Is your win-loss data just expensive fiction written by your sales team? In this episode, Ryan Sorley (ex-Forrester, ex-Gartner) joins the crew to expose the hard truth about buyer research. From ripped jeans costing deals to bootstrapping a business while juggling kids and payroll, Ryan doesn't hold back on his journey from corporate misery to specialized success. Oh, and we uncovered the stupidly simple reason most product marketers fail at research. Tune in for honest laughs, real insights, and maybe a wake-up call about your "data."

In this episode, we're covering:

• How to run a solo business when you have kids and bills to pay

• The "Taylor Swift Squad" theory of business growth

• Why most buyer research is just wishful thinking with fancy graphs

• The Powder Blue Taurus Moment: when Ryan knew corporate life was BS

• Why writing a business plan is a complete waste of time for solopreneurs

• How Ryan went from 0 to 100 clients with ZERO salespeople

Check out his new book Blindspots on Amazon too!

Timestamps:

01:00 Introducing Ryan Sorley, Win-Loss Research Expert

02:36 Are Product Marketers Actually Marketers?

04:15 Ryan's Take on Product Marketing as Research

06:45 The Importance of Intentional Research

10:00 The "Superpower" of Win-Loss Analysis

12:34 The HubSpot Ripped Jeans Story

17:15 Ryan's Entrepreneurial Journey

19:00 The NJ Turnpike Moment: When Ryan Knew Corporate Life Wasn't for Him

21:00 How Ryan Discovered the Win-Loss Opportunity

23:45 Ryan's Transition from Gartner to Entrepreneurship

27:00 What's the Minimum Viable Plan for Going Solo?

30:00 The "Squad Life" Approach to Client Relationships

34:00 The Dark Times: Managing Cash Flow and Contractors

39:00 Specialization vs. Generalization in Consulting

42:45 Ryan's New Book: "Blind Spots" (Launch April 1st)

44:30 Closing Remarks and Farewell

Show Notes:

Ryan's LinkedIn

Blindspots on Amazon

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