The Cheat Code & Friends

Does success in B2B sales come down to having a natural aptitude for it or having the right training? According to Triple Session CEO Matt Doyon, this isn’t an either or question. It takes both. Matt says proper sales training often falls off after the initial onboarding process is over – and that’s a huge mistake, especially when it comes to building teams capable of seeing long-term success. 

Over the years, Matt developed a 3-step methodology to power his own sales performance. On this episode of The Cheat Code Podcast, he joins co-hosts Justin Gray and Josh Wagner to break it down. The best part? This methodology can be applied anywhere beyond sales, and both personally and professionally. During their conversation, they also touch on strategies for overcoming sales challenges, the importance of collaboration, and the significance of ongoing improvement in the business landscape. 

The Cheat Code Podcast co-hosts Justin Gray, Josh Wagner and Sean Kester recently took the virtual stage at the Nearbound Summit 2023 to share valuable insights and real-world experiences on the world of B2B partnerships. In this episode of the podcast, the trio address a number of questions from the conference audience.

In the latest episode of The Cheat Code Podcast, co-hosts Justin Gray, Josh Wagner and Sean Kester reconvene for their Partnership Series. They shed light on the role of knowledgeable B2B partners to serve as the linchpin for businesses looking to succeed in product implementation and beyond.

There are countless ways the right partnerships can benefit an organization. Adept partners excel in navigating integration processes, offering invaluable insights to clients and often enabling them to execute tasks without constant guidance. Over time, this builds trust, bolsters product adoption rates, and drives favorable business outcomes. Still, there’s a delicate balance between offering support and setting necessary standards. Justin, Josh and Sean delve into the value of creating a collaborative ecosystem that inspires partners to work together harmoniously.

In today’s fast-paced business environment, B2B leaders have their hands full navigating the complexities of team dynamics, role clarity, and personal growth. This is something Kevin OMalley knows a lot about.

Kevin has been a marketing leader at companies of various sizes and stages, including Salesloft and Stax, where the pressure was on to move the needle and create impact. Over the years, Kevin has overseen marketing teams from three to 60 people. He’s learned a trick or two along the way, including his cheat: putting the right people in the right roles at the right time. 

How important is authenticity to a person, to a business leader, to a brand? According to Katie Martell, it’s absolutely crucial. In this episode of The Cheat Code Podcast, co-hosts Josh Wagner and Justin Gray welcome Katie – an “unapologetic marketing truth teller” – to discuss her cheat: unabashed authenticity.

Staying true to oneself goes beyond branding and leadership, particularly in the context of social issues and movements. Katie, Josh and Justin discuss how companies are grappling with the need to be authentic in their messaging and actions. They also talk about challenges leaders face when trying to balance authenticity with the traditional expectations of professionalism and the evolving expectations of employees, especially in younger generations, who are increasingly seeking workplaces that align with their values and allow them to bring their authentic selves to work. 

The interview also explores how companies can navigate shifts toward greater authenticity and the potential for brands to turn negative feedback or call-outs into opportunities for growth and transparency.

In the fast-paced realm of B2B, partnerships have become a cornerstone for driving lasting growth and keeping customers happy. They swing open the doors to fresh markets and customer bases, injecting businesses with extra know-how and resources, and nurturing the creation of solid product offerings.

In this special episode of The Cheat Code Podcast,  co-hosts Justin Gray, Josh Wagner, and Sean Kester put partnerships under the spotlight, highlighting their pivotal role in today's B2B scene. They chat about the need for clear-cut partnerships, shared goals, and solid backing from the higher-ups to make collaborations work. They also dive into the nitty-gritty of measuring partnership success and the potential pitfalls of rushing into alliances.

Sharing insights from their own journeys, the team talks about the art of finding common ground and delivering real value to partners. They also give a shout-out to the all-important role of integrated partner teams within the bigger organizational picture, making sure partnerships thrive and grow. This episode kicks off a new series that will continue to dig deep into the potential of partnerships in today's B2B landscape.

On this episode of The Cheat Code Podcast, co-hosts Justin Gray and Sean Kester welcome renowned sales influencer Gabrielle Blackwell to discuss her cheat: developing a playbook to operationalize career success. 

Playbooks are essential tools for ensuring that sales teams work cohesively, efficiently, and effectively. They provide a roadmap that empowers sales representatives to consistently achieve and exceed their targets, driving overall business success. And, as Gabrielle explains, a well-structured playbook can be a game-changer, providing a clear roadmap for sales teams to follow.

Since 2008, Scott Brinker has run the Chief Marketing Technologist blog, chiefmartec.com, to analyze topics at the intersection of marketing, technology, and management. Highly respected in the industry with more than 50,000 readers, Scott says there’s no “cheat” to becoming a subject matter expert. In fact, he says it’s taken him more than 10,000 hours to become a trusted source in his field.

On this episode of The Cheat Code, Scott joins co-hosts Justin Gray and Sean Kester to discuss the long-term commitment and passion it takes to truly carve a niche for oneself as a subject matter expert. They discuss principles for staying on track, ways to engage stakeholders, and advice for listeners looking to start a similar journey in their chosen field.

Having a solid mentorship network is a game-changer for B2B startup leaders today. Mentors can offer wisdom, fresh perspectives, constructive criticism and even emotional support. They can also help expand your professional network, connecting you with valuable contacts and opportunities when you need it most. 

On this episode of The Cheat Code Podcast, Datos Insights CMO Megan Heuer joins co-hosts Justin Gray and Sean Kester to discuss the differences between mentors, advocates and coaches, and how and when to best utilize them. She shares how she’s leveraged her mentorship network as her “cheat” throughout her career, ways companies can promote mentorship and best practices for being a mentor and mentee.

The VC world is hard to break into, but you can get your foot in the door with the right approach. Just ask David Paul, an entrepreneur who decided to pivot to venture capital. What he lacked in experience, he made up for with his own personal “cheat” – a combination of desire, curiosity and horsepower – to gain credibility and build relationships. 

After learning the ropes with a seed-stage venture fund, and spending five years with a multi-family office specializing in growth capital opportunities, David founded DWP Capital in 2021. Today, he joins co-hosts Josh Wagner and Justin Gray to share why his cheat can be applied across the board, for any type of role, no matter the industry. David explains the importance of building credibility and trust, why it’s important to stay true to your strengths, weaknesses and sincere interests, and always stay humble.