Value Coffee Talk

In this episode of Value Coffee Talk, host Thomas Pisello speaks with Ken Powell about the remarkable growth journey of K1X and the evolving role of business value in today’s SaaS and AI-driven economy. The conversation explores how organizations can move beyond product-centric selling to focus on measurable outcomes, customer adoption, and long-term value creation in increasingly competitive and...

In this insightful interview, host Tom Pisello interviews sales transformation expert and author Art Fromm, to explore how modern buying decisions are increasingly shaped by risk perception, stakeholder alignment, and the growing complexity of enterprise sales. The pair dive into how organizations can create more seamless, collaborative sales experiences that reduce friction, improve buyer confide...

In this episode of the Value Coffee Talk Podcast , Tom Pisello, the ROI Guy, speaks with Michael McDowell, the “Demo-tainer” and author of Demo-tainment , about how pre-sales and solution engineering are evolving in an AI-driven world. The pair discuss why human connection still matters, how to avoid boring product demos, why outcomes should lead the conversation, and how sales engineers can expan...

In this episode of the Value Coffee Talk Podcast , Tom Pisello, the ROI Guy, is joined by Gaurav Sharma, Product Leader for Value Tools and AI Systems at ServiceNow, to explore one of the most important shifts in go-to-market strategy: post-sales value realization. The discussion focuses on how organizations can move beyond selling value to actually proving it, using embedded product telemetry, in...

Negotiation in today’s market is no longer about pressure tactics or last-minute discounts. Buyers are more informed, pricing transparency is higher, and trust plays a bigger role in purchasing decisions than ever before. To succeed, sellers must take a more structured and collaborative approach to negotiation. In this podcast, host Tom Pisello, the ROI Guy, explores the four key levers of negotia...

In this episode of the Value Coffee Talk podcast, host Thomas Pisello speaks with Nate Littlewood, founder of Future Ready CFO, about the unique challenges faced by early-stage e-commerce and CPG companies, and why this makes selling to these firms a unique and sometimes daunting challenge. The pair discuss the importance of prioritization, the frameworks for identifying business priorities, and s...

In this episode of the Value Coffee Talk podcast, host Tom Pisello engages with Chris Mabry , head of community at iris.ai and long time Sales / Solution Engineering advocate and thought leader with the Pre-Sales Collective, discussing the evolving role of Solutions Engineers, the role they will play in Value Selling, and the impact of AI on SEs and sales. The pair explore the shift from reactive...

In this episode of the Value Coffee Talk podcast, host Tom Pisello and Gartner Analyst and Fellow David Yockelson discuss the emerging Outcome Economy, and the importance of focusing on customer outcomes rather than just selling solutions. The pair explore the role of AI in shaping this economy, the challenges and benefits of adopting an outcome-focused approach, and the need for effective pricing...

In this episode of the Value Coffee Talk podcast, host Thomas Pisello speaks with Sultan Semlali, Value Coach and Global Value Consulting Director at Sitecore, about how AI is reshaping value engineering and sales, and why it’s the human touch and softer skills that are driving value consulting and engineering success. Today, “hospitality,” trust, discovery, and storytelling are becoming the true...

In this episode of the Value Coffee Talk podcast, host Thomas Pisello speaks with David Brock, author of the new book: 'Is Good Enough Good Enough?' The pair discuss the decline of performance standards in sales, the importance of mindsets and behaviors for high performers, and the impact of AI on sales processes. Brock emphasizes the need for a human element in sales, the pursuit of excellence ov...

In this episode of Value Coffee Talk, host Thomas Pisello engages with Tim Ryder, VP of Finance and Compliance at Caveonix, to explore the perspectives of CFOs on solution providers and the purchasing process. The duo discuss the importance of reliable data, the crisis of confidence in purchase decisions, the necessity of training and change management, and the critical role of trust in customer r...

In this episode of Value Coffee Talk, host Thomas Pisello interviews Stephen Morse, a seasoned sales engineer and CEO of the SE Leadership Institute. The pair discussed the evolving role of sales engineers, the importance of value in sales conversations, and the cultural differences in how value is perceived across different regions. Stephen shares insights from his journey in sales engineering, t...

In this Value Coffee Talk conversation, CRO and Operating Advisor Tom Canning discusses the challenges of burnout in high-stakes commercial roles with host Tom Pisello. In this session, Mr. Canning emphasizes the lack of control individuals have over customer priorities, the emotional toll it takes when deals fall through, and the best ways to transcend this challenge and still exceed your sales g...

In this episode of the Value Coffee Talk podcast, host Tom Pisello speaks with Ray Meiring, CEO of QorusDocs about the marriage of proposals and business value, The pair discuss the significance of proposal automation in business, emphasizing the importance of value articulation and how it enhances the effectiveness of proposals. He draws an analogy between proposals and light bulbs, highlighting...

In this episode of the Value Coffee Talk podcast, host Tom Pisello speaks with value leader Mike Samuels from Pendo.io about the importance of storytelling in value consulting, the challenges of quantifying ROI, and the role of AI in enhancing value measurement. They discuss the significance of proof of value, the need for effective customer success programs, and the evolving nature of value roles...

In this Value Coffee Talk podcast, Mike Slater, PE Operating Partner for the Carlyle Group, discusses the importance of aligning sales efforts with the ideal customer profile (ICP) to improve pipeline efficiency and win ratios. In the conversation, Slater emphasizes the need for sales teams to focus on opportunities where they have a higher likelihood of success, the importance of value selling, a...

In this Value Coffee Talk podcast episode, host Tom Pisello meets with Angela Hughes, VP of Revenue Acceleration for security firm Ping Identity. The pair discusses the importance of elevating the level of conversation with customers and prospects, in order to uncover transformative opportunities. She emphasizes the need and discusses best practices to keep GTM teams focused on tangible business o...

In this episode of the Value Coffee Talk podcast, host Thomas Pisellowelcomes Jen Thompson, a seasoned sales performance consultant and former Google sales enablement lead. The pair discuss the challenges and strategies of enabling and training large sales teams, from her Google experience, and the nuances of working with smaller growth firms. Jen shares insights on how to best acheive growth succ...

In this episode of the Value Coffee Talk podcast, host Thomas Pisello and sales strategy / value leader Steve Thibodeau discuss the complexities of ROI in AI implementations. The pair explore the paradox of AI investments, the challenges of scalability, and the importance of governance and data readiness. The conversation delves into Gartner's framework for evaluating AI projects, emphasizing the...

In this episode of the Value Coffee Talk Podcast, host Thomas Pisello and Scott Shaul, veteran GTM leader, discuss the concept of the Outcome Economy, which emphasizes aligning vendor and customer incentives around measurable value delivery.  The pair explore how this new economy is changing go-to-market strategies, the role of AI in measuring outcomes, and the transformation needed in custom...

In this episode of Value Coffee Talk, host Thomas Pisello and Jack Cochran, GM of the PreSales Collective, discuss the evolving landscape of sales engineering, particularly in the context of AI and value consulting.  The pair explore the shifting responsibilities of sales engineers, the importance of training and enablement, and the critical role of storytelling in sales conversations. ...

In this episode of Value Coffee Talk, Thomas Pisello and Max Elster (CEO / Founder of value automation platform firm Minoa.io) discuss the evolving landscape of value engineering in the age of AI.  The pair explore how AI is reshaping the role of value engineers, emphasizing the importance of differentiation, customer accountability, and the orchestration of value across organizations. ...

In this episode of the Value Coffee Talk Podcast, Thomas Pisello interviews Matt Dixon, a renowned sales performance author (The Challenger Sale, The Jolt Effect and Activator Advantage), analyst and consultant. The pair discuss the evolution of sales challenges over the past decade, particularly in the context of AI and virtual selling.  Matt introduces his latest work, the Activator Advanta...

In this episode of the Value Coffee Talk podcast, host Thomas Pisello and guest Mike Muhlfelder, veteran CRO and sales performance coach, discuss the current challenges in B2B sales, particularly in light of economic uncertainty and the rise of AI. The pair unfold two fundamentals -  proper value-centric qualification and discovery processes can lead to an incredible increase in success. Take...

In this episode of the Value Coffee Talk podcast, hosts Thomas Pisello and veteran value leader Shane Finlay dive into the evolving landscape of value engineering and consulting. They discuss the shift from large value teams and the “business case factory” approach to a more streamlined, software-enabled capability, and the role of AI in transforming value consultants into not just orchestrators a...