Chris Regester, CCO of PlanHat, shares his story of an early-stage startup transforming into a successful global SaaS business. He shares the importance of identifying and nurturing talent, and the power of a client-centric approach in building and scaling a software company. Chris discusses PlanHat's unique focus on post-sale customer management and how bootstrapping shaped their business culture. The conversation offers practical advice on creating value, maintaining profitability, and the critical role of customer objectives in driving business growth.

We look back at our guest, Mike Hohnen, with his extensive experience in management roles and how to manage emotional engagement for effective leadership. He shares tips to foster true employee engagement and insights into creating a more balanced and engaging work environment that values both productivity and strong relationships.

Will Fraser is an ex-Saracens and England Rugby player, who has bought his lesson’s learned on team dynamics into his business, 100 & First. We explore the importance of fostering strong relationships and understanding within teams to maximise discretionary effort, as well as strategies for unifying disparate departments, such as marketing and sales. We also share insight on the significance of self-reflection, continuous learning, and tangible actions in addressing business challenges and driving growth.

We talk with Dan Moore, author of Control, Influence, and Accept (For Now). Dan shares how the power of constructive self-talk with practical strategies can ensure personal and team growth. This will allow you to stay focused and productive, and avoid getting bogged down by things you cannot change.

We talk with Dan Moore, author of Control, Influence, and Accept (For Now). Dan shares how the power of constructive self-talk with practical strategies can ensure personal and team growth. This will allow you to stay focused and productive, and avoid getting bogged down by things you cannot change.

We discuss the pivotal role of Middle Management, how it reflects on your career goals, the challenges of onboarding and recruiting the role, how to measure performance, and who is responsible. Ideal for business leaders, executives, and aspiring middle managers to gain actionable strategies for effective leadership and organisational growth.

We discuss the pivotal role of Middle Management, how it reflects on your career goals, the challenges of onboarding and recruiting the role, how to measure performance, and who is responsible. Ideal for business leaders, executives, and aspiring middle managers to gain actionable strategies for effective leadership and organisational growth.

Welcome ambitious leaders and sales enthusiasts from across the world to the Growth Workshop Podcast. I'm your host Matt Best and I'm joined by my cohost, Jonny Adams. We discuss what growth truly means in today's dynamic business landscape. Join us as we dive into the realms of leadership, sales, account development, and customer success.

We'll be bringing you conversations with experts and leaders from various different industries. Whether you're an executive or a line manager, this podcast is your go-to reference point for building a robust growth engine for your business. You can find us wherever you usually listen to podcasts, or on our website, SBRConsulting.com. Subscribe now to the Growth Workshop Podcast.

We explore the balance between a manager’s tasks vs their relationships. We discuss the bias towards productivity that often overshadows the need for genuine interpersonal connections. Our guest Mike Hohnen, with extensive experience in management roles highlights how to manage emotional engagement for effective leadership, and tips to foster true employee engagement. Listeners will gain insights into creating a more balanced and engaging work environment that values both productivity and strong relationships.

We recap strategies from Lesley Ronaldson (VP of Sales EMEA at Gong) on the importance of a customer-centric approach to digital transformation for your business, including her experiences and practical tips that you can use to understand customer needs for business success in the digital age.

We discuss strategies with Lesley Ronaldson (VP of Sales EMEA at Gong) on the importance of a customer-centric approach to digital transformation for your business. She shares her experiences and practical tips that you can use to understand customer needs for business success in the digital age.

We’re joined by successful entrepreneur, Thomas Coles, discussing how, and when to ask for referrals for developing your business. 82% of potential clients prefer seeking recommendations from their network over online searches. We talk psychological barriers, building trusted relationship with your network, and the impact this can have in creating opportunities. Who knows what opportunities currently lie in your network.

We’re joined by successful entrepreneur, Thomas Coles, discussing how, and when to ask for referrals for developing your business. 82% of potential clients prefer seeking recommendations from their network over online searches. We talk psychological barriers, building trusted relationship with your network, and the impact this can have in creating opportunities. Who knows what opportunities currently lie in your network.

Celine Grey shares her expertise in sales enablement and organisational growth from past businesses. We discuss cultivating consultative relationships with internal stakeholders and customers, the value of well-defined processes, especially in onboarding and team structuring for growth. Celine highlights the critical role of leadership enablement and real-world consequences of neglecting leadership competency, including detrimental impacts on brand reputation, revenue, and employee morale. Overall, Celine's insights provide valuable guidance for organisations seeking to scale up effectively and foster a culture of success through strategic enablement at all levels of the sales organisation.

Celine Grey shares her expertise in sales enablement and organisational growth from past businesses. We discuss cultivating consultative relationships with internal stakeholders and customers, the value of well-defined processes, especially in onboarding and team structuring for growth. Celine highlights the critical role of leadership enablement and real-world consequences of neglecting leadership competency, including detrimental impacts on brand reputation, revenue, and employee morale. Overall, Celine's insights provide valuable guidance for organisations seeking to scale up effectively and foster a culture of success through strategic enablement at all levels of the sales organisation.

Will Fraser is an ex-Saracens and England Rugby player, who has brought his lessons learned on team dynamics into his business, 100 & First. We explore the importance of fostering strong relationships and understanding within teams to maximise discretionary effort, as well as strategies for unifying disparate departments, such as marketing and sales. We also share insight on the significance of self-reflection, continuous learning, and tangible actions in addressing business challenges and driving growth.

Jonny and Matt discuss their 5 leadership principles from lessons learnt from a 20+ year consultancy of over 1,000 clients. These include operational rigor, commercial alignment, and the power of a coaching culture in business leadership. They discuss how leaders can maintain discipline and effectiveness amidst the monotony of routine tasks, while also fostering a strong coaching culture that nurtures growth. Drawing on insights from their Roots and Shoots white paper and Patrick Lencioni's The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, they explore how aligning key functions across sales, marketing, HR, and finance can drive success.

We review our conversation with Chris Regester, CCO of PlanHat, who shared his story of an early-stage startup transforming into a successful global SaaS business. He shared the importance of identifying and nurturing talent, and the power of a client-centric approach in building and scaling a software company. Chris discussed PlanHat's unique focus on post-sale customer management and how bootstrapping shaped their business culture. The conversation offers practical advice on creating value, maintaining profitability, and the critical role of customer objectives in driving business growth.

Futurist and technology trends advisor Athena Peppes discusses the challenges and opportunities of AI adoption in business. She addresses the varying pace of AI integration across industries, emphasising that while some sectors like consumer goods move quickly, others such as pharmaceuticals proceed more cautiously due to regulatory concerns. Athena highlights the importance of understanding AI's potential applications, from enhancing pricing strategies to improving data analysis, while also considering the ethical implications and regulatory landscape that shape its implementation.

In this follow-up episode, we continue our conversation with Chris Hatfield, founder of Sales Psyche. Chris breaks down common myths about motivation, explaining why leaders should focus less on motivating their teams and more on inspiring them. He explores how habits and action can drive motivation, the importance of understanding individual aspirations, and how vulnerability can build trust in leadership. With a mix of practical tools and deep insights, Chris highlights ways to create a productive, growth-oriented environment for both leaders and sales teams.

In this episode we speak with Chris Hatfield, Founder of Sales Psyche and author of The Subconscious Sale. Chris delves into the power of mindset, the impact of self-talk, and the importance of creating a supportive environment. With over 15 years of experience, Chris shares actionable insights on managing stress, building healthy habits, and how shifting perspectives on emotions can enhance both well-being and performance in the sales world​.

Matt and Jonny review their 5 leadership principles from lessons learnt from a 20+ year consultancy of over 1,000 clients. These include operational rigor, commercial alignment, and the power of a coaching culture in business leadership. They discuss how leaders can maintain discipline and effectiveness amidst the monotony of routine tasks, while also fostering a strong coaching culture that nurtures growth, and explore how aligning key functions across sales, marketing, HR, and finance can drive success.

In part 1 of this talk with Guy Rubin, founder and CEO of Ebsta, we examine how data-driven strategies are impacting leadership and sales performance, emphasising the significance of accurate CRM data, actionable relationship insights, and aligning teams around a precise ideal customer profile (ICP). We look at how replicating the behaviours of top performers and prioritising engagement trends can help organisations drive scalable, predictable growth.

In part 2 of our talk with speaker, trainer, and coach George Anderson, George delves into the significance of inner dialogue in controlling motivation, mindset, and resilience. He discusses how self-awareness and alternative responses can help individuals stay within their circle of control. George also highlights the importance of well-being for high performers, explaining that taking small breaks and looking after one's physical, emotional, and mental energy can enhance performance and creativity. He shares practical frameworks like the DASH (diet, activity, sleep, hydration) for improving well-being and performance.

In Part 1, Charlotte Smith draws from her 2 decades of experience, and talks about how you can mobilise your leadership team, aligning KPIs with customer-centric goals, and fostering a culture of expertise and value. Charlotte’s practical frameworks demonstrate how leadership can effectively scale customer-centric initiatives, turning individual contributions into sustainable business growth.

Athena delves into the ethical challenges surrounding AI adoption, outlining 5 crucial areas for consideration: accountability, bias, data privacy, deep fakes, and job impacts. She emphasises the importance of critical thinking when using AI tools and discusses the potential effects on employment, citing examples like Klarna's significant job cuts due to AI efficiencies. Peppes also explores the broader economic implications of AI adoption, highlighting the need for balanced decision-making that considers both growth opportunities and societal impacts, while stressing the importance of understanding and adapting to these technologies at individual and organisational levels.

In part 1 of this episode, we discuss the importance of reframing goals to be present-focused, which helps individuals value healthy habits in the moment, with speaker, trainer, and coach George Anderson. George introduces the DASH framework (diet, activity, sleep, hydration) as a quick-win strategy to build routines and boost energy, sharing specific examples of positive results from his clients. Additionally, George explains how his Mindset Boost app's self-diagnostic assessment can identify areas for cultivating different mindsets to improve performance and growth.

In part 2 with Matt Milligan, co-founder of Uhubs, the discussion delves into the differences between software sales and consulting sales, and the need for a consultative approach in both fields. Matt talks about AI in sales processes and the profile of high-performing salespeople. He explains that AI tools can automate significant portions of sales workflows, leading to increased efficiency and performance. The conversation also touches on the evolving role of Chief Revenue Officers (CROs), who need to be data-literate and have strong revenue operations (RevOps) support. Milligan introduces the RISE framework (Revenue Skills, Impactful Behaviours, Strategic Process Execution, Expert Knowledge) as a structured approach to assessing and improving sales capabilities, ultimately driving revenue growth.

In part 1, Matt Milligan, co-founder of Uhubs, discusses the importance of assessing and benchmarking sales team capabilities to drive performance. He shares insights on the significance of combining technology and consulting services for meaningful business transformation. Matt also highlights the value of having mentors and coaches in both professional and personal development, drawing parallels between business and sports. The conversation touches on the challenges of scaling sales teams and the need for a data-driven approach to performance management.

Damien Davis of ServiceNow continues to share how his personal challenges have shaped his leadership approach and drive for impact. He recounts his journey of overcoming loss, advocating for mental health, and using his experiences to fuel resilience and growth. Damien discusses the power of authenticity in business, the importance of listening to customers, and how organisations can shift from a product-driven to an outcome-driven mindset. He also shares practical tips for building a strong personal brand on LinkedIn and highlights how ServiceNow fosters transparency, employee engagement, and AI-driven business transformation.

In this episode, Damien Davis, a customer success leader at ServiceNow, shares his insights on balancing career growth with personal wellness. He discusses his journey of maintaining healthy habits while managing a demanding executive role, emphasising the importance of sustainable routines and mindset shifts. Damien also highlights how building strong relationships, focusing on personal branding, and leveraging AI-driven solutions to drive impact for both businesses and customers. With a people-first approach, he explains how ServiceNow measures success through NPS, CSAT, and customer value realisation, reinforcing the link between employee engagement and client impact.

In part 2 of this discussion, Magnus Consulting's Managing Partner Teresa Allan presents a structured framework for aligning your teams against "The 7 P's Framework: Priorities, Planning, Positioning, People, Processes, Platforms, and Performance.” She emphasises the need for unified goals, cross-functional collaboration, and shared ownership of outcomes to overcome common misalignments. By integrating these elements, businesses can achieve measurable improvements in efficiency, customer retention, and revenue growth, fostering a more cohesive and productive working environment.

In this part 1 of 2 with Teresa Allan, we explore the necessity of integrating marketing, sales and customer success functions to enhance your customer’s experiences and drive growth. Teresa is the Managing Partner at Magnus Consulting and she highlights the shared objectives across these potential siloes and discusses the barriers caused by misaligned goals and misunderstood roles. Teresa shares the importance of collaborative strategies, leadership alignment, and a holistic approach to business metrics to build a unified growth engine.

In Part 2, Charlotte Smith shares how her business, Trilogy International, cultivates a customer-focused culture through strategic hiring, hands-on client collaboration, and aligning leadership with long-term goals. Charlotte talks about the importance of clear market boundaries, leveraging data-driven insights, and maintaining focus on core strengths to foster trust and deliver consistent results. Charlotte’s experiences highlight the pitfalls of short-term thinking and the power of intentional leadership to achieve sustainable growth while building a cohesive, client-aligned team.

In part 2 of our talk with Reachdesk founder Alex Olley, we discuss Reachdesk’s bold go-to-market strategy, which aligns every function, marketing, sales, and customer success, around one shared goal: revenue. It details how compensation, planning, and cross-functional collaboration eliminate any friction and drive focus. The episode also reveals how a London startup broke into the US market by going all-in with a differentiated value proposition and a 5x return on investment (ROI) guarantee.

We explore the founding journey behind a high-growth SaaS business (Reachdesk), with its founder, Alex Olley, highlighting the importance of grit, cultural alignment, and hiring for mindset over pedigree. We discuss how their values, “be bold, learn fast, get things done”, shape a resilient team and how a structured, scorecard-driven hiring process ensures long-term success. The conversation also touches on the power of team-based wins and embedding customer-centricity into every role.

In part 2 of our talk with Guy Rubin, founder and CEO of Ebsta, we look at how sales organisations can drive growth by improving consistency across their entire go-to-market function. Guy highlights the widening performance gaps between top sellers and the rest, the shift toward full-cycle selling, and the crucial role of clean data, clear benchmarks, and effective leadership in replicating success at scale.