In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli interviews Dan Chapman, a go-to-market advisor and fractional Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) specializing in early-stage B2B SaaS companies. Dan shares his journey from a technical founder to a GTM leader, emphasizing the importance of the "selling to learn" phase. He discusses key concepts such as product-market fit, the transition from founder-led sales to initial sales teams, and the development of effective sales playbooks. The conversation provides valuable insights for tech founders on refining sales processes and achieving scalable growth.

For more resources on how to be a a better leader in business, please visit us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Timestamps:

Introduction to the Podcast (00:00:02)
Julian Castelli welcomes listeners to the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, discussing its purpose and format.

Guest Introduction (00:01:20)
Julian introduces Dan Chapman, a go-to-market advisor specializing in early-stage B2B SaaS companies.

Dan's Background and Journey (00:02:57)
Dan shares his unique path from technical founder to go-to-market expert, highlighting lessons learned from mistakes.

Military Experience's Impact (00:04:03)
Dan discusses how his military background shaped his understanding of leadership and organizational dynamics.

Transition to Consulting (00:05:03)
After working at McKinsey and Google, Dan explains his decision to pursue advisory roles with startups.

Google's Role in Startups (00:06:30)
Dan describes his experience at Google, helping acquired startups leverage distribution advantages for growth.

Selling to Learn vs. Selling to Scale (00:08:27)
Dan distinguishes between the two stages, emphasizing the importance of refining messaging before scaling.

Defining Product-Market Fit (00:09:37)
Dan elaborates on product-market fit, highlighting the need for traction, consistency, and momentum in sales.

Documenting the Learning Process (00:11:15)
Dan stresses the importance of founders documenting their sales processes to optimize learning and strategy.

Transitioning from Founder to Non-Founder Sales (00:13:05)
Dan discusses the challenges founders face when transitioning sales responsibilities to new team members.

Consistency in Sales (00:14:13)
Dan emphasizes the need for consistency in customer engagement and product usage during the selling phase.

Scaling Beyond the Founder (00:16:48)
Dan outlines strategies for founders to effectively scale sales beyond their personal efforts.

Sales Playbook Development (00:19:06)
Discusses the importance of having a structured sales playbook for effective training and onboarding of new salespeople.

Training New Salespeople (00:19:18)
Highlights the challenges faced when new salespeople lack proper training and understanding of the sales cycle.

Sales Process and Playbooks (00:20:23)
Explains the different types of sales processes and the necessity for tailored playbooks for transactional and enterprise sales.

Hiring a Sales Leader (00:22:29)
Details the ideal timing for hiring a sales leader based on company traction and the readiness of the sales team.

Resources for Sales Skills (00:25:25)
Recommends valuable books and resources for improving sales skills and understanding sales strategies.

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli unpacks the 2nd half of the old adage Fire Fast/Hire Slow and digs into the details of how to hire well by hiring slow. He emphasizes the importance of a structured and data-driven hiring process, advocating for standardized job descriptions, candidate scorecards, and a consistent interview process. Key points include the philosophy of "hiring slow and hiring well," the benefits of data-driven decisions, and the efficiency gained from a structured approach. The episode concludes with a call to action for leaders to refine their hiring practices to ensure better outcomes and stronger teams.

For more resources on how to be a a better leader in business, please visit us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Timestamps:

Introduction to the Podcast (00:00:02)
Julian Castelli welcomes listeners and introduces the theme of effective hiring in tech companies.

The Importance of Hiring Slowly (00:00:27)
Discussion on the balance between hiring slowly and ensuring quality hires without unnecessary delays.

Structured Hiring Processes (00:01:13)
Emphasis on using structured and data-driven approaches to improve hiring quality.

Challenges in Hiring (00:02:22)
Exploration of the difficulties and anxieties associated with the hiring process.

Refining the Hiring Process (00:05:22)
Suggestions for creating a structured hiring process to improve outcomes.

Standard Job Descriptions (00:06:25)
Importance of having standardized job descriptions across teams for clarity and consistency.

Defining Roles and Responsibilities (00:07:19)
Focus on specifying clear outcomes and responsibilities in job descriptions.

Professional Qualifications and Characteristics (00:08:17)
Advice on limiting qualifications and personal characteristics to ensure focused evaluations.

Screening Interview Process (00:10:23)
Recommendation for a preliminary screening to filter candidates before executive interviews.

Standardized Scorecards (00:10:30)
Introduction of a standardized scorecard for consistent evaluation of candidates.

Interview Structure and Evidence Gathering (00:11:30)
Outline of how to conduct interviews using scorecards to gather compelling evidence.

Scoring Candidates (00:14:18)
Explanation of how to score candidates based on their interview performance and characteristics.

Data-Driven Decision Making (00:16:08)
Highlighting the benefits of using data from scorecards to make informed hiring decisions.

Collaborative Review of Scores (00:17:07)
Encouragement for team discussions to refine candidate evaluations based on scorecard data.

Data-Driven Hiring Process (00:18:06)
Discussion on using data to identify top candidates through structured interviews and scorecards.

Structured Approach Benefits (00:18:55)
Explains how a disciplined, structured hiring process can lead to better outcomes without taking much extra time.

Confidence in Hiring (00:19:59)
Emphasizes the importance of structured job descriptions and processes in enabling confident hiring decisions.

Closing Remarks and Resources (00:20:28)
Encourages listeners to subscribe, recommend the podcast, and explore additional resources on leadership.

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli interviews Rob Castaneda, founder of ServiceRocket. They discuss the importance of SaaS companies understanding customer needs and filling service gaps beyond their core product offerings. Rob emphasizes the significance of building a profitable ecosystem with foundational partners to ensure dedicated attention and success. He shares insights from his experience with Atlassian, highlighting the need for a partner like ServiceRocket to provide professional services and support to customers, enabling them to fully utilize software within their unique business environments. The conversation also touches on the concepts from Geoffrey Moore's "Crossing the Chasm" and the importance of recognizing that people, not logos, buy software.

For more resources on how to be a a better leader in business, please visit us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Welcome to the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast (00:00:02) Introduction to the podcast and its purpose.

Introduction to Growth Elevated and Tech Summit (00:00:27) Promotion of the Growth Elevated community and its offerings.

Introduction to Rob Castaneda and Service Rocket (00:01:10) Background and introduction of Rob Castaneda, founder of ServiceRocket, and his association with Atlassian.

Rob's Triathlon Experience (00:02:29) Rob shares his experience as a lousy triathlete and the challenges he faced.

Service Rocket's Early Engagement with Atlassian (00:04:44) Rob narrates the early days of ServiceRocket's collaboration with Atlassian and their role in promoting Jira.

Service Rocket's Training Approach (00:11:41) Discussion about ServiceRocket's training strategy and the transition from early adopters to the early majority.

Service Rocket's Professional Services (00:18:11) Details about ServiceRocket's professional services and their approach to enabling and empowering customers.

Conclusion and Overview of Service Rocket (00:19:49) Summary of ServiceRocket's unique approach and the importance of understanding customer nuance.

Filling the Gaps in SaaS Business (00:20:24) Discussion on the conventional wisdom of valuing SaaS companies based on subscription revenue and the potential gaps it leaves for customers.

Understanding the Customer's Ecosystem (00:21:36) Exploration of the importance of understanding and catering to the customer's ecosystem for successful SaaS adoption and expansion.

Building an Ecosystem (00:24:00) Insights into the process of building an ecosystem for SaaS companies and the role of foundational partners in the ecosystem.

Clarity and Communication with Partners (00:32:39) Importance of internal clarity and treating partners as an extension of the team for successful collaboration.

Journey of Building a Business (00:36:11) Challenges and lessons learned in the journey of building a business, including leadership, cultural understanding, and mentorship.

Networking and Mentorship (00:38:15) The significance of mentorship, networking, and paying it forward in business and leadership.

Where to Find Rob (00:40:13) Information on where to connect with Rob Castaneda, including his company website, LinkedIn, and his substack on leadership behaviors.

Thank you (00:40:46) Closing remarks and gratitude expressed by the speakers.

Podcast promotion (00:40:52) Encouragement for listeners to follow, subscribe, and recommend the podcast, along with a website invitation.

Closing (00:41:13) Final thank you and sign-off from the host.

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli interviews Blake Harber, a seasoned sales executive with experience in SaaS companies like HireVue Workstream and Lucid. Blake shares his stories from his leadership journey at Workstream, an applicant tracking system for the hourly workforce. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Blake led a strategic pivot to focus on the restaurant sector, resulting in significant growth. He discusses his experience scaling sales teams, achieving product-market fit, and leveraging networking and educational institutions for recruitment. The episode provides valuable insights into overcoming challenges and driving growth in technology companies.

For more resources on how to be a a better leader in business, please visit us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Timestamps:

Scaling Sales Team (00:18:09)
Blake discusses hiring over 60 sales reps and the challenges of scaling.

Signs of Product Market Fit (00:18:29)
The speakers explore the indicators that confirm achieving product market fit.

Market Pull and Sales Success (00:18:54)
Blake explains how market demand accelerated their sales cycle and referrals.

Recruiting Strategies (00:20:38)
Blake shares his effective recruiting methods and networking experience in Utah.

Growth and Revenue Milestones (00:23:01)
Discussion on the company's revenue growth from 1 million to over 20 million.

Funding Success (00:23:50)
Blake details raising a $100 million Series B funding round and its implications.

Transition to Consulting (00:24:40)
Blake talks about his move to consulting after stepping away from Workstream.

Engagement Flexibility (00:26:17)
Blake describes his adaptable consulting engagements and their duration.

Focus on SMB Market (00:27:14)
Blake clarifies his specialization in SMB and lower mid-market companies.

Contact Information (00:27:41)
Blake shares how listeners can reach out to him for consulting opportunities.

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, we interview Davis Bell, CEO of Canopy, a SaaS platform for accounting practices. They discuss Canopy's journey, including its growth from 100 to 170 employees and a 4-5x revenue increase since Bell joined in 2019. Bell highlights the challenges of prioritizing product development, navigating COVID-19, and raising capital, including a recent $35 million funding round. They also delve into leadership lessons, emphasizing transparency, team autonomy, and the importance of listening and curiosity in achieving better results. Bell shares insights on maintaining high employee engagement and navigating market challenges.

For more resources on how to be a a better leader in business, please visit us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Timestamps (by podsqueeze):

The journey of Canopy (00:00:02)

David Bell discusses the growth and challenges faced by Canopy, a SaaS company serving accounting practices.

Raising funding (00:01:46)

David Bell talks about Canopy's successful funding round of $35 million and the challenges of raising capital during a tough economy.

What Canopy does (00:02:15)

David Bell explains that Canopy is a firm-wide operating system for accounting firms, managing customer information, communication, collaboration, time tracking, and more.

Challenges and growth of Canopy (00:03:10)

David Bell shares the challenges and growth of Canopy, including the decision to focus on practice management and the company's revenue and team growth.

Building a system of record (00:06:02)

David Bell discusses the challenges of building a comprehensive system of record for accounting firms and the decision to build the entire platform.

Raising capital and market challenges (00:07:47)

David Bell talks about the challenges of raising capital, re-educating investors, and navigating market dynamics to secure funding.

Series A and Series B funding (00:09:16)

David Bell discusses the traction in the marketplace that led to the successful Series A and Series B funding rounds for Canopy.

Investor value and confidence (00:11:37)

David Bell emphasizes the importance of investors' behavior during challenges and the value of topical expertise in investors.

Navigating COVID-19 impact (00:15:03)

David Bell discusses the challenges of transitioning to remote work and the decision-making process regarding office and remote work arrangements.

Pride in the team and employee satisfaction (00:17:42)

David Bell expresses pride in Canopy's team, low attrition, and high employee NPS, highlighting the company's positive work culture.

Employee NPS and Transparency (00:18:03)

Discussion on the company's employee Net Promoter Score (NPS) and the impact of transparency on employee satisfaction.

Leadership Conception (00:23:03)

The evolution of the speaker's leadership style, moving away from the traditional "visionary leader" model.

Impact of Curiosity on Decision-Making (00:25:12)

The benefits of leading with curiosity and openness, with a specific example of how it led to a better outcome.

Financial Planning and Optionality (00:27:04)

The importance of structuring financial plans to maintain control and optionality, with lessons learned from previous funding experiences.

Future Goals and AI Investment (00:30:46)

The company's future plans, including investment in AI and expansion into adjacent products.

Recommended Learning Resources (00:31:44)

The speaker's recommended newsletters and podcasts for staying informed and learning about AI and tech.

Conclusion and Podcast Wrap-Up (00:32:51)

Closing remarks and gratitude for the conversation, concluding the podcast episode.