By the time most sales teams engage, the real decisions have already been made—or influenced by someone else. This episode explores how strategic access, timing, and insight separate margin-making organizations from the ones chasing RFPs and discounts. 

This episode tackles: 

• Why early access isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a margin advantage 
• The illusion of being “in the mix” vs. shaping the problem upstream 
• How information asymmetry defines deal quality 
• What it actually takes to earn a seat in the earliest phases of a customer's decision process 
• The margin cost of showing up reactive 

In this kickoff episode of The Margin Makers, Dave and Bryan unpack why so many C-suite teams think they have a winning growth model when in reality, the sales organization is built for a market that no longer exists. They challenge the idea that more leads or more activity equals progress and spotlight how true margin-driven growth requires a fundamentally different operating rhythm inside the sales function. 

Key points:

• The illusion of growth vs. actual growth 
• Why “more” (leads, activity, tools) often hides deeper problems 
• The risk of growth stalling when sales orgs are built for legacy buyers 
• Real-world examples: margin erosion, sales resource misalignment, and “default” growth plays that no longer work 
• What it means to rewire a sales org for adaptability, value co-creation, and upstream access 

"The Margin Makers" is not just another sales podcast—it's a blunt-force re-examination of how companies grow, and at what cost.

Hosted by CEOs Dave Irwin and Bryan Gray, this series pulls back the curtain on the growth myths holding companies hostage. Built for C-suite leaders, board members, and revenue executives staring down unpredictable pipelines, squeezed margins, and plateaued growth, The Margin Makers goes where most don’t: to the uncomfortable truth that sales, as currently constructed, can’t carry the weight of modern growth expectations.

Every episode delivers executive-level commentary—and soon, interviews—that challenge conventional thinking, expose misaligned strategies, and reframe margin creation as the true measure of go-to-market success. If you’re ready to rethink the role of sales, elevate the conversation in your boardroom, and unlock growth your competitors can’t see—welcome to The Margin Makers.”