Best Benfer Podcasts (2024)

1
Andy Kofoid: Lessons in Software Leadership 37:00

1M ago37:00

37:00

In this episode of “Sound Bites” with Bill Binch, Bill is joined by Andy Kofoid, president of Databricks*. Andy shares his perspective on career development, the role of education in shaping a professional path and the work of scaling enterprises. 04:27 Balancing Work and Education: Andy's MBA Experience 08:08 Leadership and Career Growth: Moving B…

1
178: Thoughts From a Woman Who Had a Billion Dollar Quota, Marva Bailer, Skillibrium Advisor 27:05

1M ago27:05

27:05

"A billion dollar quota is like a 100K quota - you have to be comfortable talking about money with others" - one of the topics guest Marva Bailer and I bond on in our conversation shared today. I'm thrilled that our sponsor, Skillibrium, brings on advisors like Marva so that we can have real discussions around how to be successful. Marva was in sal…

1
177: When Former Teachers Get Sales Careers, Ashley Philipps, Author 24:47

2M ago24:47

24:47

Ashley Philipps is the author of the new book, The Teacher's Guide to Changing Careers. Being a former teacher myself, I am always up for hearing about others who left the admirable profession of teaching due to the lack of pay, and who got into sales roles. Ashley's book showcases other careers, but she did go into B2B sales and we talk about that…

1
Stephanie Buscemi: Data-Driven Marketing in the AI Era 54:37

2M ago54:37

54:37

Stephanie Buscemi, chief marketing officer of Confluent*, joins Bill to discuss the complexities of Confluent’s marketing strategy, the importance of being data-driven and how generative AI is transforming the marketing landscape. 05:51 The Role of Data in Marketing 09:29 Aligning Marketing with Product and Sales 21:13 Key Metrics for Marketing Suc…

1
176: Is Being a Seller or Manager a Sink or Swim Proposition Now, Michelle Benfer, Bill 16:57

2M ago16:57

16:57

I have known Michelle Benfer over the years and it was great to catch up with her in her role as SVP Sales, Business Line Owner at BILL. [Bill is (according to their website) the intelligent way to create and pay bills, send invoices, manage expenses, control budgets, and access the credit your business needs to grow—all on one platform.] Michelle …

1
Dennis Lyandres: Always Learning in SaaS Sales 47:40

2M ago47:40

47:40

Dennis Lyandres, former chief revenue officer at Procore, joins Bill to discuss Dennis’s role in scaling the company from $10M to nearly $1B in ARR and to share valuable frameworks for leadership and professional growth. 14:49 Embracing the Power of Mentorship and Advisory Boards 24:42 Unlocking Career Growth: The Paradox of Being Too Good 27:20 Em…

1
175: Insights from a Sales Nerd, Sara Storm, Break the Box and Skills. 23:17

3M ago23:17

23:17

What is it like when two data focused people get together and talk? It does get a bit nerdy, but that's what I like about Sara, who lives in Stockholm, Sweden. Sara has been doing nearly all roles - from individual contributor - like SDR, BDR, AE and all the way up to VP and CRO. Now she is running two companies, "Break the Box" and "Skills." Like …

1
174: Signs of a Toxic Work Environment in Sales, Gabrielle (GB) Blackwell, Lattice 29:18

3M ago29:18

29:18

We have had sales leader Gabrielle (GB) Blackwell on before (episode 85) and happy to have her back discussing some of her recent posting about toxic boss behavior in the sales workplace. GB and I were talking about more women than usual leaving B2B sales - something I am posting more about now as well. GB shares her story about some really unhealt…

1
173: No Shame in Sharing Your Journey, Jaime Konzelman, Rackspace 23:39

4M ago23:39

23:39

How can you be in intergrity and hide part of your story? That was one of the big takeaways from my conversation with Jaime Konzelman, sales leader at tech company Rackspace. Jaime wrote a memoir called, "Dealmaker" that chronicles her life from college into exotic dancing and on into a stellar B2B sales career. Jaime has done big deals - hundreds …

1
172: Another Teacher Goes into B2B Sales, Meredith Chandler, Meredith Chandler Consulting 19:38

4M ago19:38

19:38

When Meredith graduated from college, she taught English as a second language in Spain. She had graduated in 2011 and from Spain saw and heard that her friends back in the San Francisco Bay / Silicon Valley area were all getting tech jobs. Friends encourged her to hurry back and get on with a big tech company. Using her background as an NCAA varsit…

1
Jeanne Grosser: Optimizing Sales for Company Growth 37:48

4M ago37:48

37:48

In this episode of Sound Bites with Bill Binch, Bill is joined by Jeanne Grosser, chief business officer at Stripe. Jeanne shares her journey from Google to Stripe, highlighting the importance of company values, the shift from consumption to recurring models and the intricacies of interchange fees. Jeanne then shares with Bill her 'Buffalo Strategy…

1
171: A Role Model for Anyone Working Bigger Deals, Dr. Barbara Weaver Smith, The Whale Hunters 17:29

5M ago17:29

17:29

If you have ever wanted bigger deals to build or to work on, you need to know our guest this episode, Dr. Barbara Weaver Smith. Having known Barbara for the last 10 or so years, I don't know why she hasn't been on the show sooner - and today she is talking about a new service she's launched utilizing generative AI, "Barbara AI" and the launch of he…

1
170: Learn How to Really Sell and Become Too Good To Be Ignored, Cherilynn Castleman CGI 25:13

5M ago25:13

25:13

It started for both Cherilynn and me by selling Girl Scout cookies. Like me, she LOVED selling cookies, and it seems to be one of the commonalities in our sales careers. Cherilynn Castleman wants to empower 1 million women for C-suite success by 2030! She is a force to be reckoned with - listen to our conversation and how we both want everyone to k…

1
169: From Criminology Studies to Sales, Hannah Ajikawo, Revenue Funnel 30:00

6M ago30:00

30:00

Hannah and I had a rousing conversation about all things sales. Hannah is founder of Revenue Funnel and is based in London. She and I talked about many topics - including: A Conversation with Hannah Ajikawo - Journey from Sales to CEO and Founder of Revenue Funnel In this episode, Hannah Ajikawo, CEO and Founder of Revenue Funnel, discusses her jou…

1
Carilu Dietrich: Aligning SaaS Marketing and Sales 44:18

6M ago44:18

44:18

Carilu Dietrich, former head of marketing at Atlassian, joins Bill to discuss marketing’s crucial role in the supply chain of sales, planning strategies for companies, how ‘too much detail’ can make you seem junior, and the importance of continuous professional learning. 11:20 The Role of Marketing in Sales Success 20:48 Sales and Marketing Metrics…

1
Abe Smith: Going Global with SaaS Sales 47:36

6M ago47:36

47:36

Abe Smith, head of international at Zoom, joins Bill and special co-host Neeraj Agrawal, Battery Ventures general partner, to delve into the intricacies of global expansion, strategies for entering new markets and the benefits of incorporating advanced features of digital tools like Zoom into global sales strategies. 08:35 Strategies for Internatio…

1
Chandar Pattabhiram: Building Brand in B2B SaaS 43:51

6M ago43:51

43:51

In our first-ever episode of “Sound Bites,” Chandar Pattabhiram, former CMO of Coupa*, joins Bill to share best practices in sales, marketing and account-based marketing, how to implement effective brand-building strategies and the tenets of a modern marketing team in a B2B SaaS company. 01:13 Transitional Phase in his Career 02:19 Advice for Compa…

1
Patrick Moran: Structuring an Effective Go-to-Market (GTM) Organization 46:17

6M ago46:17

46:17

Patrick Moran, former CMO of Calendly, joins Bill to debate product-led vs. sales-led strategies, how best to align sales and marketing teams, how to structure a go-to-market organization and the value of GTM operations teams in a software business. 02:55 Patrick's Career Journey and Transition into Tech 06:30 The Importance of End User Centricity …

1
Michelle Benfer: Mastering the Software Sales Process 45:09

6M ago45:09

45:09

Michelle Benfer, former senior vice president of sales at HubSpot, joins Bill and special co-host Neeraj Agrawal, Battery Ventures general partner, to explore how to drive effective sales strategies in B2B SaaS companies, unpacking HubSpot’s innovative “upside-down” quota model, the importance of understanding buyer behavior in the sales process an…

1
Stacey Epstein: Diving Deep into B2B SaaS Marketing 48:11

6M ago48:11

48:11

Stacey Epstein, former CMO of Freshworks, joins Bill and special co-host Dharmesh Thakker, Battery Ventures general partner, to discuss a range of compelling topics, from effective sales and marketing alignment to the implications of generative AI in content creation. 12:05 The Role of Generative AI in Marketing 26:42 The Impact of AI on Job Roles …

1
168: Staying Focused in Challenging Times - Quick Episode with Jen Mueller, Talk Sporty to Me 8:22

6M ago8:22

8:22

In a candid conversation, communication expert and sideline reporter for the Seattle Seahawks and the Seattle Mariners, Jen Mueller shares her perspective on maintaining focus and supportive beliefs amidst challenging times, such as a difficult economic climate or personal setbacks. She discusses the significance of honesty in assessing failures an…

1
167: Buyer First by Carole Mahoney of Unbound Growth - Book Review 22:22

6M ago22:22

22:22

Carole Mahoney has written an excellent book for sales professionals and entrepreneurs on collaborative selling and in changing the sales industry. She mixes in stories, anecdotes and statistics to help one learn and improve around critical sales skills and mindset for success. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 00:59 Carol's Journey and Book …

1
166: Interview of Lori Richardson and She Sells book, with Caroline Jones, Rep Matters 35:07

7M ago35:07

35:07

I hadn't planned an episode about "She Sells" but jumped at the chance when a wonderful interviewer, Caroline Jones, offered to ask me about it. This session is dedicated to those who helped me with their stories and stats which are included in the book. It is exciting, too, that it just won "FIRST PLACE" in Top Sales Magazine's Sales Book of the Y…

1
165: How the Universe Conspires in Sales and Business, Kristie Jones, Sales Acceleration Group 26:09

7M ago26:09

26:09

Kristie's parents were both in real estate sales and Kristie grew up hearing her parents talk at the dinner table about commissions, sales, and more. After getting a degree in Journalism from University of Kansas, she ended up as a waitress and then worked for the legendary Kansas City department store called The Jones Co (later became Macy's) Kris…

1
Conversations with Women in Sales Year in Review, Lori Richardson, Women Sales Pros 8:45

8M ago8:45

8:45

We had a big year at Women Sales Pros and now are going through the review of all of our wonderful podcast guests in 2023. I would like to thank all of our guests for their focus and contribution to topics we discussed such as: Getting into sales in the first place as a woman or another "only" Growing in your sales career Becoming a sales leader - …

1
163: Greatness is Defined by Character, not Gender; Male Ally Riley Blaisdell, Paycor 17:45

10M ago17:45

17:45

Riley Blaisdell is currently a Major Market Account Executive at Paycor. In his AE role, I'd say Riley has done more for helping shine a light on women in sales than many senior leaders I know. He has done this through his growing visibility on LinkedIn. Right now during "Women in Sales" month, he's talking up different women in sales each day. I n…

1
162: From Research to Sales, Rana Salman, PhD, Salman Consulting 21:39

11M ago21:39

21:39

Rana Salman, MBA PhD, is the author of the new book, Sales Essentials: The Tools You need at Every Stage to Close More Deals and Crush your Quota. She is CEO of Salman Consulting, started in research, and stumbled (as she says) into sales and consulting. Rana is also co-founder of WISE (Women in Sales Enablement) We had a great conversation about h…

1
161: For the Love of Sales, Miram Ebrahim, Yelp 13:58

1y ago13:58

13:58

Miram (Mimi) Ebrahim is Brand Sales Leader for the GTM Team at Yelp. She has been in sales and sales leadership for more than eight years and has a background in television production and has an MBA. We talked about how she got into sales in the first place, what she loves about sales, and has tips for reaching prospects in addition to lots of othe…

1
160: Lessons from a Senior Biz Dev and Sales Manager, Rhasheeda Hughes, PowerReviews 29:52

1y ago29:52

29:52

After hearing Rhasheeda Hughes on a panel webinar, I had to invite her to join our podcast so that others could learn about her journey and her strategies for being a successful woman in sales leadership. Rhasheeda has a proven record as a sales expert, trainer, and team leader with a reputation for enhancing organizational capabilities. She led a …

1
159: Perspective From a Sales and Leadership Coach, Tara Ryan, InfiniDEI 23:50

1y ago23:50

23:50

It was a LinkedIn post that got my attention. Sales managers are acting poorly, according to Tara Ryan's coachees. As an Executive and Leadership Coach, she's heard more complaints from women in sales roles about managers with lack of empathy, perhaps fear-motivated. I couldn't let the conversation go - so we recorded. What is important to you in a…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Benfer Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
KnoxKast Radio

Tozoa 'Vunamee

1
Sound Bites with Bill Binch

Battery Ventures

1
Conversations with Women in Sales

Lori Richardson

1
Andy Kofoid: Lessons in Software Leadership 37:00

1
178: Thoughts From a Woman Who Had a Billion Dollar Quota, Marva Bailer, Skillibrium Advisor 27:05

1
177: When Former Teachers Get Sales Careers, Ashley Philipps, Author 24:47

1
Stephanie Buscemi: Data-Driven Marketing in the AI Era 54:37

1
176: Is Being a Seller or Manager a Sink or Swim Proposition Now, Michelle Benfer, Bill 16:57

1
Dennis Lyandres: Always Learning in SaaS Sales 47:40

1
175: Insights from a Sales Nerd, Sara Storm, Break the Box and Skills. 23:17

1
174: Signs of a Toxic Work Environment in Sales, Gabrielle (GB) Blackwell, Lattice 29:18

1
173: No Shame in Sharing Your Journey, Jaime Konzelman, Rackspace 23:39

1
172: Another Teacher Goes into B2B Sales, Meredith Chandler, Meredith Chandler Consulting 19:38

1
Jeanne Grosser: Optimizing Sales for Company Growth 37:48

1
171: A Role Model for Anyone Working Bigger Deals, Dr. Barbara Weaver Smith, The Whale Hunters 17:29

1
170: Learn How to Really Sell and Become Too Good To Be Ignored, Cherilynn Castleman CGI 25:13

1
169: From Criminology Studies to Sales, Hannah Ajikawo, Revenue Funnel 30:00

1
Carilu Dietrich: Aligning SaaS Marketing and Sales 44:18

1
Abe Smith: Going Global with SaaS Sales 47:36

1
Chandar Pattabhiram: Building Brand in B2B SaaS 43:51

1
Patrick Moran: Structuring an Effective Go-to-Market (GTM) Organization 46:17

1
Michelle Benfer: Mastering the Software Sales Process 45:09

1
Stacey Epstein: Diving Deep into B2B SaaS Marketing 48:11

1
168: Staying Focused in Challenging Times - Quick Episode with Jen Mueller, Talk Sporty to Me 8:22

1
167: Buyer First by Carole Mahoney of Unbound Growth - Book Review 22:22

1
166: Interview of Lori Richardson and She Sells book, with Caroline Jones, Rep Matters 35:07

1
165: How the Universe Conspires in Sales and Business, Kristie Jones, Sales Acceleration Group 26:09

1
Conversations with Women in Sales Year in Review, Lori Richardson, Women Sales Pros 8:45

1
163: Greatness is Defined by Character, not Gender; Male Ally Riley Blaisdell, Paycor 17:45

1
162: From Research to Sales, Rana Salman, PhD, Salman Consulting 21:39

1
161: For the Love of Sales, Miram Ebrahim, Yelp 13:58

1
160: Lessons from a Senior Biz Dev and Sales Manager, Rhasheeda Hughes, PowerReviews 29:52

1
159: Perspective From a Sales and Leadership Coach, Tara Ryan, InfiniDEI 23:50

Quick Reference Guide