Here's to 2026!

High-growth companies demand constant reinvention, yet most leaders underestimate how deeply roles, go-to-market models, and buyer behavior evolve over time. This episode explores what it actually takes to adapt at that level, from navigating internal resistance to aligning product and sales with how customers truly buy. Sahir Azam brings a rare operator-to-investor perspective, unpacking the realities of PLG to enterprise transitions, the cultural discipline required to scale sales, and how AI is reshaping both software and the sales function itself. The conversation also challenges common assumptions around SaaS models, tooling, and where value will accrue as AI infrastructure matures. Sahir Azam is a Partner at Index Ventures investing in AI infrastructure, and former Chief Product Officer at MongoDB where he led the Atlas transformation into a multi-billion-dollar platform. He brings a rare operator's perspective on building go-to-market discipline, scaling sales culture, and navigating the product-distribution balance that separates winners from founders who fail. Connect with Sahir: Index Ventures LinkedIn Get the Force Management framework for navigating product-go-to-market fit and building the sales discipline that separates scaling companies from those that fail: The Predictable Revenue Framework: Guide for Leaders Key takeaways from this episode:  00:00 – How Sahir Azam went from building MongoDB Atlas into a multi-billion-dollar platform to investing in the infrastructure shaping AI’s next wave 06:24 – The secret to driving change inside a company before trying to win in the market 10:10 – What PLG and enterprise sales actually have in common when you design around the buyer 12:18 – What it’s really like to move upmarket and why most companies underestimate the cultural shift required 23:50 – Sahir Azam’s unexpected perspective on technical founders who struggle to scale 41:12 – A peek into where real value in AI is being built and why infrastructure is the leverage point 01:02:00 – What you can do right now to stay relevant as AI reshapes how top sellers operate Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

In today’s conversation, former Chief Revenue Officer and private equity operating partner Bob Ranaldi shares why great revenue leaders focus less on static metrics and more on the trends behind them. In this segment, Bob explains why looking at a single month of pipeline or bookings can be misleading, and why CROs and CEOs need to study the progression of key metrics over time. He also breaks down how leading indicators like discovery meetings, pipeline growth, and conversion rates help leaders make better decisions before problems show up in the number. If you’re a CRO, founder, or sales leader responsible for forecasting and revenue planning, this segment highlights why data trends, not snapshots, should guide your decisions. Bob Ranaldi is a former Chief Revenue Officer and current operating partner in private equity, where he works with portfolio companies to improve sales performance, leadership alignment, and revenue growth. He brings experience as both an operator and investor, giving him a unique perspective on what boards and CEOs expect from revenue leaders. Connect with Bob: LinkedIn Resources mentioned: The Qualified Sales Leader by John McMahon Get the Force Management framework for building predictable revenue and aligning leadership teams around the metrics that matter:  The Predictable Revenue Framework: Guide for Leaders Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

If you treat AI as just tech or a tool, you’re likely missing out on the true strategic benefit to your organization. Many leaders are waiting on IT, governance, or the “right stack” while competitors are already compounding gains through faster execution, better preparation, and tighter alignment. Marcy Stoudt returns to unpack why AI adoption starts with mindset, how productivity gains break without cross-functional integration, and why the next competitive edge will come from leaders who drive curiosity, coaching, and clarity in how their teams actually sell and hire. Marcy Stoudt is Founder of Revel Companies, where she advises revenue leaders on AI adoption, talent strategy, and organizational alignment. With deep experience in executive recruiting and sales leadership, she helps organizations shift from treating AI as a technology decision to embedding it into how work gets done across teams. Connect with Marcy:  LinkedIn Website Get the Force Management framework for building AI-native revenue systems that drive repeatable execution and growth:  The Predictable Revenue Framework: Guide for Leaders Key takeaways from this episode: 04:00 – Why AI adoption breaks when leaders treat it like a tech stack decision instead of changing how work actually gets done 14:17 – What CROs get wrong when they wait on IT to lead AI strategy while competitors move faster 23:00 – The daily discipline that separates leaders who are compounding AI advantage from those falling behind 30:00 – What it really looks like to use AI to create space, reduce noise, and improve how you think 39:40 – Where your real inefficiencies actually live and why your frontline already knows the answer 49:30 – What hiring looks like when every resume sounds perfect and signal gets harder to find 59:15 – Why AI is increasing the value of leadership fundamentals like alignment, coaching, and culture Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Today, we're sharing a segment from our episode on leadership, discipline, and relationship-building with Coach John Mosley Jr. Coach Mosley is best known for leading East Los Angeles College and for his role on Netflix’s Last Chance U, where his leadership philosophy is on full display. In this particular conversation, Coach Mosley breaks down a simple but often overlooked principle: rules without relationships lead to resistance. He explains why leaders who rely on compliance lose their teams, how genuine connection creates trust, and why discipline only works when it’s grounded in relationship. Coach John Mosley Jr. is the head basketball coach at East Los Angeles College and gained national recognition through Netflix’s Last Chance U: Basketball. He is known for his relationship-driven leadership style, focused on discipline, accountability, and developing young athletes both on and off the court. Get the Force Management framework for building predictable pipeline, disciplined execution, and aligned revenue teams:  The Predictable Revenue Framework: Guide for Leaders Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Many teams are finding it harder to generate pipeline these days. Is this new pipeline reality here to stay? Generating strong pipeline is still attainable — but the winning approach has changed. Most sales teams are running highly individualized pipeline gen tactics, without the structure, preparation, or leadership discipline required to sustain it. In this replay episode, Chris Vik breaks down why pipeline fails when it’s treated as an event instead of a system, and how high-performing teams connect pipeline generation to partners, community, field marketing, and recruiting to create durable growth. This conversation reframes pipeline as a leadership responsibility, not a rep activity, and challenges leaders to rethink how their entire go-to-market motion fits together. Chris Vik is VP EMEA at Samsara and a former CRO at Leapwork and Go Autonomous, where he scaled go-to-market teams across new markets and high-growth environments. He is known for building structured revenue systems that connect pipeline generation, sales execution, and recruiting. Resources mentioned: Flip the Script by Oren Klaff Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff Get the Force Management framework for building and scaling predictable pipeline and revenue systems:  The Predictable Revenue Framework: Guide for Leaders Key takeaways from this episode: 00:00 – Why pipeline generation isn’t dead, but most programs fail due to poor structure and lack of leadership ownership. 01:31 – Why pipeline generation alone burns reps out, and how the five-cylinder model creates more durable growth. 12:20 – Why pipeline generation breaks down before execution, and how lack of preparation shows up as low activity and poor results. 18:55 – How real conviction comes from understanding how a business makes money and where it’s vulnerable. 37:39 – Why insight-led outreach outperforms generic messaging and earns you the right to a conversation. 46:45 – Why deals are won or lost early, based on whether you identify and build a true champion. 52:04 – What candidate preparation actually signals, and why it’s one of the strongest predictors of performance. 01:02:58 – How clearly defined leadership values shape hiring, trust, and day-to-day execution. Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

In today’s segment with Eric Erstin, longtime sales leader and CRO of RegScale, Eric shares what separates top-performing sales teams from the rest – from maintaining laser focus on metrics and success definitions, to rigorously qualifying leads based on budget, timeframe, and pain points. Eric emphasizes the critical importance of deeply understanding both the ideal customer profile and the individual persona, including the human motivators behind decision-makers, not just their titles. He also discusses how this evolved understanding of persona dynamics becomes essential when transitioning from being an individual seller to leading and scaling a sales team. Eric Erstin is a longtime sales leader and currently serves as Chief Revenue Officer at RegScale. With deep expertise in sales process, qualification methodology, and building high-performing teams, Eric shares insights on what separates top performers from the rest of the pack. Want to build a sales organization grounded in clear qualification, defined success metrics, and repeatable execution? Get Force Management’s  Predictable Revenue Framework: Guide for Leaders . Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

When the relationship between a CRO and CEO breaks down, the symptoms show up quickly in the forecast, the sales plan, and ultimately the boardroom. Strong revenue organizations avoid that trap by anchoring leadership decisions in shared data, realistic planning, and constant communication. In this replay episode, John Kaplan and John McMahon sit down with former CRO and private equity operating partner Bob Ranaldi to break down what effective CRO leadership looks like from both the operator and investor perspective. The conversation explores how CRO-CEO alignment shapes company performance, why sales efficiency has become a defining metric in private equity environments, and why revenue leaders must take ownership of the forecast from day one. Bob Ranaldi is a former Chief Revenue Officer and current operating partner in private equity, where he works with portfolio companies to improve sales performance, leadership alignment, and revenue growth. He brings experience as both an operator and investor, giving him a unique perspective on what boards and CEOs expect from revenue leaders. Connect with Bob: LinkedIn Resources mentioned: The Qualified Sales Leader by John McMahon Get the Force Management framework for building predictable revenue and aligning leadership teams around the metrics that matter:  The Predictable Revenue Framework: Guide for Leaders Key takeaways from this episode:  00:00 – What strong CRO–CEO alignment actually requires and why frequent communication grounded in shared goals and hard data determines whether the partnership works. 04:30 – Why unrealistic revenue targets quietly create hiring mistakes, missed forecasts, and morale problems long before leadership realizes it. 12:00 – Why looking at a single quarter of metrics can mislead leadership teams and how five-quarter trends reveal the real health of the business. 24:20 – Bob Ranaldi’s simple test for whether a CRO is operating with an owner mindset or just protecting their department. 31:00 – What new CROs often get wrong in their first 90 days and why early wins matter more than sweeping changes. 40:00 – A look inside the three groups every CRO inherits in a sales organization and how early wins turn the middle group into champions. 54:00 – What the best CEOs do differently when building leadership teams and why great leaders hire people they can learn from. Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

In today's minisode, AI pioneer and enterprise sales leader Amanda Kahlow shares why intent data as we know it is dying – and what replaces it. Amanda is the founder and CEO of 1mind. In this segment, she discusses how SI  “superhumans” can operate inside live deals with access to every document and data point, and why the future of go-to-market may move toward agent-to-agent negotiation… with humans stepping in only for the final mile. If you're a CRO rethinking your funnel, a sales leader questioning the future of the SDR role, or an operator trying to understand how AI fits into active pipeline management, this episode is for you. Amanda Kahlow is the Founder and CEO of 1mind and the Founder of Sixth Sense. She is a multi time enterprise founder building AI systems designed to transform the full go-to-market lifecycle. Connect with Amanda: LinkedIn 1mind Get the Force Management guide to adapting your go-to-market execution for the AI age: The Predictable Revenue Framework: Guide for Leaders Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Amanda Kahlow joins Revenue Builders to unpack what happens when AI stops assisting go-to-market teams and starts replacing entire functions. Drawing on her experience founding SixthSense and now leading 1mind, she explains how technology originally built for Alzheimer’s caregivers evolved into AI “superhumans” capable of running demos, qualifying buyers, building business cases, and onboarding customers. The conversation gets real about some of the uncomfortable questions facing sales today: what happens to SDRs, how the AE role changes, why traditional handoffs between Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success break down, and what “the final mile” of human selling really looks like. For revenue leaders, the bigger question isn’t whether AI will impact go-to-market… it’s how quickly org design, skill sets, and accountability models need to adapt. Amanda Kahlow is the Founder and CEO of 1mind and the Founder of Sixth Sense. She is a multi time enterprise founder building AI systems designed to transform the full go-to-market lifecycle. Connect with Amanda: LinkedIn 1mind Get the Force Management guide to adapting your go-to-market execution for the AI age: The Predictable Revenue Framework: Guide for Leaders Key takeaways from this episode:  00:00 – How tech built for Alzheimer’s caregivers evolved into AI that can qualify buyers, run demos, and move deals forward. 05:09 – What Amanda really means by a “superhuman”, and why it’s far beyond an AI SDR bolted onto your website. 06:27 – Why buyers are increasingly more comfortable with AI than humans in early-stage conversations, and what that does to traditional sales handoffs. 16:48 – How automated knowledge ingestion and system integrations are collapsing AI onboarding timelines from ~4 months to ~4 weeks. 30:23 – The GTM shakeup: SDRs disappear, AEs become strategic operators, and humans remain for one thing only… the “final mile.” 46:36 – The ultimate question: can AI replace high-cost revenue roles profitably? And what happens to trust, security, and data ownership in regulated industries? Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

In this minisode, Cedric Pech, President of Field Operations at MongoDB and former CRO, shares a formative leadership moment from early in his career at PTC that shaped how he thinks about building revenue organizations. He tells the story of a manager who invested in him personally before he had proven himself professionally. It is a lesson in what real leadership looks like under pressure. For CROs and frontline leaders alike, this clip is a reminder that culture is built in moments like these, not in mission statements. Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.  This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.  Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management