The SaaS Sales Performance Podcast

Richard Ellis is the CEO of Revenue Innovations and a seasoned sales and go-to-market leader with decades of experience in enterprise software, sales leadership, and revenue operations. Originally trained as an engineer, Richard has held roles spanning frontline sales, sales management, and sales operations, and is regarded as an early pioneer of value engineering.

He specialises in helping organisations design high-impact Sales and Revenue Kickoffs that drive behaviour change, performance, and sustainable growth.

You’ll learn:

• How to structure SKOs to engage both new hires and A-players
• Common SKO mistakes to avoid for maximum impact
• How to launch AI and new products through interactive workshops
• Strategies for scaling SKOs to large teams without losing interactivity
• The 5P Framework for planning and reinforcing SKO success
• Ways to use SKOs to reinforce purpose, culture, and coaching

00:00 – 01:31 | Richard’s Background

01:36 – 02:37 | What is an SKO (and RKO)?

03:01 – 04:11 | Why SKOs Matter More Than Ever

04:29 – 05:51 | Common SKO Mistakes

06:02 – 06:45 | Engaging A-Players & New Hires

08:42 – 09:43 | Launching AI & New Products

09:56 – 11:49 | Scaling SKOs for Large Teams

12:15 – 13:49 | Making SKOs Stick

14:01 – 15:44 | Culture & Coaching

15:44 – 18:46 | Data-Driven SKO Planning

20:10 – 28:58 | The 5P Framework for SKOs

29:31 – 33:37 | Memorable SKO Moments

33:37 – End | Final Reflections

In this episode of Sales Transformation Lab, Matt is joined by Melanie Mills, an experienced revenue leader with 20+ years in B2B and B2C, former Chief Revenue Officer at UK fintech Caxton Payments and now Founder & CEO of Connection Career Collective (CCC).

Together they tackle a topic most leadership conversations skip over:
👉 How do you maintain your energy as a leader, especially in a market defined by constant change, AI disruption, tight budgets and talent uncertainty?

Mel shares her unconventional journey from fashion and cosmetics to fintech and tech leadership, and how curiosity, community and relentless learning helped her break multiple glass ceilings along the way.

In this conversation, they unpack:

• Why “sales” has always been about people, not products and how that mindset shaped Mel’s career

• How she built an impactful career by creating her own personal advisory board

• The hidden risk of today’s hiring trend: prioritising “safe” experienced hires over hungry junior talent

• Practical ways leaders can protect and replenish their energy (including why quarterly holidays beat annual burnout)

• Mel’s take on the “996” hustle culture and why it’s not sustainable for most leaders

• How connection, community and authenticity directly impact team motivation and performance

• Why building a trusted network and “paying it forward” has underpinned every major step in her career

• How CCC is helping career-driven women (and male allies) progress in underrepresented industries

If you’re a CRO, founder, VP or emerging leader trying to lead humans through change without burning out, this episode is your reset button

0:00

Welcome and introduction of Melanie Mills (Revenue Leader, Founder & CEO of CCC).

0:47

Setting the stage: Today's topic is energy and its effects on team performance.

1:17

Melanie’s career journey: From fashion retail to founding the Connection Career Collective (CCC).

7:06

The secrets to career transition: Why curiosity, continuous learning, and an "advisory board" are crucial for success.

9:48

Navigating the evolving market: Why organizations now need a more dynamic profile of leader.

14:04

The risk-aversion trap: Discussing why companies often default to experienced hires over hungry junior talent.

16:29

Practical ways leaders can maintain and improve their personal energy levels.

18:31

Thoughts on the "996" hustle culture and its realism in leadership.

21:09

Connection, community, and motivation: How a leader's authentic energy impacts team performance.

24:48

The value of building a trusted network and paying it forward.

26:38

Overcoming the inertia around building a personal brand and online profile.

31:26

The mission and objectives behind the Connection Career Collective (CCC).

Jonny Adams brings decades of hands-on experience driving high-impact transformation and commercial excellence across professional services, technology, and financial sectors in Europe and the US. In this episode, he dives deep into what it takes to achieve Go-to-Market (GTM) transformation, aligning strategy, people, and technology to deliver measurable growth.

You’ll learn:

• What GTM transformation really means and why it matters for your growth mandate.

• Key internal and external components: market insights, proposition clarity, planning, team design, and tools.

• Triggers for transformation: investment growth, PE consolidation, and new C-suite hires.

• Leadership challenges in transformation: alignment, tenure, and change management pitfalls.

• How to select the right vendors and avoid technology fatigue.

• The importance of people, mindset, and capability assessment to ensure the right talent in the right roles.

• Multi-functional alignment: why Marketing and Sales KPIs must talk the same language.

0:00 - GTM transformation overview

6:32 - Core components of GTM transformation

8:59 - Transformation triggers & investment impact

10:56 - Leadership challenges: tenure, alignment & change

14:52 - Leadership as the hub & change management gaps

20:31 - Communication risks in transformations

23:10 - Vendor strategy & tech considerations

28:09 - Watchouts: tech fatigue & CRM reliance

30:28 - Talent, mindset & capability assessment

36:51 - Multi-functional alignment for Marketing & Sales

40:27 - Closing remarks

Sales transformation is everywhere—and revenue teams feel it first. In this episode, Arianne Riddell (ex-LinkedIn, BBC, Feefo), now Chief Sales Officer at Personal Group, shares a people-first playbook for leading through change: embed values that actually guide behaviour, reset your first 90 days, rebuild foundations (process, narrative, enablement), and shift teams from inbound-reliant to outbound-confident—across both sales and post-sales.

You’ll learn:

• How to set credible 30/60/90 priorities in a messy reality

• Why values (pace, passion, professionalism) accelerate execution

• The switch from product-led to benefit-led narrative

• Using enablement tools (Salesloft, Walnut, Salesforce) the right way

• Building outbound habits and coaching CS to drive land–expand

• The candid truth: “love them in or love them out”

00:00 Real problems: focus, motivation, performance
00:15 Intro & episode setup
01:05 Series theme: transformation everywhere
02:01 Market pressure & team impact (UK/US)
03:06 Ariane’s journey (media → LinkedIn → SaaS leadership)
05:05 Hypergrowth lessons & people-first leadership
07:00 Values that drive behaviour (pace, passion, professionalism)
08:12 Navigating resistance to new vision
10:28 “Love them up or love them out”
11:41 First 90 days: priorities vs. reality
12:12 Rebuilding foundations: process, narrative, enablement
13:23 Salesloft, Walnut, creds, collateral, hiring Head of New Biz
15:20 Data-led talent profile & replicating success
18:12 Breaking inbound dependence → outbound mentality
21:04 Why outbound is the controllable growth lever
22:16 Making CS truly commercial (top-down & bottom-up plays)
24:00 Channel mix: does phone still work?
25:26 Testing, learning, iterating; hiring SDRs
27:24 Wrap & connect with Ariane on LinkedIn

In this episode of the SaaS Sales Performance Podcast, host Matt Milligan sits down with Tanvir Bhangoo and former college football player turned commercial leader, keynote speaker, and author of the bestselling book The Pro Business Mindset.

Tanvir is the Founder of TBX Digital, where he helps organizations unlock elite performance under pressure by applying principles from sports to business.

Together, they explore how sales and revenue leaders can build resilience, sharpen execution, and lead teams through market turbulence by focusing on process, mindset, and fundamentals, not just pipeline velocity.

Expect a grounded, practical conversation on how to perform when conditions are tough and how to lead with grit, discipline, and clarity when your team needs it most.

You’ll learn:
✅ Why "training camp" fundamentals matter more than ever in tough markets
✅ How to reset your mindset and team habits during a downturn
✅ What true leading indicators of enterprise performance look like
✅ Why in-person connection is becoming a competitive advantage again
✅ How EQ, consistency, and discipline outperform over-activity

🎧 A must-listen for CROs, VPs of Sales, and leaders navigating uncertainty in 2025.

00:00 – 00:15 | Protecting the Core in Downturns
Why companies are cutting costs, consolidating tech, and focusing on essentials.

00:15 – 01:34 | Meet Tanvir Bhangoo
From football field to boardroom — how sports shaped Tanvir’s leadership philosophy.

01:34 – 03:43 | Market Mindset: Grit Over Growth Hacking
Navigating instability by focusing on fundamentals, not just outbound acceleration.

03:43 – 06:55 | Back to Training Camp
Reassessing what works, cutting what doesn’t, and rebuilding habits that drive performance.

06:55 – 08:48 | The Sniper Approach to Pipeline
Why fewer, more targeted deals outperform high-volume outreach in slow markets.

08:48 – 10:56 | Resetting Boardroom Expectations
How leaders can proactively communicate and reforecast during tough quarters.

10:57 – 13:20 | Managing Process, Not Just Results
Why the best leaders focus on consistency, not outcome dependency.

13:21 – 15:14 | Mindset Under Pressure
High performers master what they can control — habits, routines, and focus.

15:14 – 17:29 | KPIs That Matter in Enterprise Sales
Measuring stakeholder engagement, collaboration, and true customer understanding.

17:30 – 19:51 | Reading the Right Leading Indicators
Early signals of success: relationships, collaboration, and customer depth.

19:52 – 22:42 | Why In-Person Still Wins
The trust dividend of face-to-face meetings in an AI-driven world.

22:42 – 24:01 | Doing the Hard, Inconvenient Work
The mindset of elite performers — doing what most avoid.

24:01 – 25:38 | The Power of Restraint
Knowing when to slow down and rebuild strength before pushing forward.

25:38 – 27:38 | Owning the Pipeline
Why top performers source their own deals and lead by initiative.

27:38 – 29:06 | AI’s Role: Automate the Transactional, Humanize the Strategic
EQ, trust, and relationships will define the winners in high-value sales.

29:06 – End | Growth, Fulfillment & What’s Next for Tanvir
A look at Tanvir’s upcoming book and where to connect for more insights.

In this episode of the SaaS Sales Performance Podcast, we sit down with Frank Sondors, Co-Founder and CEO of SalesForge. With a career spanning Google, high-growth SaaS startups, and now building cutting-edge AI-driven sales automation, Frank shares his unique perspective on the future of outbound sales, pipeline generation, and sales efficiency.

We explore how traditional outbound models—built on ever-growing headcount—are breaking down, and how AI, automation, and smarter processes can drive predictable growth with leaner teams. Frank also highlights the market realities shaping sales today: talent shortages, buyer saturation, and the rise of AI-to-AI communication.

You’ll learn:

• Why sales software needs to evolve away from “big-team” assumptions

• How to increase productivity per rep using AI and automation

• Why outbound channels like cold email and cold calls are declining—and what’s next

• The future role of AI SDRs, and when they do and don’t make sense

• What leaner, AI-augmented revenue teams of the future will look like

00:00 - 02:00 Introduction of the episode, guest Frank Sondors, and the topic—outbound sales and pipeline efficiency
02:00 - 04:00 Frank’s background: Google, SaaS, founding SalesForge, and rapid $0–$3M growth in 22 months
04:00 - 07:00 Inefficiencies in traditional sales models: reliance on headcount and dissatisfaction with old approaches
07:00 - 10:00 Building software ecosystems that reduce reliance on large teams; addressing deadwood in sales
10:00 - 13:00 Attrition challenges and the high cost of acquiring top sales talent
13:00 - 16:00 Increasing individual productivity with automation, AI, and smarter processes
16:00 - 19:00 Market saturation: overwhelmed buyers, AI filtering, and the rise of AI-to-AI communication
19:00 - 22:00 Adapting continuously: testing channels like direct mail, offline events, and content sharing
22:00 - 25:00 Decline of cold calls/emails; need for experimentation and integrated touchpoints
25:00 - 28:00 Leveraging automation platforms and integrating humans with AI
28:00 - 31:00 Follow-up automation strategies and handling high meeting volumes
31:00 - 34:00 Future of AI agents in sales; when AI SDRs make sense
34:00 - 37:00 Criteria for AI SDR adoption: large account pools, mid-market deals, shorter cycles
37:00 - 40:00 Pitfalls of over-relying on AI without product-market fit; need for iteration
40:00 - 43:00 Testing AI solutions effectively: 3-month cycles and embracing failure
43:00 - 45:00 Future team structures: lean, technical GTM engineers and RevOps specialists
45:00 - 47:00 Augmentation, not replacement: humans + AI for better margins and efficiency
47:00 - 48:00 Closing remarks: salesforge.ai, upcoming events, and advice to adopt AI and automation

In this episode of the SaaS Sales Performance Podcast, Matt sits down with Roee Hartov (Berlin) to unpack how revenue leaders can drive productivity and profitability in today’s tighter market.

Roee maps a simple but powerful approach: standardise processes, deploy the right tools, and upskill teams—then measure everything through a clear data model. Expect candid takes on AI’s real impact (today vs. hype), why many SaaS unicorns face hard choices, and how to sequence change so it sticks.

You’ll learn

• Why the 2021–2025 shift demands efficient growth and pre-IPO profitability

• How to implement process fixes that compound (e.g., closing next steps to stop ghosting)

• The role of a data model (e.g., bowtie) to track stage conversions and diagnose gaps

• Where AI helps now: coaching, call insights, early forecasting—and where it’s headed

• Why the frozen middle (50–100% to target) is the highest-ROI cohort for upskilling

  
  

00:00 — Intro & Context: From growth-at-all-costs to efficient GTM
01:03 — Market Reset: Cost discipline, profitability before IPO, and the Docusign watershed
03:07 — Unicorn Math: 1,200 private SaaS unicorns vs. ~346 public—what happens next
06:46 — AI & Deflationary Pressure: How disruption reshapes SaaS buying
08:26 — The Framework: Productivity via Processes, Tools, Skills
09:37 — Process Wins: Small changes with compound effect (close, summary, next steps)
14:21 — Measure What Matters: Data models (bowtie), stage conversion, trend tracking
17:14 — ICP is a Moving Target: Why benchmarks must evolve with the market
20:00 — Tools & AI: Coaching, call analysis, forecasting; the self-serve frontier
23:10 — Team of the Future: Fewer heads, deeper skills; the SDR role transforms
28:37 — Upskilling Strategy: Focus on the middle performers; will vs. skill
29:28 — Wrap & Connect: Reach Roee on LinkedIn for models/resources

Engineer-turned-founder Sriharsha “Sai” Guduguntla, CEO of Hyperbound, joins the SaaS Sales Performance Podcast to unpack how voice AI roleplay is reshaping sales enablement. We cover de-risking AI initiatives, why practice beats pipeline obsession, and why the top reps are the hungriest users of coaching tech. Plus: the wild go-to-market behind Hyperbound’s viral launch and what the future holds for enablement teams.

In this episode, Matt sits down with Sai Guduguntla, co-founder & CEO at Hyperbound, an AI platform that lets enterprise sales teams practise real conversations through intelligent voice roleplay and coaching. Sai shares the founder journey from YC acceptance to a hard pivot, why “inbox-only selling” is fading, and how reinforcement—not one-off training—wins.

You’ll learn:

• The research sprint behind Hyperbound: 25k LinkedIn messages, 10k cold emails, 2k user interviews

• Why Hyperbound pivoted from AI SDR to AI coaching—and why realism is everything

• How to de-risk AI in GTM (start with the problem, not the tool)

• The enablement reboot: reinforcement, measurement, and coordination at scale

• Why top reps adopt practice tools fastest—and how laggards get found out

In this episode of the SaaS Sales Performance Podcast, host Matt Milligan is joined by Raouf Mhenni, Chief Commercial Officer at Sopra Banking Software (SBS). Ralph brings 25+ years of commercial leadership experience and shares powerful, actionable insights from his global career in sales, marketing, and product strategy.

Introduction & Guest Background (0:00 - 1:20)

Raouf shares his journey from pre-sales to sales leadership, highlighting his passion for customer interaction and continuous learning, especially in banking.

Overview of SBS and Market Context (1:20 - 2:40)

SBS provides core banking and digital banking solutions across Europe and North America, focusing on retail banking and specialized finance.

Building Resilient & Productive Teams (2:40 - 4:50)

Raouf emphasizes the fundamentals of hiring, onboarding, and engagement—adapting these processes for today’s talent market and technological environment.

Evolving Recruitment & Onboarding (4:50 - 8:20)

Shift from traditional hiring and onboarding to digital tools, e-learning, and leveraging internal referrals to attract motivated talent; importance of meeting with product teams and creating a sense of safety.

Motivating Salespeople Beyond Money (8:20 - 10:50)

Focus on learning, joy, and career growth, including aspirational paths to leadership, to retain top talent and foster engagement.

Fostering Team Solidarity & Collaboration (10:50 - 14:00)

Encourages creating spaces for sales teams to share experiences, work together on win-loss analyses without managers, and build peer leadership.

Leadership During Tough Moments (14:00 - 16:20)

Leaders should actively support and reassure their teams during challenging times through one-on-one conversations and human connection.

Impact of AI & Digital Transformation (16:20 - 23:00)

Raouf discusses AI's transformative potential across marketing, sales, and customer insights—speeding up processes, reducing time-to-market, and enabling smarter decision-making. Emphasizes the importance of change management and human-AI balance.

Human Element & Balance (23:00 - 24:30)

Despite technological advances, Ralph underscores the need to prioritize human connection, interaction, and wellbeing in the workplace.

Closing & Contact (24:30 - End)

Raouf invites listeners to connect via LinkedIn, emphasizing ongoing learning and adaptation in sales.