Under Oath: Revenue Takes The Stand

When Zach Ramey was hired, the goal was modest: 3 sales for $300K. The result? 32 deals. $4 million. Year one. In this episode of Under Oath, the revenue leaders at Rankings.io break down what it actually takes to scale—from staffing decisions to coaching philosophy to owning your pipeline in-house. CRO Zach Ramey, VP of Sales Cole Castleberry, and Senior Director of Sales Enablement Scott Knudson walk through five powerful lessons forged through failure, not theory. Whether you’re building your first outbound team or leading a mature GTM org into a new year, this episode reveals the structure and mindset behind high-output sales leadership. Watch the Full Video on YouTube: @UnderOathPodcast Follow Us for More Revenue Intel: Instagram: @underoathpodcast  TikTok: @underoathpodcast What You'll Learn: Why “activity” isn’t the metric that matters most The hiring philosophy that outperforms 5 reps with 2 What sales enablement actually looks like at an elite agency Why outsourcing growth is almost always a losing bet How to turn failure into fuel—and coach through it

You’ve done the calls, followed the script, hit quota a few times. But still—something’s missing. This episode is for the reps stuck in the middle. The ones who should be crushing it by now… but aren’t. The Rankings revenue team—Zach Ramey (CRO of Revenue), Cole Castleberry (VP of Sales), and Scott Knudson (Sr. Director of Sales Enablement)—pull back the curtain on what actually separates good prospectors from great ones. And it’s not a better subject line or tighter talk track. It’s what happens before the work even begins. Watch the Full Video on YouTube: @UnderOathPodcast Follow Us for More Revenue Intel: Instagram: @underoathpodcast  TikTok: @underoathpodcast What You'll Learn: Why every great prospector has a personal routine—and why yours matters more than your tech stack The surprising (but true) connection between life habits and sales performance How to handle rejection like a professional athlete (because top reps train like one) The difference between activity and actual output—and why most reps are fooling themselves How to audit your own habits, mindset, and work ethic if you want to make the leap

AI is in every tool. We’ve hit peak saturation. But for sales leaders, the real question is: Does it actually generate revenue? We know you care about: More calls. Better follow-up. Higher conversion. Lower burnout. In this episode of Under Oath, the Rankings.io revenue team puts AI on the stand. Host Scott Knudson (Director of Sales Enablement) is joined by Zach Ramey (Chief Revenue Officer) and Cole Castleberry (VP of Sales) to break down how AI really impacts pipeline, productivity, and performance—from call summaries to custom bots. Whether you're AI-curious or already deep in prompt engineering, this episode will help you build a smarter sales org—without sacrificing human connection. Watch the Full Video on YouTube: @UnderOathPodcast Follow Us for More Revenue Intel: Instagram: @underoathpodcast  TikTok: @underoathpodcast What You'll Learn: The AI mistake that’s making your reps lazy How to inspect what you expect when coaching reps using AI The difference between leveraging AI and depending on it Why your follow-up emails should never be 100% AI-generated The only ROI calculation you need to justify your next AI tool Closing Arguments: “Use AI to get your reps one more call a day. That’s a million-dollar difference.” “AI should help you build trust—not replace it.” “If AI is coaching your team—and you’re not—you’re falling behind.” “Everyone has AI now. Winners are the ones who use it right.”

If you're leading a revenue team and thinking about scaling outbound, this episode is a must-listen. The Rankings.io crew unpacks how they scrapped a $40K/month outsourced mess and built a lean in-house team that closed $4M in its first year—without bloated tech stacks or high-volume fluff. You’ll hear what actually moves the needle: hiring reps who can think, not just dial; creating outreach that feels human, not automated; and building a system that scales without losing its edge. No theory—just real-world lessons from a team that’s doing the work. Watch the Full Video on YouTube: @UnderOathPodcast Follow Us for More Revenue Intel: Instagram: @underoathpodcast  TikTok: @underoathpodcast What You'll Learn: Why a high-performing in-house BDR can outperform three mediocre reps The biggest mistake leaders make when scaling outbound—and how to avoid it How Rankings built a $4M outbound engine in under a year (and doubled it in Year 2) The real reason personalization cuts through the noise—and why most reps fail at it The overlooked role of enablement in building high-output, high-morale teams Closing Arguments: “A great BDR can offset three mediocre ones.” “If you're just checking boxes, you're doing it wrong.” “You weren’t hired to sound like AI—you were hired to sound like you.” “Every cold call is the first experience someone has with your brand—act like it.”

In this episode of UnderOath, the Rankings.io revenue team tears down one of the most common beliefs in hiring: that traditional experience—job titles and résumé bullets—predicts success. Hosts Scott Knudson (Senior Director of Sales Enablement), Zach Ramey (SVP of Revenue), and Cole Castleberry (VP of Sales) make the case for something different: lived experience, self-awareness, and the ability to tell your story clearly are far better indicators of performance in legal sales. Watch the Full Video on YouTube: @UnderOathPodcast Follow Us for More Revenue Intel: Instagram: @underoathpodcast  TikTok: @underoathpodcast What You'll Learn: Why resume “matches” often miss the best candidates What makes lived experience more valuable than formal experience How to interview in a way that tells your full story Why leaders often fail by trying to hire versions of themselves The traits that top legal sales hires really share Closing Arguments: “I don’t need the next me. I need someone who’s been through something and learned from it.” “It’s always my fault—even if it’s not.” “You can bend more of your sales reality than you think.” “Momentum is real—winning breeds winning.”

In this episode of Under Oath, Scot Knutson (Director of Sales Enablement), Zach Ramey (SVP of Revenue), and Cole Castleberry (VP of Sales) break down the blind spots and breakthroughs that come with merging sales and marketing into one revenue-driving force. This is not your average “alignment” conversation. From attribution chaos and dirty data to the psychological edge of branding inside the funnel, this episode exposes the internal moves that took Rankings.io from 7 figures to hypergrowth mode. This episode is for: Sales leaders rethinking how sales and marketing collaborate Revenue execs scaling fast but flying blind Anyone who’s had to say, “I don’t know where that lead came from” What You’ll Learn: Why most marketing data is a mess—and how to clean it up The overlooked power of shared revenue goals How branding becomes your closer The demand gen shift that unlocked real pipeline Why great reps shouldn’t care if a lead was inbound or outbound The hidden cost of separating sales and marketing orgs Closing Arguments: “Your best reps shouldn’t know where the lead came from—and that’s a good thing.” “Every sales call is a marketing opportunity in disguise.” “Marketing didn’t open the door—they built the house to the sale.” Watch the Full Video on YouTube: @UnderOathPodcast Follow Us for More Revenue Intel: Instagram: @underoathpodcast  TikTok: @underoathpodcast

You’ve heard it before: remote teams can’t compete. Today’s episode rips that lie apart. In this episode of Under Oath, the Rankings revenue squad puts remote work on trial. Hosts Scott Knudson (Sr. Director of Sales Enablement), Zach Ramey (SVP of Revenue), and Cole Casselberry (VP of Sales) dig into how they’ve built a high-output, high-culture sales organization with zero offices and no hand-holding. From torching unproductive meetings to hiring like Navy SEALs, they share what actually works when no one's watching—and why most remote teams implode. This episode is for: Sales leaders rethinking hybrid Revenue execs scaling lean Anyone tired of “remote = lazy” narratives What You’ll Learn: Why most remote cultures fail—and how to build one that wins The one thing your remote hires must show before day one Why “freedom” at work demands more accountability, not less Closing Arguments: “You're extendable. Remote opens you up to 100x more competition.” “Autonomy without ownership? That’s just chaos.” “Be obsessed. Or be replaced.” Watch the Full Video on YouTube: @UnderOathPodcast Follow Us for More Revenue Intel: Instagram: @underoathpodcast  TikTok: @underoathpodcast

From extreme ownership to 1% gains, elite sellers know the real battle is beating who they were yesterday. In this episode of Under Oath, Scott Knudson (Senior Director of Sales Enablement), Zach Ramey (SVP of Revenue), and Cole Castleberry (VP of Sales) take the stand to dissect what it really means to "crush the competition." From rethinking your competitor landscape to winning by selling belief in your team, the crew reveals how mindset, process, and internal trust are more powerful than flashy features. Whether you're losing deals or setting the standard in your market, this episode is your blueprint for outlasting and outplaying everyone else. Watch the Full Video on YouTube: @UnderOathPodcast Follow Us for More Revenue Intel: Instagram: @underoathpodcast  TikTok: @underoathpodcast What You'll Learn: Why your biggest competition is yourself—not the company across the street The order of operations for winning: mindset → process → product How top sellers respond when a competitor outmaneuvers them The power of cross-functional alignment in keeping clients long after the contract is signed Why copying your playbook doesn’t mean they can beat you Closing Arguments: “There is no competition—you’re only competing with yourself.” “Win the war inside your walls first.” “You didn’t lose because of the product. You lost because you didn’t position it well.” “Real trust in your people will always outperform a shiny feature.”

In this episode of Under Oath, the Rankings.io revenue team dives deep into the differences between winners and losers in sales. Hosts Scott Knudson (Senior Director of Sales Enablement), Zach Ramey (SVP of Revenue), and Cole Castleberry (VP of Sales) share battle-tested insights from the frontlines of legal marketing sales. From the intentionality behind every call to the mindset that overcomes slumps, the team unpacks what separates those who consistently win from those who plateau—or worse, fade away. Watch the Full Video on YouTube: @UnderOathPodcast Follow Us for More Revenue Intel: Instagram: @underoathpodcast  TikTok: @underoathpodcast What You'll Learn: The killer habits that winners bring to every sales call Why “it is what it is” is a dangerous mindset trap How top sellers bounce back from slumps faster than everyone else The telltale signs of loser behavior that leaders should watch out for Why taking 100% ownership is the ultimate winning trait Closing Arguments: “Every action should be an intentional action.” “It’s always my fault—even if it’s not.” “You can bend more of your sales reality than you think.” “Momentum is real—winning breeds winning.”

Failure isn’t the end—it’s the fuel.  In this episode of Under Oath, the Rankings.io revenue team opens up about their biggest losses, toughest setbacks, and the lessons that turned them into elite performers and coaches.  From lost deals to missed promotions and everything in between, Zach Ramey (SVP of Revenue), Cole Castleberry (VP of Sales), and Scott Knudson (Director of Sales Enablement) share how leaders can turn failure into growth—and how reps can bounce back stronger than ever. If you're building a performance culture, leading a sales team, or in the middle of a career low point, this episode is for you. Watch the Full Video on YouTube: @UnderOathPodcast Follow Us for More Revenue Intel: Instagram: @underoathpodcast  TikTok: @underoathpodcast What You'll Learn: Why your biggest losses often create your best sellers How to coach reps through failure without losing them Why failure without follow-up is wasted potential What “good leaders” actually do when someone blows it The mindset that transforms failure into fuel Closing Arguments: “Winning feels good. Failure builds greatness.” “Fear of failure is fear of growth.” “You didn’t lose until you stopped trying.”

Dirty data, vanity metrics, and setting goals that scare you—in this episode, the Rankings.io revenue team breaks down how to track what really moves the needle. How do the best revenue teams measure success?  Hint: it's not “300 touchpoints” or vague pipeline goals. In this episode of Under Oath, the revenue crew at Rankings.io takes a hard look at the metrics that matter most when building and scaling a revenue engine. From appointment sets and close rates to show rate strategy and data cleanliness, Zach Ramey (SVP of Revenue), Cole Castleberry (VP of Sales), and Scott Knudson (Director of Sales Enablement) talk through the good, the bad, and the misleading when it comes to tracking success.  Watch the Full Video on YouTube: ▶️@UnderOathPodcast Follow Us for More Revenue Intel: Instagram: @underoathpodcast  TikTok: @underoathpodcast What You'll Learn: Why "300 touchpoints" might be the most meaningless stat on your dashboard The dangerous illusion of "clean" data Why vanity metrics hurt your team—and your job The metrics that actually move dollars, not dashboards How to align pay with performance metrics that matter Closing Arguments: “Don't present vanity metrics—your job might depend on it.” “Shoot for the stars. Land on the stars.” “We're not even good yet.”

When should you scale? How fast is too fast? And what happens to culture, accountability, and quality along the way? In this episode of Under Oath, Rankings.io’s revenue brain trust—Zach Ramey (SVP, Revenu), Scott Knudson (Sr. Director Sales Enablement), and Cole Castleberry (VP, Sales)—tackle one of the most high-stakes topics in business: scaling a team. This episode goes deep into the mechanics of scaling responsibly, the danger of over-hiring, and why obsession—not headcount—is the secret to rocket-ship growth. You'll also hear some real talk about autonomy, tough conversations, and why “we’ll worry about it when it happens” is a death sentence for leaders. Key Takeaways Hire fewer, better: Why two rockstars beat ten average performers—and how to find them Capacity before chaos: How to know when it’s really time to hit the gas Planning isn't optional: The fatal flaw of "we’ll figure it out later" leadership Protect the culture at all costs: How scaling can erode culture—and what to do about it Fast feedback loops: Why failure isn’t the problem—slow course correction is Objections Raised Objection to hiring fast—bad hires kill momentum Objection to assuming culture scales itself—it doesn’t Objection to “we’ll deal with it when it comes”—you’re already too late Closing Arguments Zach: “Pay for quality. Let experts be experts.” Cole: “Make decisions fast, learn faster.” Scott: “Build the bench now—before you need it.” Also in This Episode: A heated debate over leftover pizza, the rise of the air fryer, and why Domino’s might be winning the cold pizza game.

On this episode of Under Oath, Rankings.io’s revenue brain trust—Zach Ramey (Head of Revenue), Scott Knudson (Director of Revenue Operations), and Cole Castleberry (Head of Sales)—unpack the modern buyer experience and what it takes to stand out in today’s noisy market. From brand perception to first-touch personalization, this episode dives deep into how to craft a buyer journey that converts—without overwhelming your team or killing culture. Spoiler alert: cadences are on trial, and the verdict is not good. Key Takeaways Personalization over automation: How to break free from template traps and stand out in a saturated inbox The first impression starts long before the demo: Why branding, tone, and timing matter more than ever Stop hiring your way out of broken systems: The smarter path to sustainable scale Experience is internal, too: Why how you treat your team shapes how they treat prospects Good sellers don’t wait for perfect assets—they build them Objections Raised Objection to static experiences: If it doesn’t evolve, it expires Objection to pinching pennies: Cutting corners on people, tech, or training costs you more in the long run Objection to outsourcing ownership: Creating a great experience is everyone’s job—including the seller Closing Arguments Cole: “Experience matters.” Zach: “Invest in experience.” Scott: “Never settle. Always evolve your experience.” Also in This Episode The real reason they scrapped automated cadences What solar companies can teach you about sales conversations Why spammy inbound leads almost broke their system—and how they fixed it And yes—another hot take about Post Malone

Choosing the right tech stack can make or break your sales operation. In this episode, we go under oath to dissect what a smart, scalable tech stack really looks like. From CRMs and automation tools to integrations and data hygiene, we break down the essentials — and the common mistakes that sink teams before they scale. Whether you’re building from scratch or cleaning up a Frankenstack, this one’s for you.

In this episode of Under Oath, we put promotions on the stand. Are they a reward for performance, a tool for retention, or simply a political move? We cross-examine the good, the bad, and the awkward of climbing the corporate ladder. We break down setting clear criteria to avoiding title inflation. We share personal stories, debate how to balance transparency with discretion, and explore what really makes a promotion meaningful. Whether you’re gunning for one or granting one, this episode lays out the case for how promotions should really work.

Hiring can make or break your team — so how do you get it right? In this episode, we put the hiring process on the stand. From standing out to spotting red flags (and green lights) in interviews, we break down what it really takes to hire top performers. Whether you’re scaling a sales team or making your first hire, this episode gives you the practical tools and tough questions you need to build smarter.

In this episode of UnderOath, we dig into one of the toughest tightropes in sales leadership: balancing autonomy with direction. How do you empower reps to own their process without letting standards slip? Where’s the line between trust and micromanagement? We unpack real strategies to create clarity without control, explore what it means to set a true standard, and share practical ways to build a culture where autonomy and accountability actually thrive together.

In this kickoff episode, the Under Oath hosts Zach Ramey, Cole Castleberry, and Scott Knudson lay out the mission of the show: Pragmatic conversations about what actually builds and scales elite sales teams. You’ll get to know their backstories, how they helped doubled revenue in a year, and in their first ever cross-examination breakdown: is cold calling still relevant in 2025?