99: The Transformation Delusion

Rethink Sales dives into why leaders expect big results but keep repeating the same patterns with guest Amanda Eisel, CEO of Zelis, joining hosts Mark Donnolo and Michelle Seger. Amanda shares her journey from McKinsey and private equity operating roles to leading a high-growth healthcare technology company, and what it really takes to drive transformation that sticks, not just on a slide, but across people, processes, culture, and results. You’ll hear how Zelis is working to modernize the healthcare financial experience for consumers, why Amanda’s #1 vital objective is making Zelis a great place to work, and how she builds the “scaffolding of transformation” so her leaders aren’t trying to change the business off the side of their desks. She also opens up about the emotional side of transformation: doubt, resilience, support systems, and how to keep going when results take longer than expected. The conversation also explores the real role of AI in healthcare and consulting — not as a job killer, but as a force multiplier that surfaces patterns humans can’t see and frees people up to do higher-value work. In this episode, we cover: Amanda’s atypical path from consulting and private equity to CEO What “transformation” actually means versus buzzword fatigue How to define the right problem and resource change so it can succeed Building culture, clarity, and vision after leadership turnover and disruption Using GenAI to simplify complexity and elevate human expertise Why every leader needs a support network to survive big change Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn to follow her work at Zelis. To learn more about how SalesGlobe helps organizations achieve their revenue growth goals, visit SalesGlobe and explore our revenue growth consulting and services.    

In part two of the Rethink Sales Podcast we continue the conversation with Andrés Hoyos Gómez — diving into how his company, The Beans on Fire, reimagines the entire coffee ecosystem from farmer to cup. Andrés discusses what it means to build a business grounded in purpose and empathy — from empowering local roasters to supporting Colombian farming communities through education and technology. He also shares lessons that go far beyond coffee: how past success can blind us, why “soft skills” like storytelling and leadership are actually hard skills, and why every transformation requires one simple framework — remember why, forget about it, make it concrete, and then let go. It’s an honest look at the mindset shifts that make real change possible — in business, leadership, and life.

In part one of this week’s Rethink Sales Podcast, Mark Donnolo and Michelle Seger talk with Andrés Hoyos Gómez, co-founder of The Beans on Fire in Paris — a former McKinsey partner who walked away from a successful consulting career to build something far more personal. Andrés shares how growing up in Colombia during turbulent times shaped his drive to “belong” and succeed — first as a consultant and eventually as a partner at McKinsey. But after two decades of chasing promotions and results, he finally stopped and asked himself why. That question led him to rethink what meaningful work truly looks like. His story explores ambition, identity, and the moment when achievement without purpose no longer feels like progress.

In this episode of the Rethink Sales podcast, host Mark Donnolo talks with Christine Ann Miller, CEO of Melinta Therapeutics, about leading a high-stakes business transformation, from bankruptcy to 85% revenue growth and 95% employee engagement. Christine reveals how she led change by focusing on culture, communication, and clarity instead of relying solely on business strategy. Learn how she used her “Four P’s” framework, People, Process, Product, and Performance, to drive sustainable results, build a mission-driven team, and embed purpose into every level of the organization. Discover practical insights for: Leading organizational change during a crisis Rebuilding trust and engagement from the inside out Aligning culture with business outcomes Becoming a people-first, purpose-driven leader This episode is a must-listen for CEOs, executives, HR leaders, and change agents ready to create real, lasting transformation. Tune in now and rethink what it really takes to lead through change.

In part two of this two-part conversation, Mark and Michelle sit down with Roland Zelles, former Chief Revenue Officer & Senor Vice President Worldwide Sales at Autodesk, to talk about what it really takes to lead meaningful transformation. Roland helped steer Autodesk through one of the earliest and boldest moves in the tech industry—shifting from on-premise software to a full SaaS model. But as he shares, true transformation isn’t just about systems or structure. It’s about mindset, culture, and the unexpected. Why do leaders default to what’s comfortable when the future demands change?How do you create momentum when the stakes are high?What happens when transformation is treated like a strategy... instead of a survival decision? If you’ve ever led change, or struggled to get others to follow, this one’s for you.

In this two-part conversation, Mark and Michelle sit down with Roland Zelles, former Chief Revenue Officer & Senor Vice President Worldwide Sales at Autodesk, to talk about what it really takes to lead meaningful transformation. Roland helped steer Autodesk through one of the earliest and boldest moves in the tech industry—shifting from on-premise software to a full SaaS model. But as he shares, true transformation isn’t just about systems or structure. It’s about mindset, culture, and the unexpected. Why do leaders default to what’s comfortable when the future demands change?How do you create momentum when the stakes are high?What happens when transformation is treated like a strategy... instead of a survival decision? If you’ve ever led change, or struggled to get others to follow, this one’s for you.

Transformation DelusionWhy do we expect big results when we repeat the same old patterns, in business and in life?In this series, we're breaking down the patterns that hold organizations back and unlocking the mindset shifts that lead to real, lasting change.Let’s start a conversation!

Welcome back to Freative Friday! This week Mark concludes his series on the first layer of the Revenue Roadmap, Insight; topping it off with step four, Business Performance.  The Revenue Roadmap is a high-impact approach to assess, benchmark, and develop actionable recommendations to accelerate growth. Join us each episode as Mark explores his way through the roadmap!

Welcome back to Freative Friday! This week Mark continues his series on the Revenue Roadmap, continuing his deep dive into the first layer of the Roadmap, Insight; with step three, Competitor Performance.  The Revenue Roadmap is a high-impact approach to assess, benchmark, and develop actionable recommendations to accelerate growth. Join us each episode as Mark explores his way through the roadmap!

Welcome back to Freative Friday! This week Mark continues his series on the Revenue Roadmap, continuing his deep dive into the first layer of the Roadmap, Insight; with step two, Macro Market Enviornment.  The Revenue Roadmap is a high-impact approach to assess, benchmark, and develop actionable recommendations to accelerate growth. Join us each episode as Mark explores his way through the roadmap!