑level luxury residential tower delivered in partnership with leading consultants and contractors.
  👉 https://chevronone.com.au/
• Palmera – Gold Coast
  A 52‑storey, high‑end residential project setting a new benchmark for luxury apartment living, developed with tier‑one builders.
  👉 https://palmeragoldcoast.com/

This episode aligns directly with Chapter 1 of Crystal Ball Recruiting, where Jason Howes challenges leaders to assess their current sales team capability before making costly hiring decisions.

As businesses head toward the end of April and into EOFY, Jason shares a timely update on current market conditions and the pressure leaders are facing, balancing sales targets, budgeting, forecasting, and strategic planning in a tougher, slower‑moving market.

Drawing on live sales and recruitment activity, Jason explains why access to buyers is more difficult, why decisions are being delayed, and why many organisations are pressing pause until the new financial year.

The episode covers:

• Why hiring another salesperson isn’t always the right move in tough conditions
• The real cost of having people in the wrong role
• How removing poor‑fit or disengaged performers can fund training, systems, and process improvements
• The importance of clarity around who’s on your team, what roles you actually need, and where sales effort should be focused

Jason unpacks common challenges he’s seeing across sales teams right now, including reactive selling, lack of planning, unclear ideal client profiles, outdated incentives, and pipelines filled with activity—but not the right opportunities.

He also explores where leaders should be investing now: better targeting of dream accounts, stronger coaching and sales management, internal and SDR support roles, automation, and AI‑enabled sales processes.

The episode closes with a clear message from Crystal Ball Recruiting:
This market won’t get easier. Growth starts by assessing what, and who, you already have, then leveraging it properly. The businesses that win will be the ones that act now, getting the right people in the right roles, equipped with the right tools, and focused on the activities that truly drive growth.

🎙️ Episode Show Notes

Guest: Matt McLachlan, CEO – Yellow Couriers
Host: Jason Howes

In this episode, Jason Howes sits down with Matt McLachlan, CEO of Yellow Couriers, to unpack what strong leadership, sales systems, and operational discipline look like in today’s high‑pressure business environment.

With over 30 years’ experience across sales leadership, wholesale, retail in the pet industry and logistics, Matt shares his journey from national sales roles to acquiring and scaling Yellow Couriers following a management buyout. The conversation explores the shift from product‑based businesses to service‑led models, why culture and brand representation matter at the “coalface,” and how CEOs can avoid building businesses that rely on one key person.

Matt also provides practical insights into:

• Building scalable sales systems and CRM discipline
• Managing DIFOT (Delivered In Full On Time) performance in time‑critical logistics
• Fuel cost transparency and fair fuel levy models
• The true cost of in‑house deliveries versus specialist couriers
• Sales talent, incentives, and leadership blind spots
• Why systems, data, and process protect business value and exit potential

This episode is a must‑listen for CEOs, founders, and sales leaders looking to improve efficiency, protect goodwill, and build resilient businesses that deliver results — even in uncertain economic conditions.

Special Guest: Luke Irwin, CEO & Principal Consultant, Aegis Cyber Security

In this episode, Jason Howes is joined by Luke Irwin, CEO and Principal Consultant at Aegis Cyber Security, to unpack the real cyber risks facing small to mid‑market businesses, and what leaders can do today to reduce exposure.

Luke brings a practical, no‑nonsense view of the cybersecurity landscape, drawn from his work with fast‑moving SMEs and mid‑market organisations that don’t have time for red tape, but can’t afford to get it wrong.

🔐 The Current Cyber Threat Landscape

Luke explains that while ransomware gets the headlines, business email compromise remains the most common and damaging attack. These breaches often lead to:

• Invoice fraud and impersonation
• Theft of sensitive data
• Reputational damage that far outweighs the technical impact

The key issue? Many attacks succeed not because of sophisticated hacking, but because basic controls aren’t in place.

🏢 Cybersecurity for Mid‑Market Businesses

For mid‑market organisations, cybersecurity is no longer an IT problem, it’s a commercial and leadership risk. Luke highlights that these businesses often sit in the danger zone:

• Large enough to be targeted
• Not always mature enough in controls or governance

A single incident can disrupt operations, impact supply chains, and erode hard‑won customer trust.

🚨 Incident Response, Recovery & Insurance

The discussion covers why incident response planning matters just as much as prevention. Leaders should know:

• What happens if systems go down
• How quickly operations can recover
• Whether cyber insurance actually covers the real cost of disruption

Cyber insurance is important, but only works when paired with strong controls and documented processes.

🔗 Supply Chain & Reputational Risk

Jason and Luke explore a scenario many businesses don’t consider:
If a cyber incident stops you supplying a major customer, they may be forced to buy from your competitor, and never come back.

Beyond lost revenue, the reputational impact can be career‑limiting for executives and directors responsible for risk oversight.

📊 Data, CRM & Cultural Adoption

Cybersecurity isn’t just about technology, it’s about how people use systems. Poor data management, weak CRM discipline, and low user adoption all increase risk.
A strong security posture requires cultural change, not just tools.

✅ Luke’s Top 3 Cybersecurity Tips You Can Act on Today

1. Enable Multi‑Factor Authentication (MFA)
   One of the strongest and simplest protections available.
2. Back up your data, and test those backups
   A backup that hasn’t been tested is not a backup.
3. Align to a recognised cybersecurity standard
   Luke recommends SMB‑1001, a practical framework designed specifically for small and mid‑market businesses.
   • Five tiers (Bronze to Diamond)
   • Gold is a minimum baseline for businesses with 5+ staff
   • Clear, prescriptive controls that reduce risk without unnecessary complexity

🗞 Industry Insight & Media Commentary

Luke also shares insights from his recent media appearances, including commentary on:

• High‑profile cyber attacks
• Risks to critical infrastructure and education
• The growing need for leaders to engage seriously with cyber risk

His mission is clear: start the conversation early, before an incident forces it.

Cybersecurity is no longer optional, technical, or someone else’s problem.
It’s about protecting customers, revenue, reputation, and careers — while ensuring the business can continue to operate when things go wrong.

In this episode of the Sales Trajectory Podcast, Jason Howes is joined by executive leadership coach John Matthews for a deep, practical conversation grounded in more than six decades of combined leadership, coaching, and real‑world experience.

Together, they unpack why so many high performers struggle when they step into leadership roles — not because they lack capability, but because leadership requires an entirely different way of thinking. John shares his journey from corporate success to building one of the most influential executive coaching institutions in the Asia‑Pacific, while Jason reflects on scaling national sales teams and navigating growth under pressure.

A core focus of the episode is John’s Leadership Gears Model, explaining how leaders move from execution to leverage — and why many get stuck in the wrong gear, creating bottlenecks that stall growth. They also explore leadership presence in tough times, the danger of retreating into isolation, and why trust, visibility, and emotional connection drive performance when certainty disappears.

This episode is especially relevant for CEOs, business owners, sales leaders, and senior managers facing tighter budgets, rising expectations, and the challenge of growing without burning out themselves or their teams.

Key Takeaways

• Why most leaders are promoted for execution, not leadership
• The five leadership gears — and how to shift out of survival mode
• How leadership presence builds trust in uncertain times
• Why growth ceilings demand new thinking, not harder work
• How experienced leaders unlock creativity, accountability, and scale

00:00 Introduction to Leadership Coaching
02:57 John's Journey and Background
04:51 Leadership Evolution and Its Importance
07:36 The Gears of Leadership
09:53 Leadership Presence in Tough Times
12:40 Coaching and Development in Leadership
15:49 Identifying Leadership Readiness
18:29 Creating Leverage Without Losing Control
20:04 The Role of Coaching in Leadership
22:29 The Importance of Professional Development
24:47 Retreats and Personal Growth


Learn more about the upcoming local and international retreats https://www.illuminenation.org/retreats

In this episode of the Sales Trajectory Podcast – where innovation meets sales execution, Jason Howes sits down with LinkedIn Strategist Kylie Chown to unpack what actually works on LinkedIn today — and what doesn’t.

With social selling becoming a critical part of modern sales and recruitment, Kylie shares practical insights on how salespeople, business owners, and leaders can position themselves more credibly online, build trust before conversations begin, and use LinkedIn as a long‑term commercial asset rather than a cold‑outreach tool.

Together, Jason and Kylie explore why most LinkedIn profiles are years out of date, why engagement matters more than likes, how AI is changing the content landscape, and how sales and marketing can finally align on LinkedIn without friction.

This is a practical, no‑fluff conversation for anyone who wants LinkedIn to work with their sales process — not against it.

Key Topics Covered:

• Why your LinkedIn profile is often your first sales meeting
• The biggest mistakes salespeople make with LinkedIn outreach
• Why content and profile credibility matter more than messaging
• How to start posting on LinkedIn (even if you’ve never posted before)
• The reality of engagement: people are watching even if they don’t like
• Using LinkedIn to warm up sales conversations naturally
• Personal profiles vs company pages — and how to balance both
• The rise of AI‑generated content and how to stand out
• Three simple actions you can take today to improve your LinkedIn presence

Guest Bio:
Kylie Chown is a Brisbane‑based LinkedIn Strategist who works with individuals, teams, and organisations across Australia. She helps professionals align their online presence with their real‑world expertise so they can create commercial opportunities, build authority, and strengthen trust before conversations begin.

In this conversation, Jason Banks, National Strategy and Development Manager for MIGAS Apprentices and Trainees, discusses the significance of National Apprenticeship Week and his career journey. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing and supporting apprentices, addressing the skill shortage in Australia, and the need for mentorship in the industry. The conversation highlights various initiatives for National Apprenticeship Week and the critical role of community involvement in fostering the next generation of skilled tradespeople. 

takeaways

• National Apprenticeship Week is crucial for recognising apprentices.
• Jason Banks has a diverse career in retail and training.
• Apprenticeships provide valuable skills and career opportunities.
• There is a significant skill shortage in Australia.
• Support and mentorship are vital for apprentice retention.
• Investing in apprentices from the start is essential for businesses.
• The dropout rate for apprentices can be high without proper support.
• Mental health support is critical for apprentices.
• The industry needs to attract more female apprentices.
• Community involvement is key to supporting apprentices.

Check this one out it's a cracker. 

In this episode of The Art and Science of Complex Sales, Paul Fuller, CRO sits down with Jason Howes of Arrow Executive Sales to talk about his debut book, Crystal Ball Recruiting, and why sales hiring needs a major reset.

Jason shares why rushed recruitment leads to costly failures, how leaders can assess current team capability before hiring again, and what it takes to attract, recruit, and retain top sales talent with more predictability. They also explore why role clarity, removing bias, and strong onboarding are critical to long-term sales performance and retention.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
🔹Why sales recruitment fails when it is rushed and reactive
🔹How to assess your current team before hiring again
🔹What a clear sales role definition should include
🔹How bias impacts hiring decisions and how to reduce it
🔹Why onboarding is a key driver of retention and performance

🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on complex B2B sales, leadership, and building high-performing sales teams.

What happens when the science of performance meets the art of human connection? In this episode of the Sales Trajectory Podcast, Jason Howes talks with Michael Larsen – co-host of the Rental Journal podcast and a second-generation leader in the equipment rental industry, Larsen Hire – about building high-performance sales cultures that thrive in today’s competitive market.

Michael shares insights from interviewing hundreds of global operators and explains why the fastest-growing companies don’t just supply great products – they invest in elite salespeople. Together, Jason and Michael explore:

• Consultative Selling vs. Pitching: Why leading with curiosity and asking the right questions beats cleverness every time.
• Defining Your Ideal Customer: How clarity accelerates growth and removes guesswork from your sales strategy.
• Proactive vs. Reactive Sales: Why anticipation and structured systems outperform firefighting and inbox-driven activity.
• Recruiting and Retaining Top Talent: Why hunger, coachability, and resilience matter more than tenure or pedigree.
• Sales & Marketing Alignment: How collaboration creates credibility and drives pipeline velocity.
• Culture and ROI: Why strong onboarding, coaching, and leadership are non-negotiable for sustainable success.

Plus – Crystal Ball Recruiting:
Jason introduces his new book Crystal Ball Recruiting, designed to help business leaders hire with confidence and move beyond outdated recruitment methods. With failure rates climbing to 75%, the book focuses on three pillars: Attract, Recruit, Retain. Learn how to identify elite sales professionals based on traits like curiosity, resilience, and coach ability, remove bias from hiring, and build systems that ensure ROI on your sales team. If you want to win dream accounts and future-proof your sales strategy, this is a must-listen.