In this episode, John Kaplan and John McMahon dive into the intricacies of leadership, coaching, and team dynamics with Brian White, the Running Backs Coach at Bowling Green. They explore the parallels between sports and sales leadership, emphasizing the importance of will, skill, and creating a team-oriented atmosphere. White shares insights from his illustrious career, including his coaching philosophy, the importance of building intimate relationships with players, and balancing individual and team goals. The discussion also addresses the evolving challenges in coaching amidst a backdrop of changing team compositions and maintaining a competitive edge. Tune in for an engaging session filled with practical advice and inspiring anecdotes on leading and motivating high-performance teams.

Tune in and learn more on this episode of The Revenue Builders Podcast.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Connect and learn more about Brian White:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-white-38bb5716a/

HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT
[00:04:20] Brian White's Coaching Journey
[00:08:12] Lessons from Wins and Losses
[00:09:04] The Role of a Coach
[00:13:05] Building a Team Culture
[00:19:58] Effective Communication in Coaching
[00:25:10] Creating a Roadmap for Success
[00:27:27] Competitive Memory in Sports
[00:27:57] The Importance of Fundamentals
[00:29:28] Intimacy in Coaching
[00:30:38] The Role of Feedback
[00:31:30] Coaching vs. Teaching
[00:32:12] Leadership and Parenting
[00:33:22] Creating a Comfortable Environment
[00:34:33] Being Coachable
[00:41:37] Evolving as a Coach
[00:44:24] Skill and Will Matrix

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

[00:09:25] "The role of a coach is to help you reach your genetic ceiling. I want you to get a concussion banging your head on your genetic ceiling."
[00:07:17]"For every buyer, there has to be a seller. It’s not real complicated—when the market crashed, there were no buyers. Simple wisdom applies to life as well."
[00:15:49] "Play as hard as you can, as fast as you can, for as long as you can—and be a great teammate."
[00:10:21] "People haven’t changed; they still want to be touched and connected with on a human level."

In this episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, John McMahon and John Kaplan are joined by Scot Loeffler, head football coach at Bowling Green State University and a former quarterback coach for Tom Brady at Michigan. The discussion centers on the challenges and strategies of rebuilding a football team, including the importance of hiring experienced staff and aligning them with a shared vision. Loeffler emphasizes focusing on the majority who contribute positively rather than the minority who resist change, and expresses gratitude for the time and support provided by Bowling Green to properly rebuild the program. This episode offers valuable insights for leaders looking to build the right team and drive successful organizational change.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

[00:00:35] Challenges of Rebuilding a Team
[00:01:19] Hiring the Right People
[00:02:16] Establishing and Maintaining Culture
[00:04:45] Focusing on Positive Leadership
[00:05:52] The Importance of Time in Rebuilding

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

[00:02:16] “We simply took the business model that we knew at the University of Michigan and translated it into Bowling Green.”
[00:05:00] “As this process was moving along, I found myself as a leader, really concentrating on the 10 percent that was bad rather than the 90 percent of my good kids.”
[00:06:04] “In my industry, time is the ultimate essence. I was very fortunate to walk into this organization and they said that we're going to rebuild the whole thing.”
[00:06:51] “It always takes a little bit longer than you think to turn around a program.”

Listen to the full episode through this link:
https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/story-of-a-turnaround-the-long-game-of-leadership

Check out John McMahon’s book here:
Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4

Check out Force Management’s Ascender platform here:
https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/

Read Force Management's eBook:
https://www.forcemanagement.com/roi-of-sales-messaging

In this episode, John Kaplan and John McMahon dive deep into the intricacies of why B2B sales deals often don't close successfully. Special guest Anne Gary joins the discussion for the third time to offer insights into the common pitfalls in the sales process, from poor discovery and scoping to failed champion development and suboptimal engagement with economic buyers. They provide actionable advice on how to slow down and properly align your sales strategy with the customer's pain points, metrics, and decision criteria to close deals effectively. They emphasize the importance of thorough preparation, understanding customer pain points, building solid champions, and creating a compelling proof of value. The episode is a must-listen for any sales professional looking to refine their approach and increase their close rates.

Tune in and learn more on this episode of The Revenue Builders Podcast.

HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT

[00:02:04] Why Deals Don't Close: Discovery Stage
[00:03:41] The Importance of Proper Preparation
[00:11:42] Metrics and Measuring Success
[00:19:02] Building Trust and Overcoming Hesitation
[00:32:57] Finding and Leveraging Champions
[00:39:54] Understanding Deal Patterns: M, W, and L
[00:40:36] The Importance of Multi-Threading in Sales
[00:41:53] Developing Trust with Potential Champions
[00:46:33] Economic Buyers and Their Influence
[00:54:46] Navigating Proof of Value (POV)
[01:02:39] Closing the Deal: Overcoming Common Challenges

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

[00:03:08] "The biggest mistake we make is hoping the customer will connect the dots from the features and functions to the quantifiable impact that you have on solving the business problem."
[00:09:21] "If you’re measured on how many meetings you get, you can get a lot of meetings, but they may not be with the right person."
[00:13:34] "Metrics are hard because a lot of reps don’t know how a customer should be measuring success based on the problems and solutions discussed."
[00:19:15] "Sometimes customers hold back on metrics because they don’t trust you yet."
[00:46:11] "I'm willing to be led, provided you can take me to a place I can't get to on my own."
[00:47:49] "If you're selling anything that's worth anything, they're never going to have a budget for it."
[00:49:22] "Economic buyers need their own champions inside the account."

In this curated episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, John McMahon and John Kaplan are joined by Mark Banfield, CEO of 1E, to discuss the importance of building trust in sales. The conversation delves into how integrity, emotional intelligence, and a deep understanding of the customer’s needs are critical in establishing trust. They also explore how elite sellers differentiate themselves by turning technical capabilities into business outcomes and guiding champions within an organization. Whether you're a seasoned sales professional or just starting, this episode offers invaluable insights on fostering trust and achieving sales success.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

[00:01:18] Integrity and emotional intelligence as cornerstones of trust-building.
[00:02:28] The importance of understanding both the business and personal objectives of customers.
[00:03:14] The value of patience and deep understanding during the discovery phase.
[00:04:09] Attaching to the biggest business issues: Turning technical capabilities into customer outcomes.
[00:04:59] Preparing customers for internal communication: A crucial step in building trust.

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

[00:01:49] "Selling is more about listening than it's about anything else.
[00:02:48] "Integrity happens by your actions—what you say you're going to do, you do."
[00:04:09] "You have to attach yourself to the biggest business issue facing that customer. Once you do that, the road is paved with gold."
[00:04:33] "When they allow you to influence that decision criteria with your differentiation, that's trust."

Listen to the full episode through this link:
https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/improving-productivity-and-reducing-friction-in-the-workplace-with-mark-banfield

Check out John McMahon’s book here:
Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4

Check out Force Management’s Ascender platform here:
https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/

Read Force Management's eBook:
https://www.forcemanagement.com/roi-of-sales-messaging

In this episode, John Kaplan and John McMahon are joined by Mark Roberge, former CRO of HubSpot and co-founder of Stage 2 Capital. They dive deep into Clayton Christensen’s book, 'The Innovator's Dilemma,' exploring why well-managed companies fail despite their best efforts to innovate. The discussion covers historical and present examples of disruptive vs. sustaining technologies, with a focus on how companies can adapt in the rapidly changing tech landscape, especially with the emergence of AI. Insightful anecdotes from their careers and practical advice for business leaders make this a must-listen for anyone navigating the world of B2B sales and technology.

Tune in and learn more on this episode of The Revenue Builders Podcast.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Connect and learn more about Mark Roberge: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markroberge/

HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT

[00:01:26] Discussing The Innovator's Dilemma
[00:04:24] Relevance of The Innovator's Dilemma Today
[00:05:51] Sustaining vs. Disruptive Innovation
[00:07:12] Historical Examples of Disruptive Innovation
[00:08:53] Challenges of Adapting to Disruptive Technologies
[00:17:47] The Role of AI in Future Disruptions
[00:30:19] The Evolution of Job Markets
[00:30:36] AI's Impact on Insurance Companies
[00:31:43] Disrupting Established Companies
[00:32:48] Challenges of Acquisitions
[00:33:45] Strategies for Cloud Transition
[00:44:11] The Role of SMBs in Innovation
[00:48:29] HubSpot's Unique Approach

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

[00:04:08] "I just think therapists are like the best analog for just great salesmanship because if you walk into a therapy session, you're bummed out. You walk out, you're friggin jazzed about life and all they did was ask you eight questions."
[00:06:39] "We were in a sustaining innovation realm...you follow that, you're going to be bankrupt in five years."
[00:10:04] "The promise of AI is to get rid of the people, to get rid of the salespeople. And when you look at today’s sales tech big players, their entire business model is based on charging per person. How the hell are they going to survive in a world where the number of salespeople a company has is declining?"
[00:16:47] "The move to cloud infrastructure, subscription pricing, and shifting to inside sales — for a big company, these changes are nearly impossible to make."

In this curated episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, John McMahon and John Kaplan dive into the transformative potential of AI in sales with insights from James Underhill, Senior Director for Sales Innovation at MongoDB. The discussion covers how AI can enhance sales productivity across the funnel, from territory management to post-sale processes. James shares his experiences and strategies for using AI to help sales reps focus on what truly matters—building strong relationships and driving revenue.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

[00:01:19] The importance of reframing customer problems to build trust.
[00:01:54] AI's role in contextualizing top-of-the-funnel data.
[00:02:40] Middle-of-the-funnel AI applications: CRM and knowledge management.
[00:03:19] Bottom-of-the-funnel AI uses: Renewal, upsell, and customer usage insights.
[00:05:16] The distinction between what AI should be used for vs. what it can be used for.
[00:06:51] AI as a tool for sales reps and leaders, not a replacement.

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

[00:01:19] "When somebody helps to reframe a problem that I have in a way I hadn’t thought of, that’s when I know this is a great seller."
[00:05:16] "It’s important to have the tools to augment the information you have, but decisions should still be made by people."[00:06:51] "The value proposition for AI is what it can do for the reps and sales leaders, not to them."

Listen to the full episode through this link:
https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/the-impact-of-ai-on-sales-with-james-underhill

Check out John McMahon’s book here:
Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4

Check out Force Management’s Ascender platform here:
https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/

Read Force Management's eBook:
https://www.forcemanagement.com/roi-of-sales-messaging

In this episode, John Kaplan and John McMahon welcome Jake Zweig, a former Navy SEAL, college football coach, and leadership development expert. Jake shares his inspiring journey from his formative years in Washington State to his achievements at the U.S. Naval Academy and beyond. The discussion covers his unyielding drive to win, lessons in leadership, and the significance of mentorship. Jake also explains his approach to identifying and developing leaders, which involves a deep understanding of their capabilities and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Tune in to hear Jake's valuable insights and powerful, real-life anecdotes on resilience and leadership.

Tune in and learn more on this episode of The Revenue Builders Podcast.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Connect and learn more about Jake Zweig:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakezweig/

HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT

[00:03:36] Jake's Upbringing and Early Influences
[00:06:22] Academic Achievements and Early Leadership
[00:11:48] Journey to the Naval Academy
[00:20:41] Challenges and Lessons at the Naval Academy
[00:22:17] Transition to SEAL Training
[00:25:41] Athletic Pursuits and Wrestling at Navy
[00:30:49] Leadership Lessons from Bad Examples
[00:32:42] Current Endeavors and Leadership Philosophy
[00:35:22] The Importance of Hard Work and Dedication
[00:36:07] Developing Leadership Skills
[00:38:07] Characteristics of Successful Leaders
[00:40:22] Emotional Intelligence and Intuition
[00:41:53] The Role of Upbringing in Success
[00:45:08] The How: Teaching and Mentorship
[00:46:25] Real-Life Mentorship Success Stories
[00:52:57] The Blueprint to Success
[00:54:46] The Importance of Execution and Adaptability

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

[00:32:30] "I'm about leadership and results. My job is to make sure those freshmen get grounded, have a great foundation for the rest of the time at the Naval Academy, and they learn good leadership. Screaming at people is not good leadership. That's bad leadership."
[00:35:14] "They got to be a capable person. If you're not a capable person, I can't put you in charge. The next thing I look for is, do you want to be good? Because there's a lot of people out there that are super capable and they don't want to do the work to be great."
[00:40:22] "Yeah, all of the things you said play into EQ, right? Like your emotional intelligence, your ability to talk to somebody and understand where they came from and who they are and how you can relate to them."

In this curated episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, John McMahon and John Kaplan discuss the pivotal role of champions in accelerating sales performance. John McMahon explains the necessity of earning trust, educating, and developing champions to effectively sell on your behalf. He emphasizes the importance of differentiating your product and preparing champions to handle objections in competitive scenarios. Additionally, the discussion highlights the distinctions between 'coaches' and 'champions' and the significance of understanding influence and authority within an organization. This episode is a comprehensive guide for sales professionals aiming to leverage internal champions to drive success.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

[00:00:22] The Role of Champions in Sales
[00:00:43] Building Trust and Educating Your Champion
[00:01:09] Preparing Champions for Objections
[00:01:55] Role-Playing Scenarios with Champions
[00:03:41] Defining Coaches vs. Champions
[00:04:03] Understanding Influence and Authority
[00:05:31] Real-World Example: Selling to the Right Person

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

[00:00:48] "First, you got to earn trust and you have to help educate and develop your champion."
[00:01:09] "When that champion goes into a meeting to talk about you and your product, there's going to be a competitor's champion in that same room."
[00:00:48] "You have to almost make them an internal salesperson because when you're not there, they have to basically sell on your behalf."
[00:05:07] "Stay away from Nina and stay away from Annie. Nina is no influence and no authority and Annie is authority and no influence."
[00:05:26] "What’s the difference between an org chart and a power chart? Authority and influence."

Listen to the full episode through this link:
https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/a-closer-look-at-champions/

Check out John McMahon’s book here:
Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4

Check out Force Management’s Ascender platform here:
ttps://my.ascender.co/Ascender/

Read Force Management's eBook:
https://www.forcemanagement.com/roi-of-sales-messaging