Who is it For? Founders of CPG start-ups. What is It? Zero B.S. perspective on running your start-up well, understanding the biases of industry stakeholders and getting the industry to work for you, not the other way around. When? Every month. Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com If you want to take my founder's Quiz to see if you are ready for exponential growth, please visit : www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com/founder_resources and ...
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Selling the Cloud delves into the stories of C-suite veterans in Sales, Marketing, Customer Success, and RevOps, revealing the secrets behind building successful SaaS empires. Each episode features seasoned leaders who walk through their career journeys, sharing the wins and lessons learned along the way. From mastering customer acquisition to leveraging AI-powered marketing and sales strategies, our guests provide actionable insights for driving growth and business success in the B2B SaaS s ...
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Ep. 80 – Turning Customer Success into a Revenue Engine with Jack Zimnavoda - Part 2
16:25
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16:25In this Part 2 episode, co-host Mark Petruzzi continues the conversation with Jack Zimnavoda, Head of Customer Success at Insightful. This time, they explore how Jack’s team is scaling Customer Success by embedding AI, aligning post-sale marketing, and applying smart segmentation strategies. Jack shares how predictive tools, data-informed health sc…
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You do not need a 85-page defensive Powerpoint plan. But you do need a plan. And one-page is more than enough to keep your business disciplined in the early Phases. This episode makes the case and explains one key data source you need to have to make even a 1-page plan useful. Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.…
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Ep. 79 – Turning Customer Success into a Revenue Engine with Jack Zimnavoda
20:47
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20:47In this episode, co-host Mark Petruzzi welcomes Jack Zimnavoda, Head of Customer Success at Insightful. Jack shares how modern B2B SaaS organizations can turn customer success from a support function into a true driver of revenue and retention. Together, they explore what it takes to align CS with sales, marketing, and product—without creating chan…
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Ep. 78 - Why CEOs Should Rethink Revenue Leadership: A Strategic Wake-Up Call with Cathy Minter - Part 2
17:46
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17:46In this episode, co-hosts Mark Petruzzi and KK Anderson welcome back their friend and former Selling the Cloud host, Cathy Minter, now CEO of Wisdom.io. Cathy brings her deep go-to-market expertise to a timely conversation on what it really takes to scale in today’s fast-changing SaaS environment. Together, they explore why the traditional, siloed …
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Episode 143 - Broaden Your Positioning to Accelerate - Poppi and Dr. Squatch
7:40
7:40
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7:40Many founders worry about diluting the quality of their product in order to scale. Understood. Yet, diluting the ‘quality’ of your audience is essential. Snobby brands do not scale. Listen in as I explain why. Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other epi…
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Ep. 77 - Why CEOs Should Rethink Revenue Leadership: A Strategic Wake-Up Call with Cathy Minter - Part 1
25:33
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25:33In this episode, co-hosts Mark Petruzzi and KK Anderson welcome back their friend and former Selling the Cloud host, Cathy Minter, now CEO of Wisdom.io. Cathy brings her deep go-to-market expertise to a timely conversation on what it really takes to scale in today’s fast-changing SaaS environment. Together, they explore why the traditional, siloed …
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Ep. 76 -Systemizing Sales for Predictable Growth with David Fastuca - Part 2
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27:24In Part 2 of our conversation with B2B Sales Playbook co-author and Growth Forum CEO David Fastuca, we dig deeper into the realities of modern B2B selling—where sales efficiency meets brand experience, and AI is no longer optional. From the dangers of AI-powered spam to the rise of seller personal branding, David, Mark, and KK unpack the current sa…
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I finally spent some time to prove to all you door-counting crazies that doors do not equal value to your business. In the process, I developed a tool to plan your ACV build in a restrained manner, a tool you can reproduce (legally) on your end with your SPINS or NIelsen IQ retainer. Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, L…
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Ep. 75 Systemizing Sales for Predictable Growth with David Fastuca - Part 1
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21:45In this episode of Selling the Cloud, we sit down with David Fastuca, CEO and Co-Founder of Growth Forum and co-author of the bestselling new book B2B Sales Playbook. From his base in Melbourne, David shares how high-growth teams can stop relying on random acts of selling and start building systemized, scalable sales engines. If you're still managi…
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Selling Through Uncertainty: How Top Sellers with AI Win in a Shaky Market
54:49
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54:49In this episode of Selling the Cloud, hosts Mark Petruzzi and Kristin Anderson sit down with Stephen Messer, co-founder of Collective[i], to unpack why traditional sales playbooks are failing in today’s volatile markets—and what elite revenue organizations are doing differently. Stephen brings a bold, data-backed perspective on why so many sales te…
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Episode 141 - Founder Archetypes - The Missionary Founder
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7:27
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7:27How do mission-driven founders get in their own way? It’s not that hard, depending on how ideological your company’s foundations. The most fundamental issue with missionary zeal, when you do not channel it professionally into scaling a disciplined brand is this - you become overly anchored in the end goal and don’t take the journey seriously. Your …
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Hiring Grit: How to Build a High-Performance Sales Team with Doug Brown - Part 2
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30:39In Part 2 of our powerful conversation with Doug Brown—CEO of CEO Sales Strategies—we dig deep into what it really takes to scale a high-performing sales organization. From identifying your ideal buyer to designing repeatable sales systems and aligning with customer psychology, Doug shares the process-driven, mindset-first strategies he’s used to h…
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Hiring Grit: How to Build a High-Performance Sales Team with Doug Brown - Part 1
22:33
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22:33In Part 1 of this conversation with Doug Brown—CEO of CEO Sales Strategies and one of the most trusted voices in revenue acceleration—Mark and KK dive into what it really takes to build a high-performance sales team. Whether you're scaling a startup or optimizing a mature sales org, this episode is your blueprint for hiring top producers, increasin…
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Selling the Experience: Building Global Sales Teams That Win with Gene Guhne - Part 2
15:58
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15:58In this episode of Selling the Cloud, Gene Guhne, a seasoned sales executive and global leader at Sabre, joins Mark Petruzzi and KK Anderson for a candid conversation on what it takes to lead modern sales organizations. From building cultures of accountability to navigating geopolitical risk, Gene shares battle-tested leadership lessons that every …
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Episode 140 - Rapid Growth Is Not For Everyone w/Sarah Delevan
21:27
21:27
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21:27It’s time for a contrarian view. Most founders in CPG should not be focused on rapid growth. It is far easier to create a stable, satisfying seven-figure CPG business if you let go of a need to scale (and grow fast to get there). In this episode, Sarah and I explore the key financial math that forces your hand as a founder. Do you really want to pu…
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Selling the Experience: Building Global Sales Teams That Win with Gene Guhne - Part 1
19:19
19:19
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19:19In this episode of Selling the Cloud, hosts Mark Petruzzi and KK Anderson sit down with Gene Guhne, Senior Vice President of Global Sales at Sabre Hospitality, to explore what it truly takes to lead a successful global sales team in today’s fast-evolving landscape. Gene draws on decades of experience managing international teams to share insights i…
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How AI is Revolutionizing Digital Marketing & Content Creation with Taylor Frame - Part 2
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24:07In this high-energy episode of Selling the Cloud, co-hosts Mark Petruzzi and KK Anderson sit down with Taylor Frame, founder of Best Practice Media, to dive deep into how AI is revolutionizing performance marketing, personalization, and paid media strategy. Taylor shares cutting-edge insights from managing over 100 brands across e-commerce and loca…
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Episode 139- The Problems With Early-Stage Marketing: Doubt and a Design Bias
5:57
5:57
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5:57It’s not uncommon for brands to scale mostly as B2B enterprises with minimal emphasis on sophisticated consumer marketing. When product design carries you that far, it can be easy to overlook the marketing department. Then, when you turn to ask them for acceleration, you realize you do not have the right team at all. Or, even worse, you don’t even …
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How AI is Revolutionizing Digital Marketing & Content Creation with Taylor Frame – Part 1
23:19
23:19
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23:19Welcome back to Selling the Cloud, the podcast that explores the art and science of B2B sales in today’s ever-evolving SaaS world. In this episode, co-hosts Mark Petruzzi and KK Anderson sit down with Taylor Frame, Chief Revenue Officer at Best Practice Media, for a deep dive into how AI is transforming the landscape of digital marketing. Taylor br…
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AI vs. Traditional Sales: Why Orchestration is the Game-Changer Part 2
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25:26Selling the Cloud – Part 2: AI’s Role in Sales Transformation with Jonathan Kvarfordt In Part 2 of our deep dive with Jonathan Kvarfordt (Momentum.io), we explore the next frontier of AI in sales, from orchestration vs. automation to the future of CRM and how AI is reshaping the role of sellers. Key Takeaways: From Automation to Orchestration – Why…
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I never urge anyone to become an entrepreneur. Ever. That’s because I am one. Sometimes, continuing the business could endanger more than your finances. In this episode, I give you five clear signals that, when combined, make it clear you should wind down. Remember, you can always try again later in your life. Always. Your Host: Dr. James F. Richar…
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AI vs. Traditional Sales: Why Orchestration is the Game-Changer Part 1
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25:09In this episode of Selling the Cloud, hosts Mark Petruzzi and KK Anderson dive deep into one of the most transformative shifts in sales and go-to-market strategies: how AI is revolutionizing the way businesses uncover hidden data, orchestrate sales motions, and accelerate revenue growth. Joining them is Jonathan Kvarfordt, Head of Go-to-Market Grow…
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The Future of AI in Sales: Elevating Human Connection and Performance
42:48
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42:48In this episode of Selling the Cloud, hosts Mark Petruzzi and KK Anderson sit down with Ioanna Onasi, CEO of Dextego, to explore the intersection of AI and sales performance. As a leader in AI-driven coaching, Ioanna shares how AI enhances—not replaces—human connection in sales. Key Topics Covered: How AI is revolutionizing soft skills in sales—act…
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Believe it or not, I used the same fieldwork techniques to build my own B2B brand that I urge you to deploy in my book. In this episode, I explain how I used a flywheel of goodwill connecting tradeshows to LinkedIn to build my business. Fans are critical oxygen for any entrepreneur. Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LL…
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Sales & Strategy: Frank Cespedes on Fixing the Disconnect That Holds Companies Back
55:27
55:27
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55:27In this episode of Selling the Cloud, hosts Mark Petruzzi and Kathy Minter sit down with Frank Cespedes, a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School and author of Aligning Strategy and Sales. Frank shares his deep expertise on the intersection of business strategy and sales execution, shedding light on why so many organizations struggle to connect…
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Adapting to the AI Era: Navigating B2B Sales with Paul Melchiorre (Part 2)
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39:52On this episode with Paul Melchiorre we discuss: The Year of Efficiency – How companies are prioritizing enablement, leadership, and strategic decision-making to optimize sales performance. The Evolution of Sales Enablement – Why traditional training isn’t enough and how sales teams need mentoring, better leadership, and structured processes to suc…
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Episode 136 - Updated Edition of Ramping Your Brand!
8:54
8:54
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8:54In ten days, the updated and expanded edition of Ramping Your Brand goes live in all formats. In this episode, I go over what has changed and why you should grab a copy even if you have the 1st edition. Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes t…
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Adapting to the AI Era: Navigating B2B Sales with Paul Melchiorre (Part 1)
26:51
26:51
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26:51In this episode of Selling the Cloud, hosts Mark Petruzzi and KK Anderson welcome SaaS industry veteran Paul Melchiorre, a leader in sales transformation, private equity investing, and board advisory. With decades of experience across multiple technology revolutions, Paul shares his insights on the evolving landscape of SaaS sales and what it takes…
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Why AI Won't Save Bad Selling: Andy Paul on the Future of B2B Sales
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23:21See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Episode 135 - What is YOUR Founder Superpower?
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9:02American media loves to reinforce the ideal of the visionary entrepreneur who ‘bootstraps’ to glory with no initial resources. The reality is that those who do pull this off usually have one or more superpowers as they started. My growing case study research suggests that having one of the following superpowers is key to beating the odds of making …
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Why AI Won’t Save Bad Selling: Andy Paul on the Future of B2B Sales
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28:02
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28:02See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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From SDR to CEO: Evan Huck on Reinventing Sales in a Changing World
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49:08Episode Summary: In this episode of Selling the Cloud, hosts Mark Petruzzi and KK Anderson sit down with Evan Huck, CEO of UserEvidence, to explore his inspiring journey from an introverted SDR to the leader of a groundbreaking SaaS company. Evan shares the lessons he’s learned about building resilient teams, fostering innovation, and adapting to t…
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Episode 134 - Why Artisan Pricing Doesn’t Scale in CPG
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13:04
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13:04One of the more common problems lurking at the Fancy Foods show, if you’ve ever been, is sitting at every booth in plain sight. It’s on the sell sheets of various specialty food brands that exhibit there. It is their SRPs. They’re not just premium. They’re artisanal. And these prices just don’t scale. Pricing 100% above the market share leader in a…
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Breaking the CRM Mindset - Why AI and Agile Selling are the Future with Stephen Messer (Part 2)
38:24
38:24
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38:24See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Breaking the CRM Mindset: Why AI and Agile Selling are the Future with Stephen Messer (Part 1)
31:38
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31:38See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Episode 133 - Food Innovation for GLP-1 Users?
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10:59
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10:59Despite one or two “diet” food brands like Atkins that are still kicking around, diet food innovation is generally a graveyard of CPG innovation. But GLP-1 drugs raise the profile of a different outcome, indirectly supporting weight management - satiety. But are GLP-1 users an innovation segment or a marketing audience? The difference matters, if y…
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Unboxing Innovation: How Kris Rudeegraap Built Sendoso into a Market Leader
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46:44In this episode of Selling the Cloud, co-hosts Mark Petruzzi and KK Anderson sit down with Kris Rudeegraap, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Sendoso, to discuss his journey from being a successful sales executive to building the leading sending platform that’s reshaping how businesses connect with prospects and customers. What You’ll Learn: Kris’s Entrepre…
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Episode 132 - Why Most Startups ‘Market’ Instead of Entertain
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9:23
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9:23A lot of us are sick of hearing about Liquid Death, the entertainment brand that happens to sell water. In this episode, I explain why it’s so hard for the average CPG startup to build an entertainment-based brand. It’s not the category. That’s not the barrier. Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsol…
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Blueprints for Revenue Growth: How to Build Your Revenue Engine
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42:44
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42:44In this episode of Selling in the Cloud, Mark Petruzzi and KK Anderson are joined by Roee Hartuv, the Revenue Architect and Global Practice Leader at Winning by Design. Together, they explore actionable frameworks and insights for building a sustainable and scalable revenue engine in today’s evolving B2B landscape. What You’ll Learn in This Episode…
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Episode 131 - A Startup’s Recession Playbook
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6:28
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6:28In 2025, the Trump administration’s stated policy moves may easily trigger a recession in the U.S. by late in the year or in 2026. This is a great time of year to create a Plan B for your marketing playbook to adjust how recessions impact premium-priced early-stage CPG brands. Have a listen and spend a day getting ready in advance. Your Host: Dr. J…
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Women in Sales Club - The Story and the Journey with Alexine Mudawar
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25:50Join us as we look back at how Alexine's journey from aspiring retail buyer to B2B sales leader shaped her career, inspired the founding of the Women in Sales Club, and sparked important conversations on diversity and inclusion in sales. Alexine's goal after graduating from Purdue University was to become a retail buyer for a leading retailer, Neim…
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Episode 130 - Your Year-Round Horror Show - The Death Funnel
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11:54
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11:54The perils of the first $500,000 in recurring sales are many. Most are related to cash flow and getting paid by distributors or retailers. Without the proper seed monies, many companies evaporate despite the power of their innovation. In this episode, I’m updating the episode that launched this tough love podcast. There is less space on shelves tha…
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The Power of Partnerships in Scaling B2B Cloud Growth with Ben Pastro, Anumetric
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25:37In this re-released episode of Selling the Cloud, we revisit a valuable conversation with Ben Pastro, who dives into the power of partnerships in B2B tech. Ben Pastro has a long history in professional services and systems integration in the B2B Tech industry, and has several insights and perspectives on the question of if and how to make partnersh…
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High Quality Data - THE Secret Weapon in B2B Cloud Sales - with Bob Scarperi, Revenue Vision Partners
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33:50Tune in as we revisit this episode, where Bob Scarperi reveals how proactive, data-driven strategies help sales teams target high-value prospects and enhance outbound success. Data-Driven - a phrase we hear often in the B2B Cloud industry - but often as an output from sales activity versus as a primary input to outbound sales activity. Bob Scarperi…
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Episode 129 - The Six Elements of a Good Strategic Plan
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9:06It’s that time of year, folks. Preparing for 2025! The most underthought aspect of early-stage business plans is the strategic plan. It’s the front half of your business plan focused on growth. And all too often, it resembles an investor pitch. In this episode, I narrate material from my Blog for a broader audience so that you can focus on a measur…
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Top Skills for the Modern B2B Sales Professional - with Joseph Fung, CEO at Uvaro
28:03
28:03
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28:03Join us as we revisit this impactful episode with Joseph Fung and recognize how much has changed in B2B sales since its original airing – with the shifts introduced by COVID-19 still shaping the industry today. Joseph is a multi-time founder of B2B SaaS companies, and his experience, frustration and challenge with scaling the sales organization was…
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You're More Than a Number - with Scott Leese
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35:00Who better to write a book about being a VP Sales in the B2B SaaS industry, than 5x VP Sales and leading LinkedIn sales influencer, Scott Leese. Join us as we revisit this episode to dive back into Scott’s journey, insights, and strategies for navigating the complex role of a VP Sales in the fast-paced world of B2B SaaS. Scott's primary focus has b…
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Customer Success, Success - with Eileen Voynick
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36:21Join us in our re-release of our episode featuring Eileen Voynick and her deep insights into the evolution of Customer Success in the enterprise software industry, from SAP to the modern Cloud era. Eileen Voynick has held senior operating roles and board leadership roles at companies including SAP, Oracle, Siebel Systems, All Scripts, Sparta System…
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You may be an amateur with an idea. A great idea. And you may be smart, organized and well-funded. But you still should have at least one other person on your team with 10 years plus functional experience in the early stage world. Most likely, this should be an ops person. This is the skill most founders simply do not have. And it often shows. Your…
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Social Selling to Digital Selling to Scaling Pipeline Development - with Jamie Shanks, Founder and CEO Sales for Life
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33:08We're revisiting this insightful episode as B2B selling continues to evolve, especially within the fast-paced world of cloud solutions. Jamie Shanks, the founder, and CEO of Sales for Life is a true pioneer in Social Selling. Speaking to Jamie is like drinking a double shot of espresso. Social media for selling was a discovery that Jamie first iden…
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