Tea and Timbits

It’s New Year’s Eve, and as usual - one of us is in London, one of us is in Toronto, and—purely coincidentally :) —both of us are holding a glass of something barrel-aged. In this slightly longer, slightly looser year-end episode, we look back on what actually worked in the past year and look ahead to what might work next year—assuming we show up and do the work.

We talk personal branding without the buzzwords, why LinkedIn hygiene is a real thing (sorry), and how discipline quietly beats optimism every single time. We also reflect on why doing this podcast week after week has been as useful for us as it (hopefully) has been for you.

Think of this one as part reflection, part gentle nudge, and part clinking-glasses-across-the-Atlantic moment before the fireworks start. Cheers to the year ahead.

It’s Christmas Eve, one of us is in Toronto, the other is knee-deep in European holiday food… and somehow we still end up talking about sales teams fudging numbers and why your calendar might be the most important tool you own.

In this episode, we get a little festive before diving into a very real leadership issue: people cutting corners, chasing short-term wins, and quietly torching long-term trust. From dodgy CRM data to “camera-off but definitely-on-the-sofa” meetings, we’ve seen it all — and yes, we’ve learned a few lessons the hard way.

From there, we pivot into personal productivity. Spoiler: it’s not about shiny apps or magic systems. It’s about operating discipline, clarity, and actually putting the work in your calendar (including thinking time, reflection time, and yes… rest).

We also talk about the tools we do rely on — calendars, accountability partners, and project management — and why none of them work unless you do.

Festive, practical, slightly ranty, and very honest. Merry Christmas. 🎄

This week we embrace the chaos of teamwork and tech tools — and somehow make sense of it all. From "vibe coding" with Replit (yes, it’s a thing) to CRM philosophies, sales toolboxes, and the mysterious magic of CDPs, we reflect on the tools that actually help teams get stuff done.

We dive into:

• Why English is the new coding language

• The magic of cloud collaboration (and the rage when it goes wrong)

• What a “Sales Toolbox” is and why it should still exist

• How to avoid death-by-governance when using email or CMS tools

• The rise of Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) — and how they’re different from CRMs

Also: we pretend we didn’t nearly forget what this episode was supposed to be about. Classic us.

In this episode we bravely wade into the world of CRMs — not the most glamorous topic, but definitely one that can make or break your business sanity. We kick things off with a cautionary tale about mysterious contract clauses (spoiler: they weren’t included, but were somehow still binding?), before diving into the myth that picking the "right" CRM tool is the secret to sales success. Spoiler #2: it’s not.

We explore why your CRM should enable your team — not just generate pretty reports for the execs — and why bad implementation often starts with a tool and not your actual business needs. From Salesforce to Dynamics to HubSpot (and even a shoutout to Atomic Habits), we dish out practical, painfully-learned advice on how to make your CRM actually work for you.

Come for the tips, stay for the rants about unread contracts and self-built CRM nightmares.

In this episode, we kick off our new series on technology and tools by diving headfirst into the buzz (and occasional chaos) surrounding AI. From echoey mics to echo chambers of bad RFPs, we talk about the real-world applications, risks, and etiquette of using AI in business. Scott shares hard-won wisdom from the trenches of proposal hell, while Andy questions whether AI wrote that overly nice email you just got. We break down how to use AI responsibly, why business accounts matter, and the importance of keeping your human voice in a machine-assisted world. Come for the tech talk, stay for the rants.

In this episode, we go from nostalgic concerts to cold, hard conversions as we break down pipeline stages that actually move the needle. Spoiler: ticking boxes and wishful thinking won’t cut it. We riff on why your pipeline should be guided by buyer behavior (not your internal task list), how to avoid zombie deals haunting your CRM, and the magic of knowing when to walk away. Plus, Andy has a mini identity crisis after realizing our podcast is basically a touring rock band without the groupies.

Join us for laughs, practical insights, and a dash of midlife musical reflection as we help you tighten up your sales process without turning into a robot.

This week we go deep (well, as deep as we ever go) on target market analysis—or as we like to call it, “the thing that stops you from chasing every shiny object on the internet.” We unpack the difference between total addressable market (a.k.a. the fantasy) and actual target market (a.k.a. the people who might pay you this year).

Scott shares a cautionary tale from a Chicago business trip turned unexpected road trip to Toronto, and we both make the case for being in the room—yes, despite our love for comfy sweatpants and virtual calls. There's also some accidental relationship counseling along the way.

It’s messy, occasionally insightful, and exactly the level of seriousness you’ve come to expect.

We’re back and celebrating two whole years of Tea & Timbits! 🎉 And what better way to mark the occasion than by talking about one of the driest-yet-most-vital topics in business development: forecasting and pipeline management?

In this episode, we kick things off with a tale of boardroom betrayal and the ever-predictable rise of internal politics (spoiler alert: it doesn’t end with a contract). Then, we dive headfirst into the murky waters of sales forecasting. Is it useful? Is it theatre? Turns out... it's both.

We unpack:

• Why most forecasts are a polite fiction

• What actually makes a forecast useful (spoiler: it's not wishful thinking)

• The critical link between past data, client insights, and reality-based projections

• Why a well-weighted pipeline is your best friend

• The danger of promoting deals just because someone said “let’s talk again”

Plus, we argue about percentages, reminisce about bad decisions, and resist the urge to turn this into a three-part forecasting saga (for now).

Whether you're a sales vet or just trying to get a handle on your numbers, this one’s got something for everyone—especially if you enjoy a bit of schadenfreude.

In this episode, we toss aside the spreadsheets and strategy decks to talk about something more primal—like whether we can still function after a Spartan race or a surprise Swedish frost. We explore how keeping your body moving (even if just to the fridge) can lead to a sharper mind, better leadership, and fewer contracts that make you want to cry in legalese.

We also poke fun at those hyper-polished health gurus and their “12-week miracle” programs that ignore little things like time zones, toddlers, and the trauma of delayed flights. Instead, we keep it real—hydration, walking, and the radical act of just not giving up. Plus, a heartfelt conversation about burnout, executive guilt, and why “just push through” is terrible advice.

Ever feel like your content plan is just a fancy spreadsheet collecting digital dust? In this episode, we explore why so many businesses struggle to build and stick to a content or branding strategy — and how to fix it before everything catches fire (metaphorically... hopefully).

We share a real-world example of a top-tier company that hit rock bottom due to a missing sales plan, zero accountability, and more Excel spreadsheets than actual action. From shock-and-awe interventions to brainstorming your way to 52 weeks of content in just 2 hours, we’ve got tips, tough love, and a few chuckles along the way.

Spoiler: Having a content calendar doesn’t mean anything if no one’s actually using it. Let’s change that.