Are you still relying on cold outbound to drive early-stage revenue? You might be missing the most effective Revenue Growth lever sitting right in front of you: your network. But how do you leverage it?

In this episode of Making Revenue Tick, Jessica Robertson, Chief Revenue Officer at Orbb

, breaks down the GoToNetwork strategy, a scalable, efficient way to unlock high-value conversations and accelerate pipeline through strategic relationships, embedded sellers, and warm introductions.

This is not about skipping sales. It’s about augmenting your go-to-market with human signal - using trust, context, and connection to open doors that SDRs and sequences can’t.

If you're a B2B SaaS founder, CRO, VP Sales, or RevOps leader looking to increase revenue without bloating headcount, this episode is a blueprint for action.

In This GTN Masterclass:

✅ What “GoToNetwork” actually is, and why it works

✅ How smart CROs are deploying on-demand intro networks

✅ Why relationships outperform cold outbound for early-stage growth

✅ When to use embedded sellers vs. building internal teams

✅ How to convert trust into qualified pipeline

✅ Building a flexible, scalable revenue engine without overhiring

Jessica shares firsthand experience from scaling multiple revenue teams - and reveals why the future of Revenue is network-led, insight-driven, and context-first.

🔗 Connect with Jessica Robertson:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicalrobertson/

🎙️ About the Host – Richard Washington

Richard is the founder of Tick Talent and host of What Makes You Tick. He helps VC-backed tech companies scale from $0M to $250M+ ARR by recruiting sales leaders that actually deliver revenue.

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/

📩 Join the Newsletter – Growth Magnet

https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928

🎧 More Episodes → https://www.youtube.com/@WhatMakesYouTick

📣 Subscribe for weekly GTM masterclasses from real startup operators

#GoToNetwork #GTN #B2BSaaS #CROstrategy #StartupGrowth #MakingRevenueTick #WMYT #TickTalent #Orbb

Hiring great salespeople in a tough market?

You’ll miss your best hire if all you care about is quota.

In this Best Bits episode, Matt Marshall (former sales leader turned GTM recruiter) joins Richard Washington to reveal why some of the most capable reps have been overlooked — just because they missed a target.

Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/GQTDd8L1Z-I?si=PPComg3FlkLa6kjm

They dive deep into how to assess context, mindset, and accountability, so you can spot high-potential sales talent others pass up — and avoid the $500K+ mistake of hiring for pedigree over performance.

🎯 What You’ll Learn:

How to identify top sales performers — even if their resume shows a dip

The real red flags (and green flags) in sales hiring

Why “open to work” candidates are often your smartest hire

How to assess underperformance without falling for excuses

What founders get wrong when vetting sales talent

Why honest client conversations are just as important as candidate screening

The mindset that separates scrappy, high-growth sales talent from entitled job-hoppers

👤 About Matt Marshall

GTM Recruiter | Ex-Sales Leader | Partner to high-growth tech startups across North America

🔗 Connect with Matt on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattlmarshall/

🎙️ About the Host – Richard Washington

Richard Washington is co-host of What Makes You Tick, a GTM recruiter, and a trusted advisor to B2B SaaS companies scaling from $0M to $250M+ ARR.

He helps founders build revenue teams that actually perform, with strategy, talent, and execution that scales.

🔗 Follow Richard on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/

Read his newsletter Growth Magnet → https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928

📩 Subscribe for more real-world hiring frameworks from startup operators who've scaled from $0M to $250M ARR.

📺 If you’re a tech founder, GTM leader, or revenue recruiter — this episode will help you think better about who you hire.

#SalesHiring #StartupTalent #B2BSaaS #GTMStrategy #TickTalent

AI Agents aren’t over hyped - they’re the new operating system for modern GTM teams.

If your team aren't using them already, you're being overtaken.

In this masterclass episode, Justin Parnell (aka Justin GPT) breaks down how elite revenue leaders are deploying AI-powered agents and workflows to multiply output, accelerate execution, and drive pipeline.

If you’re still relying on manual tasks, bloated headcount, or outdated tools, this conversation will help you rethink how your revenue org should actually operate in 2025.

This is not ChatGPT-for-cold-outreach fluff.

It’s the real-world AI stack, battle-tested by startup operators and GTM leaders using it today.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

✅ What “AI agents” really are—and how to use them inside GTM

✅ The revenue stack top operators are building (and why)

✅ How to move from AI busywork → outcome-focused workflows

✅ How to boost sales productivity without adding headcount

✅ Why roles are being replaced by workflows in modern orgs

✅ How to evaluate tools and systems that actually drive revenue

👤 About Justin Parnell (Justin GPT)

Early-stage operator. GTM advisor. AI workflow builder.

Justin shares publicly how he’s using AI agents to run lean, scalable, and smarter GTM operations. If you want to get your team using AI, call Justin.

🔗 Connect with Justin on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-parnell/

🎙️ About the Host – Richard Washington

Richard Washington is co-host of What Makes You Tick, a GTM recruiter, and a trusted advisor to B2B SaaS companies scaling from $0M to $250M+ ARR.

He helps founders build revenue teams that actually perform, with strategy, talent, and execution that scales.

🔗 Follow Richard on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/

📩 Read his newsletter Growth Magnet → https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928

📌 If you’re a startup founder, GTM operator, or revenue leader scaling in B2B tech—this episode is your tactical AI roadmap.

💬 Drop your take in the comments:

How is your team actually using AI right now?

#aigtm #aiagents #aisales #aileadership #aistartups #wmyt

Featuring Dan Hurwitz - Startup CRO | GTM Advisor | Sales Hiring Expert

Hiring your first sales leader? Most founders get it wrong, and it costs them $500K+.

In this Best Bits episode, GTM advisor and fractional CRO Dan Hurwitz abd Richard Washington (Tick Talent founder) break down why most early-stage startups fail at their first sales hire, and how to avoid the most expensive hiring mistake in your go-to-market journey.

If you're a tech founder, early-stage CEO, or operator scaling from $1M to $10M ARR, this episode is a must-watch.

In This Episode:

✅ Why hiring a VP of Sales too early backfires

✅ The #1 mistake founders make in early GTM hiring

✅ Why “big logo” sales leaders rarely succeed in startups

✅ What to look for instead: operators, builders, and early-stage scrappers

✅ How to assess sales talent when there’s no playbook

✅ The cost of hiring for pedigree over context

Dan shares lived experience from advising dozens of B2B SaaS startups—and gets brutally honest about what works (and what wastes time, money, and runway).

🔗 Connect with Dan Hurwitz:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dahurwitz/

Fractional CRO • Early-stage GTM Investor and Advisor • Sales Hiring Expert

🎙️ About the Host – Richard Washington

Richard Washington is co-host of What Makes You Tick, a GTM recruiter, and a trusted advisor to B2B SaaS companies scaling from $0M to $250M+ ARR.

He helps founders build revenue teams that actually perform, with strategy, talent, and execution that scales.

🔗 Follow Richard on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/

📩 Read his newsletter Growth Magnet → https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928

🎧 Want the full episode? https://youtu.be/2kxegbXKUms?si=x12W9g7PeTNTa9sP

📩 Subscribe for more real-world GTM hiring strategies from startup operators who’ve done it.

#startuphiring #salesleadership #B2BSaaS #GTMstrategy #foundertips #WMYT #TickTalent

Scaling SaaS from $10M to $30M ARR is one of the hardest growth stages.

Founders, boards, and revenue leaders all face the same frustrating challenges:

Pipeline is healthy, but revenue growth slows down.

Sales cycles drag out and win rates fall.

Big “hero deals” look promising but rarely close.

Customers say they like your product, but don’t see enough value to buy.

The SaaS growth trap is real: doubling down on what you do instead of what it actually does for the customer.

In this episode of Making Revenue Tick, Michael Muhlfelder — SaaS interim CRO, board advisor, and growth operator — explains why so many SaaS companies stall at $10–30M ARR, and how to break through by solving the problem your customers actually care about.

We cover:

Why SaaS revenue stalls between $10–30M ARR.

The real reasons customers don’t buy (and how to hear what they really think).

Why chasing “hero deals” can kill repeatable growth.The danger of pivoting too quickly before reflecting.

Why people don’t buy products — they buy outcomes and impact.

How to align sales, marketing, and product around one core customer problem.

The payoff for you:

If you’re a SaaS founder or exec at $10–30M ARR, this episode will help you…Avoid the growth cliffs that stall so many SaaS businesses.

Focus your GTM strategy on customer value, not just features.Build repeatable revenue instead of chasing one-off wins.Get unstuck and unlock scale beyond $30M ARR.

This is a practical conversation for SaaS leaders who want clarity, alignment, and sustainable growth — without wasting precious cycles on the wrong problems..About Michael MuhlfelderMichael is an experienced SaaS sales leader, interim CRO, and board advisor who helps early-stage and PE/VC-backed SaaS companies scale revenue beyond $30M ARR. He specializes in diagnosing growth stalls, aligning GTM teams, and unlocking repeatable customer value.🔗 Connect with Michael: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemuhlfelder/🎙️ About the Host – Richard WashingtonRichard Washington is co-host of What Makes You Tick, a GTM recruiter, and a trusted advisor to B2B SaaS companies scaling from $0M to $250M+ ARR. He helps founders build revenue teams that actually perform, with strategy, talent, and execution that scales.🔗 Follow Richard on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/📩 Read his newsletter Growth Magnet → https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928#StartupGrowth#RevenueLeadership#GTMStrategy#ScalableGrowth#MakingRevenueTick #WMYT #TickTalent #CalmOceanSales

Some conversations can change the course of your career, but only if you're brave enough to have them!

In this WMYT “Best Bits” episode, Jelena Tarbuk (VP Sales at Onfido, and a seasoned tech sales leader) shares how she learned to navigate the hardest conversations to rise up in her career, from IC to leader of teams.

From growing up in a war-torn country to leading high-performing sales teams in the U.S. at some of the biggest scaleup names out there.

This is a masterclass in real leadership and communication.

Not the loud kind, but the kind built on curiosity, empathy, emotional intelligence, and the courage to speak up when it matters most.

🔥 What You’ll Learn:

How to handle difficult conversations with empathy and strength

Why intention + bravery beats aggression every time

How to coach others through discomfort and help them grow

The difference between being vulnerable and being unprepared

How understanding people’s stories builds trust and drives performance

Why being in a good place emotionally is essential for good leadership

🔗 Full episode with Jelena Tarbuk:

https://youtu.be/YzhYMEVrubQ?si=cYGhU9EIMRzBNBD9

⏱️ Clip Context:

This moment captures Jelena’s philosophy on leadership - how she turns high-pressure, emotionally complex situations into breakthrough growth moments, for herself and her team.

💬 Join the Conversation:

What’s a tough conversation you had to navigate as a leader, and what did it teach you?

📌 Don’t forget to:

👍 Like

💬 Comment

🔔 Subscribe for more stories from tech’s boldest leaders on What Makes You Tick

About the Guest - Jelena Tarbuk

Jelena Tarbuk is a VP Sales Americas, at Onfido - with over 15 years of experience leading high-performing sales teams across the tech industry. She’s known for her people-first leadership style, deep product curiosity, and ability to coach through complexity with clarity and care.

🔗 Connect with Jelena → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jelenatarbuk/

About the Founder of Tick Talent, Richard Washington

Richard Washington is co-host of What Makes You Tick, a GTM recruiter, and a trusted advisor to B2B SaaS companies scaling from $5M to $250M ARR. He helps founders build revenue teams that actually perform, with strategy, talent, and execution that scales.

🔗 Follow Richard on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/

📩 Read his newsletter Growth Magnet → https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928

#LeadershipDevelopment

#DifficultConversations

#EmotionalIntelligence

#SalesLeadership

#WomenInTech #WMYT #TickTalent

James Smith, SVP EMEA @ ThoughtSpot | Making Revenue Tick – Masterclass Series

“How can we 10X sales productivity without hiring more reps?”

That’s the question James Smith was asked by his CEO - the real answer lies in reimagining your sales process from the bottom up with AI

In this Making Revenue Tick Masterclass, we unpack how ThoughtSpot reengineered their sales strategy by rethinking every part of the system:

🧠 mindset → 🛠️ process → 🔋 people → 🤖 AI.

If you’re a founder or revenue leader scaling from zero to $250M+ ARR, and wondering why sales productivity isn’t scaling, this will fuel your playbook.

🚨 Problems We Tackle:

Why AI can’t save you if your process is broken

The #1 mistake teams make when applying AI to sales

Why hiring “safe” experience hires stalls growth

How most managers are subtracting energy from your org

Why productivity isn’t an output metric — it’s a design decision

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

The 10X question every CEO should ask - and why it unlocks leverage

Why salespeople aren’t being replaced by AI, they’re being freed by it

How to build a human-AI system where the tech handles friction and reps focus on customers

The difference between “adding people” and “multiplying output”

Why spark, adaptability, and learning velocity beat experience on every scaleup curve

What your internal productivity leaks are costing you - and how to spot them fast

🔊 Soundbites That Hit:

“Productivity isn’t about tools - it’s about reimagining how we sell.”

“Not 10% better. 10X different.”

“Safe hires don’t scale. Spark does.”

10X Productivity of Sales in the AI Era:

- The 10X Question That Changed the Game

- AI in Sales: What Everyone Gets Wrong

- Replacing Output Pressure with Leverage Design

- Hiring for SPARK: How to Spot It in Interview

- Sales Process Reengineering: The Untapped Goldmine

- How to Stop Subtracting Energy from Your Teams

- ThoughtSpot’s GTM Reinvention in Action

- Human-Centric AI: Redefining the Rep’s Role

- A Playbook for Scaling Without Adding Busy Teams

🎙️ About the Guest – James Smith

James Smith is the SVP EMEA at ThoughtSpot, where he’s pioneering how AI can be applied to transform the productivity of his GTM team. With a career spanning high-growth SaaS companies including Salesforce and Tableau, James is known for building world-class teams, challenging conventional thinking, and scaling revenue across international markets.

At ThoughtSpot, James leads with a 10X mindset - driving radical innovation in how sales teams operate, collaborate, and grow using AI. He’s passionate about empowering people, hiring for potential over pedigree, and rethinking sales productivity from the ground up. He builds teams who win together.

🔗 Connect with James on LinkedIn and ask him anything about going through this journey

https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-smith-15627941/

🎙️ About the Host – Richard Washington

Richard Washington is co-host of What Makes You Tick, a GTM recruiter, and a trusted advisor to B2B SaaS companies scaling from $0M to $250M+ ARR.

He helps founders build revenue teams that actually perform, with strategy, talent, and execution that scales.

🔗 Follow Richard on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/

📩 Read his newsletter Growth Magnet → https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928

If this helped, like & subscribe, and ask any question about your own goals with AI and sales productivity.

If your B2B SaaS is stuck between $5M and $25M ARR, the blocker probably isn’t the product—it’s your ICP. In this Best Bits cut, Paul Wingfield shows how sharpening your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) turns “spray-and-pray” into profitable, repeatable growth—complete with the unforgettable toothbrush analogy.

This clip (18:45–41:40 from the full episode) distills how to focus your go-to-market (GTM), connect TAM/SAM/SOM to a real ICP, and craft messaging fit that makes buyers say “they get me.”

What you’ll learn

Three ICP mistakes that stall growth (too broad, too narrow, or jumping enterprise too early)

Why specialization beats generalists (don’t make AEs do everything)

The 10% penetration rule: when to expand to adjacent markets

How TAM (Total Addressable Market) / SAM (Serviceable Addressable Market) / SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market) actually anchor to ICP

Messaging fit ≈ sales-market fit: show relevance, not features

A mini turnaround case where narrowing ICP unlocked serious ARR

Who this is for

Founders, CROs, revenue leaders, and GTM teams scaling B2B SaaS from $5M–$25M ARR who want predictable, profitable growth.

Chapters (relative to this clip)

00:00 – The 3 ICP mistakes (quick recap)

02:18 – Specialize to scale (focus > spread thin)

04:42 – Why sales “drop off a cliff”

07:15 – Turnaround: narrowing ICP to grow faster

09:29 – The 10% ICP penetration rule (before expanding)

11:22 – TAM / SAM / SOM explained simply

13:16 – What ICP really means (not “we sell to developers”)

18:27 – Narrow ICP → stronger value props

22:15 – Sales-market fit = messaging fit

22:26 – The toothbrush analogy (memorable takeaway)

About the guest

Paul Wingfield - advisor/operator helping B2B SaaS companies move from founder-led sales to repeatable, profitable GTM.

onnect with Paul: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-wingfield/

🎙️ About the Host – Richard Washington

Richard Washington is co-host of What Makes You Tick, a GTM recruiter, and a trusted advisor to B2B SaaS companies scaling from $5M to $50M ARR. He helps founders build revenue teams that actually perform, with strategy, talent, and execution that scales.

🔗 Follow Richard on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/

📩 Read his newsletter Growth Magnet → https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928

If this helped, like & subscribe, and drop a comment with your current ICP and the niche you’re considering next.

#B2BSaaS #ICP #IdealCustomerProfile #GoToMarket #TAMSAMSOM #ARR #SaaSMarketing #SaaSSales #BestBits #PaulWingfield #startupgrowth #ICPStrategy #ScalingStartups #ARRGrowth #SeriesAtoB #SalesAlignment #revenuegrowth #makingrevenuetick #richardwashington #startup #scaleup #techsales #seriesa #seriesb #tech #saas #ticktalent

WARNING: If you lead a sales org and you're missing quota… this episode will hit uncomfortably close to home. BUT, help enormously with your plans to bridge the GAP too.

To celebrate our 100th episode of WMYT, we brought in Keenan, author of Gap Selling, for a raw, unfiltered teardown of what’s really broken in most B2B sales teams today.

The harsh reality: most sales orgs, even at top-tier tech companies, are built on broken foundations.

And until CROs and founders fix the underlying system, no enablement playbook, tech stack, or recruiter will save them.

What You’ll Learn:

Why your reps aren’t the problem, your system is

How enablement, ops, and leadership are misaligned (and what to fix first)

Why bloated pipelines and dead opps = weak GTM infrastructure

What most CROs get completely wrong about coaching, hiring, and performance

Why “top talent” fails in broken systems

The KPIs that actually matter: win rate, deal velocity, average contract value

A sneak peek at GAP Prospecting, Keenan’s newest framework for top-of-funnel dominance

Who This Is For:

CROs at Series A to $100M+ tech companies

Founders building out their first real GTM engine

VPs of Sales & RevOps tired of reactive, messy execution

Investors & Advisors who want better performance from portfolio sales teams

Quote Worth Sharing:

"If you haven’t defined the system, the skills, and the standards, don’t expect results." - Keenan

Ready to Build a Sales Org That Scales?

👉 Subscribe for tactical GTM strategy, sales leadership, and execution frameworks

About Keenan

Keenan is the founder & CEO of A Sales Guy Inc. and the author of the best-selling book Gap Selling , one of the most influential sales books of the last decade. With 25+ years in sales leadership, he’s helped startups to Fortune 500s fix broken revenue teams, implement problem-centric selling, and scale pipeline with precision.

🔗 Connect with Keenan → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimkeenan/

📘 Check out his work https://salesgrowth.com/

🎙️ About the Host – Richard Washington

Richard Washington is co-host of What Makes You Tick, a GTM recruiter, and a trusted advisor to B2B SaaS companies scaling from $5M to $50M ARR. He helps founders build revenue teams that actually perform, with strategy, talent, and execution that scales.

🔗 Follow Richard on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/

📩 Read his newsletter Growth Magnet → https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928

Listen to Tolu's TEDx talk on Oceans https://youtu.be/dp0szAVURwo?si=pYuSJxBTIsBadOjk

Ready to Build a Sales Org That Scales?

👉 Subscribe for tactical GTM strategy, sales leadership, and execution frameworks

#GapSelling

#SalesLeadership

#CROStrategy

#RevenueGrowth

#WhatMakesYouTick #TickTalent #Keenan

Struggling to scale your startup's sales team and build a repeatable sales process?

In this WMYT? Best Bits episode, Scott Leese shares the number one sales challenge he helps founders solve:

How to simplify your product pitch and codify your sales process into a repeatable system, almost anyone could follow and be successful with. This is what Scott Leese is the best in the world at doing in the zero to $25M ARR growth stage.

Check out Scott's epic (free) 24 hour sales event, Midnight to Millions here https://www.midnight-to-millions.com/

If your growth depends on unicorn hires or your pitch is drowning in features, this is the answer you've been looking for.

What you’ll learn in this best bits moment:

How to simplify a complex B2B product pitch

Why founders struggle to scale sales beyond themselves

The real stages of growth from $0 to $25M ARR

Why “delete 97 of them” might be the best advice you’ll hear this year

Scott’s framework for building repeatable sales without unicorn hires

Who are the founders who do make it to $25M+, and go on to exit successfully?

About Scott Leese

Scott is one of the most respected voices in SaaS sales.

He’s a 6x sales leader, 5x founder, and 3x bestselling author, and has helped scale 12 unicorns and exit 14 companies.

As a fractional CRO and GTM advisor, he helps founders and revenue leaders scale smarter and faster.

Follow Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/

Don't miss his big event https://www.midnight-to-millions.com/

About WMYT? and Richard Washington

WMYT? (What Makes You Tick) is the podcast where tech founders and operators share the real stories behind their careers. No fluff, no filters, just hard-won lessons on scaling teams, hiring leaders, and navigating growth.

Hosted by Richard Washington, founder of Tick Talent, the go-to recruiter for growth stage startups scaling GTM and revenue teams.

Need help hiring Intrapreneurial sales leaders and ICs - check out our services: https://www.tick-talent.com/

Watch the full episode

Full Scott Leese interview (Ep.76): https://youtu.be/R2a6KfB4cxU?si=UYdO-SXf7QvBvliw

This is for anyone exploring:

Startup sales strategy, founder-led GTM, simplifying B2B SaaS sales, early-stage revenue growth, building a repeatable sales process.

#ScottLeese #StartupSales #GTMStrategy #WMYT #TickTalent #FounderAdvice #B2BSaaS #SalesLeadership #WhatMakesYouTick #MakingRevenueTick #BusinessPodcast