The Sales Readiness Podcast™

In the latest episode of The Sales Readiness Podcast, our host Ray Makela, Managing Director of Talent Development at SBI, is joined by Charlie Dorrier, Director of Training at SBI, to explore the gap between building playbooks and using them to drive results.  They dive into recent research on manager enablement, the pitfalls that cause playbooks to fail, and the tactics top-organizations are usi...

In the latest episode of The Sales Readiness Podcast, our host, Ray Makela, Managing Director of Talent Development at SBI, is joined by Annie Stefano, Senior Training Consultant at SBI, to unpack their key takeaways from the recent Gainsight Pulse Conference.  Ray and Annie share their firsthand insights on the evolving trends in customer success and enablement, highlighting the rising impact of...

In this episode of The Sales Readiness Podcast, our host Ray Makela, Managing Director of Talent Development, is joined by Christina Brady, CEO and Co-Founder of Luster.ai to explore why traditional sales training often falls short and how a data-driven approach can transform outcomes. The two dive into how AI and predictive analytics are setting a new standard for sales effectiveness. Key Takeawa...

In this episode of the Sales Readiness Podcast, Ray Makela, Managing Director of Talent Development, sits down with Annie Stefano, Senior Training Consultant, to continue their conversation on Customer Success. The two tackle what it takes to operationalize CS across the customer journey.  Key Takeaways:  ·      How to reduce friction between Sales and CS by establishing shared goals.  ·      Metr...

In this Sales Readiness Podcast episode, our host Ray Makela, SBI’s Managing Director of Talent Development, is joined by Annie Stefano, Senior Training Consultant at SBI, to break down how to rethink Customer Success roles, close key skill gaps, and build enablement programs that help CS teams deliver commercial impact. Key Takeaways: -Three foundational skills every CS team needs today. -The val...

In this Sales Readiness Podcast episode, our host Ray Makela, SBI’s Managing Director of Talent Development, is joined by Dave Lingebach, SBI’s Senior Research Manager, to break down the findings of SBI’s latest research report, in partnership with the Revenue Enablement Society, Closing the Training Gap for Frontline Sales Managers. In this conversation, they break down the implications of contin...

In this episode of The Sales Readiness Podcast, our host, Ray Makela, Managing Director of Talent Development at SBI, welcomes back Ethan Radoff, Partner at SBI, to unpack the nuances between sales and account management, and why getting it right matters more than ever. The conversation explores how today's complex customer journey demands clarity of the role, intentional segmentation, and tailore...

In this Sales Readiness Podcast episode, our host Ray Makela, Managing Director, is joined by Sarah Bedwell, SBI Executive Consultant, to share firsthand experiences and insights on selling to the C-suite, a process that requires a different mindset and a tailored approach. Selling to executives presents a unique dynamic, and Ray and Sarah walk through tactics to deliver value at every step of the...

In this Sales Readiness Podcast Episode, Ray Makela, SBI’s Managing Director is joined by Chasta Bair, SBI Senior Delivery Consultant, to explore the many challenges sales managers face when motivating their sellers. The two break down why motivation often feels like an afterthought, and how normalizing and encouraging these discussions can lead to significant improvements in performance. With a s...

In this episode, SRG’s own Ray Makela, Managing Director, and Jeffrey Cordes, Senior Director of Training Services explore the critical role of sales coaching in developing frontline managers and boosting team performance. Together, they break down the key differences between management and coaching, the challenges faced when implementing effective coaching programs, and the essential mindset shif...

Join Ray Makela in an exploratory discussion with Andre Yee, Founder and CEO of Tiga AI, as they discuss the role of AI in helping businesses amplify their sellers’ productivity. Learn how innovative AI platforms provide companies with opportunities to increase effective selling time and execute more cross/upsell motions through tailored AI suites that adapt to the evolving needs of modern GTM org...

Join Ray A. Makela in a compelling discussion with Adam Clay, CEO of RNMKRS, and Dr. Stefanie Boyer, Co-Founder, Chief Science Officer, and Head of Education of RNMKRS, as they delve into the transformative role of AI in sales training. Explore how their innovative platform revolutionizes sales conversation mastery through rigorous practice and realistic simulations, addressing the evolving challe...

Join Ray A. Makela and Dr. Howard Dover from the University of Texas as they dive into the fascinating intersection of AI and the sales industry. In this insightful conversation, they explore the impact of technology on sales, the paradox of innovation, and the delicate balance between efficiency and effectiveness. Discover how AI can enhance sales conversations and productivity while emphasizing...

If you enjoyed hearing about sales strategies for a fast start in 2024, I recommend you check out this other conversation, which you can find here: {{https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/salesreadiness/episodes/Accelerating-Sales-Cycles-with-Data-Driven-Management-Strategies-e2bct8o}} Listen on: Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sales-readiness-podcast/id1142036120 Spot...

If you enjoyed hearing about sales velocity insights for 2024, I recommend you check out this other conversation, which you can find here: {{https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/salesreadiness/episodes/Unlocking-2024-SKO-Impact-Strategies-for-Year-Round-Sales-Success-e2bctm7}} Watch the episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SalesReadiness/videos --   About Us: SRG, a part of SBI, serves...

Learn about leveraging AI to enhance seller effectiveness, the best practices that the top sellers implement and how to develop role-play exercises for immediate feedback. Featured in this episode: Ray Makela, MD - Talent Development at SRG, a part of SBI, Bryan Kurey, Head of Research at SBI Growth and Jake Miller, Sr. Product Marketing Manager at Allego. -- About Us: SRG, a part of SBI, serves a...

AI is revolutionizing business and changing the way sales professionals work. But is this enough to replace the human factor? In today’s episode, Ray Makela, GM of Sales Training at SRG, a Part of SBI, sits down with Alfred Ojukwu, a senior sales professional at Microsoft and co-chair of Blacks at Microsoft. They discuss the role of AI in sales, particularly the Microsoft tools Copilot and Bing Ch...

In this episode, Ray Makela, General Manager of Sales Training at SRG, a Part of SBI sits down with Craig Hanson, the Senior Director of Marketing Strategy at Gong. Gong has been trusted by thousands of companies worldwide to support their go-to-market strategies and grow revenue efficiently through a single, integrated platform.  In this discussion, they touch on how AI will transform the work of...

Get actionable SKO insights, real-world examples, and a sprinkle of planning tips to set you up for a winning year. Featured in this episode: Ray Makela, CEO of the Sales Readiness Group, and Sam Herring, Vice President and General Manager at Intrepid.

Empower sales managers with pull-based strategies and effective coaching to navigate a conservative buying landscape. Featured in this episode: Ray Makela, CEO of the Sales Readiness Group, Craig Simons, Director of Growth at Allego, and Nick Toman, Chief Product and Strategy Officer AT SBI.

Discover the intricacies of generative AI and practical applications in the sales industry to improve reps' performance and increase deal success rate. Listen to SRG's General Manager, Ray Makela, sit down with Connor Grennan, the Dean of the Business School at the NYU Stern School, to discuss how the latest advancements in artificial intelligence are affecting the sales profession. Will a...

Tune in as the SRG team shares their personal impressions and key takeaways from SES Experience 2023. This episode offers a candid look at the future of Sales Enablement and modern sales strategies through the lens of industry leaders.

Discover the transformative power of sales coaching in driving commercial excellence. Featured in this episode: Ray Makela, General Manager - Sales Training at SBI, The Growth Advisory and Tony Erickson, Senior Partner and Technology Practice Leader at SBI, The Growth Advisory.

Discover the key to identifying the root cause of underperforming sales reps and how to effectively address performance gaps with these tips for managers. Featured in this episode: Norman Behar, Managing Director at the Sales Readiness Group, and Alonso Chehade, Director of Marketing at Sales Readiness Group.

Learn about the current state of sales managers, the impact of AI in sales management, and the human element of training and coaching. Featured in this episode: Ray Makela, CEO of Sales Readiness Group, and Craig Simons, the Director of Growth at Allego.