Scale Your Sales Podcast

Most companies don't have an AI problem. They have a data problem, and it's quietly weakening their revenue decisions.

The real cost of building in-house isn't the prototype. It's the ongoing burden of integrations, governance, maintenance, adoption, and support.

In this episode, Janice B Gordon speaks with Martin Garvey about building an enterprise sales function from scratch and scaling the team threefold in three years. They explore how better data, outcome-led selling, cross-functional alignment, and early implementation support can improve sales execution.

What you'll learn:

a) Why AI strategy must start with a reliable data strategy b) How to identify builders and hunters during the hiring process c) Why implementation teams should enter complex deals before the contract is signed

Martin Garvey built Gong's enterprise sales function in EMEA from nothing, growing the team threefold in three years. He also helped the team beat its targets in its first and second years.

Timestamps:

00:00 Building a Strong Team Connection

06:11 Company growth and adapting to AI

08:07 Assessing and Building Successful Teams

11:29 Importance of Data for AI Strategy

17:05 Understanding Customer Needs and Outcomes

18:47 Co-creating sales strategies

24:24 Timing for involving post-sales team

26:37 Considering total costs for buy vs. build

29:09 Improving team productivity and AI strategy

Connect with Martin Garvey

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-garvey-9375b415/

Connect with Janice

Book Janice to speak at your next sales or leadership event: https://janicebgordon.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/janice-b-gordon/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janicebgordon

Scale Your Sales Podcast: https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/podcast

Enjoy the episode? Share your takeaway in the comments and leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help more leaders discover the show.

Most revenue gaps aren't tactical problems. They're leadership problems hiding inside inaccurate data, weak processes, missed account growth, and unclear judgment.

Across 15 recent conversations, Janice B Gordon identifies four patterns that leaders can't afford to overlook. From pipeline truth and expansion revenue to AI and leadership discipline, she explores what it takes to build more predictable, scalable growth.

What you'll learn: a) Why a healthy-looking pipeline can hide stalled deals and customer misalignment b) How poor data, unclear processes, and weak revenue operations quietly damage growth c) Why expansion revenue from existing customers may be the fastest growth opportunity

Timestamps:

00:00 Reflecting on podcasting milestones

04:16 Examining sales pipeline accuracy

06:25 Misalignment in B2B Sales Strategy

11:36 Understanding deal management challenges

14:51 Scaling SaaS Businesses and Retention

16:05 Importance of local market understanding

20:08 Focus on existing customer revenue

25:56 Discussing AI in personal applications

26:54 Balancing AI and human judgment

33:05 The importance of people leadership

35:21 Leadership and evolving market dynamics

38:29 Building a North Star Leadership

41:49 Supporting the podcast community

Connect with Janice

Book Janice to speak at your next sales or leadership event: https://janicebgordon.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/janice-b-gordon/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janicebgordon

Scale Your Sales Podcast: https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/podcast

Enjoy the episode? Share your takeaway in the comments and leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help more leaders discover the show.

Most CROs are preparing themselves for obsolescence by relying on fixed playbooks in a market that changes every three months.

In this episode, Janice B Gordon and Justin Shriber explore why agile, signal-driven sales leadership is replacing rigid execution.

Janice B Gordon and Justin Shriber unpack how AI, complete revenue context, and frontline signals can help leaders understand not only what is happening, but why. They also examine how to turn strategy into daily behaviors, move beyond short-term thinking, and build a sales organization that adapts as quickly as the market.

What you'll learn:

a) Why the traditional CRO model is becoming obsolete b) How sales leaders can replace fixed playbooks with agile frameworks c) Why AI needs complete revenue context to produce useful insights

Today, Janice B Gordon is joined by Justin Shriber, co-founder and CEO of an AI-native revenue platform trusted by companies including Cloudflare and Minstrel. He began his career at McKinsey before leading large-scale enterprise sales organizations at Oracle.

Timestamps:

03:21 Adapting Sales Leadership Styles

07:47 AI needs context to analyse data

12:41 Working with sceptical CFOs

14:07 Analysing lost deals and competition

17:58 Enhancing Sales Reps' Performance

20:49 Identifying and addressing competition

24:39 Focusing on quarterly performance goals

27:11 Adapting to Market Trends

Connect with Justin Shriber

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinshriber/

Connect with Janice

Book Janice to speak at your next sales or leadership event: https://janicebgordon.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/janice-b-gordon/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janicebgordon

Scale Your Sales Podcast: https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/podcast

Enjoy the episode? Share your takeaway in the comments and leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help more leaders discover the show.

Most CEOs think their sales problems are tactical but they're leadership challenges hiding in plain sight.

What you'll learn: a) Why most "closed won" deals aren't truly wins and how this tanks customer retention b) The surprising reason 61% of buyers now prefer a rep-free experience c) How outdated funnel thinking sabotages account growth in today's looping buyer journeys

Today, Janice B Gordon, the Customer Growth Expert, explains why sales underperformance is a leadership issue and how visionary CEOs can fix it to deliver predictable, scalable growth. She reveals the real reasons deal stall, buyers disconnect, and revenue growth flatlines in modern B2B sales.

Timestamps:

00:00 Uncomfortable truths about sales 2026

04:12 Message for CEOs and Founders

08:55 Rethinking the sales process

11:29 Improving sales approach strategy

13:16 Quarterly focus over long-term growth

17:26 Addressing structural issues in sales

20:58 Evaluating Leadership Capabilities

23:34 Addressing Leadership and Capability Gaps

27:34 Sales issues and leadership discussion

Connect with Janice

Book Janice to speak at your next sales or leadership event: https://janicebgordon.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/janice-b-gordon/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janicebgordon

Scale Your Sales Podcast: https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/podcast

Enjoy the episode? Share your takeaway in the comments and leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help more leaders discover the show.

Most deals aren't lost at the end they're lost in the moment you miss what buyers really need.

In this conversation, Janice B Gordon sits down with Cheryl Parks, a revenue growth advisor and fractional CRO, to reveal how leaders can eliminate revenue leaks, build buyer confidence, and layer authenticity into go-to-market strategy.

What you'll learn: a) Why "inspect what you expect" is the essential motto for sales-focused CEOs b) How to spot and recover deals that stall in real time c) Practical ways to strengthen buyer confidence and clarify ROI

Today, Janice B Gordon is joined by Cheryl Parks, a fractional CRO with 25 years of enterprise B2B sales experience and over $25 million in closed revenue, known for pinpointing team misalignment and restoring sales momentum.

Timestamps:

05:15 Converting inbound leads to meetings

07:52 Understanding and meeting buyer expectations

11:19 Understanding branding and market perception

17:12 Using social media platforms effectively

19:33 Building an Online Presence

21:21 Staying focused in meetings

25:11 Respect for the sales role

Connect with Cheryl Parks

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ai-value-advisor/

Connect with Janice

Book Janice to speak at your next sales or leadership event: https://janicebgordon.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/janice-b-gordon/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janicebgordon

Scale Your Sales Podcast: https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/podcast

Enjoy the episode? Share your takeaway in the comments and leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help more leaders discover the show.

Hiring more sales heads won't fix your revenue problems and it might be your most expensive mistake.

In this episode, you'll hear why building the right sales system first is key to scaling sustainably.

Janice B Gordon sits down with Jacek Dukat, unpacking why the traditional sales leadership playbook is broken and what works now.

What you'll learn: a) Why evidence-based, risk-shared commercial execution outperforms traditional hiring b) The steps to build, test, and validate outbound sales models before scaling c) How to win complex enterprise deals cold, even against bigger competitors

Jacek Dukat is a fractional sales director and new business specialist with over 25 years' experience scaling B2B tech revenue across European markets, winning over €80 million in complex enterprise IT engagements, all without warm introductions or inherited relationships.

Timestamps: 05:09 Hiring challenges in scaling businesses 10:12 Customer experience and market testing 11:57 Interim sales director role dynamics 16:28 Working as a contractor 19:33 Discussing broken sales systems 24:03 Challenges in improving conversion rates 25:24 Measuring client engagement and sales 28:45 Understanding the client business environment 33:58 Starting a proof of concept 35:39 Winning a deal with a client

Connect with Jacek Dukat

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacekdukat/

Connect with Janice

Book Janice to speak at your next sales or leadership event: https://janicebgordon.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/janice-b-gordon/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janicebgordon

Scale Your Sales Podcast: https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/podcast

Enjoy the episode? Share your takeaway in the comments and leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help more leaders discover the show.

Too many global strategies are written for boardrooms, not the markets they're meant to serve and it's a mistake that's costing companies real growth.

Janice B Gordon dives deep with Jane Egerton-Idehen on the high price of ignoring local nuance in international sales. Together, they unpack how adaptive strategies and authentic stakeholder engagement are defining the next generation of winning CEOs.

What you'll learn: a) Why treating Africa as a single market sabotages growth b) The business case for local presence and on-the-ground leadership c) How listening to the market reveals new revenue opportunities

Jane Egerton-Idehen is the MD and CEO of Nigeria Communications Satellite Limited, an experienced tech executive and author, who has led commercial growth for over 15 years across Africa's telecom sector. She's held senior leadership roles at Meta, Ericsson, Avani Communications, Nokia, and Siemens, and is the author of Be Fearless.

Timestamps:

05:39 Localizing products for diverse markets

07:45 Understanding B2B and client relationships

10:49 Understanding Local Market Needs

15:48 Understanding Market Needs

19:09 Adapting to Market Disruptions

22:38 Finding opportunity in a crisis

23:49 Building Trust with Stakeholders

32:11 Listening to client needs

35:14 Evaluating and aligning team competencies

37:20 Challenges of Pivoting in Business

Connect with Jane Egerton-Idehen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-egerton-idehen-6716a39/

Connect with Janice

Book Janice to speak at your next sales or leadership event: https://janicebgordon.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/janice-b-gordon/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janicebgordon

Scale Your Sales Podcast: https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/podcast

Enjoy the episode? Share your takeaway in the comments and leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help more leaders discover the show.

Most sales teams are still relying on outdated playbooks, even as buyer risk aversion quietly derails revenue targets.

In this episode, the conversation focused on why the "sales recession" is dismantling commercial teams and how leaders can adapt with strategies truly ready for the future.

What you'll learn: a) Why risk aversion is now the biggest obstacle facing both buyers and sellers b) How outdated sales training is widening the gap between buyer expectations and sales results c) The real impact of bolting AI onto weak sales fundamentals

Today, Janice B Gordon is joined by a globally recognized sales strategist and executive coach who rebuilds trust-based consultative selling for the realities of today's sales environment and authored The Accidental Business Nomad and Sales Punk, Kyle Hegarty.

Timestamps:

00:00 Sales recession challenges and solutions

04:32 Importance of consultative selling

10:18 Implementing pilot programs in teams

12:47 Navigating complex sales cycles

15:36 Managing Internal and Buyer Relationships

19:49 Challenges in B2B sales cycles

21:06 Partnering and speaking client languages

26:01 AI's impact on sales teams

Connect with Kyle Hegarty

https://www.linkedin.com/in/slapdragons/

Connect with Janice

Book Janice to speak at your next sales or leadership event: https://janicebgordon.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/janice-b-gordon/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janicebgordon

Scale Your Sales Podcast: https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/podcast

Enjoy the episode? Share your takeaway in the comments and leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help more leaders discover the show.

Leaders trying to be everything to everyone are quietly stalling their careers and revenue growth.

Janice B Gordon sits down with Erica Baird, Executive Director of Global Sales and Service, to explore the leadership mindsets and revenue habits driving results in complex, highly regulated markets.

What you'll learn: a) Why your "personal board of directors" is your most valuable career asset b) How authentic self-awareness fuels better leadership and team empowerment c) The cultural shift that turned around a company losing millions per day

Today, Janice B Gordon is joined by Erica Baird, a trailblazing executive guiding over 1,200 people across automotive, construction, and mining sectors, delivering results through some of the toughest industry cycles.

Timestamps:

00:00 Importance of Humility in Leadership

03:19 Building a strategic network

08:21 Addressing workplace microaggressions

11:56 Hiring diverse senior leaders

12:58 Emphasizing Diversity and Inclusivity

16:33 Leading with empathy and care

19:18 Understanding revenue beyond surface numbers

25:20 Empowering Employees Through Listening

29:03 Overcoming challenges with courage and faith

29:55 Embracing risk and tough talks

Connect with Erica Baird

https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-k-baird/

Connect with Janice

Book Janice to speak at your next sales or leadership event: https://janicebgordon.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/janice-b-gordon/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janicebgordon

Scale Your Sales Podcast: https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/podcast

Enjoy the episode? Share your takeaway in the comments and leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help more leaders discover the show.

Most CEOs think their sales pipeline is healthy, but the real story is hiding in stalled and quietly lost deals.

We unpack why processes always beat skills for predictability and how top sales teams are winning bigger in a tougher market.

In this episode, Janice B Gordon sits down with Steve Gielda to reveal the pitfalls of sales assumptions and the strategic moves that accelerate revenue and increase deal velocity.

What you'll learn: a) Why understanding your buyer's real metrics is the secret to beating lower-cost competitors b) The critical difference between stages and milestones in sales processes c) How assumptions, especially by experienced reps, kill deals

Steve Gielda has spent 30 years at the forefront of global sales performance, co-founding Ignite Selling and helping world-class organisations like Boston Scientific, Siemens, and Mastercard drive faster, more strategic revenue growth.

Timestamps:

00:00 Understanding buyer priorities and metrics

04:53 Understanding the buyer's perspective

08:42 Identifying and leveraging key stakeholders

13:30 Improving sales processes

16:27 Defining and leveraging stakeholders

19:00 Win-loss analysis findings

23:23 Engaging sales rep conversations

27:18 Strategic sales approach boosts revenue

31:36 AI tools for sales strategies

32:58 Defining product advocates

Connect with Steve

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgielda/

Connect with Janice

Book Janice to speak at your next sales or leadership event: https://janicebgordon.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/janice-b-gordon/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janicebgordon

Scale Your Sales Podcast: https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/podcast

Enjoy the episode? Share your takeaway in the comments and leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help more leaders discover the show.