In this short segment of the Revenue Builders Podcast, John McMahon and John Kaplan and Alex Varel, CRO of Multiverse, discuss the mindset and responsibilities required to succeed in a CRO role. Alex shares firsthand insights on the challenges of executive leadership, the importance of accountability, and how customer success should be integrated into go-to-market strategies. He also emphasizes the significance of informed decision-making and fostering a culture of collaboration across sales and customer success.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

[00:01:17] The CRO’s Accountability Mindset – The deep responsibility that comes with the CRO role and the need to embrace it.
[00:01:56] Executive Team and Board Alignment – Understanding the dynamics of working with senior leadership and the board.
[00:03:06] The Power of Listening in Leadership – Why listening is a CRO’s biggest advantage when making critical decisions.
[00:04:42] Customer Success and the CRO Role – The importance of unifying pre-sale and post-sale efforts under a single vision.
[00:05:28] Org Design for Customer-Centric Growth – Why aligning sales and customer success creates a seamless customer journey.
[00:06:22] The Right Intent Behind Owning Customer Success – Why it’s about customer outcomes, not just control over teams.

QUOTES

[00:01:17] "Having the accountability to the customers, individuals, and teams—and making all of them wildly successful—is what excites me about the CRO role."
[00:03:06] "A huge advantage of being a CRO is that people want to meet with you—inside and outside the company. Use that to listen and make informed decisions."
[00:07:23] "The best org design creates a natural mechanism for unified goals that benefit the customer and fuel growth."
[00:06:45] "I wasn’t concerned with building a fiefdom—I was focused on creating a structure that aligns sales and customer success for better customer outcomes."

Listen to the full conversation through the link below.
https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/the-reflective-journey-from-sales-leader-to-cro-with-alex-varel

Enjoying the podcast? Sign up to receive new episodes straight to your inbox:
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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/

Force Management is hiring for a Sales Director. Apply here: https://hubs.li/Q02Zb8WG0

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

In this episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan are joined by Steve Fitz, a seasoned Chief Revenue Officer, to discuss the intricacies of selling enterprise software. Steve shares his insights on the importance of customer discovery, executive alignment, and relationship building. He also emphasizes the value of a long-term perspective and the 'grind' mindset in sales. The conversation dives deep into strategies for navigating complex sales cycles, handling procurement, and giving effective feedback to sales reps. This episode offers a wealth of knowledge for both new and experienced B2B sales professionals.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Learn more about Steve Fitz and his company through the links below.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-fitz-1487a4/

Enjoying the podcast? Sign up to receive new episodes straight to your inbox: https://hubs.li/Q02R10xN0

Check out John McMahon’s book, The Qualified Sales Leader: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064/

HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT

[00:01:49] Challenges in Selling Enterprise Software
[00:02:48] The Importance of Discovery in Sales
[00:04:00] Executive Alignment and Its Impact
[00:05:06] Measuring Sales Success: Activities vs. Accomplishments
[00:06:00] Building Trust and Credibility with Customers
[00:06:54] The Art of Effective Listening in Sales
[00:09:08] Qualifying Opportunities and the Courage to Say No
[00:10:18] Navigating Customer Relationships and Building Partnerships
[00:12:42] The Role of Patience and Timing in Sales
[00:15:47] Overcoming Seller Deficit Disorder
[00:19:03] The Power of Discovery and Active Listening
[00:28:37] Transforming Customer Relationships into Partnerships
[00:35:40] Understanding Customer Buy-In
[00:36:10] Balancing Big Deals and Forecasts
[00:36:58] Executive Alignment and Team Collaboration
[00:38:50] The Importance of Long-Term Thinking
[00:44:24] Instilling the Right Mindset in Sales Reps
[00:45:41] The Value of Embracing the Grind
[00:51:47] Feedback and Continuous Improvement
[01:03:04] Navigating Procurement Challenges

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

[00:02:15] "You have to do your homework, you've got to know the customer better than they do."
[00:02:51] "Discovery in the art of discovery has been lost in the last couple of years."
[00:04:46] "If you do great discovery, the customer realizes, hey, you're a different type of salesperson."
[00:11:35] "You've got to slow down to go fast."
[00:21:18] "Ask the customer how they do what they currently do today and where they see challenges."
[00:34:03] "The best relationship is you guys take each other to a place that you couldn't get to on your own."
[00:45:26] "The grind is life. The grind is the job. The grind is everything."

In this short segment of the Revenue Builders Podcast, John McMahon, John Kaplan and Sunil Dhaliwal, founder and general partner at Amplify Partners, explore the board’s perspective on sales leadership. Sunil shares critical insights on selling in the early stages of a startup, knowing when to walk away from a deal, and the importance of transparency in sales forecasting. The conversation dives into the competencies that separate exceptional sales leaders from the rest—honesty, market assessment, and adaptability. If you’re leading sales at a high-growth company or thinking about joining a startup, this episode is packed with must-know strategies.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

[00:00:47] The Pressure of Startup Sales – Why every deal feels like life or death
[00:01:27] The "Man on an Island" Feeling – The loneliness of sales leadership in startups
[00:02:29] The Risk of Overpromising – How inaccurate forecasts hurt the whole company
[00:03:16] The Cost of Poor Sales Leadership – When inaccurate reporting sets a company back quarters
[00:04:09] The Most Critical Competency – Why great sales leaders must accurately assess the battlefield
[00:05:38] Market Awareness & Adaptability – Understanding product fit vs. chasing deals
[00:06:02] The Power of Asking the Right Questions – Why startups need more than just "closing" skills
[00:08:00] Honest Forecasting – How sales leaders should communicate realistic expectations

QUOTES

[00:00:47] "A lot of people have a hard time backing away from a deal, but sometimes the right move is to walk away."
[00:01:27] "Good sales leaders in startups embrace that lonely moment and are honest about what's going on."
[00:03:16] "The worst thing you can do is overpromise. You're not just hurting yourself—you’re setting the company back quarters."
[00:04:09] "Great sales leaders must be able to accurately orient themselves on the battlefield and communicate what’s happening."
[00:05:01] "At a startup, the product won’t work the way you want it to. It’s not us vs. them—it’s about understanding what the product can and should do."
[00:06:36] "Startup sales isn’t just about closing—it’s about figuring out whether you should even be in this deal at all."

Listen to the full conversation through the link below.
https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/a-board-members-perspective-on-sales-leadership-with-sunildhaliwal

Enjoying the podcast? Sign up to receive new episodes straight to your inbox:
https://hubs.li/Q02R10xN0

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/

Force Management is hiring for a Sales Director. Apply here: https://hubs.li/Q02Zb8WG0

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