WMYT - What makes YOU Tick? Tech Leaders Career Stories

Get first access to Buyer Coding here: https://www.buyercoding.com/Most “closed lost” reasons are complete BS.“It was price.”“It wasn’t the right time.”“They went with a competitor.”In reality, you lost the deal because you didn’t understand how that buyer makes decisions.In this best bits episode, Rich Patterson breaks down the 5 Buyer Codes — a simple framework that helps you read buyers properly and sell the way they want to buy.You’ll learn:Why most closed lost reasons are wrong (and what’s actually happening)The 5 buyer types and how to spot them quicklyHow to adapt your approach in real time on callsWhy generic discovery questions are killing your dealsHow to build real champions instead of “happy ears”If you’re tired of deals stalling, ghosting, or slipping for reasons that don’t make sense — this will change how you sell.🎙️ Watch the full episode:https://youtu.be/SU9IP5NGyTY?si=HHSmE67D_rZolrAR📩 Get the best insights from every episode:The Growth Magnet newsletter (bite-sized, practical, no fluff)https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928👇 Connect with Rich Pattersonhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/richhitsgoals/Follow Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/#buyercoding #salespsychology #salestraining #salesskills #wmyt #ticktalent

When you step into a new VP of Sales role, you expect challenges.You don’t expect to have to rebuild that many things to make it ready for scale.In this episode, Elitsa Zaimova Miller (VP of Sales at CloudTalk, formerly Preply) shares the hardest decision she’s had to make as a sales leader — and what it really takes to scale a team and develop a world class culture.This is a What Makes You Tick Revisited episode, and a lot has changed since we last spoke.Elitsa has gone from building at a unicorn to stepping into a new environment, new market, and new level of complexity — all while navigating big personal changes outside of work.🎯 What we cover:Why strong individual contributors don’t always translate into scalable teamsThe leadership gap that quietly breaks growing sales orgsHow to know when someone won’t scale with the businessThe traits that actually matter when building high-performing teamsHow AI is changing the day-to-day of sales (and what still matters most)What real resilience looks like — inside and outside of work🎙️ About Elitsa:VP of Sales at CloudTalk. Previously built and scaled the B2B division at Preply. Known for building teams, driving growth, and leading through change.🔁 About the series:What Makes You Tick Revisited brings back standout guests to unpack what’s changed — and what they’ve learned since.If you're building or scaling a sales team, this conversation will give you a more honest view of what that actually involves.👍 Follow for more conversations with revenue leaders, founders, and operators.Connect with Elitsa:   / elitsa-zaimova-miller-a238a31a  Follow Richard on LinkedIn:   / richwash  Read Richard’s Newsletter Growth Magnet: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relati...#vpsales #salesleadership #womeninsales #ticktalent #wmyt #whatmakesyoutick #businesspodcast

Everyone says sales teams need more pipeline.3x pipeline.5x pipeline.More leads.More activity.But what if the real problem isn’t pipeline at all?In this Best Bits episode of Making Revenue Tick, veteran sales leader Mike breaks down why the traditional sales process is fundamentally broken — and why throwing more opportunities into the funnel often makes things worse.After 30+ years in B2B sales and leadership roles at companies ranging from startups to global enterprises, Mike has seen the same pattern repeat over and over:Teams chasing more pipeline instead of fixing the process that converts it.In this conversation we explore:• Why the classic 3x pipeline rule is outdated• Where most deals are actually won or lost (hint: discovery)• Why outdated qualification frameworks still dominate sales teams• The difference between an Ideal Customer Profile and an Ideal Opportunity Profile• Why the real problem in sales isn’t the reps — it’s the systemIf you’re a founder, CRO, or sales leader trying to improve close rates, pipeline quality, and forecasting accuracy, this conversation challenges some of the most common assumptions in modern B2B sales.Because the goal isn’t to put more raw material into the funnel.It’s to improve the yield.🎧 About the show:What Makes You Tick? is where tech leaders share what really matters - career moves, product bets, cultural calls, and the personal moments behind the metrics. We honour great leaders!Connect with Michael Muhlfelder https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemuhlfelder/Follow Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/Read Richard’s Newsletter Growth Magnet: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928Subscribe for more conversations that go beyond tactics — and into what makes the people who build startups tick.#salesleadership #b2bsales #salesstrategy #revenueleadership #pipeline #salesprocess #salestraining #gtmstrategy #makingrevenuetick #podcast

Why does manifestation work for some people — but not for others?Is the Law of Attraction misunderstood… or completely backwards?In this episode, ‪@JustinMichaelMethod‬ explains why the Law of Attraction needs rewriting.For decades the personal development industry promoted the same formula:Visualize it.Affirm it.Believe harder.Millions followed it exactly.And when nothing changed…they assumed the problem was them.But according to Justin Michael, the real issue isn’t belief.It’s the model.Reality doesn’t reorganize because you repeat thoughts.Reality reorganizes when identity changes.This conversation explores the idea behind Rewriting the Law of Attraction (RLOA) — a new framework for understanding manifestation, identity, and transformation.Not attraction.A rewrite.Because the real sequence looks different:Being → Thinking → Action → ResultsChange identity…and everything downstream begins to reorganize.From the outside it looks like manifestation.From the inside it feels like inevitability.In this episode we discuss• Why the traditional Law of Attraction often fails• The difference between manifesting vs becoming• The psychology of identity transformation• The Phoenix process of burning old identities• Why high performers struggle with “positive thinking” culture• How identity shifts change decisions, actions, and resultsAbout Justin Michael  / michaeljustin  Justin Michael is a globally recognised sales leader, author of Tech Powered Sales, and creator of the philosophy Rewriting the Law of Attraction (RLOA) — a framework for understanding identity, transformation, and how real-world change actually happens.Stop manifesting.Start becoming.Connect with Richard   / richwash  Read Growth Magnet:https://www.linkedin.com/build-relati...Subscribe for more conversations with founders, operators, and revenue leaders:🎙 Making Revenue Tick, the masterclass show in the WMYT What Makes You Tick podcast explores the ideas, frameworks, and mindsets shaping modern leadership and growth.#lawofattraction #manifestation #identityshift #personaldevelopment #justinmichael #selfimprovement #mindset #leadership #entrepreneurship #makingrevenuetick00:00 Why Justin Michael Writes Books 03:00 What “The Frame” Really Means in Sales and Leadership07:41 How Justin Writes Useful Books That Actually Change Behavior10:49 Where Justin’s Frame Was Weak Early in His Career15:55 The 10 Laws of Frame Explained23:17 Why Most People Leak Frame Without Realising It26:20 How Leaders Stay Calm When Pipeline Pressure Hits30:04 How to Handle Dominant Buyers and Control the Room33:28 Phoenix Rising: Rewriting the Law of Attraction39:07 Pronoia, Identity, and Why Letting Go Creates More43:13 Final Reflections: Transformation, Relief, and Self-Belief

If you think great sales teams are built on scripts, dashboards, and quota pressure, you’re missing the point.Full episode: https://youtu.be/r4tZVfGkEw8?si=DApVrPsrL8bwgVRCIn this Best Bits segment, Chris Bair breaks down how great sales leaders actually build multiplier teams—the kind of teams that push each other to win, hold each other accountable, and attract top performers.We get into:• Why outbound discipline still separates great teams from average ones• How identity and culture drive real accountability• Why the best sales leaders let their teams shape the standards• How multiplier teams attract more multipliers• Why empathy and understanding your reps’ lives actually drives performanceIf you’re building a sales team—or trying to lead one—this is a masterclass in what it takes to create a culture that wins.Watch the full Best Bits conversation.Connect with Richard https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/Connect with Chris https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherabair/Read Growth Magnet:https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928Subscribe for more conversations on sales leadership, hiring, and building high-performance teams.#SalesLeadership #GTMStrategy #StartupGrowth #ChrisBair #WhatMakesYouTick #SalesCulture #MultiplierTeams #SalesCoaching

What builds great sales leaders?In this episode of What Makes You Tick, Jennifer Nguyen breaks down how rejection, adversity, and resilience shaped her career in sales, account management, and revenue leadership.From missing out on Junior Olympics competition to interviewing three times before landing a leadership role, Jennifer shares how mental toughness is developed — not learned — and why rejection is often the catalyst for long-term success.This conversation dives deep into:How rejection builds resilience in salesWhy account management is more complex than new businessThe mindset required to build high-performing revenue teamsHow to hire for coachability and mental toughnessWhy great leaders take bets on peopleThe role of self-awareness in leadership developmentHow to raise the bar without burning outIf you’re a sales leader, CRO, account manager, or founder building a revenue team, this episode will challenge how you think about performance, rejection, and growth.Topics CoveredAccomplishing big goals is a journey that requires persistence.Mental toughness is developed through overcoming adversity.Account management is a complex role that requires a consulting mindset.Rejection can be a powerful teacher and motivator.Celebrating team achievements fosters a positive culture.Enablement for account managers is crucial for success.Taking bets on people is essential for leadership growth.Mapping accounts can streamline the sales process.Self-awareness is key to being coachable.Raising the bar continuously leads to personal and professional growth.Who This Episode Is ForSales leaders building high-performance teamsAccount managers looking to grow into leadershipCROs scaling revenue functionsFounders transitioning from founder-led salesAnyone navigating rejection in their careerAbout Jennifer Nguyen https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifertaussignguyen/Jennifer Nguyen is a revenue leader with deep experience in SaaS and account management. She has built and led high-performing teams, developed leaders of leaders, and champions mental toughness as a core driver of sustainable performance.👤 About Richard WashingtonRichard Washington helps founders and boards build high-performing GTM leadership teams through Tick Talent, specialising in early-stage and scaling B2B startups. He hosts What Makes You Tick?, a podcast on leadership, growth, and the decisions that shape companies. Find out more. https://www.tick-talent.com/Follow Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/Read Growth Magnet:https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928#SalesLeadership,#RevenueLeadership,#MentalToughness,#AccountManagement,#HighPerformanceTeams,sales leadership,revenue leadership,mental toughness in sales,how to handle rejection,account management strategy,high performing sales teams,sales career growth,leadership development in sales,coachability in hiring,resilience in business,how to build great sales leaders,SaaS sales leadership,sales mindset,revenue team development,handling churn as a leader,sales management advice,hiring for attitude not experience,pivoting into SaaS sales,women in sales leadership,building mental toughness,

Most executives run sophisticated go-to-market strategies……but abandon that thinking when managing their own careers.In this Best Bits segment, we break down the operator mindset behind career leverage — how top revenue leaders create opportunity, build optionality, and position themselves for roles that are rarely posted publicly.This isn’t job search advice.It’s career strategy.What you’ll learn• Why treating your career like a GTM motion changes everything• The KPI that matters more than applications• How conversations create clarity, influence, and opportunity• Why the best executive roles are discovered, not advertised• How to build optionality and negotiate from leverage• Relationship habits that compound over decadesSenior operators understand this:Careers don’t progress through luck.They progress through positioning, relationships, and strategic intent.If you lead revenue, build teams, or operate at the executive level, this conversation will challenge how you think about career growth and market positioning.Who this is forRevenue leaders (CRO, VP Sales, VP GTM)Founders & scale-up executivesSenior operators navigating growth or transitionLeaders who want leverage, not just their next roleKey takeawayRun your career like a market.Opportunity stops being random when you create demand.If this resonates, share it with a leader in your network who thinks strategically about growth, influence, and long-term career leverage.Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, hiring, and building high-performance revenue organizations.CONNECT + SUBSCRIBEConnect with Richard Washington on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwashSubscribe to Execs & The City by Jacob: https://www.execsandthecity.com/subscribeGet tech startup playbooks on Growth Magnet: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928Try Jacob’s free LinkedIn review tool: https://freelinkedinreview.com/About Jacob Warwick:Jacob is the go-to career strategist for high-performing executives. With over 15 years of experience, he’s coached more than 3,500 leaders to win life-changing comp packages, de-risk their careers, and build influence in competitive markets. He’s also the creator of the Execs & The City newsletter and podcast.Like if you’ve ever felt disposable in a job.Comment if you’re feeling the pressure to evolve.Subscribe so you don’t miss Part 3 (coming out soon) and more great mentors here to guide you.

Most companies attend events.Very few dominate them.In this masterclass, Itai Manor explains how founders, revenue leaders, and go-to-market teams can turn events and conferences from “nice-to-have networking” into a repeatable, scalable revenue engine.Learn how to generate pipeline, close deals, and drive revenue from conferences with a proven B2B event strategy.This isn’t about showing up.This is about winning.Why Events “Don’t Work” for Most TeamsMost teams:• show up unprepared• scan badges and have random conversations• follow up poorly (or not at all)• then wonder why nothing convertsEvents fail not because of budget or attendance — but because of lack of strategy.What You’ll LearnWhy Most Events FailThe passive “show up and hope” mindsetMistaking presence for impactWhy follow-ups rarely convert into revenueEvents as a Go-to-Market EngineHow events drive pipeline, partnerships, and trustWhen events make sense — and when they don’tAttending vs sponsoring vs hostingPre-Event DominationHow to prepare weeks before the eventIdentifying the right attendees, speakers, and side eventsCrafting a compelling reason for someone to meet youIn-Event ExecutionHow to run focused, intentional conversationsWhat to stop doing at eventsCreating moments people rememberPost-Event Follow-ThroughTurning conversations into meetings and revenueWhy most follow-ups failHow to stand out after the event endsReal Examples & Tactical PlaybooksCreative plays that break through the noiseMessaging, hooks, and positioning that workWhat founders and sales teams can apply immediatelyWho This Episode Is For✔ Startup founders (early to mid-stage)✔ CROs, VP Sales, and revenue leaders✔ GTM & demand gen teams✔ Anyone investing time or budget into events and expecting real ROIWhat You’ll Walk Away With✅ A new way of thinking about events✅ The biggest mistakes to avoid✅ Practical ideas to apply before your next conference✅ A clear path to turning face-to-face moments into closed dealsEvents aren’t dead.Bad event strategy is.If you want events to drive real revenue, start here.Connect with Itai https://www.linkedin.com/in/itaimanor/Follow Richard https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/#B2BSales #EventMarketing #RevenueGrowth #GoToMarket #StartupGrowth #WMYT #TickTalent

In this Best Bits episode, Richard Washington shares the hiring framework that separates average hires from true revenue multipliers.Full length episode on Do Hard Things with Gabe Lullo here: https://youtu.be/N2guh2HeO6c?si=Xyp5RMWFpLISYFoLIf you’re a founder, CRO, or sales leader scaling from early traction to repeatable growth, hiring the wrong sales talent can stall momentum, drain cash, and damage culture. This episode breaks down how to build a team that actually scales impact.🚀 In this episode you’ll learn:• Why hiring based on CVs and past quotas leads to costly mistakes• The difference between adders, subtractors, and multipliers• The CORE traits every high-impact hire must have• How to identify ownership, resourcefulness, and execution in interviews• Why “industry experience” can be a hiring trap• How to build a collaborative culture that drives performance• What founders must do to avoid momentum-killing hiresRichard explains how the best teams hire builders, not passengers — people who create leverage, take ownership, and accelerate growth.If you’re scaling a startup, building a revenue team, or tired of hires that look great on paper but fail in reality, this is essential listening.🎧 Watch the full episode here: [link]📩 Subscribe for weekly leadership & revenue insights: [link]About Richard WashingtonRichard is a global revenue leader and founder helping early-stage tech companies scale from $1M to $25M by hiring entrepreneurial go-to-market talent that multiplies impact.#SalesLeadership #StartupHiring #RevenueGrowth #SalesHiring #ScalingStartups #B2BSales #GoToMarket #Founders #RevenueOperations #Leadership

Here’s a question most companies get wrong: Who really owns growth in a scaling company?Sales says, “We close it.”Marketing says, “We generate it.”Customer Success says, “We expand and retain it.”They’re all right.And that’s exactly the problem.In this episode of What Makes You Tick, we host a live debate between senior revenue leaders across Sales, Marketing and Customer Success to answer one big question:👉 Who actually owns growth — and why do most companies treat it like an individual sport?Inside this conversation, we unpack:Why growth breaks down in the handoffs between teamsRevenue ownership vs growth ownershipThe tension between pipeline creation and pipeline conversionWhy Customer Success is still underestimated as a growth engineWhat true GTM alignment actually looks likeThe difference between individual performance and system performanceThe highest leverage move founders can make to accelerate growthIf you’re scaling from $10M–$200M ARR, this conversation will feel very familiar.Growth doesn’t live inside departments.It lives in the system.🎙️ Meet the GuestsEric Hachmer https://www.linkedin.com/in/erichachmer/Fractional CRO and revenue strategist. Eric works with scaling B2B companies to build predictable revenue engines, align GTM teams, and turn strategy into execution. He specialises in enterprise sales leadership, revenue architecture, and building accountable growth systems.Neil Grayhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/neilsgray/Fractional CMO and B2B growth operator. Neil partners with founders and leadership teams to sharpen ICP clarity, drive demand generation, and build marketing engines that support sustainable revenue growth — not vanity metrics.Andrea Bumsteadhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/andreabumstead/Fractional CCO and Customer Success leader. Andrea helps scaling SaaS companies turn retention, expansion, and customer experience into competitive advantage. She focuses on aligning CS to revenue outcomes and long-term customer value.🎙️ About the Host – Richard WashingtonRichard Washington is co-host of Making Revenue Tick, GTM recruiter, and 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=7083793079794556928If you’re a Founder, CRO, CMO, VP Sales, Head of CS, or revenue leader trying to build a high-performing GTM system — this episode is for you.Growth isn’t an individual sport.It’s a relay race.And if you’re arguing about who owns it… you might already have a gap.Subscribe for more conversations on revenue leadership, hiring multipliers, GTM alignment, and building self-managing growth systems.

“What if your sales team only did the 1% of work that truly matters?”Watch the full episode now https://youtu.be/pz8066MnkZo?si=9-a2m24B2LspKNYWIn this high-impact masterclass segment, James Smith (SVP EMEA at ThoughtSpot) breaks down the exact framework he’s using to redesign his sales process with AI — not for 10% efficiency gains… but for 10X productivity.This isn’t about writing better emails with ChatGPT.It’s about rebuilding your sales engine from first principles.If you’re a founder, CRO, VP Sales, or scaling SaaS leader wondering:Why reps only spend ~20% of time sellingWhere AI actually fits in GTMHow to build agents without being technicalHow to unlock real leverage instead of hiring more repsThis is your blueprint.🚨 The Big ShiftMost teams use AI to make what they already do slightly faster.James asks a different question:“What if we mapped every task our reps do… and removed or automated the 99% that isn’t customer-facing?”From there, he:Lists every sales task across the processIdentifies manual, non-selling frictionDesigns AI agents to remove itPrioritises by impact vs. easeReimagines the rep’s role around high-value executionThis is how you move from incremental gains… to structural advantage.🧠 What You’ll LearnWhy 10X productivity is about stacked multipliers (not one lever)How to reverse-engineer your sales process with an AI lensWhy “efficiency gains” are the wrong goalHow non-technical leaders can build AI agents todayThe difference between automation and true leverageHow AI-native teams reclaim massive selling timeWhy the future rep spends dramatically more time with customers🔥 Soundbites That Hit“AI removes the value of 99% of what we do — and 100Xs the 1% that’s left.”“If reps only did customer execution, productivity would step change.”“10X isn’t one lever — it’s 3X here, 5X there, 2X somewhere else.”🎙️ About the Guest – James SmithJames Smith is the SVP EMEA at ThoughtSpot, where he’s pioneering how AI can transform GTM productivity at scale.With senior leadership experience at Tableau and Salesforce, James is known for challenging conventional thinking, building elite teams, and applying first-principles design to revenue growth.At ThoughtSpot, he’s leading a 10X mindset shift — redesigning sales workflows, empowering reps with AI agents, and building human-centric, high-leverage systems.🔗 Connect with James on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-smith-15627941/🎙️ About the Host – Richard WashingtonRichard Washington is co-host of Making Revenue Tick, GTM recruiter, and 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=7083793079794556928If this sparked ideas for your own AI journey, drop a comment.If you want the full conversation — including hiring, leadership, and 10X mindset — watch the complete episode on the channel.Subscribe for more masterclass-level conversations with the people redefining modern revenue.

Hiring great SDRs and expecting them to perform without the right data, tools, or structure is like putting a Ferrari on cobbled streets, then blaming the car when it can’t go fast.In this episode of Making Revenue Tick, Richard Washington sits down with Matt Caloras, enterprise SDR leader and NYC chapter lead for SDR Leaders of the USA, to unpack what actually separates high-performing SDR teams from the ones that burn out, miss targets, and churn talent.This conversation isn’t about hustle, call volume, or working harder.It’s about:Building the right roads for your reps to succeedWhy bad data breaks even the best SDRsHow signal-based prospecting is replacing brute-force outboundWhat team-based prospecting (AE + SDR pods) looks like in practiceHow modern SDR orgs use data, intent, and timing to winAnd where AI genuinely helps — and where it doesn’tIf you’re a sales or revenue leader scaling pipeline in today’s market, this episode will challenge some uncomfortable assumptions about SDR performance, enablement, and leadership accountability.The takeaway is simple:Great reps don’t fail. Bad systems do.What you’ll learn in this episodeWhat “data-driven SDR” really means in modern sales teamsHow top SDR orgs use signals and intent to prioritise accountsWhy brute-force outbound no longer works at scaleHow to structure alignment between SDRs and AEs in enterprise salesWhy SDR burnout is often a leadership and infrastructure issueThe realistic future of SDR in an AI-enabled worldWho this episode is forSDR Managers and DirectorsHeads of Sales & RevenueRevOps and GTM leadersFounders moving beyond founder-led salesAnyone responsible for pipeline quality, not just activityAbout the guestMatt Caloras is an enterprise SDR leader with experience scaling global SDR teams and building modern outbound engines inside complex organisations. He also leads the New York City chapter of SDR Leaders of the USA, supporting SDR leaders through mentorship, community, and shared best practices.Join the conversationIf your SDR team is underperforming, ask yourself:Are you asking for Ferrari results on cobbled streets?What’s the biggest constraint in your SDR org right now?Funnel 26’ Austin 3/5! go to thefunnelconference.comConnect with Matt Caloras on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-caloras11/Find your local SDR Leaders Chapter: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sdr-leaders-of-usa/👤 About Richard WashingtonRichard Washington helps founders and boards build high-performing GTM leadership teams through Tick Talent, specialising in early-stage and scaling B2B startups. He hosts What Makes You Tick?, a podcast on leadership, growth, and the decisions that shape companies. Find out more. https://www.tick-talent.com/Follow Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/Read Growth Magnet:https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928#sdr #salespipeline #salesdevelopment #saleshiring #salesleadership #saas #wmyt #ticktalent

Are you hiring Multipliers, or Dividers and Subtractors? Take the scorecard now: https://www.multiplierscorecard.com/Most companies are trying to fix their hiring problems by adding more AI.More automation.More screening.More tools.And it’s making recruitment worse, not better.In this episode, Richard Washington joins Heath Barnett on the Maxed Out podcast to unpack why AI is being applied to hiring in completely the wrong way — and how leaders should actually be thinking about talent, behaviour, and scale in an AI-driven world.This isn’t an anti-AI conversation.It’s a pro-leadership one.We explore why:AI is amplifying bad hiring decisions, not fixing themMost recruitment failures come from behavioural misalignment, not lack of skill“A Players” is a lazy label that hides real riskCulture killers often look like top performers on paperMultipliers scale teams — dividers quietly destroy themRichard breaks down the Multiplier framework, explaining how high-growth companies should hire for collaboration, ownership, resourcefulness, and execution — and why these traits matter far more than CVs, years of experience, or AI-driven scoring systems.If you’re a founder, revenue leader, or hiring manager:frustrated by mis-hiresoverwhelmed by AI hiring toolsor struggling to scale GTM teams without damaging culturethis episode will challenge how you think about recruitment — and probably save you from your next expensive mistake.🔍 Topics CoveredAI in recruitment: what’s broken and whyWhy automation doesn’t fix poor hiring strategyMultipliers vs Adders, Subtractors, and DividersBehavioural hiring vs resume-based hiringLeadership, culture, and scaling GTM teamsWhy most companies misapply AI in talent acquisition🎙️ Guest & HostRichard Washington – Founder, Tick TalentHeath Barnett – VP Revenue at Mixmax, Host of Maxed Out💡 Key InsightAI doesn’t replace judgment.It magnifies it.If your hiring strategy is weak, AI will scale the damage.#hiring #saassales #revenuegrowth #saleshiring #wmyt #ticktalent

70% of sales leadership hires fail in year 1.Hire too early, and you burn cash, confuse the market, and stall momentum.Too late, and founder-led sales becomes the bottleneck that caps growth.In this episode of Making Revenue Tick, I sit down with Charles Talbot and Douglas Mancini of Closing Foundry, to break down one of the most expensive and misunderstood decisions in early-stage startups: your first sales hire.This is a founder-to-founder conversation about what actually needs to be true before you hire sales - and why “just bring in a salesperson” is some of the worst advice in startups.We dig into:When founder-led sales really starts to breakThe signals founders miss before hiring salesWhy first sales hires fail even when the talent is strongThe difference between activity, traction, and repeatabilityHow to design the right first sales role (and when not to)What product clarity, messaging, and expectations must exist firstIf you’re a founder, early GTM leader, or VC-backed startup operator, this episode will help you avoid a mistake that quietly kills revenue long before scale.🎙 About Making Revenue TickMaking Revenue Tick is the masterclass series within What Makes You Tick? - focused on the real mechanics of building predictable, scalable revenue in B2B startups.This isn’t theory. It’s what actually works.👇 Subscribe for more founder-grade conversations on:Founder-led salesGTM hiringScaling revenue without burning cultureAvoiding expensive early mistakes👤 About Douglas ManciniDouglas Mancini is one of Enterprise Sales veterans. He lives and breathes strategic deals. Follow Douglas on LinkedIn:👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/domancini/👤 About Charles TalbotFounder of Closing Foundry. He spent 25+ years in B2B sales and go-to-market: opening new markets, scaling teams, and fixing pipelines that look fine in a spreadsheet but wobble in front of real buyers.These days his work is focused on one problem: when targets, forecast and actuals start drifting apart.At Closing Foundry, we help B2B SaaS and tech-enabled teams turn uncertain deals into repeatable revenue by designing, enabling and running a simple closing system. Find out more.https://www.closingfoundry.com👤 About Richard WashingtonRichard Washington helps founders and boards build high-performing GTM leadership teams through Tick Talent, specialising in early-stage and scaling B2B startups. He hosts What Makes You Tick?, a podcast on leadership, growth, and the decisions that shape companies. Find out more. https://www.tick-talent.com/Follow Richard on LinkedIn:👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/Read Growth Magnet:👉 https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928#startups #founder #entrepreneur #techsales #saleshiring #wmyt #ticktalent #closingfoundry

Why are so many enterprise sales teams missing target, even with experienced reps, strong leadership, and proven products?In this Best Bits episode of Making Revenue Tick, Sean McCarry, GM UK at Trustpilot and a veteran enterprise sales leader, explains why unachievable sales targets are breaking enterprise sales teams from the inside out.Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/bwsz4FailgI?si=jsU17SXIDjDuw9xYWith nearly 30 years of experience in enterprise sales and revenue leadership, Sean unpacks a pattern seen across large sales organisations:when targets are set without realism, trust erodes, motivation collapses, and performance suffers, regardless of talent.This clip explores:Why enterprise sales targets are often set too high to motivate performanceHow unrealistic revenue goals damage sales team morale, loyalty, and wellbeingThe pressure placed on sales managers caught between leadership expectations and team realityWhy sales leadership behaviour and emotional intelligence matter more than everHow team health and culture directly impact enterprise sales performanceNow leading Trustpilot’s UK business, Sean has built a reputation for driving growth by focusing on people, behaviours, and sustainable performance — not short-term pressure or false optimism.This conversation is essential viewing for:Founders and CEOs setting revenue expectationsCROs and VPs of Sales leading enterprise teamsSales managers navigating performance pressureEnterprise sales professionals experiencing target fatigueIf you want to understand why enterprise sales teams fail to hit target — and what leaders must do differently, this clip delivers a clear, experience-backed perspective.Connect with Sean: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-mccarry-1053231/Follow Richard Washington: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/Read Richard’s Newsletter Growth Magnet: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928#enterprisesales #salesleadership #teamhealth #teambehaviours #saassales #wmyt #ticktalent

How do you take a tech startup from a raw idea, through the grind of founder-led sales, all the way to a successful exit? In this episode of WMYT? What Makes You Tick, we explore the complete "circle of life" of a founder with Simon Black.Simon, a UK based tech veteran with over 20 years of experience at companies like IBM and Autonomy, walks us through his seven-year journey founding Awaken Intelligence. We discuss the painful but necessary transition of letting go of sales, a unique "fly-in" strategy for conquering the US market on a budget, and the "FABRIC" of a winning culture.If you are a first-time CEO or founder looking to shortcut your journey and potentially double your exit value, this masterclass is for you.WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:• The "Fly-In" US Expansion Strategy: How Simon cracked the US market and secured triple-digit growth without hiring expensive local leadership immediately, saving £100k a year in the process.• Transitioning from Founder-Led Sales: The emotional rollercoaster of handing over the reins, the importance of a playbook, and why hiring junior sales staff too early was a critical mistake.• Culture & The "No Aholes" Rule:** ** Why Simon implemented a strict veto policy on hiring and how the "FABRIC" value system (Fun, Agility, Be the Best, Responsibility, Integrity, Curiosity) held the team together.• The Power of Partnerships: How shifting from 100% direct sales to a partner-led model accelerated revenue and led to a strategic exit.• The Exit: The reality of merging with a US firm and the final acquisition by Capacity to ensure a safe home for the team.🔗 CONNECT WITH SIMON BLACK: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blacksimon/FOLLOW RICHARD WASHINGTON : https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/Read Richard’s Newsletter Growth Magnet: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928🔔 Subscribe to What Makes You Tick#FounderLedSales #SaaSExit #USExpansion #StartupCulture #TechEntrepreneur #SimonBlack #WMYT

Most startups don’t fail at product.They stall at go‑to‑market maturity.In this Best Bits episode of WMYT – What Makes You Tick: Tech Leaders’ Career Stories, we bring back one of the most valuable sections from our masterclass with Campbell Williams (CMO, CCO, operator, investor, and scale‑up leader).This episode zooms in on the exact moment where growth breaks — typically between £3M and £10M ARR — and why hiring more salespeople or a CRO rarely fixes the real issue.From 41:39 to 1:06:57, Campbell shares a CEO‑level perspective on:Why founders hit a ceiling even with strong early tractionThe hidden mistakes exec teams make when “professionalising” revenueWhy positioning, clarity, and customer recognition matter more than featuresHow businesses confuse activity with progress at scaleThe difference between looking busy and building a real growth engineWhy most GTM strategies fail before they ever get a chance to workThis is not theory.It’s the pattern recognition that comes from building, scaling, buying, and fixing businesses repeatedly.Whether you’re a founder, CEO, CRO, CMO, or investor, this episode will help you understand:👉 what actually drives sustainable growth👉 why many companies stall at seven figures👉 and how leaders should think differently as complexity increases🎙 About the podcastWMYT (What Makes You Tick) is a Tech Leaders Career Stories podcast, where we explore the decisions, patterns, and moments that shape great leaders and great businesses.📍 Guest: Campbell Williams📍 Host: Richard📍 Format: Best Bits Episode📍 Focus: Scaling from £3M to £10M ARR | Go-To-Market | Leadership | PositioningIf you’re building, scaling, or advising a tech business — this one’s worth your time.CONNECT + SUBSCRIBEConnect with Richard Washington on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwashConnect with Campbell Williams on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/campbellwilliamsGet weekly GTM playbooks for tech founders via the Growth Magnet newsletter:https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928Subscribe for more founder-to-founder masterclasses on hiring, sales, and scaling tech startups the smart way.#StartupGrowth #Positioning #MakingRevenueTick #CMO #TechFounders #GTMStrategy #B2BTech #Saas #BusinessPlaybook #ScaleUp#CampbellWilliams #RichardWashington #WMYT #Whatmakesyoutick

Alina Vandenberghe — Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Chili Piper — shares what happens when survival mode ends and success no longer motivates you.In this episode of What Makes You Tick, Alina reflects on leadership, belief, and the moment she realised that thinking about joy is a luxury when you’re in survival mode — and what it takes to rebuild your inner operating system once survival is no longer the driver.After selling her house to start Chili Piper, spending years in intensity, and scaling a company to a near-$1BN valuation, Alina reached a place few founders talk about: the moment survival stopped — and the deeper questions began.“If I’m not trying to survive, why am I here?”This is not a “how I built a startup” episode.It’s a conversation about identity after success, belief as a leadership skill, and why blame, fear, and punishment quietly destroy teams from the inside out.This episode is for founders, leaders, and high performers who’ve achieved external success but feel an internal disconnect — and are asking what actually matters next.In this conversation, we explore:Why joy disappears in survival mode — and what replaces itHow belief shapes leadership, culture, and decision-makingWhy “blame is a cancer” and how it spreads inside organisationsThe hidden cost of punishment, fear, and victim mentalityWhat founders don’t expect after financial successHow Alina thinks about impact, ownership, and meaning beyond metricsAlina is known for her uncompromising views on leadership and culture, including her belief that “blame is a cancer — once it starts, it spreads.” In this episode, she explains where that belief comes from, how it shows up in her leadership, and why psychological safety isn’t soft — it’s foundational.About Alina VandenbergheAlina Vandenberghe is best known for co-founding Chili Piper, which scaled to a near-$1BN valuation — but this conversation focuses on what came after that success.She is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Chili Piper, the Demand Conversion platform used by top GTM teams at companies like Monday.com, Gong, and Verizon. She started the company in 2016 after selling her house, with a mission to fix the broken B2B buying experience.Romanian-born and New York-based, Alina leads with a rare mix of conviction and vulnerability — and continues to work not because she has to, but because she believes deeply in the puzzle of building better systems for humans.🎧 Listen if you care about:Founder mindsetLeadership psychologyLife after successStartup cultureBelief, purpose, and meaningWhat actually drives high-performing people💬 Join the conversationWhat part of survival mode are you still stuck in?Share your thoughts in the comments — this conversation continues there.Follow Alina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alinav/Follow Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/Read Richard’s Newsletter Growth Magnet: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928Subscribe for more conversations that go beyond tactics — and into what makes the people who build startups tick.🔔 Subscribe to What Makes You TickWeekly conversations with founders, operators, and leaders exploring what really drives them — beyond titles, metrics, and surface-level success.

Welcome to a Best Bits episode of What Makes You Tick - Tech Leaders Career Stories.In this brilliant clip from our full-length conversation, I’m joined by Grant Richardson, Founder at Arden Insights and CEO of Sunamp, to break down a high-stakes question every tech founder and investor must face:“Which CRO model is right for my business - full-time, interim, or fractional?”But this episode goes way beyond that.We get into what actually makes a Chief Revenue Officer succeed:Why most companies hire CROs too early—or for the wrong reasonsWhat to do when you’re still unclear on product-market fitThe pressure CROs face to build the plane while flying itThe critical first 2–4 weeks: proving value fast and earning trustWhy alignment between sales, marketing & operations is non-negotiableHow to measure success when growth is urgent and time is tightWhat it really means to go “all in” as a CRO (regardless of the contract)Whether you're hiring your first CRO, replacing a misfire, or advising a portfolio company, this episode will help you:Avoid the biggest hiring pitfallsClarify your commercial leadership needsUnderstand the real difference between strategic and operational CROsDecide when to invest—and how to de-risk that decision🧠 This isn’t about job titles. It’s about traction, impact and velocity.💬 Featuring battle-tested insight from a leader who's been in the trenches, scaled revenue in complex markets, and knows what it takes to lead from day one.Connect with Grant Richardson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grant-a-richardson/Follow Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/Read Richard’s Newsletter Growth Magnet: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928Subscribe for more conversations that go beyond tactics — and into what makes the people who build startups tick.#CRO #ChiefRevenueOfficer #Startup #Scaleup #VC #TickTalent #WMYT

This is a best-bits episode from a conversation I recorded last year with my great friend James Bissell — also known as @TheRevenueEnabler — on his podcast, Hit Your Numbers.If you’re actively job searching — or quietly thinking about your next move — this episode will change how you think about your CV, interviews, and how hiring decisions are actually made.We break down why most CVs fail in seconds, and why it’s rarely because candidates lack experience or talent.The real issue is positioning.I share a simple framework that explains how companies really evaluate people — the four types of hires they make:subtractors, adders, dividers, and multipliers.Once you understand this, a lot suddenly makes sense:why great candidates get overlookedwhy “strong experience” isn’t enoughwhy generic CVs all blur togetherand why hiring managers respond to some people immediatelyWe also cover practical, no-nonsense advice on:why “personal profiles” don’t workhow to reframe your CV around business challengeshow to stand out without applying for hundreds of rolesand why conversations matter more than applicationsThis episode is especially useful if you:feel stuck in your job searcharen’t getting responses despite strong experiencewant to move into a higher-impact roleor want to be seen as a multiplier, not just another applicantIf you want to stop sending CVs into the void and start winning real conversations, this one is worth your time.Follow James on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bissell1/Follow Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/#JobSearch, #Careers, #Hiring, #SalesCareers, #Leadership