Some Goodness

This episode delves into the art of being a great podcast guest, particularly for senior executives who increasingly turn to podcasts as a platform to build authority and reach new audiences. Host Richard Ellis is joined by award-winning journalist Chris Warren. They explore key attributes that make guests memorable, such as being great conversationalists, connecting small details to bigger themes, and steering clear of self-serving marketing speak. Chris Warren shares practical advice on how to prepare for podcasts, the importance of transparency and storytelling, and how these skills can translate into better leadership and communication in various business settings. The conversation also touches on the co-creation of narratives and engaging with audiences authentically. The episode concludes with a personal touch as Chris shares some recent 'goodness' in his life, namely his enjoyment of a book on Captain Cook.

Chapters

00:00 The Rise of Podcasting Among Executives

00:39 Introduction to Today's Topic: Being a Great Podcast Guest

01:35 The Art of Being a Great Conversationalist

05:23 Avoiding Common Pitfalls as a Podcast Guest

09:04 The Importance of Authenticity and Humility

15:52 Relating Podcast Skills to Business Leadership

19:47 Co-Creating Narratives in Business Meetings

22:38 Conclusion and Personal Reflections

Keywords

podcasts, podcast guesting, executive visibility, leadership communication, conversational skills, storytelling, audience service, relevance, authenticity, preparation, listening, humility, credibility, transparency, answering questions, context, examples, narrative, co creation, audience focus, producer perspective, media literacy, executive presence, communication skills, trust, engagement

Soundbites

• “Great podcast guests are great conversationalists. That’s something our culture has almost forgotten.”
• “You answer the question, then you layer context, examples, and meaning. The best guests connect the small to the big.”
• “If you come in with five things you have to say, the conversation is already limited.”
• “When someone reads their answers, you’re done before you start.”
• “People tune into a podcast for their reasons, not yours.”
• “Your job as a guest is to serve the audience.”
• “If your driving impulse is ‘I have to sound smart,’ you’re setting yourself up for failure.”
• “When you drift, stop yourself. Bring it back. That shows humility and respect for the listener’s time.”
• “Always answer the question. People ask for a reason.”
• “How you communicate shapes how people engage with you. It’s foundational.”

In this episode of 'Some Goodness,' we explore the evolution of account-based marketing (ABM) with Jessica Fewless, VP of Marketing at Inverta and an original architect of modern ABM. The discussion delves into the challenges and missteps in ABM implementation over the last decade, highlighting how marketing discipline, not ABM itself, needs improvement. Jessica provides insights into the need for alignment between sales and marketing, the importance of understanding and targeting the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), and how AI and technology can enhance ABM strategies. She emphasizes the importance of getting back to marketing fundamentals and the need for rigorous data management. The episode closes with practical tips on creating relevant messaging and maintaining work-life balance.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to B2B Marketing Challenges

00:43 Guest Introduction: Jessica Fless

01:17 The Evolution of Account-Based Marketing (ABM)

05:47 Challenges and Missteps in ABM Implementation

08:36 The Role of Buying Committees in ABM

12:22 Future of ABM and Demand Generation

14:20 Fundamentals and Best Practices in Marketing

22:18 The Importance of Data Hygiene and AI

24:09 Final Thoughts and Personal Insights

Keywords

Account based marketing, ABM, one to one ABM, one to many ABM, marketing discipline, demand generation, sales and marketing alignment, ICP, ideal customer profile, target accounts, buying groups, buying committees, intent data, MQLs, MQAs, pipeline efficiency, revenue efficiency, personalization at scale, relevance, focus, go to market strategy, batch and blast, volume based marketing, signal based marketing, consensus messaging, account focus, TAM versus ICP, sustainable revenue, data hygiene, CRM data, AI in marketing, marketing fundamentals, technology versus strategy, noise in the market, buyer journey, digital buying behavior, sales marketing partnership

Soundbites

• “Marketers were feeling like they were on this hamster wheel. Doing more and more, sending more emails, producing more content, and sales was disqualifying more and more of it.”
• “One-to-many ABM served its purpose. It broke bad habits like batch and blast and reliance on volume.”
• “Sales always knew there was a buying committee. Marketing just never operationalized it.”
• “It should never be a handoff between marketing and sales. It has to be a partnership.”
• “Buying groups require consensus messaging, not just persona level personalization.”
• “If you just buy the technology and think you’re doing ABM, you’re skipping the work.”
• “You are doing your board a disservice by continuing to play into the TAM narrative.”
• “You can’t build a sustainable revenue engine by focusing on your total addressable market. You have to focus on your ICP.”
• “AI will not tell you your data is wrong. It will confidently give you answers based on bad data.”

This year-end review episode of 'Some Goodness' delves into the significant business themes of 2025, including the dominance of AI, the importance of clear workflows, and the crucial role of consistent messaging. The episode compiles insights from various conversations with business leaders, including Ben Scoones, Chris Blocker, Chris Strammiello, Stacy Leidwinger, Jim Karrh, Steve Graves, and Larry Sweeney. They highlight that tools and technology alone cannot resolve fundamental issues like weak leadership and poor execution. The discussion explores the balance between human touch and automation, the pitfalls of vanity metrics, and the fundamental role of strong leadership and moral integrity in navigating fast-changing business landscapes.

Chapters

00:00 AI's Impact on Business in 2025

00:35 Year-End Review: Lessons from 2025

01:00 The Pitfalls of Relying on Tools

03:07 The Importance of Consistent Messaging

04:23 Navigating AI and Leadership Challenges

08:07 The Fundamentals of Effective Leadership

08:26 The Dangers of Vanity Metrics

09:57 The Power of Storytelling in Business

12:48 Execution and Moral Leadership

16:31 The Role of Trust in Leadership

17:53 Final Reflections on Leadership in 2025

Keywords

AI, leadership, judgment, execution, clarity, workflows, decision making, messaging consistency, brand trust, automation limits, fundamentals, prioritization, discernment, sales productivity, win rate, vanity metrics, cost of sale, storytelling, human element, culture, accountability, mentorship, trust, integrity, management, go to market, organizational behavior 

Soundbites

“Understanding your own workflow should be a basic requirement for doing anything within a business, especially when you’re looking to integrate AI technology.” Ben Scoones
 
 “If you can’t tell a person what to do and expect them to be successful, why would you expect AI to do a good job?” Ben Scoones
 
 “It doesn’t matter having the perfect words. It matters being consistent.” Stacy Leidwinger
 
 “When an organization all uses the same words, that’s when you get power of brand and power of message.” Stacy Leidwinger
 
 “Stories are compelling because something disrupts the status quo and forces a decision.” Jim Karrh
 
 “Most customer success stories are technically correct, but what’s missing is emotion.” Jim Karrh
 
 “When we win, we have to be careful not to get addicted to outcomes.” Steve Graves
 
 “Nothing else is more important than the relationship you have with your manager. Money and managers keep people in their jobs.” Larry Sweeney

“Leaders have to show up not just as competent people, but as the kind of people others want to follow.” Chris Blocker

In this episode of Some Goodness, host Richard Ellis engages with Chris Warren, an award-winning journalist and consulting principal, to explore the art and significance of storytelling in the business world. They discuss the challenges executives face with ineffective presentations and the importance of narrative discipline amidst overwhelming content.

Chris emphasizes the need for engaging, human-centered stories rather than sterile, data-heavy content. He shares insights from his extensive career in journalism and screenwriting, offering practical advice on avoiding common mistakes and enhancing business communication through compelling storytelling techniques. Chris also highlights the value of authenticity, emotional connection, and understanding the stakes involved in storytelling. 

Chapters   

00:00 The Crisis of Ineffective Business Communication

00:55 Introducing the Power of Storytelling

02:01 The Relevance of Storytelling in Modern Business

03:40 Common Mistakes in Business Storytelling

08:14 Crafting a Compelling Business Narrative

13:20 Insights from Journalism and Screenwriting

20:22 The Human Element in Storytelling

23:36 Conclusion and Personal Reflections

Keywords

storytelling, business storytelling, content versus story, audience relevance, customer perspective, human connection, authenticity, stakes, tension and resolution, shared reality, protagonist, executive communication, leadership communication, technical expertise, relevance, curiosity, listening, asking questions, humility, credibility, trust, culture, storytelling culture, sales storytelling, customer outcomes, human outcomes, features versus value, connection, narrative, brand story, differentiation, emotional resonance

Soundbites

• “We are overwhelmed with content, but content is not storytelling. Storytelling is what people remember and repeat.”
• “Deep knowledge about a topic is not a story. In fact, it is often an impediment to good storytelling.”
• “The biggest mistake leaders make is assuming their internal world is relevant outside their four walls.”
• “If you are enraptured with your own world, you are not thinking about your audience.”
• “Your technical expertise has a place, but not as the lead-in.”
• “Good stories have shared reality, tension, and resolution. A tsunami of facts is not a story.”
• “There are stakes in every industry. If you do not name them, you are missing the story.”
• “You are not the star of the story. Your audience is the protagonist.”
• “People will remember the human outcome long after they forget the feature list.”
• “When you stop acting like a walking brochure, you open entirely new pathways to connection.”

In this episode, Richard Ellis delves into the essentials of planning an engaging and effective Sales Kickoff Event (SKO). Despite many companies struggling to create high-impact SKOs, we share practical tips and best practices designed to capture attention and boost retention. The discussion covers the five critical Ps of SKO planning: Purpose, Place, Practicality, Pulse, and Post-SKO, alongside principles of adult learning to ensure sessions are relevant and interactive. From the actionable content to the need for post-event follow-up, this episode is an invaluable guide for C-level leaders aiming to maximize the impact of their SKOs.

Download a free SKO how-to worksheet here.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Survey Insights

00:37 Planning an Engaging SKO: Overview

01:14 The Five Ps Framework

13:07 Adult Learning Principles for SKO

27:27 Interactive and Engaging Sessions

33:27 Designing Your SKO Agenda

36:58 Conclusion and Resources

Keywords

SKO, sales kickoff, revenue kickoff, five Ps, purpose, place, practicality, pulse, post SKO, adult learning, relevance, experience sharing, problem solving, retention, macro retention, micro retention, gamification, learning objectives, serial position effect, primacy, recency, interactive sessions, engagement, workshops, breakouts, panel discussions, product roadmap, sales strategy, prospecting, cross selling, upselling, executive decision makers, enablement, coaching, account planning, deal strategy, partner strategy, customer panels, seller panels, agenda design, energy management, session types, application oriented learning, practical takeaways

Soundbites

• Adults keep attention when content is relevant to their role.
• If everything is a priority, nothing is a priority.
• Most SKOs fail because they push information, not action.
• People remember the first thing and the last thing and forget the middle.
• If your audience can’t tell what to do differently, the session failed.
• Relevance drives attention; irrelevance drives people to the coffee shop.
• A kickoff without a clear objective becomes noise, not direction.
• Panels work when questions are curated, not when the mic roams the room.
• Retention increases when people apply ideas, not when they watch slides.
• Post SKO discipline determines whether the event mattered at all.

In this episode, business leaders Richard Ellis is joined by the other founders of Revenue Innovations (Tim Kruse,  Mark Gaydos, and Heather Easterday). They discuss insights from their recent Go-to-Market Executive Roundtable held in Nashville. The event focused on the impact of AI on go-to-market strategies and provided a platform for executives to network, share challenges, and discuss solutions. This discussion highlights the importance of face-to-face events over virtual gatherings and offers practical tips for organizing such events, emphasizing personal invitations, engagement, and practical takeaways. Additionally, they reflect on the importance of connection and real-world interaction in a digitally-driven world, especially as companies plan their Sales Kickoffs (SKOs) for the new year.

Chapters

00:00 The Rise of Networking in Business Events

00:28 Introduction to the Go-To-Market Executive Round Table

00:51 Debriefing the Event: Key Insights and Lessons

01:26 The Impact of AI on Go-To-Market Strategies

03:24 The Value of In-Person Networking

05:20 Designing Effective Business Events

12:02 Practical Tips for Hosting Successful Events

20:19 Planning for Sales Kickoffs (SKO)

26:30 Final Thoughts and Personal Reflections

Keywords

AI, go to market, networking, isolation, loneliness, burnout, disruption, silos, AI fluency, agents, workflows, vertical stacks, productivity, human touch, remote work, hybrid work, cross industry, collaboration, strategy, execution, practicality, round table, Nashville, Dallas, in person events, SKO, sales kickoff, psychological fuel, motivation, anxiety, refueling, leadership, exercises, connection

Soundbites 

•  “Executives are feeling isolated and lonely due to the demands of their roles, and the result is burnout.”
•  “Typical silos are collapsing, and go-to-market strategies look different because AI is reshaping every part of the system.”
•  “Leaders want to know whether AI will disrupt them or make them more productive, and they’re trying to find the balance.”
•  “Ninety five percent of AI initiatives fail, and people want to learn what not to do as much as what to do.”
•  “You can’t replicate the value of sitting next to people, hearing different perspectives, and solving problems together.”
•  “Cross-industry conversations break the echo chamber and show leaders that their challenges aren’t unique.”
•  “People knew this invitation was real because we approached them differently and personally.”
•  “If you want an event to matter, make sure people walk away knowing what they can do this quarter.”
•  “If SKO doesn’t teach people how to execute, you’re just giving them another list of priorities they can’t use.”
•  “The workforce is running on empty, and SKO needs to function as a refueling station, not a pep rally.”

In this episode of Some Goodness, Ben Scoones, Director of Data Science at Kythera Labs, joins Richard Ellis to discuss the impact of AI on the workforce. The conversation covers the decline in human performance skills such as adaptability, creativity, and collaboration, and how these traits are becoming increasingly valuable. Ben highlights the importance of employees assessing the algorithmic nature of their tasks and using AI to enhance their capabilities rather than fearing it as a job threat. The episode delves into how companies can cultivate a positive AI culture, providing training and clear policies, and encouraging innovation from all levels of staff. It also touches upon the challenges of AI project implementation and the necessity of a strategic approach to ensure success. 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction: The Collision of AI and Workforce

00:48 Exploring AI's Impact on Work and Human Capacity

01:55 Will AI Take My Job?

03:09 Historical Context: The Evolution of Jobs

04:28 AI as a Tool for Efficiency

07:11 The Decline in Human Performance

11:33 High Performers vs. Low Performers with AI

17:52 Building a Positive AI Culture

18:57 The Importance of Training and Policy

21:16 Encouraging Innovation and Idea Sharing

23:13 Measuring AI's Impact and Governance

26:53 Conclusion and Book Recommendation

Keywords

AI, artificial intelligence, workforce, human performance, motivation, optimism, agency, adaptability, creativity, collaboration, automation, repeatable work, algorithmic tasks, job replacement, productivity, human capacity, leadership, psychological fuel, BetterUp Labs, data science, culture, training, AI policy, company strategy, employee engagement, human capital, coaching, performance, high performers, low performers, amplification, mediocrity, processes, workflows, governance, experimentation, flourishing, adoption, ethics, technology, transhumanism, C.S. Lewis, philosophy, nature of work, human judgment, creativity, collaboration, adaptability, remote work, motivation decline, AI readiness, organizational culture, leadership development, innovation, experimentation, governance, learning systems

Soundbites

• “AI may be the most transformative force since electricity, but it's colliding with a workforce that's running out of fuel.” 
• “AI should be seen as an opportunity to free up human expertise for more meaningful work.” 
• “While AI expands capability, human capacity is shrinking. Leaders are caught between the two.” 
• “High performers using AI generate up to 11x more value than low performers with the same tools.” 
• “AI doesn’t just amplify the good. It amplifies whatever you attach it to, including mediocrity.” 
• “You don’t want to just fail fast with AI. You want to learn fast and never fail twice for the same reason.”

In this episode of Some Goodness, the focus is on AI readiness and effective deployment in businesses. Host Richard Ellis interviews Ben Scoones, Director of Data Science at Kythera Labs, discussing research showing a gap between AI investment and meaningful integration.

Download the ebook Ben wrote with our Revenue Innovations team: https://www.revenueinnovations.com/AI-ebook

Key insights include understanding workflows, avoiding misconceptions about AI capabilities, and the importance of data and clear processes. Five practical applications of AI in go-to-market strategies are highlighted, such as improving efficiency, research, ideation, co-pilots, and democratizing skilled work. The episode wraps up with a discussion on the necessity of evaluating AI's output and a recommendation for the book 'Non-Computable You' by Robert Marks.

Chapters

00:00 AI Investment Trends and Challenges

00:49 Introduction to the Guest: Ben Scoones

01:35 Understanding AI Readiness

02:03 The Importance of Workflow in AI Integration

04:26 Common Misconceptions About AI

13:37 The Role of Data in AI Strategy

19:52 Practical AI Applications in Go-to-Market Strategies

27:04 Final Tips and Human Expertise in AI

28:49 Conclusion and Book Recommendation

Keywords

AI readiness, workflow mapping, process documentation, automation, generative AI, machine learning, LLMs, algorithmic thinking, predictive modeling, AI deployment, data strategy, data quality, training data, retrieval augmented generation, knowledge management, process optimization, documentation as code, AI integration, sales onboarding, tribal knowledge, go-to-market strategy, sales enablement, marketing automation, customer success, AI applications, research efficiency, ideation, co-pilots, democratizing skills, analytics assistants, skill gaps, MLOps, human validation, algorithmic limits, non-computable tasks, human expertise, philosophical AI, contextual intelligence, AI in business, workflow evaluation, AI experimentation, efficiency gains, AI ethics, machine learning operations.

Sound Bites

• “AI may amplify our work, but only clarity makes it effective.”
• “If you can’t define a person’s role well enough for them, why would you expect AI to do a good job with it?”
• “AI is not the best solution for every problem. You have to make sure you’re applying it to the right problem.”
•  
• “An algorithm is just a series of steps for completing some task. A very simple everyday example of an algorithm is a recipe.”
• “You can’t just prompt an LLM and say, ‘I want you to do this,’ and expect it to perform miracles. You have to construct those higher-order capabilities step by step.”
• “Companies seeing the highest ROI from AI are those that mapped out their processes before automating.”
• “Documentation as code...that idea of maintaining your knowledge base as carefully as your software has never been more important.”
• “AI lets you democratize skilled work. You can focus on what to do with the information rather than how to retrieve it.”
• “Someone’s got to decide what good looks like. That’s where the human expertise still matters.”

In this episode, Richard hosts Dr. Chris Blocker, a professor of marketing at Colorado State University and a distinguished research fellow, to discuss the complexities and frameworks of corporate purpose. Blocker delves into the rising challenges faced by Fortune 500 companies in sustaining purpose initiatives amidst public and investor scrutiny. He outlines a four-archetype framework to evaluate corporate purpose strategies and emphasizes the need for authenticity and alignment between a company's signal and substance. The conversation also explores practical tips for leaders to foster purpose within their organizations, measuring sense of purpose among employees, and the significant impact of integrating purpose into business operations on both internal culture and external market success.

Resources from the Episode

Dr. Blocker's article in Harvard Business Review - Are Your Company's Purpose Initiatives Working?

Ebook about his purpose research - Being Purpose-Oriented: A Practical Map from Noise to Impact

Chapters

00:00 Introduction: The Corporate Purpose Crisis

00:59 Meet the Expert: Dr. Chris Blocker

01:36 Defining Corporate Purpose

02:57 The Four Archetypes of Purpose

04:07 The Risks of Purpose Washing

05:12 Purpose Beyond Profit

08:27 Aligning Purpose with Operations

14:39 Purpose in Leadership and Sales

23:03 Practical Tips for Embedding Purpose

26:23 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Keywords

purpose, authenticity, leadership, sales motivation, employee engagement, intrinsic motivation, corporate culture, signal and substance, why who what framework, meaning at work, generational engagement, trust, alignment, organizational purpose, purpose-driven selling, brand credibility, transitional purpose, storytelling, measurement, performance, fulfillment, connection, resilience, value alignment

Soundbites

• “There really has to be an alignment between three things: the why, the who, and the what. If you skip over any of them, bad things happen.”
• “You can think about risk in two ways: sinking the boat or missing the boat. Signaling purpose without substance will sink you; ignoring purpose altogether means you’ll miss it.”
• “The comp plan keeps the lights on, but purpose turns the lights up.”
• “To have success externally today, you almost have to move into this quadrant I’d call transitional purpose. You’re making real changes, but you’re not shouting about them.”
• “Leaders have to show up not just as competent people, but as the kind of people others actually want to follow.”
• “Simplifying is probably the first step, going back to the origins of the organization to ask, why did we start this to begin with?”
• “Purpose connects the paycheck to the person to who they are, to their clients, and to their broader sense of contribution.”
• “Engaging veteran people who have rich stories about clients, stories a younger generation can grab onto, is one of the most powerful ways to build purpose.”

Visit us for more information about Revenue Innovations.

In this insightful episode of Some Goodness, host Richard Ellis challenges the conventional B2B sales metric of win rate, arguing that it can often be a vanity metric that hides inefficiencies. Instead, he introduces cycle yield (revenue generated per selling hour) as a more effective measure of sales productivity. Richard provides a detailed explanation and comparison of two sales reps' performance to illustrate how cycle yield can reveal true efficiency and guide better coaching and strategy. He also offers practical tips on how leaders can start tracking and utilizing this metric with existing tech stack data. 

A cycle yield calculator is available for download from this link.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction: The Truth About Win Rates

01:11 The Vanity of Win Rates

03:07 Introducing Cycle Yield

03:56 Case Study: Sarah vs. David

06:53 Measuring Cycle Yield

07:58 Implementing Cycle Yield Insights

09:22 Conclusion: Building a Scalable Sales Engine

Keywords

B2B revenue, sales organizations, win rate, vanity metric, sustainable growth, performance dashboards, board meetings, sales engine, sales leaders, cycle yield, revenue per selling hour, sales process efficiency, selling hours, qualification, prospecting, pipeline velocity, wasted motion, CRM, sales engagement tools, sales coaching, leaderboard, scalable process, profitable process, SMB motion, enterprise sales, data-driven revenue leader, cycle yield calculator, Revenue Innovations, Richard Ellis, Some Goodness

Soundbites

• “Win rate can be one of the most misleading numbers on your dashboard. It tells you what happened, but it tells you nothing about the incredible cost of that win.”
• “Everyone celebrated the logo, but no one calculated the cost. The win rate went up, but the business may have actually lost ground.”
• “Cycle yield connects sales activity directly to business value, turning the spotlight from ‘did we win’ to ‘how efficiently are we winning?’”
• “Efficiency, not just outcomes, is the mark of a modern data-driven revenue leader.”