Train to Gain

What happens when a city of 50,000 people runs a 311 call center with nine agents covering 77 services — and most of that knowledge lives only in people's heads? Parker Skophammer, Director of Finance and Administrative Services for the City of Mankato, Minnesota, joins Katie to talk about what it actually takes to build a training foundation in local government — and why it matters more than most...

In this episode of Train to Gain, Katie Merrill sits down with Kevin Nethercott, CEO of Tresic, to explore what happens when AI meets the full volume of an organization’s conversation data — and what becomes possible when that intelligence is actually put to work. Kevin shares how Tresic’s Intelligence Cloud captures and analyzes 100% of customer conversations, surfacing upsell opportunities, comp...

Episode Overview In this episode of Train to Gain , Erin and Katie are joined by Nate Mengel and Pete Brown from Sunset Learning Institute to discuss the evolution of contact centers—from on-premise systems to the cloud—and why training has become the most critical driver of adoption, customer success, and long-term business outcomes. Drawing from decades of experience across contact center techno...

In this episode of Train to Gain , the team welcomes Travis Burris, VP of Global Channels and Alliances at NuWave, to explore the realities that emerge after a solution is sold and implemented. Together, they discuss how adoption, training, and enablement directly influence customer satisfaction, channel success, and long-term revenue. From shifting industry dynamics to the growing importance of e...

Customer expectations have changed—and waiting for answers is no longer acceptable. In this episode of Trained to Gain , Erin Raitt and Katie Merrill explore how self-service support is being re-architected for the AI era, and why delivering real-time, accurate answers starts long before AI is ever turned on. They discuss the evolution from static PDFs and traditional knowledge bases to conversati...

In this episode of Train to Gain , hosts Erin Raitt and Katie Merrill kick off the first episode of 2026 with a special guest as part of their OG Series —highlighting the people who helped shape B-Lynk in its earliest days. They welcome Tim Sisneros (Cisco) , a longtime partner, collaborator, and early advocate who played a key role in B-Lynk’s growth. Together, they reflect on how partnerships, t...

Episode Overview In the final Train to Gain episode of 2025, hosts Erin Raitt and Katie Merrill bring a festive close to the year with a special holiday-themed edition: The 12 Training Tips of Christmas. No singing (you’re welcome!)—just a fun, helpful rundown of twelve actionable training and enablement strategies you can take into the new year. Erin and Katie also reflect on the journey of launc...

In this episode of Train to Gain , hosts Erin Raitt and Katie Merrill sit down with Kathryn Rose , founding CEO of ChannelWise and co-founder of the Channel Marketing Association , to unpack what AI literacy really means for the channel. They explore how vendors and partners can move beyond hype and start using AI in ways that are strategic, safe, and genuinely useful. What We Talk About What AI l...

Overview We continue The OGs series with Caitlin Clark-Zigmond of Clark Growth Partners to unpack the MOVE Framework for go-to-market (Market, Operations, Velocity, Expand). Topics include ICP vs TAM and “relevant market,” aligning silos with shared metrics, scaling sales enablement, NRR as a north-star expansion metric, and how AI + unified data accelerate forecasting and decision-making. Stories...

Overview B-Lynk kicks off The OGs series with guest Mike Enders , product leader at Articulate and longtime collaborator. We cover the evolution of e-learning tech (Flash → Studio → Storyline → Rise, SCORM → xAPI), the rise of microlearning/snackable content, and practical uses of AI—especially role-play—across sales enablement and training. Stories & Standout Moments Origin story: How a two-h...

In this episode of B-Lynk: Train to Gain , hosts Erin Raitt and Katie Merrill sit down with Lisa Rouse , one of B-Lynk’s lead instructors, for an inspiring conversation about the art (and science) of effective training. 🔍 Episode Overview Lisa shares her journey from early collaboration with Katie—back before B-Lynk even existed—to becoming one of the company’s most trusted instructors. The trio...

In this episode of Train to Gain , Erin Raitt and Katie Merrill sit down with Amy Bailey , founder of Unusually Unusual Consulting and co-founder of the Channel Marketing Association . Together, they dive into the art of making the most of channel events, MDF spend, and personal branding strategies that keep you top of mind long after the conference ends. What You’ll Hear The story behind the name...

Overview In this episode, Erin and Katie chat with Andrew Ward , CEO & Founder of Award Consulting , about how rural service providers can scale technical readiness without bloating headcount. We dig into when to train vs. when to outsource, the power of “everyday vs. rare” skills, and practical ways to make end-user training actually get used during migrations. What We Cover The “engineering...

In this episode of Train to Gain , hosts Erin Raitt and Katie Merrill sit down with Joe Marion , President of the Cloud Communications Alliance (CCA) , to explore the evolving role of AI in the communications industry. From the early days of cloud communications to today’s AI-driven innovations, Joe shares valuable insights into how organizations can thrive in this transformative landscape. What Y...

In this episode of Train to Gain , Erin and Katie welcome their very first guest— Kameron Olsen , founder of The Channel Advisors . Kameron brings 20+ years of channel experience to the table and shares real insights on supplier enablement, sales strategies, and what it takes to succeed in the growing TSD ecosystem. From the evolution of indirect sales to the importance of partner-focused content,...

In Episode Three of Train to Gain , hosts Erin Raitt and Katie Merrill explore how to empower your indirect sales teams effectively through targeted, impactful content. They discuss the critical role of choosing the right delivery platforms—such as knowledge bases, Learning Management Systems (LMS), or Partner Relationship Management (PRM) software—to maximize content accessibility and effectivene...

In Episode Two of Train to Gain , co-hosts Erin Raitt and Katie Merrill tackle the critical topic of foundational product education. They explore effective strategies for educating sales teams in both direct and indirect sales models, highlighting the importance of creating versatile, digital training content such as videos, e-learning courses, and knowledge bases. Erin and Katie share real-world...

Welcome to the first episode of Train to Gain! Meet your hosts Erin Raitt and Katie Merrill, who combine their passions for education, sales enablement, and product adoption to deliver actionable insights in every episode. In today’s kickoff, Erin and Katie discuss a critical business challenge: breaking down organizational silos. Learn why aligning sales enablement, marketing, and customer experi...