The Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton

What does it take to lead revenue in a private equity-backed company? In this episode, Kyle Norton talks with Vanessa Brangwyn, CRO at Motus, about the key differences between VC and PE environments, how PE firms drive efficiency and profitability, and what revenue leaders need to succeed. She also shares insights on integrating go-to-market strategies post-acquisition and managing a PE-backed board.

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New episodes of The Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton drop every Wednesday.

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Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech. Catch full-length episodes every Sunday and bite-sized mini-episodes every Thursday, where our hosts sit down with top B2B tech leaders to unpack their biggest challenges—and how they overcame them.

Your're invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!

Key chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction to Vanessa Brangwyn and Achievers' Journey (03:13) - Transitioning from VC to PE: The Achievers Experience (06:03) - Navigating Public Company Dynamics (08:56) - The Spin-Out: Achievers' New Chapter (12:06) - Exploring the Private Equity Landscape (14:56) - CRO Insights: PE vs. VC Dynamics (18:10) - Shared Learnings in Private Equity (20:46) - The Role of Structure in Team Dynamics (24:05) - Profitability vs. Growth: Understanding PE Goals (26:48) - Strategic Decision-Making in PE (29:55) - Efficiency Metrics in Private Equity (37:59) - Tactical Metrics for Sales Efficiency (40:52) - Understanding Board Engagement in PE vs VC (44:42) - Navigating Incentives and Decision-Making in Boards (47:06) - Leveraging Data for Effective Board Management (49:46) - Lessons from Private Equity for Venture-Backed CROs (51:10) - Strategic Rationale Behind Acquisitions (56:38) - Integrating Go-To-Market Strategies Post-Acquisition (01:01:11) - Customer Success Insights for CROs (01:05:42) - The Role of Authenticity in Leadership (01:10:21) - Advice for Emerging Leaders (01:12:20) - Lessons Learned from Leadership Experiences

Great revenue leaders aren't just sales experts—they're world-class problem solvers. But how do you separate signal from noise, diagnose the right issues, and make decisions that drive long-term success?

In this episode of The Revenue Leadership Podcast, Ashley Grech, CRO at Xero, joins Kyle to break down her framework for identifying, prioritizing, and solving complex revenue challenges. She shares how revenue leaders can balance instinct with data, avoid limiting beliefs that stall innovation, and use the driver tree framework to diagnose revenue bottlenecks. Ashley also explains why prioritization is the key to unlocking scale, how decision-making frameworks can accelerate growth, and what she's learned from scaling global go-to-market strategies at Xero and Square.

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New episodes of The Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton drop every Wednesday.

Stay ahead with the latest industry developments, emerging go-to-market trends, and valuable benchmarking data. Subscribe to Topline Newsletter for expert insights from Asad Zaman every Thursday.

Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech. Catch full-length episodes every Sunday and bite-sized mini-episodes every Thursday, where our hosts sit down with top B2B tech leaders to unpack their biggest challenges—and how they overcame them.

Your're invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!

Key chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction to Problem Solving in Revenue Leadership

(03:11) - The Importance of Problem Solving

(06:03) - Frameworks for Problem Identification

(08:56) - Utilizing Driver Trees for Diagnostics

(11:55) - Data-Driven Decision Making

(15:10) - Prioritization of Problems

(17:57) - Balancing Urgency and Importance

(20:54) - Sourcing Information from the Team

(23:49) - Navigating Customer Feedback

(27:08) - The Role of Data in Solutioning

(30:06) - Finding the Best Solution

(32:50) - Conclusion and Key Takeaways

(44:18) - Principled Problem Solving

(51:38) - Organizing Principles for Success

(56:03) - Teaching and Scaling Principles

(57:31) - Market Expansion Strategies

(01:06:30) - Timing for International Expansion

(01:09:17) - Channel Diversification Insights

(01:12:43) - Overcoming Limiting Beliefs

(01:17:14) - Qualities of a Great CRO

How do you scale a sales organization as your company evolves from a single product to multiple business lines? In this episode of The Revenue Leadership Podcast, Jeff Perry, CRO of Carta, shares how he has built and structured Carta's go-to-market strategy to support its rapid expansion across corporations, venture capital, and private equity. He breaks down the challenges of multi-product growth, the decision-making behind sales org design, and how Carta balances specialization with cross-functional alignment. Jeff also dives into the nuances of different sales motions, marketing strategies, and customer acquisition models across Carta's distinct business units.

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Thanks for tuning in! Want more content from Pavilion?

New episodes of The Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton drop every Wednesday.

Stay ahead with the latest industry developments, emerging go-to-market trends, and valuable benchmarking data. Subscribe to Topline Newsletter for expert insights from Asad Zaman every Thursday.

Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech. Catch full-length episodes every Sunday and bite-sized mini-episodes every Thursday, where our hosts sit down with top B2B tech leaders to unpack their biggest challenges—and how they overcame them.

Your're invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!

Key chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction to Jeff Perry and Carta

(05:53) - Understanding Carta's Multi-Product Strategy

(11:57) - Revenue Breakdown and Business Growth

(18:00) - Organizational Design and Sales Strategy

(24:08) - Marketing Approaches for Different Business Units

(29:49) - Challenges in Managing Diverse Sales Motions

(35:53) - The Importance of Customer Experience

(39:03) - Leadership and Team Structure at Carta

(41:26) - Understanding Private Equity Portcodes

(42:39) - Career Progression and Mountain Jumping

(44:48) - Sales Team Structure and Specialization

(46:15) - Data-Driven Decision Making in Sales

(48:58) - Sales Engineering and Cross-Training

(51:49) - Organizational Design and Decision Making

(55:32) - Input-Output Framework in Sales Management

(56:59) - Balancing Customer and Company Needs

(01:01:06) - International Sales Strategy

(01:07:55) - Qualities of a Great CRO

(01:11:07) - Leadership Lessons and Career Patience

(01:13:23) - Performance Management and Coaching Plans

(01:17:35) - Recommended Reads and Continuous Learning

In this episode of the Revenue Leadership Podcast, host Kyle Norton sits down with Jason Gelman, Operating Partner at Primary Ventures and Co-Founder of Jump, to explore his transition from operator to VC and the lessons he's learned along the way. Jason shares insights from scaling Compass from $100M to $6B in revenue, why not every startup should raise venture funding, and how founders can navigate the challenges of go-to-market strategy. They also cover the evolving role of AI in revenue leadership, the traits that separate great CROs from the rest, and the fundamental mistakes many startups make when trying to scale.

If you like what you heard from Kyle today, make sure to follow The Revenue Leadership Podcast by Pavilion for new episodes every Wednesday.

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Primary: https://www.primary.vc/

Jump: https://jumprevenue.com/

B&T Infra Newsletter: https://www.infranewsletter.com/

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

Contact: [email protected]

Key Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction to Jason Gelman and Primary Ventures

(02:46) - The Role of an Operating Partner

(06:03) - Understanding Jump: A Revenue Calendar Tool

(08:53) - Navigating Venture Capital: When to Raise Funds

(12:05) - The Transition from Operator to VC

(15:02) - Lessons Learned as an Operating Partner

(17:53) - Identifying Product-Market Fit

(21:06) - The Importance of Talent in VC

(23:57) - Final Thoughts and Future Aspirations

(41:06) - Navigating Venture Capital Networks

(44:00) - Insights from Operating as a Non-Venture Backed Company

(49:40) - The 'God of Beliefs' Framework in Investment

(53:01) - Mastering VC Relationships

(56:27) - The Rapid Evolution of Go-To-Market Tech

(01:01:09) - The Future of CRM and AI Integration

(01:06:20) - The Challenge of Investing in AI Startups

(01:12:11) - Creating a Culture of AI Experimentation

(01:16:26) - Defining Greatness in Revenue Leadership

In this episode of the Revenue Leadership Podcast, host Kyle Norton converses with Jordan Crawford, a GTM Data Scientist, to examine the transformative impact of AI in business. They delve into the DeepSeek AI model and its potential to revolutionize the industry while critiquing traditional sales models and emphasizing the importance of data-driven strategies. The discussion highlights how revenue leaders can integrate AI into their daily operations, utilizing tools like ChatGPT and Claude to boost productivity and learning. Jordan offers insights on crafting a strategic approach to AI implementation, underscoring the need for specialized roles and external expertise to guide organizational transformation.

If you like what you heard from Kyle today, make sure to follow The Revenue Leadership Podcast by Pavilion for new episodes every Wednesday.

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In this episode of The Revenue Leadership Podcast, host Kyle Norton sits down with Nate Follen, head of business systems operations at Ramp, to explore the company's rapid growth and the strategies behind building scalable systems. They discuss Ramp's use of AI tools like Momentum to boost sales and operations, as well as their strategy for building versus buying software solutions. The conversation also explores AI's transformative overall impact on sales, shifting reps toward more strategic, relationship-driven roles.

If you like what you heard from Kyle today, make sure to follow The Revenue Leadership Podcast by Pavilion for new episodes every Wednesday.

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In this episode of the Revenue Leadership Podcast, host Kyle Norton connects with Catie Ivey, the CRO at Walnut, to explore her journey as a first-time CRO. Catie shares her experiences in navigating the challenges of establishing foundational processes in a startup environment, emphasizing the importance of aligning teams and refining customer profiles. The discussion also covers competitive strategies in crowded markets, with Catie highlighting the need for clear positioning and transparency in sales methodologies. Together, they explore the qualities that distinguish great CROs and leaders, focusing on the ability to identify and nurture team members' strengths.

If you like what you heard from Kyle today, make sure to follow The Revenue Leadership Podcast by Pavilion for new episodes every Wednesday.

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In this special crossover episode, originally aired on Topline's feed, Asad and AJ are joined by Kyle Norton, CRO of Owner.com and Host of The Revenue Leadership Podcast. The group explores the evolving role of the CRO, highlighting the diverse characteristics of successful leaders in this position. The conversation also delves into the transformative impact of AI advancements, particularly the implications of GPT-3 and GPT-4 models on business operations and workforce dynamics. Kyle shares insights on how AI might reduce the need for middle management, prompting companies to rethink growth strategies.

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In this episode of the Revenue Leadership Podcast, host Kyle Norton chats with Ron Gabrisko, the Chief Revenue Officer of Databricks, to explore the journey from startup to a multi-billion dollar powerhouse. Ron shares his insights on the pivotal strategies that fueled Databricks' growth, emphasizing the need for constant reinvention at every stage of development. The discussion covers the evolution of go-to-market strategies, the intricacies of pricing, and the importance of leadership development in scaling a business.

*Please note that Databricks raised $10B in funding in December 2024, not $20B.

If you like what you heard from Kyle today, make sure to follow The Revenue Leadership Podcast for new episodes every Wednesday.

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In this episode of the Revenue Leadership Podcast, host Kyle Norton chats with JD Miller, a seasoned CRO with over 20 years of experience in private equity-backed software. JD shares his journey from pre-law to B2B tech sales and dives into the unique dynamics of PE, including fast-paced execution, the "rule of 40," and disciplined value creation. He also unveils his CRO Playbook, detailing strategies for building annual plans, aligning teams, and driving growth. Drawing on his time at Motus, JD highlights how to scale revenue teams, enter new markets, and adapt to disruption.

Buy a copy of The CRO's Guide to Winning in Private Equity by JD Miller.

If you like what you heard from Kyle today, make sure to follow The Revenue Leadership Podcast for new episodes every Wednesday.

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