Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
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150 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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Demotainment with Mike McDowell
27 oktober 2026 · 31 min
Mike McDowell, author of "Demotainment," joins hosts Avery Cochran and Matthew James to discuss how presales professionals should approach demos and presentations like Broadway performers, bringing energy and showmanship while maintaining authenticity and personalization. The conversation explores the balance between rehearsed performance and authentic engagement, emphasizing that delivery and storytelling are just as important as technical content. Lees meer
Follow Us
Connect with Avery Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avery-cochran/
Connect with Mike McDowell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmcdowell1/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Presales Collective Podcast: https://www.presalescollective.com/podcast
Demotainment (book by Mike McDowell): https://a.co/d/00DK30rj
Key Topics Covered
Broadway Performer Mindset: Bringing consistent energy and leaving personal baggage at the door while maintaining authenticity
Improvisation Within Structure: Balancing 80% prepared content with 20% customer-driven conversation
Account Team Choreography: The importance of rehearsed handoffs and transitions between SEs and AEs
Strategic Partnership: Presales professionals as strategists involved throughout the customer journey
Storytelling Delivery: How stories are told matters as much as the content itself
Personal Connection and Credibility: Building rapport through industry experience before product features
Engaging Remote Audiences: Techniques for handling Zoom calls with cameras off
Value Demonstration Through Stories: Using concrete examples like the $7 million hyperlink story to illustrate ROI
Energy and Authenticity: Genuine enthusiasm influences buying decisions beyond rational factors
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Moving from a Top IC to a New Presales Leader with Akanksha Sehgal
12 oktober 2026 · 27 min
Making the leap from top-performing individual contributor to effective leader is one of the toughest transitions to make as a Solutions professional. Host Avery Cochran sits down with Akanksha Sehgal, Senior Director of Worldwide Technical Solutions at Omnisa, to explore why the skills that make you a great SE often don't translate to leadership. Akanksha shares her 13-year journey, from handling strategic accounts to leading global teams, and reveals the mindset shifts required at each stage of leadership growth. Lees meer
Follow Us
Connect with Avery Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avery-cochran/
Connect with Akanksha Sehgal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akanksha-sehgal/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Key Topics Covered
The Challenge of Moving from Expert SE to Leader
Demonstrating Leadership Before Getting the Title
Building Influence and Trust with Former Peers
How Success Metrics Change from IC to Manager
The "Smartest Person Trap" and Letting Your Team Shine
Creating Strategic Thinking Time vs. Staying Tactical
Progressing to Senior Leadership and Managing a Function
Breaking Down Silos Through Cross-Functional Collaboration
Making Hard Decisions and Balancing Business with People
Being Your Authentic Self as a Leader
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Getting through the Internal Politics with Samantha Burrell
28 september 2026 · 31 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James welcome Samantha Burrell, an enterprise solutions consultant at BenchLink, to discuss how she successfully launched "Demo Face-Off," a gamified enablement competition for her global SC organization. Samantha shares the complete journey from identifying a gap in product enablement when returning from maternity leave to navigating internal politics, securing buy-in from multiple stakeholders, and executing a March Madness-style demo competition that ran over two months. Lees meer
Thank you to Baton AI for sponsoring this episode. Check out more at getbaton.ai
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Samantha Burrell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-r-burrell/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Baton AI: https://www.getbaton.ai/
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
PSC Unscripted episode with Samantha: https://youtu.be/2nZjv-vWdF0
Key Topics Covered
Demo Face-Off Competition Structure: A March Madness-Style Global Competition
Identifying Gaps from Personal Pain Points After Maternity Leave
Navigating Internal Politics and Getting Multi-Stakeholder Buy-In
Connecting Enablement Initiatives to ARR Impact
Using AI Tools for First-Time Project Planning and Execution
Driving Participation Through Competition, Prizes, and Recognition
Making Enablement Entertaining with Production Value and Energy
Cultural Considerations for Global Teams and Iteration Based on Feedback
Individual Contributor Influence Without Formal Authority
Cross-Functional Benefits and Expanding Impact Beyond the SC Team
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Live at Sol/Con 2026! Four Skills Driving Sales Outcomes with Rew Dickinson
14 september 2026 · 38 min
In this live podcast episode recorded at Sol/Con 2026, Rew Dickinson, CEO and founder of Alpha Go-To-Market, joins co-hosts Jack Cochran and Matthew James to present a framework of four core skills that drive sales outcomes for solutions engineers. Lees meer
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Rew Dickinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rewdickinson/
Key Topics Covered
The SE Talk-Time Problem: How Gong call analysis reveals SEs dominating conversations with product talk instead of listening
The Starbucks Story: Rew's revelation that SEs are often the most influential person in the sales cycle
Knowledge Layer: Why SEs must understand how prospect companies make money before demos
Storytelling for Pre-Sales: Shifting from product-centric to prospect-focused narratives
The iPhone Value Exercise: Live demonstration showing value exists in the gap between current and desired state
Discovery Beyond Requirements: Creating vision with questions like "If I shadowed your team for a week, what would I see slowing them down?"
Leadership and Taking a Stance: Why SEs need to be prescriptive ("you should") instead of offering endless options ("you could")
The Tenure Gap: SEs average 7 years versus sales reps at 2 years—and why SEs should leverage this expertise advantage
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Being the Founding SC with Alex Margolis
31 augustus 2026 · 29 min
Alex Margolis joins the show with cohosts Jack Cochran and Mathew James to share his experience as a founding sales engineer, pulling back the curtain on what it's really like to be the first SE at a startup. Alex discusses his deliberate decision to target founding SE roles as a way to fast-forward his career after six years at a company with limited growth opportunities, expecting to build processes and lead strategically from day one. Instead, he found himself supporting eight AEs and an equal number of BDRs, running five demos a day in a high-velocity sales environment that left little time for the strategic work he'd been promised. Lees meer
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Alex Margolis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexnmargolis/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Presales Collective Podcast: https://www.presalescollective.com/podcast
Key Topics Covered
Motivations for seeking founding SE roles and fast-forwarding your career
The sales assistant trap: expectations vs. reality of strategic involvement
Supporting eight AEs plus BDRs as the only SE in a high-velocity environment
Setting boundaries and tracking workload to prioritize effectively
Cross-functional relationship building as the company "facsimile"
Interview questions to ask when evaluating founding SE opportunities
Who the right fit is for high-volume founding SE roles
Finding company culture fit and working with good people
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Building Repeatable Methodologies with Paul Vogt
17 augustus 2026 · 31 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran sits down with Paul Vogt, VP of Pre-Sales and Professional Services at GPG, to explore how building repeatable methodologies can transform solutions organizations at scale. The conversation dives deep into two powerful frameworks: the Technical Win Definition (5 binary yes/no questions that eliminate ambiguity and improve forecast accuracy) and the PGA Framework (Purpose, Goal, Agenda for planning every customer meeting). Lees meer
Thank you to Saleo for sponsoring this episode: https://saleo.io
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Paul Vogt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulvogt00/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://presalescollective.com/slack
Sol/Con 2026 (Chicago, August 2026): https://presalescollective.com/solcon-2026
Presales Collective Podcast: https://presalescollective.com/podcast
Paul's Blog: https://www.art-of-sales-engineering.com/
Key Topics Covered
Paul's Career Journey: From Defense Contractor to Scaling Pre-Sales Teams at Twilio
The Alaska Cellular Network Project: Building the First Network in Remote Communities
Customer Lifecycle Gaps: Why 70% of Churn Happens During Onboarding
Technical Win Definition: Creating 5 Binary Questions to Eliminate Ambiguity
How Technical Win Criteria Improve Forecast Accuracy Better Than Sales Tracking
The PGA Framework: Purpose, Goal, Agenda for Every Customer Meeting
Warning Signs Your Organization Needs Repeatable Methodologies
Using Metrics to Identify Where Deals Slow Down (POC-to-Win Rates as Diagnostic)
The Lost Art of Prep Calls and Meeting Alignment
Practice and Preparation: Why Pre-Sales Professionals Should Train Like Athletes
Small Impactful Changes: The Ted Lasso Approach to Leadership
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Adapting to the Changing World of Presales with Steve Bullington
3 augustus 2026 · 32 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Steve Bullington, Global Public Sector Sales Onboarding and Strategic Programs Lead at Salesforce, to explore the seismic shifts reshaping presales. Steve draws powerful parallels between today's transformation and the move from perpetual licenses to SaaS, arguing that we're experiencing an equally fundamental change as the industry shifts to consumption-based pricing models. Lees meer
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Steve Bullington: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevebullington/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Sol/Con 2026 (Chicago, August 2026): https://www.presalescollective.com/solcon-2026
Key Topics Covered
The Evolution of Presales: From Technical Expert to Business Value Architect
Consumption-Based Pricing Models and the Death of Shelfware
The Critical Importance of Accurate Consumption Forecasting
Forward-Deployed Engineers: The 10x Growth of a New Role
AI's Impact on Demo Capabilities and Presales Productivity
The Current Maturity Level of AI (Comparable to SaaS in 2000)
Which Sales Roles Face AI Replacement and Future Career Pathways
The Need to Accelerate Professional Development Beyond 1% Daily
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Debunking the Traditional Path to Presales with Adam Bauman
20 juli 2026 · 29 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James sit down with Adam Bauman, Staff Solutions Engineer at Kong, to challenge the myth of the "traditional" path into presales. Adam shares his journey from nearly 20 years in software engineering and management into solutions engineering, exploring why technical backgrounds can be powerful entry points into presales. Lees meer
The conversation also tackles practical advice for both sides of the hiring equation: how candidates without presales experience can demonstrate their value in interviews, and how hiring managers can look beyond traditional backgrounds to find great talent.
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Adam Bauman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjbauman/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Sol/Con 2026 (Chicago, August 2026): https://www.presalescollective.com/solcon-2026
Presales Collective Unscripted: https://luma.com/pscunscripted
Key Topics Covered
What Defines a "Traditional" Path to Presales and Why Most Paths Are Non-Traditional
Adam's 20-Year Engineering Career and What Drew Him to Presales
The Learning Curve: Demos, Confidence, and Learning Not to Know Everything
Scoping Engagements and Understanding Buying Journeys Beyond Technical Validation
Staying Involved Through Security, Procurement, and Legal Reviews
Understanding Business Value and ROI from an Engineering Mindset
Using AI Tools Like Claude for Personal and Professional Efficiency
How to Interview for Presales Without Traditional Experience
Changes Needed in Recruiting: Using Rubrics and Formalized Evaluation
Timestamps
00:00 Start
03:36 Welcome Adam Bauman
06:58 Building confidence without all the answers
10:25 Drawing from an engineering background
13:55 Timeline for feeling confident in the role
22:07 Communicating value without…
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Becoming Sales Leadership's Trusted Advisor with Lisa Jameson
6 juli 2026 · 27 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James sit down with Lisa Jameson, a seasoned solutions professional, to explore how she built strategic influence and became a trusted advisor to sales leadership without moving into management. Lees meer
Lisa provides a practical framework for assessing your current level of trust with sales leadership, finding creative solutions beyond product limitations, and ultimately structuring a custom role that maximizes your impact while staying on the individual contributor track.
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Mathew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Lisa Jameson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisajamesondb/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Sol/Con 2026 (Chicago, August 2026): https://www.presalescollective.com/solcon-2026
Key Topics Covered
Building Initial Trust Through Proactive Learning and Debrief Calls
The Deal Review as Critical Trust Builder for Won and Lost Deals
Strategic Use of Closed Lost Deals to Increase Credibility
The "If We're Working It, We're Working It" Philosophy
Recognizing When Sales Teams Trust Your Strategic Input
Developing Deep Expertise in a Niche Area
Creating Custom IC Roles Through Proven Value
Moving Beyond Product Limitations with Partners and Creative Solutions
The Long Game of Career Development and Building Credibility
Structuring Compensation and Proving ROI for Strategic Roles
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The Value of a Presales Academy with Rob Fallon
22 juni 2026 · 31 min
Rob Fallon, Director, Americas SE Strategy & Associate Program at Nutanix, has built presales academy programs at both Dell EMC and Nutanix, joins the show to discuss the strategic importance of creating structured training programs for presales professionals. Rob shares his experience transforming Dell's 12-week boot camp into a comprehensive academy and building Nutanix's current 18-month-old program from the ground up. The conversation tackles the "inverted pyramid" problem that plagues many SE organizations—being too heavy with expensive senior talent and lacking junior pipeline—and why most companies struggle to fix it. Lees meer
The discussion covers the business case for academies, how to secure executive sponsorship and funding, the structure of successful two-year programs, and why hiring for technical curiosity and grit matters more than existing technical knowledge.
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Rob Fallon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robfallon/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Sol/Con 2026 (Chicago, August 2026): https://www.presalescollective.com/solcon-2026
Contact Rob: rob.fallon@nutanix.com
Key Topics Covered
The Inverted Pyramid Problem: Why SE Organizations Over-Hire Senior Talent
Executive Sponsorship and Funding: Getting Buy-In for Long-Term Investment
The Two-Year Academy Program Structure at Nutanix
Hiring for Technical Curiosity, Communication, and Grit Over Knowledge
Why Field Integration and Manager Engagement Are Critical to Success
How Academy Associates Become Productive Within 12 Months
Academy Programs as Diversity and Fresh Thinking Enablers
Success Metrics: When Field Leaders Want Academy Grads on Their Teams
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Using AI as your Voice Assistant with Yasmeen Hyder
8 juni 2026 · 32 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran sits down with Yasmeen Hyder, an enterprise solutions consulting leader from Atlanta, to explore a game-changing approach to working with AI: speaking to it instead of typing. Yasmeen shares how she uses voice-based AI interactions as a thought companion and coaching tool to enhance decision-making, reduce mental load, and work more efficiently in her presales leadership role. Lees meer
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Yasmeen Hyder: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasmeenhyder/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Sol/Con 2026 (Chicago, August 2026): https://www.presalescollective.com/solcon-2026
Presales Collective Podcast: https://www.presalescollective.com/podcast
Key Topics Covered
Voice AI vs. Typing: Why Speaking Creates Higher Bandwidth Communication
AI as Thought Companion Rather Than Answer Engine
Yasmeen's Career Journey: Healthcare to Pharma to Tech Presales
Overcoming the Behavioral Change of Talking to Your Computer
Stress Testing Leadership Decisions with Voice AI
Using AI as a Coach: Asking for Questions Instead of Answers
Time Compression Benefits: 60-90 Minutes Down to 15-20 Minutes
Addressing Zoom Fatigue: Voice AI as Reset and Grounding Tool
Negative Prompting Technique for Better Outputs
Personal and Professional Applications Beyond Work
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
02:45 Welcome Yas
05:45 Why talking to AI
08:02 Setup and behavioral change
10:57 Writing vs. speaking
15:27 Rubber ducky but better
16:28 Stress testing leadership decisions
20:46 Using AI as a coach
22:36 Addressing Zoom fatigue
26:00 Personal life applications
30:19 Closing and contact information
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Product-Trained Agents, and the New SE Workflow with Kintan Brahmbhatt
11 mei 2026 · 33 min
Jack Cochran and Matthew James welcome Kintan Brahmbhatt, CEO and co-founder of Olto, to discuss how AI agents are fundamentally reshaping the presales workflow and buyer experience. Drawing from over 12 years at Amazon building personalized experiences for Alexa, Amazon Music, and Prime Video, Kintan explores why B2B buyers receive generic "Acme Corp" demos while B2C consumers get highly personalized recommendations, and how product-trained agents can finally close this gap economically. The conversation goes beyond productivity gains to examine how buyers, products, and SE roles have evolved rapidly while metrics, compensation plans, and tooling have remained static. Lees meer
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Kintan Brahmbhatt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kintan/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Sol/Con 2026 (Chicago, August 2026): https://www.presalescollective.com/solcon-2026
Olto: https://olto.com/psc (3 months free promotional offer mentioned)
Key Topics Covered
Why AI Timing Is Better Now: Moving Beyond Productivity to Workflow Transformation
The Personalization Gap Between B2C and B2B Buyer Experiences
What Olto Is: Product-Trained AI Agents Across the Revenue Journey
Kintan's Amazon Background: Building Personalized Experiences at Scale
SE Capacity Economics and the Unspoken Rule About Qualified Deals
How Product-Trained Agents Differ from Generic AI
The New SE Workflow: Agents Handle Discovery, SEs Focus on Sense-Making
Evolution of SE Metrics, Compensation, and Tooling for the AI Era
Implementation Challenges and Change Management
The Future of the Presales Profession
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome
04:04 Now vs a year ago
05:40 What is Olto
07:52 B2C vs B2B personalization disconnect
11:15 Agent capabilities and limitations
21:35 Future of the s…
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The Convergence of Presales and Post-Sales: A New Career Path with Shamil Turner
28 april 2026 · 32 min
Presales teams are being asked more and more to do post-sales work. This isn't a fad or something we're doing in the short term. This is a significant change for the broader profession of presales and solutions consulting. What was once occasional support for implementations or customer renewals is now becoming formal job responsibilities for solutions consultants across the industry. Lees meer
In this episode, Jack Cochran sits down with Shamil Turner, Global Technical Solutions Leader at Figma and Presales Collective advisory board member, to explore why this shift is happening and what it means for the future of presales.
Shamil brings a unique perspective to this conversation: he was the first SE hired at Figma, built their entire solutions engineering organization from the ground up, and has now transitioned into a post-sales technical leadership role. Together they discuss the strengths that SEs bring to the table that has a profound impact on a company-customer relationships AFTER the sale has happened, and how this plays out in a new role that has been emerging over the past year, the Forward Deployed Engineer.
Whether you're a leader making organizational decisions or an IC just getting started, this conversation will help you understand how the world of solutions is evolving.
Thank you to Saleo for sponsoring this episode!
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Shamil Turner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shamil-turner/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Sol/Con 2026 (Chicago, August 2026): https://www.presalescollective.com/solcon-2026
Presales Collective Podcast: https://www.presalescollective.com/podcast
Saleo: https://saleo.io
Key Topics Covered
The Growing Trend of Presales Teams Doing Post-Sales Work
Historical Context: How SEs Have Always Supported Post-Sales
Forward Deployed Engineer Roles in Consumption-Based Models
Why Pre…
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What an AI-Enabled SE Looks Like in 2026 with Darlene Volas
13 april 2026 · 35 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran sits down with Darlene Volas, a senior solutions engineering executive, to explore what it truly means to be an AI-enabled SE in 2025 and beyond. The conversation moves well past basic ChatGPT usage to examine sophisticated operational workflows, custom automation tools, and practical implementation strategies that enhance both efficiency and quality of work. Lees meer
This episode was recorded during Presales Collective's 2026 AI-Powered Presales Summit on March 19th, 2026. Pro and Pro+ members can view all of the recorded sessions on-demand in the PSC Knowledge Hub: https://www.presalescollective.com/knowledgehub
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthe James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Darlene Volas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darlenevolas/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Sol/Con 2026 (Chicago, August 2026): https://www.presalescollective.com/solcon-2026
Presales Collective Podcast: https://www.presalescollective.com/podcast
Perplexity: https://www.perplexity.ai/
Claude by Anthropic: https://www.anthropic.com/claude
Cursor AI coding tool: https://cursor.sh/
GitHub Copilot: https://github.com/features/copilot
Gong conversation intelligence: https://www.gong.io/
ChatGPT Enterprise: https://openai.com/enterprise
Obsidian note-taking: https://obsidian.md/
Firebolt database: https://www.firebolt.io/
Key Topics Covered
Personal AI Usage Evolution: Moving Beyond Google Replacement to Creative Applications
Three Buckets of AI for SE Leaders: Operations, Team Workflows, and Technical Implementation
Daily Meeting Preparation Automation and Custom-Built AI Applications
Operationalizing SE Teams with Repeatable AI Workflows
Quality vs. Efficiency Trade-off: Better Preparation Rather Than Less Time
Building Technical Credibility Through Hands-On AI Coding
The "One More Th…
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From Co-Pilot to Orchestrator: AI and the Evolving SE Role with Manisha Raisinghani
30 maart 2026 · 33 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran welcomes back Manisha Raisinghani, Founder and CEO of SiftHub, exactly one year after her first appearance on the show. Together they explore the dramatic shift in how AI is being used by solutions engineers. Manisha shares what it means for SEs to become Forward Deployed Engineers, how vibe coding is changing live customer interactions, and what enterprise leaders are getting wrong about AI adoption. She also offers concrete first steps for SEs and SE leaders who feel like they're behind. Lees meer
Thank you to SiftHub for sponsoring this episode! Visit sifthub.io to learn more.
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Manisha Raisinghani: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manisha-raisinghani/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
SiftHub: https://sifthub.io/
Sol/Con (PSC Annual Conference, Chicago): https://www.presalescollective.com/solcon-2026
Paytm (referenced in board discussion): https://paytm.com
Key Topics Covered
How AI Shifted from Co-Pilot to Workflow Orchestrator
Vibe Coding and the Forward Deployed Engineer
Democratizing Institutional Knowledge
AI Transformation at Enterprise Scale
Making SE Value Visible with Data
Where to Start if You Feel Behind
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome & Intro
03:58 One year later: the headline shift in AI and SE workflows
07:20 Vibe coding — what it is and why SEs should care
10:23 The rise of the Forward Deployed Engineer
14:01 How SiftHub has evolved: from retrieval to reasoning
20:23 Lessons from the Paytm board on enterprise AI adoption
24:43 Sales: the most blamed, least understood function
28:40 First steps for SEs and SE leaders who feel behind -
Proving the Value of Demo Engineering: Metrics That Matter with Micah Joel
15 maart 2026 · 30 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James continue their conversation with Micah Joel, diving deep into the metrics that matter when building and justifying a demo engineering team. Micah shares practical approaches to measuring the value of demo engineering, from simple time-saving calculations to sophisticated surveys that capture SE satisfaction and retention indicators. The conversation explores how to frame these metrics in terms that senior management cares about, moving beyond technical accomplishments to demonstrate real business impact. Lees meer
Micah emphasizes the importance of thinking "top down" when building a demo engineering organization, focusing on what leadership values most: productivity, cost savings, and revenue growth. He shares real-world examples from his time at Salesforce's Q Branch, including how to measure the value of demo environments, how to identify unexpected patterns in the data (like deals where demo engineers get involved), and how cultivating relationships with SEs creates goodwill that extends beyond the numbers. The discussion also covers how demo engineering impacts go-to-market speed for new products and how to position the team as mission-critical support for field teams rather than just a technical function.
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Micah Joel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micahjoel/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Sol/Con 2026 (Chicago, August 2026): https://www.presalescollective.com/solcon-2026
Presales Collective Podcast: https://www.presalescollective.com/podcast
Key Topics Covered
Establishing baseline metrics for demo engineering through time-saving calculations
Using SE surveys to measure demo environment value and satisfaction
Identifying retention indicators at 3-year and 7-year tenure marks
Red…
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Building a Demo Engineering Team with Micah Joel - Part 1
2 maart 2026 · 30 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James sit down with Micah Joel, GTM leader and demo engineering pioneer, to explore what it means to build a dedicated demo engineering function from scratch. Micah shares his journey from theater kid to SE to leading Salesforce's legendary Q Branch, and unpacks why demo engineering might be the most underutilized lever in presales today. They cover the difference between deal-focused and infrastructure-focused demo engineers, how to structure the team, why blended teams fail, and how a mature demo engineering org can swim upstream into product strategy to reduce time-to-revenue. This is part one of two. Part two will focus on measuring and proving the value of a demo engineering team. Lees meer
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Micah Joel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micahjoel/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
SoulCon 2026 (Chicago, August 2026): https://www.presalescollective.com/solcon-2026
Presales Collective Podcast: https://www.presalescollective.com/podcast
Key Topics Covered
Micah's Background: From Theater to SE to Demo Engineering
What Is Demo Engineering and How Is It Different from Being an SE?
When Does an Organization Need a Demo Engineering Team?
The Two Sides of Demo Engineering: Deal Support vs. Infrastructure/Scale
How to Hire and Structure the Team
Demo Engineering as a Talent Pipeline and Retention Strategy
Swimming Upstream: Demo Engineering's Role in Go-to-Market Strategy
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome
02:48 Intro Micah Joel
05:42 Demo engineering definition
08:33 When do you need a DE team?
11:13 Deal side vs. infrastructure/scale side
15:48 Demo engineering as SE retention
23:55 Swimming upstream
27:11 Final advice
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The Future of AI in Presales: Beyond Demo Automation with Nalin Senthamil
16 februari 2026 · 32 min
The Future of AI in Presales: Beyond Demo Automation Lees meer
In this episode, Jack Cochran is joined by Nalin Senthamil, Founder and CEO of Storylane, to discuss the evolution of AI in presales beyond simple demo automation. They explore the hidden costs of demos, how the buyer themselves are becoming AI-powered, and the emergence of AI tools for sellers, much like Storylane has developed with RepEx
Thank you to Storylane for sponsoring this episode! Visit Storylane.io to learn more.
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Nalin Senthamil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nalinpradeep/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
RepEx (AI buyer engagement platform): Available at https://www.storylane.io/
Key Topics Covered
Nalin's Journey from Amazon AI Engineer to Demo Automation Founder
The Hidden Cost Per Demo
AI at the Infrastructure Level
RepEx: The Next Generation of Buyer Engagement
The Context Handoff Problem
Presales as Strategic Advisors in 2026
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome
03:15 Nalin's Background: From Amazon AI Engineer to Storylane Founder
05:54 The Cost Per Demo Problem and Demo Automation Impact
13:24 What are we leaving behind with AI, and what remains human?
20:00 RepEx Launch: Beyond Traditional Chatbots
26:25 The Importance of Context in the Buyer Journey
28:54 How Presales Teams Can Prepare for AI Integration
30:15 Final Advice: Building Long-Term AI Capabilities in Presales
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Courageous Leadership: Making Tough Calls Under Pressure with Gretchen Fitzgibbons
2 februari 2026 · 41 min
In this episode recorded at the Presales Collective Leadership Next Summit in November of 2025, Jack Cochran sits down with Gretchen Fitzgibbons, Senior Manager of Strategic Solutions Consulting at Airtable, to discuss what it means to be a courageous leader in presales. They explore how to make difficult decisions under pressure, navigate organizational politics with integrity, and build the support systems that enable consistent leadership. Gretchen shares powerful stories from her two decades of experience advising Fortune 500 customers and leading presales teams, including standing up for a team member being unfairly assessed and creating win-win solutions in challenging situations. Lees meer
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Gretchen Fitzgibbons: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenfitzgibbons/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Sol/Con 2026: https://www.presalescollective.com/solcon-2026
Book mentioned: Think Again by Adam Grant: https://adamgrant.net/book/think-again/
Book mentioned: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11468377-thinking-fast-and-slow
Key Topics Covered
Redefining Courage and Leadership
Making Tough Calls: Standing Up for Team Members
Focusing on Your Team rather than on Yourself
How to Prepare for a Leadership Role
It's OK to be Wrong
Developing Your Leadership Skills
Grounding Principles for Leadership
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome and Introduction
02:14 Defining Courage and Leadership in Presales
05:15 Making Tough Calls: A Story of Standing Up for What's Right
11:20 Focusing on Your Team rather than on Yourself
22:07 How to Prepare for a Leadership Role
27:40 It's OK to be Wrong
30:30 Developing Leadership Skills
37:42 Final Takeaways and Grounding Principles
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Storytelling as an Industrial Skill with Jon Billett
19 januari 2026 · 33 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran is joined by Jon Billett, Founder and CEO of StoryQuadrant, to discuss why storytelling in presales needs to be treated as an industrial skill rather than a soft skill. They explore Jon's framework for the four types of stories every SE should master, the danger of "Mad Libs" style customer stories, and why the most important story is the one told after you leave the room. Jon shares insights from his 15 years in presales and his unique background as a member of the Magic Circle, revealing how structure, rather than content, creates memorable presentations that drive deals forward. Lees meer
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Jon Billett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbillett/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
StoryQuadrant: https://storyquadrant.com/
Key Topics Covered
Why Storytelling is an Industrial Skill, Not a Soft Skill
The Story Quadrant Framework: Four Essential Story Types
The Mad Libs Problem in Presales
Discovery as Stepping Into Your Prospect's Story
The Power of Contrast in Creating Memory
What Makes Stories Retellable
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome
03:16 Jon's Journey to Storytelling
06:31 Storytelling as an Industrial Skill
09:23 Overcoming the Belief: "I'm Not a Good Storyteller"
12:24 The Success Story Trap
15:59 The Mad Libs Formula Problem
18:13 Discovery Stories: Stepping Into Their World
21:20 Maximizing Your 5% of Face Time
23:10 Your Story: The Four-Minute Trust Window
26:51 Positioning Stories: Nobody Cares About Your Offices
27:40 The Story They Tell
30:30 One Technique to Implement Tomorrow: The Power of Contrast
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Shaping Decision Confidence and Overcoming Customer Indecision with Nikhil Sarma
5 januari 2026 · 32 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Nikhil Sarma, Founder of GTM Solutions Consulting, to explore why customer indecision has become one of the biggest challenges in enterprise sales. They discuss the factors driving buyer hesitation, how to diagnose value clarity vs. organizational issues, and practical strategies for helping customers build the confidence to move forward. Nikhil shares frameworks for understanding stakeholder dynamics, the importance of financial fluency for SEs, and why de-risking the implementation is often more important than the technology itself. Lees meer
Thank you to Storylane for sponsoring this episode. Get more information at https://www.storylane.io/
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Nikhil Sarma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilsarma/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
GTM Solutions Consulting: https://www.gtmsolutions.co/
The Jolt Effect Book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61418641-the-jolt-effect
The Challenger Sale Book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11910902-the-challenger-sale
Gartner Research on Buying Team Conflict
Key Topics Covered
The Factors Driving Customer Indecision in 2025
Value Clarity vs. Organizational Issues
Understanding Stakeholder Levels (Operational, Manager, Executive)
Discovery as a Two-Way Learning Process
Diagnosing and Building Consensus Across Buying Teams
De-risking Implementation as a Differentiator
Financial Fluency for Presales Professionals
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome
04:45 What's Changed about Customer Buying Behavior
09:50 The Jolt Effect and Challenger Sale Frameworks
13:56 Value Clarity Problems vs. Organizational Issues
20:03 Collaborative Whiteboarding for Discovery
25:17 De-risking Implementation Wins Deals
28:50 How to Connect with Nikhil -
Stop Paying the Demo Tax: How AI Is Transforming Presales with Justin McDonald
16 december 2025 · 31 min
The State of Presales and Demo Technologies, and What's Coming in 2026 Lees meer
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Justin McDonald, Co-founder and CEO of Saleo, to discuss how demo automation technology is transforming the presales landscape. They explore the evolution of presales over the past 20 years, the hidden costs of demo preparation (the "demo tax"), and how AI is revolutionizing how solutions engineers create and personalize demonstrations. Justin shares insights on building relational capital, the importance of in-person meetings, and why the future of presales lies in leveraging technology to spend more quality time with buyers.
Thank you to Saleo for sponsoring this episode! Visit Saleo.io to learn more.
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Justin McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-mcdonald-21a3aa6/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Saleo: https://saleo.io/
Mockaroo (dummy data generator): https://mockaroo.com/
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome
04:24 How has presales evolved over 20 years
09:20 Demo tax
13:37 The importance of in-person meetings
15:55 Breaking down the demo tax components
24:47 AI and Demo Data Agents
26:42 Trends reshaping presales in 2026
Key Topics Covered
The Evolution of Presales Technology
From manual data creation with tools like Mockaroo to automated demo environments
The rise of presales as a respected profession with executive leadership
Shift from multi-week prep and constant travel to efficient Zoom-based demos
The Demo Prep Tax
Multiple departments impacted: DevOps, product, engineering, and SEs
Hard dollar costs: hosting demo tenants can cost millions at scale
Demo data degradation: perfectly prepared demos degrade over time
SE time is expensive, and hours spent on manual data prepa…
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Conquering Imposter Syndrome with Hannah Bloking and Allison Macalik
24 november 2025 · 31 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Hannah Bloking, and Allison Macalik, co-founders of 4Under3. They discuss the universal challenge of imposter syndrome in the pre-sales profession, exploring how it manifests, why it affects nearly everyone, and practical strategies to address it. Hannah and Allison share insights from their workshops, including powerful techniques like the "lighthouse speaker" mindset and the importance of naming your imposter to take control of those negative thoughts. Lees meer
Thank you to Storylane for sponsoring this episode.
Follow the Hosts and Guests
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Hannah Bloking: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahcfrisch/
Connect with Allison Macalik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonmacalik/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Storylane: https://storylane.io
Join Presales Collective: https://www.presalescollective.com/community-overview
4Under3: https://4under3.io/
Email: info@4under3.io
Follow 4Under3 on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/4under3/
Timestamps
00:00 Opening
03:36 Why Focus on Impostor Syndrome
11:57 The Definition of Impostor Syndrome
14:45 Redefinining as a Phenomenon
20:15 Soft Skills is Important
24:50 The Lighthouse Speaker Mindset
27:15 Zip it, Todd!
Key Topics Covered
Understanding Imposter Syndrome
The textbook definition: "The persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one's own efforts or skills"
Why it's being reframed as "imposter phenomenon" rather than syndrome
How it manifests differently for everyone
The discovery that it affects people of all genders, levels, and backgrounds
The Presales Connection
Why imposter syndrome is particularly prevalent in pre-sales roles
The challenge of being asked to be an expert when you're still learning
Why internal d…
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Charting Your Presales Career Path with Miriam Graf
22 oktober 2025 · 33 min
Episode 181: Charting Your Presales Career Path with Miriam Graf Lees meer
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James welcome Miriam Graf, a presales veteran with 20 years as an individual contributor and 10 years in leadership roles. Miriam shares invaluable insights on navigating career growth in presales, from speaking up about your aspirations to recognizing when leadership is and isn't the right path for you. She discusses the evolution from being "the hero" to becoming a leader who helps others shine, and explores the diverse career opportunities available beyond traditional management roles.
This episode is sponsored by Elvance. Find out more about them at https://elvance.io/
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Miriam Graf: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miriamgraf/ or email migraf3@gmail.com
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Presales Podcast: https://www.presalescollective.com/podcast
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome
06:53 Lessons to learn earlier
10:38 IC vs leadership
16:42 Expensive experience lessons
22:46 Variety of expertise is good
28:27 Focus on your industry and keep learning
Key Topics Covered
Speaking Up About Your Career
Why waiting for someone to notice doesn't work
How expressing interest puts you on the radar for future opportunities
The importance of taking initiative on projects you're passionate about
The Transition from Hero to Leader
Why being the top SE doesn't automatically translate to leadership
The emotional shift from personal accolades to team success
Understanding if management is actually the right path for you
Alternative Career Paths Beyond Management
National expert or technical specialist roles
Product management and product marketing opportunities
Customer success, implementation, and demo engineering
How presales …
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From Overloaded to Optimized: Concierge Services and Deal Desks with Rob Bruce
7 oktober 2025 · 31 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Rob Bruce, a presales leader at Syndigo with 20 years of experience, to discuss an innovative approach to presales operations: the Pursuit Desk. Rob shares how Syndigo has built a dedicated "concierge team" that handles RFPs, security questionnaires, reference coordination, and other time-consuming tasks, freeing solutions engineers to focus on discovery, solutioning, and building customer relationships. The conversation explores how to operate at the "top of your license," the role of AI in scaling pursuit operations, and practical advice for championing similar initiatives at your organization. Lees meer
Thank you to Elvance for sponsoring this episode: https://elvance.io
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Rob Bruce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbruce/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Book: "Selling is Hard, Buying is Harder" by Garen Hess
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome
04:29 What is a Presales Concierge
11:18 Presales culture
14:00 Working at the top of your diploma
17:10 How do you justify this
21:38 As focused as an F1 team
23:32 AI and the Pursuit Desk
Key Topics Covered
The Pursuit Desk Concept
Functions as a presales concierge handling non-customer-facing tasks
Manages RFPs, InfoSec documents, NDAs, reference coordination
Creates centralized control over messaging and responses
Operates on a global scale with cultural sensitivity
Operating at the Top of Your License
Focus on discovery, creative thinking, empathetic listening, and presenting solutions
Eliminate time spent on administrative tasks that don't require SE expertise
Reduce context switching and multitasking to maintain flow
Maximize value delivery to customers and the organization
Building the Business Case
Find an executive…
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Presales and Sales Working Together SEAMlessly with Art Fromm
25 september 2025 · 36 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Art Fromm, author of "Making Seamless Sales" and sales enablement expert, to discuss how presales and sales teams can work together more effectively. Art shares insights from his 25+ years in sales enablement, exploring the common disconnects between SEs and AEs, and provides practical strategies for building stronger partnerships that drive better outcomes. Lees meer
The conversation covers the evolution from tribal knowledge to systematic collaboration, the importance of discovery before demos, and how to create value perception rather than just showing features. Art emphasizes that when teams work together properly versus teams that don't, there's a 37% difference in sales outcomes - a substantial opportunity sitting on the table.
Connect with Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Art Fromm: https://www.linkedin.com/in/artfromm/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Art's Website: https://teamsalesdevelopment.com
Team Sales Development: https://www.teamsalesdevelopment.com
"Making Seamless Sales" by Art Fromm: https://teamsalesdevelopment.com/making-seamless-sales-book/
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome
03:55 Sol/Con East 2025
05:26 Making SEAMless Sales
11:27 Our Solutions Have No Value
24:02 You Only Get One Shot
29:42 Aren't We All Presales
Key Topics Covered
The SEAM Framework
SE (Solutions Engineers) and AM (Account Managers) working together
Breaking down organizational silos between presales and sales
Creating systematic approaches rather than leaving collaboration to chance
Moving Beyond the Demo Rush
Why "we need to do a demo" often leads to failure
The importance of proper qualification and discovery first
How luck can reinforce bad habits in sales processes
Creating Value Perception
Understanding th…
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Breaking Barriers: How WISE is Transforming Women's Careers in Presales with Wendy McHenry
15 september 2025 · 32 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Wendy McHenry, Chair of WISE (Women in Solutions Excellence) at Presales Collective and Former Head of Global Solutions Engineering at CDATA, to discuss the critical need for supporting women in presales careers. They explore the challenges women face in a field where only 18% of solutions professionals are women, discuss unconscious bias in hiring and workplace environments, and highlight how WISE is creating support networks and career development opportunities to advance equity in the solutions field. Lees meer
To join the show live, follow the Presales Collective's LinkedIn page or join the PSC Slack community for updates.
This episode is sponsored by Elvance. More information at https://elvance.io/
On the Show Today
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Wendy McHenry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendymac98/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
WISE Chapter Information: https://www.presalescollective.com/wise
Presales Collective LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/presalescollective
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome
04:51 Why WISE?
09:12 Being a woman in sales today
12:57 You're not technical enough
16:16 Women leaving the profession
20:33 How is WISE helping?
27:55 What's happening next?
Key Topics Covered
The Current State of Women in Presales
Only 18% of solutions professionals globally are women
Many women are the only woman on their SE team
Higher attrition rates during layoffs disproportionately impact women
Unconscious Bias and Workplace Challenges
"Not technical enough" bias applied differently to women
Interview panels dominated by men
Social environments that may exclude women
The importance of calling out bias when witnessed
WISE Mission and Structure
Started as an ERG at Salesforce, now par…
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Tailoring AI for Growth: What Startups and Enterprises Should Do Differently with Akash Ganapathy
2 september 2025 · 39 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Akash Ganapathi, CEO of Opine, to discuss how AI strategies differ between startups and enterprises in the presales space. They explore the myth of AI replacing SEs, the importance of specialization vs. generalization, and how AI can help presales teams manage more revenue per team member while focusing on strategic, relationship-building activities. Lees meer
Follow Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Akash Ganapathi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akash-ganapathi/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Opine: https://tryopine.com/
Contact Akash directly: akash@tryopine.com
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome
04:35 Why AI strategy differs for startups vs enterprises
09:27 Debunking the myth of AI replacing SEs
18:35 The human element in buying and selling
24:35 How enterprises can leverage existing knowledge bases
28:12 The paradox of considering AI for every task
32:14 Future predictions for 2026-2027
Key Topics Covered
Startup vs Enterprise AI Strategy
Startups benefit from generalist approaches and bottom-up experimentation
Enterprises need specialized, top-down AI strategies to avoid redundancy
The role of specialization vs wearing multiple hats
The AI Replacement Myth
Why the "AI SE" that replaces human SEs doesn't work
SEs do much more than just answer technical questions
The importance of relationship building and strategic thinking
Current AI Limitations
Context window constraints (around 1 million tokens currently)
Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) accuracy at ~75%
Why breakthrough improvements are needed for true automation
The Future of Presales with AI
More revenue managed per team member
Shift toward hiring less experienced SEs with AI enablement
Focus on strategic consulting rather than adminis…
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Scaling Presales Teams without Burning Out Your Best People with Ben Hills
11 augustus 2025 · 39 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Ben Hills, Founder and CEO of Iris, to discuss how to scale presales teams effectively while avoiding burnout. They explore the difference between healthy high performance and unsustainable overwork, the role of AI in streamlining repetitive tasks like RFPs, and practical strategies for building scalable processes that enhance rather than replace human expertise. Lees meer
To join the show live, follow the Presales Collective's LinkedIn page or join the PSC Slack community for updates. The show is bi-weekly on Tuesdays, 8AM PT/11AM ET/4PM GMT.
Follow the Hosts
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Ben Hills: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminhills/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Iris: https://heyiris.ai/
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome
04:04 Iris
05:14 Ben's background
14:29 Healthy high performance vs burnout
21:55 Common scaling mistakes and the headcount trap
29:14 Effective AI tools for presales teams
35:04 The future of AI-to-AI RFP processes
37:46 Final advice on embracing AI
Key Topics Covered
Understanding Burnout vs. High Performance
Why burnout isn't just about hours worked
The importance of connecting work to larger purpose and outcomes
Creating time-bound periods of intense work with clear endpoints
Scaling Without Adding Headcount
The "mythical man month" problem in presales
Building playbooks and processes before hiring
Separating "in the business" vs "on the business" work
The Rocks, Pebbles, Sand Framework
Planning for big quarterly tasks (rocks)
Managing predictable weekly activities (pebbles)
Handling unexpected fire drills (sand)
AI Tools That Actually Work
RFP automation and response generation
Call transcript analysis for product feedback
Demo automation with synthetic data
Why…
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How to Speak So Senior Leaders Listen with Ben Pearce
28 juli 2025 · 37 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Ben Pearce, founder of Elevated You, to discuss how technical professionals can effectively communicate with senior executives. They explore the critical differences between speaking to technical stakeholders versus C-suite leaders, covering everything from preparation strategies to delivery techniques. Ben shares practical frameworks for being relevant rather than just expert, emphasizing the importance of focusing on "what" and "why" instead of "how" when presenting to senior leaders. Lees meer
Thank you to Storylane for sponsoring this episode. Find out more about Storylane and how to build killer demos in 2 minutes at https://storylane.io
To join the show live, follow the Presales Collective's LinkedIn page or join the PSC Slack community for updates. The show is bi-weekly on Tuesdays, 8AM PT/11AM ET/4PM GMT.
Follow the Hosts
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Ben Pearce:https://www.linkedin.com/in/benpthoughts/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Elevated You: https://www.elevatedyou.live/psc
Tech World Human Skills Podcast: https://www.elevatedyou.live/twhs
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome
05:18 Why speaking to senior leaders is different
12:49 Being relevant vs. being an expert
16:19 Mastering delivery under pressure
25:04 Reading the room and course-correcting
32:53 De-risking and the human element
Key Topics Covered
The Technical Expert's Dilemma
How technical expertise can become a curse when speaking to executives
Moving from demonstrating knowledge to demonstrating relevance
The Three-Part Framework for Executive Communication
Relevance: Understanding what matters to your specific audience
Compelling Content: Creating materials that speak to their priorities
Excellent Delivery: Performing under pressure wi…
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How Demo Automation and AI Are Transforming Presales with Nalin Senthamil
17 juni 2025 · 29 min
In this episode, Matthew James and Timmy Hendrickson are joined by Nalin Senthamil, Founder and CEO of Storylane, to discuss the future of pre-sales and AI driving influence beyond pipeline. They explore how demo automation is transforming the self-serve buyer experience, the changing role of solutions engineers, and how AI can create 10X impact in pre-sales workflows. Nalin shares insights on leveraging AI for demo personalization, managing complex product integrations, and why the traditional discovery call may be dying. Lees meer
To join the show live, follow the Presales Collective's LinkedIn page or join the PSC Slack community for updates. The show is bi-weekly on Tuesdays, 8AM PT/11AM ET/4PM GMT.
Follow the Hosts
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Timmy Hendrickson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timmyhendrickson/
Connect with Nalin Senthamil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nalinpradeep/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Storylane: https://www.storylane.io/
Timestamps
00:04 Welcome
01:08 Nalin's background and founding Storylane
03:08 What does a self-serve buyer experience look like?
08:18 How AI has changed presales
13:40 Training AI agents to answer technical questions
17:02 AI testing customer scenario
19:28 Overlooked use cases for demo automation
26:30 One workflow where AI can create 10X impact today
Key Topics Covered
The Death of Discovery Calls
Why buyers are coming to conversations already educated
How self-serve experiences span the entire buying journey
The role of AI sales agents in initial discovery
The Four Categories of SE Work
Relationship building and strategic solutioning
Demo delivery and POC management
Administrative tasks and CRM updates
Knowledge sharing and product insights
AI as an SE Sidekick
Demo preparation and tailoring automation
Administrative task reduction
Strategic thinking enhancement rat…
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Insights from an SE-Leader-Turned-Recruiter: Why Classic Job Hunting is Dead
2 juni 2025 · 35 min
In this second part of our conversation with Raphael Joseph, former SE turned recruiter and founder of Brando Tech, Jack Cochran and Matthew James dive deep into why traditional job hunting methods no longer work in today's market. Raphael shares strategic insights on how SEs should approach job searching in 2025, treating themselves as products and leveraging their natural skills to navigate the competitive landscape. Lees meer
IMPORTANT: This is Part 2 of a two-part series. Make sure to listen to Part 1 first for the complete discussion on personal branding and LinkedIn optimization.
To join the show live, follow the Presales Collective's LinkedIn page or join the PSC Slack community for updates. The show is bi-weekly on Tuesdays, 8AM PT/11AM ET/4PM GMT.
Follow the Hosts
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Raphael Joseph: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphael-joseph-23044150/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Episode Sponsor: Opine - https://tryopine.com
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome
04:42 What is "classic job hunting" and why it's dead
11:52 How to get on recruiters' radar
13:33 Starting your job search the right way
21:04 Treating job hunting like account management
27:23 Interview process changes and AI requirements
30:30 Why it's not a numbers game anymore
Key Topics Covered
The Death of Classic Job Hunting
Why sending CVs to job postings no longer works
How companies receive hundreds of applications they can't process
The cycle of posting jobs, failing to hire, then using recruiters
Why your application often goes unread
The New Digital Job Hunting Approach
Treating yourself as a product you're selling
Building warm leads with hiring managers
Using SE skills for job hunting: research, discovery, and value proposition
The importance of targeted, high-touch approa…
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Insights from an SE-Leader-Turned-Recruiter: Personal Branding for SEs with Raphael Joseph
19 mei 2025 · 35 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Raphael Joseph to discuss the critical importance of building a strong LinkedIn profile for PreSales professionals. They explore how the platform has evolved as a powerful career tool, especially in today's competitive job market. Raphael shares practical tips on crafting a professional presence that highlights your unique value proposition, explains the impact of consistent engagement, and offers advice on creating authentic content that resonates with hiring managers. Lees meer
To join the show live, follow the Presales Collective's LinkedIn page or join the PSC Slack community for updates. The show is bi-weekly on Tuesdays, 8AM PT/11AM ET/4PM GMT.
Follow the Hosts
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Raphael Joseph: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphael-joseph-23044150/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Sponsor: Opine - https://tryopine.com
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome and introduction to LinkedIn's evolution
01:50 Sponsor: Opine
03:06 Raphael's background and career journey
10:46 Why you should build your LinkedIn profile before you need it
21:11 Focusing on your ideal customer profile (ICP)
25:21 Engagement strategies: connecting, commenting, and posting
33:49 Overcoming nervousness about posting
Key Topics Covered
LinkedIn Profile Optimization
Using your banner as prime real estate to showcase your unique value
Crafting a clear headline that highlights your specialization
Writing descriptions that focus on the value you provide
The importance of professional photos and consistent branding
Strategic Profile Positioning
Reverse-engineering your profile based on your target roles
Focusing on 3-4 key specializations rather than listing everything
Using industry-standard job titles even if your company uses d…
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Forecast This: Why Presales Belongs in the Room
5 mei 2025 · 35 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Karthik Krishna, Manager of Solutions Engineering at Freshworks and Presales Collective's Regional Community Leader for Chennai. They explore how Solutions Engineers can gain strategic influence in deal cycles beyond just giving demos and answering technical questions. Lees meer
Episode Highlights
Karthik shares his journey from developer to pre-sales professional
The evolution from "demo-giver" to strategic partner in deal cycles
How SEs can co-own opportunities with Account Executives
Navigating tough conversations when deals aren't a good technical fit
Building credibility to increase your strategic influence
Leveraging customer success and implementation teams for deal strategy
About Our Guest
Karthik Krishna is a Manager of Solutions Engineering at Freshworks, where he has built and coached distributed teams of SEs across companies of all sizes. He also serves as the Presales Collective Regional Community Leader for Chennai, recently hosting an event with over 60 SEs in attendance.
Follow the Hosts and Guest
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Karthik Krishna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karthikkrishna-s/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Presales Collective: https://www.presalescollective.com
Timestamps
00:00 - Welcome and introduction
02:46 - Karthik's background and journey to presales
05:28 - What it means to "be in the room" for deal strategy
11:27 - Handling deals that aren't a good technical fit
16:30 - Building AE-SE relationships and trust
20:02 - Leveraging past customer experiences
27:14 - Growing strategic influence as an SE
32:30 - First experience in pipeline meetings and QBRs
Key Topics Covered
The Evolution of the SE Role
From technical demonstrator to strategic partner
Building …
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Buy, Sell, Beware: Examining the Ethics of AI with Dianna Cappello
21 april 2025 · 41 min
Today's episode was recorded during Presales Collective's AI-Powered Presales Summit on March 26th, 2025. In this episode, Jack Cochran (General Manager, Presales Collective) and co-host Matthew James discuss the ethics and trust issues surrounding AI in sales environments with guest Diana Capello, Director of Solutions Consulting for US and Demo Engineering at Eightfold. The discussion explores how AI is transforming the presales landscape, from creating demo environments to navigating AI buying committees and addressing hiring practices in tech. Diana shares insights from her 20-year journey in AI, offering valuable perspectives on maintaining customer trust while leveraging AI tools. Lees meer
To join the show live, follow the Presales Collective's LinkedIn page or join the PSC Slack community for updates. The show is bi-weekly on Tuesdays, 8AM PT / 11AM ET / 4PM GMT.
Connect with Us
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Diana Capello: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianacappello/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Presales Collective newsletter: https://www.presalescollective.com/newsletter
Book Recommendation, "AI Superpowers" by Kai-Fu Lee: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38242135-ai-superpowers
Presales Collective's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/PreSalesCollective
Presales AI Summit recordings, available on the PSC YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@presalescollective7795
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction
01:27 - Welcome Diana Cappello
04:10 - Maintaining customer trust while using AI
06:50 - Explaining how AI works to customers
11:45 - Navigating AI councils in enterprise sales
20:34 - AI in hiring processes
27:43 - Book recommendation
31:10 - Q&A
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Presales People in Disguise with Alex Nation
7 april 2025 · 32 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran (General Manager, Presales Collective) and guest co-host Allison Macalik dive into the topic of "Presales People in Disguise" with Alex Nation. They explore the journey into presales roles, the importance of effective discovery techniques, the power of silence in customer interactions, and the unique relationship between presales professionals and sales teams. Alex shares valuable insights from her career transition from retail to tech, highlighting key skills that have made her successful in the presales world. Lees meer
To join the show live, follow the Presales Collective's LinkedIn page or join the PSC Slack community for updates. The show is bi-weekly on Tuesdays, 8AM PT/11AM ET/4PM GMT.
Find us:
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Allison Macalik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonmacalik/
Connect with Alex Nation: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandranation/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Presales Collective newsletter: https://www.presalescollective.com/newsletter
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction
02:48 - Alex's background and journey into presales
08:59 - The importance of being a presenter pain point gatherer
10:40 - The power of effective discovery
14:24 - The art of silence in customer interactions
20:26 - Presales vs. Sales
26:20 - Advice to younger self
29:25 - How to find Alex
Key Topics Covered
Career Transitions into Presales
Alex's journey from Nordstrom to tech
Finding your strength as a "presenter pain point gatherer"
The accidental path many take into presales roles
Effective Discovery Techniques
The importance of listening more than speaking
How good discovery differentiates vendors
Building trust with customers through purposeful questions
The Power of Silence
Using silence as a negotiation technique
Training yourself to be comfortable with pauses
Demonstrating confidence through…
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Winning Complex Deals: How AI Empowers Sales Teams with Manisha Raisinghani
24 maart 2025 · 37 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Manisha Raisinghani, Founder and CEO of SiftHub, to discuss how AI is transforming the Presales landscape. They explore how SiftHub's AI sales engineer helps solutions teams consolidate tribal knowledge, automate repetitive tasks, and increase productivity. Manisha shares insights on leveraging AI for RFPs, POCs, and competitive intelligence, while emphasizing that AI serves as a sidekick to enhance SEs' strategic value rather than replace them. Lees meer
To join the show live, follow the Presales Collective's LinkedIn page or join the PSC Slack community for updates. The show is bi-weekly on Tuesdays, 8AM PT/11AM ET/4PM GMT.
Follow the Hosts
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Manisha Raisinghani: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manisharaisinghani/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
SiftHub: https://www.sifthub.io/
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome
03:34 Manisha's journey to founding SiftHub
08:12 SE to AE ratios in different organizations
13:10 The changing role of SEs in relationship building
15:06 Three main buckets of SE work and how AI can help
16:30 The evolution of tribal knowledge
20:40 SaaS proliferation and knowledge fragmentation
26:51 How SEs can leverage AI effectively
31:02 Using AI to analyze POCs and RFPs
Key Topics Covered
The Evolution of Tribal Knowledge
From undocumented information to knowledge scattered across platforms
How AI can consolidate knowledge from Slack, Salesforce, call recordings, and more
Leveraging recorded conversations to preserve context and insights
SE Challenges and AI Solutions
Managing repetitive questions from sales teams and product managers
Handling documentation tasks and RFP responses
Creating custom solutions across different industries and regions
The Changing SE R…
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From Novice to Expert: Presales Career Paths with Kalyan Ramkumar
10 maart 2025 · 33 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James talk with Kalyan Ramkumar about his journey from novice to expert in the presales field. Kalyan shares his experience starting as an SDR at RSA Security with no technical background and how he worked his way up to become a skilled solutions engineer. He discusses the importance of domain knowledge in security, his framework for effective demos, and strategies for managing POCs and building your internal brand. Lees meer
To join the show live, follow the Presales Collective's LinkedIn page or join the PSC Slack community for updates. The show is bi-weekly on Tuesdays, 8AM PT/11AM ET/4PM GMT.
Follow the Hosts
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Kalyan Ramkumar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kalyan-ramkumar-679927151/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Presales Collective Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/presalescollective
Presales Collective newsletter: https://www.presalescollective.com/newsletter
CompTIA Security+ Certification: https://www.comptia.org/certifications/security
CompTIA Network+ Certification: https://www.comptia.org/certifications/network
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
03:15 Kal's Background
10:12 First Ever Demo
14:10 When did you know you're an SC
19:40 The Four Do's of Demos
23:35 Challenging the challenger
27:02 Building your personal brand
29:35 POC strategies
Key Topics Covered
Breaking into Presales
Starting as an SDR and transitioning to SE
Getting hired without technical background
Importance of work ethic and eagerness to learn
Building Domain Expertise
Value of security certifications (Security+ and Network+)
Moving from scripted to fluid demos
Building trust with technical customers
Demo Framework: The Four Do's
Conducting your own discovery
Framing every click and feature
Eval…
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Exploring Value in Modern Tech Sales with David Yockelson
24 februari 2025 · 35 min
In today's episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James sit down with David Yockelson, Distinguished VP and Gartner Fellow, to discuss the evolution of value realization in tech sales. They explore how buyer behaviors have changed, the importance of understanding customer needs before leading with technology, and practical approaches for pre-sales professionals to shift towards value-based selling. Lees meer
To join the show live, follow the PreSales Collective's LinkedIn page or join the PSC Slack community for updates. The show is bi-weekly on Tuesdays, 8AM PT/11AM ET/4PM GMT.
Follow the Hosts and Guest
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with David Yockelson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-yockelson-452324/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join PreSales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
PreSales Collective newsletter: https://www.presalescollective.com/newsletter
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
03:33 The current issues in tech
10:48 How to stop talking about your tech to focus on value
23:04 Understanding your customer's business
27:55 The place of demos on the website
31:15 Practical approaches to shifting to value
Key Topics Covered
Changes in B2B Tech Buying
Diversification of buying teams
Shift from technical to business-focused decisions
Evolution of the buying process
Increased financial scrutiny on deals
Value-Based Selling Approaches
Understanding buyer personas and value drivers
Moving beyond technical features
Building and defending business cases
Articulating value to different stakeholders
Pre-Sales and Marketing Collaboration
Alignment between product marketing and SEs
Value modeling and demonstration strategies
Website demo effectiveness
Data collection and buyer insights
Interactive Demonstrations
Role of self-service demos
Converting website visitors
Collecting valuable user interaction data…
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Beyond Automation: Amplifying SE Teams using AI Agents with Dean Shu
10 februari 2025 · 36 min
Show Notes Lees meer
In today's episode, Dean Shu (CEO & Co-founder, Arphie) joins Jack Cochran and Matthew James to discuss AI agents in PreSales and the evolution of the industry. They explore the changing landscape of PreSales leadership, practical applications of AI, and strategies for evaluating AI solutions.
Thank you to Arphie for sponsoring this episode. Arphie is the leading AI-powered platform for automating RFPs and security questionnaires. Arphie empowers teams — from the Fortune 500 to high-growth startups — to save time, improve accuracy, and deliver results faster than ever by combining your prior responses and company context with the latest AI agent capabilities.
To join the show live, follow the PreSales Collective's LinkedIn page. PreSales LIVE airs bi-weekly on Tuesdays, 8AM PT/11AM ET/4PM GMT.
Links and Resources Mentioned
Join the Presales Collective Slack:https://presalescollective.com/slack
Contact Dean Shu: dean@arphie.ai https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-shu/
LE SSERAFIM, Crazy EP: https://open.spotify.com/album/538vEfAgLJ6g2I8ubuOlap?si=so9xz_qMQBatFqHMDTp5sw
Hidden Brain podcast episode with Brian Klass - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5MowfIBQdmQEIMYdDL3MYK?si=fff1b1731daa48ff
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction
03:13 - What are you listening to
06:30 - Dean's background
09:20 - What's top of mind for presales leaders?
11:57 - How to make a presales tech purchase
20:13 - What are AI agents?
26:40 - How do you properly explore AI?
32:25 - Is AI going to replace people?
35:41 - Outro
Key Topics Covered
PreSales Leadership Evolution
Elevating the sales engineering role
Building stronger cross-functional partnerships
Gaining executive-level presence
Understanding AI in PreSales
Different types of AI models and their applications
AI agents vs. traditional AI tools
Real-world implementation strategies
Evaluating AI Solutions
Key criteria for vendor selection
Security considerations
Proof of concept best practices
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Human Qualities of Presales Leadership with Ron Whitson
27 januari 2025 · 35 min
In this episode, Jack Cochran (General Manager, PreSales Collective) and Matthew James discuss the human qualities of presales leadership with special guest Ron Whitson. Ron shares insights from his 30-year career in the industry, discusses his book "A Friendly Human in Presales," and explores how leaders can effectively transition from being top individual contributors to successful team leaders. Lees meer
To join the show live, follow the PreSales Collective's LinkedIn page. PreSales LIVE airs bi-weekly on Tuesdays, 8AM PT/11AM ET/4PM GMT.
Links
Follow the Hosts & Guest
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Ron Whitson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronwhitsonse/
Links and Resources Mentioned
PreSales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Ron's Book "A Friendly Human in Presales": https://a.co/d/gJIwWE7
She Means Biz Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3zx8BmZ9PrURuASJbAemDu?si=26772c8356854348
Talking Too Loud with Chris Savage Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/21btwSaqoaF8SDxmwcLMIQ?si=37aa691ee80b4a0f
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome and Introductions
03:54 What are you Listening to?
07:23 Ron's Journey to PreSales Leadership
13:56 Transitioning from IC to Leader
16:12 Coaching vs. Telling
19:11 One Plus One is More than Two
21:17 Importance of One-To-Ones
26:02 Coaching your Team to be Different than You
31:15 Practice Humility
Key Topics Covered
1. Leadership Transition
Moving from individual contributor to leader
Common challenges and mindset shifts
IBM's leadership training program insights
2. Essential Leadership Qualities
Empathy and humility in leadership
Balancing directness with support
Creating space for team growth
Regular one-on-one communications
3. Effective Team Development
Coaching approaches vs. direct instruction
Building trust and relationships
Removing roadblocks for team success
…
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The State of Presales in 2025 with Matthew James
13 januari 2025 · 35 min
In today's episode, Jack Cochran (General Manager, PreSales Collective) and new co-host Matthew James discuss the evolution of PreSales Collective and key industry trends for 2025. They announce the expansion of local PSC chapters, tease upcoming leadership conferences, and explore controversial topics like AI in pre-sales and team structure debates. The episode offers insights into career development opportunities beyond traditional paths and emphasizes the importance of community involvement in shaping the future of pre-sales. Lees meer
To join the show live, follow the PreSales Collective's LinkedIn page or join the PSC Slack community for updates. The show is bi-weekly on Tuesdays, 8AM PT/11AM ET/4PM GMT.
Follow the Hosts
Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Links and Resources Mentioned
Follow the PreSales Collective's LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/presalescollective
Join PreSales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
PreSales Collective newsletter: https://www.presalescollective.com/newsletter
Simon Sinek's "A Bit of Optimism" podcast episode with Trevor Noah: https://simonsinek.com/podcast/episodes/trevor-noah-makes-my-brain-hurt/
Jack's YouTube video on microphone quality: https://youtu.be/B6nl64Sv7pw?si=wtOud1fS27ryqavI
Timestamps
00:00 - Welcome
01:26 - PSC Unlimited
02:34 - Show Kickoff
05:20 - Regional Community Leader Launch
12:24 - In-Person Leadership Conference Teaser
16:12 - Changes to PreSales LIVE & PreSales Podcast
18:02 - What Have You Been Listening To?
22:03 - Topics for 2025
28:16 - How to Get Involved in the PSC
Key Topics Covered
1. PreSales Collective Updates
Launch of PreSales Live show
New regional community leader program
Upcoming leadership conferences (announcement pending)
Slack community surpasses 16,000 members
2. Industry Trends for 2025
Presales influence within organi…
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Sneak Peek at 2025
16 december 2024 · 4 min
As 2025 approaches, the PreSales Podcast has some exciting changes coming! First and foremost, Matthew James is joining Jack Cochran as co-host of the podcast. Lees meer
Also, starting in January, the show will be recorded live on LinkedIn via the new show PreSales LIVE! Join Matthew and Jack as they talk to guests and answer a live Q&A at the end of each episode.
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A Fireside Chat with the New GM of PSC
18 november 2024 · 41 min
Today on the PreSales Podcast we have an exciting announcement, we have the pleasure and opportunity to announce the next General Manager at PreSales Collective, Jack Cochran. Lees meer
We talk about this exciting new chapter for PreSales Collective, how we are expanding with a new PreSales Collective board of directors, the excitement of hitting the milestone of 50,000 members, and the community's future.
What I love most about Jack is that he is deeply rooted in this thing, he has experience running communities, content creation, like his podcasts, and a passion to drive the collective forward.
We discussed Chris' proudest moments here, lessons learned over the past 17 months, and his transition into the board of directors. Chris will still be extremely active in the community at large.
This is a story between two humans, discussing our love and appreciation for this profession. I am thrilled to see this organization continue to help people worldwide, so let's jump right in with Jack.
Thank you so much for tuning in. I hope you enjoyed as much as I did.
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The Demo Challenge: Capturing Buyer Attention Before the Demo w/Todd Janzen
5 november 2024 · 40 min
Welcome to the Pre-Sales Podcast! Today we have a fantastic guest joining us—Todd Janzen. Lees meer
Todd brings a wealth of experience from his impressive career in pre-sales, including his time at Salesforce and now as SVP of Customer Success and Buyer Enablement, Consensus
In our conversation, we dive into the presales craft, influence in GTM, and more. One of the standout points was Todd's focus on the statistic that 83% of B2B buyers engage in self-discovery before ever speaking to a sales representative.
We also explore Todd's unique journey into pre-sales, starting from his early days in consulting to becoming a solution engineer at Salesforce. He shared insights on how he developed innovative approaches to enhance demo environments and improve the overall buyer experience, emphasizing the need for solution engineers to unlock their full potential throughout the customer journey.
So, grab a seat and get ready, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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Product Power Plays: Scale, Sales, and PreSales w/Sarah Idriss
22 oktober 2024 · 44 min
Sarah Idriss is a PreSales + Product dream state, blending customer feedback with product roadmap in innovative ways, and It's my pleasure to have her on the PreSales Podcast. Lees meer
Episode Takeaways:
Relationship of Product + PreSales (and beyond).
The vital role PreSales plays in shaping product development and ensuring alignment with customer needs.
What makes a good product...and what makes a great product?
What differentiates good products from great ones: integrating PreSales feedback into product innovation.
Feedback loop - how to fine-tune product features.
Using PreSales insights to fine-tune product features, leading to more market-ready and successful launches.
Customer-centric product and presales focus, how to build something that matters
Product & PreSales are each other's best weapons to get great outcomes, but their primary drivers are often different. Sarah talks about her drive to build the best product to give the most value to as many people as possible at scale. Embracing the different drivers of PreSales and Product teams helps her forge more effective relationships between both departments to get the ultimate win.
Sarah can be best reached at Sarah@reprise.com
Thank you for tuning in!
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PreSales Mastery: Elevating Influence Across the Customer Lifecycle w/Julia Lustig
8 oktober 2024 · 44 min
Hello and welcome to the PreSales podcast, is your host and PreSales Collective general manager Chris Mabry. Lees meer
Today I'm speaking with Julia Lustig, SE Leader at Seismic and Co-Host of the Revenue Circus Podcast.
We explore how to create content on Linkedin, the future of solution consulting examining how this role is evolving in response to new challenges and technologies. We also discuss the importance of collaboration across departments and how AI is reshaping the pre-sales landscape.
You can find Julia Lustig on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-lustig/
Remember, these insights are not just theoretical; they are actionable strategies you can implement in your own work.
Thanks for tuning in, at PreSales Collective we are all about connecting and learning and growing together. we look forward to seeing you next time!
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Beyond the Pitch: Do Technical SCs Have the Upper Hand? w/Dan Hellerman
24 september 2024 · 54 min
Episode Title: The Power of Technical Mastery in PreSales with Dan Hellerman Lees meer
Host: Chris Mabry, General Manager of PreSales Collective
Guest: Dan Hellerman, Technology Enthusiast and Co-Founder of SaleoEpisode Summary:
In this episode, Chris Mabry sits down with Dan Hellerman to discuss the essential role of technical mastery for PreSales professionals. Dan shares his deep passion for technology and explains how a thorough understanding of the technical aspects of a product can be a game-changer in demo environments. From managing the complexities of SaaS environments to the critical role AI plays in shaping more effective demos, Dan dives into the nitty-gritty details that can make or break a PreSales experience.Key Topics Covered:
The Balance Between Technical Depth and Sales Focus:
Dan highlights the differing expectations between buyers, sellers, and solution engineers when it comes to technical details. While sellers often prioritize closing deals and driving revenue, buyers and SEs may be more focused on understanding the product's technical intricacies. Dan shares why it's important for PreSales professionals to bridge this gap and provide both perspectives.Why Technical Mastery is a "Superpower" for PreSales Professionals:
Dan believes that those who take the time to deeply understand the products they are demoing—and even build demo environments from scratch—have a distinct advantage. This technical fluency allows them to address complex questions and instill confidence in buyers.Dan's Journey in Software Development and Entrepreneurship:
With a background in designing and developing software, Dan reflects on his career leading up to co-founding Saleo. His hands-on experience gives him a unique perspective on how to approach technical demos and product storytelling.Navigating Buyer Skepticism in Demos:
Drawing from his own experiences as a buyer, Dan explains how technical curiosity and detailed questioning often lead to skepticism in demo envi… -
Mastering Human Skills and Growing into Leadership w/Ron Whitson
10 september 2024 · 43 min
This episode delves into Ron Whitson's career journey as a presales professional, highlighting essential lessons learned along the way. While his technical skills initially secured my role, it was mastering human skills that truly accelerated his success. Lees meer
Episode Takeaways
Imposter syndrome never really goes away
To excel as a presales professional, focus on human skills
There's always something new to learn if you look for it
Guidance on growing into leadership as a presales professional
Closing Advice
One of the best pieces of advice I received was from an IBM executive: "Run to the problem." In presales, identifying issues and devising solutions proactively can set you apart.
Connect with Ron: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronwhitsonse/
Timeless Behaviors Book: https://timelessbehaviors.com/
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Extra Credit: PreSales Enablement w/Liz Anderson
4 september 2024 · 41 min
Liz Anderson directs the PreSales Collective Enablement programming, from PreSales Academy through leadership training, channeling her PreSales experience through to world-class programming and facilitation. Lees meer
Liz has well over a decade of experience and PreSales from organizations, large and small, from Slack to startups.
Episode Takeaways
Presales enablement is essential to prioritize and needs a balance between technical and soft skills.
Learning is best done with others both for practice and for accountability.
You are responsible for your own growth; create a plan that includes improving on things you're already good at.
You can connect with Liz Anderson here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizandersonpresales/
PreSales Enablement Programming: https://www.presalescollective.com/programs/live-courses
For team training - please reach out!!
Thank you for tuning in.