The Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton – Details, episodes & analysis

Bolt.new blew past past $40M ARR in just one year with only 50 people. In this episode, Bryan Adams, VP Sales at Bolt.new sits down with host Kyle Norton to break down how go-to-market operates at a hyper-growth AI company.

Bryan shares some of their tech stack, and gets real about leadership—hiring "adults," firing fast, and focusing on what reps actually need to win.  

If you're leading a modern GTM org, this one's worth your next commute.

Thanks for tuning in! Catch new episodes every Wednesday. 

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Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech.

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Chapters:

01:30 Meet Brian Adams, VP of Sales at Bolt.new  

02:06 What Is Vibe Coding and How Bolt Works  

03:54 Building Successfully with Bolt's "Plan" Feature  

06:11 Layering Builds and Iterative Development  

08:47 Real Use Cases Built with Bolt  

10:24 The Build vs. Buy Decision Framework  

12:57 Inside Bolt's Go-to-Market Tech Stack  

13:59 Using Freckle to Unmask and Enrich Leads  

15:08 AI-Powered Prospecting and Support Automation  

17:41 Shifting GTM Strategy: From PMs to Engineers  

19:54 Outbound Strategy, Target Accounts, and LinkedIn Engagement  

25:13 How RevOps and SDR Growth Teams Collaborate  

29:13 Bolt's Growth, Scale, and Competitive Landscape  

33:03 Competing in a Knife Fight Market  

36:56 Contract Structures, Compensation, and Profitability  

40:38 Hypergrowth Lessons and Leveraging Automation  

44:47 Leadership Philosophy: Empowerment and Accountability  

48:08 Building Trust and Team Culture  

51:17 Leadership, Firing Fast, and Team Integrity  

52:59 Quick Fire: Great vs. Good Sales Leadership  

54:32 Hard Lessons, Best Advice, and Book Recommendations  

57:13 Closing Remarks and Outro

Clio's SVP of Global Sales, Jenny Dingus, joins Kyle Norton to talk about why the "people × quota" revenue planning model is terrible, and what they're using instead.

Jenny shares how Clio's $1B acquisition flipped their planning model, how they forecast in high-uncertainty markets, and what "drawing the owl" looks like in real life.

If you run revenue and you're tired of spreadsheet fantasy planning (or just want to know what two senior GTM leaders are thinking about these days), worth a listen!

Thanks for tuning in! Catch new episodes every Wednesday. 

Subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech.

Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders to keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!

Chapters:  

02:15 Jenny's Career Journey from RingCentral to Clio  

04:00 Vertical SaaS and Expanding Market Opportunity  

06:10 Disruption, AI, and Modernizing Legal Tech  

08:00 Educating a Skeptical Market on AI Adoption  

10:15 The Myth of the "People x Quota" Growth Model  

12:05 Why Linear Capacity Planning Still Persists  

14:45 The Integrated Planning Alternative  

17:10 Planning Amid Product Launches and Acquisitions  

20:15 Quotas, Motivation, and Momentum in Sales Teams  

23:00 Multi-Factor Revenue Planning and Emerging Markets  

27:05 Managing Speculative Growth Bets and Reforecasting  

31:10 Balancing Capacity and Demand in High-Growth Environments  

34:40 Strategic Congruence: Playing the Right Company Game  

38:30 Communication, Change Management, and Leadership Alignment  

43:45 Inside Clio's Acquisition and GTM Integration Process  

48:40 Leadership Communication Principles and "Feeling" the Message  

52:00 Frontline Enablement During Massive Change  

56:45 Building Continuous Feedback Loops and AI-Enabled Training  

01:00:30 Quickfire: Lessons in Leadership, Humility, and Focus  

01:04:00 Favorite Reads and Closing Reflections

Dr. Michael Gervais, renowned high performance psychologist behind the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl win and mental coach to Olympic athletes and NASA jumpers, reveals the often-ignored psychological drivers behind elite sales and leadership performance. This episode challenges revenue leaders to rethink competition—not as a zero-sum game, but as a relentless pursuit to be their very best while elevating teammates.

Visit revenueleadership.findingmastery.com to get Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine.

Thanks for tuning in! Catch new episodes every Wednesday. 

Don't miss GTM2025 — the only B2B tech conference exclusively for GTM executives. Use code TOPLINE for 10% off your GA ticket.

Subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech.

Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders to keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!

Key chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction to Dr. Michael Gervais and His High-Performance Psychology Impact
(02:30) - Finding Mastery: Mental Training for Peak Performance
(04:30) - Seahawks Legacy: Building Optimism and Mental Toughness in Teams
(08:00) - The Power of Input Focus: Clarity and Culture Over Outcome Obsession
(12:00) - Compete to Create: Redefining Healthy Competition in Sales and Sport
(18:30) - The Teammate Mindset: Bill Russell's Blueprint for Winning Together
(22:30) - Stress and Survival: Why Leaders Struggle to Foster Collaborative Environments
(26:00) - Recovery Practices in Business: The Missing Link for Sustainable High Performance
(29:30) - The 92-Second Morning Mindset Routine: Setting Your Signal Amidst the Noise
(34:30) - Neuroplasticity in Leadership: Training Optimism and Confidence as Learnable Skills
(37:00) - Felix Baumgartner's Mental Mastery: From Panic to Space Dive Success
(42:00) - Shifting from Performance-Driven to Purpose-Driven Leadership Identity
(47:00) - Purpose as the North Star: Aligning Thought, Word, and Action Under Pressure
(49:30) - Journaling, Conversations, and Meditation: Practical Steps to Discover Your Why
(52:00) - Introducing FOPO: Overcoming the Fear of People's Opinions
(56:00) - The Evolutionary Roots and Neuroscience Behind FOPO
(59:30) - Navigating the High-Stakes Sales Ecosystem: Combating Insecurity and FOPO
(01:03:30) - Balancing Caring and Worry: Constructive Feedback vs. Destructive Noise
(01:06:00) - The Framework to Overcoming FOPO: Unmask, Assess, and Redefine
(01:09:30) - Leading Teams Through FOPO: Building Trust and Psychological Safety
(01:12:30) - From Insight to Action: Applying Gervais' Mental Strategies in Your Sales Leadership

Remote sales leadership is anything but one-size-fits-all. Geraldine MacCarthy, CRO at Oyster and former CRO at Personio, unpacks the complexities of building and scaling distributed sales teams across multiple continents. With deep experience at Google, Dropbox, and leading remote-first businesses, she reveals why the rigid remote vs. office binary misses what's really happening—and what works.

 She also challenges common beliefs about onboarding and coaching remote reps, sharing how enabling managers to own "last mile" enablement drives real performance impact.

Thanks for tuning in! New episodes of The Revenue Leadership Podcast drop every Wednesday. 

Don't miss GTM2025 — the only B2B tech conference exclusively for GTM executives. Elevate your 2026 strategy and join us from September 23 to 25 in Washington, D.C. Use code TOPLINE for 10% off your GA ticket.

Stay ahead with the latest industry developments and emerging go-to-market trends with Topline Newsletter by Asad Zaman. Subscribe today.

Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech hosted by Sam Jacobs, AJ Bruno, and Asad Zaman.

You're invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!

Key Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction to Geraldine McCarthy and the Challenges of Scaling Distributed Sales Teams
(02:00) - Key Skills for Leading International Markets and Remote Teams
(05:00) - The False Binary: Debunking Myths About Remote Versus In-Office Work
(09:30) - Frameworks for Deciding When and Where to Co-Locate Sales Functions
(13:00) - Building Infrastructure and Norms for Successful Distributed Sales Organizations
(17:30) - Communication Best Practices for Distributed Revenue Organizations
(22:00) - Remote Working Norms: Setting Expectations Around Availability and Response Times
(27:30) - Trust Building in Remote Revenue Teams: 'Work With Me' Documents and Radical Candor
(33:00) - The Power of Written Communication and Documented Processes in Remote Organizations
(38:45) - Overcoming Common Remote Enablement Challenges with Intentional Coaching and Structure
(44:30) - The Critical Role of Frontline Leaders in Driving Enablement and Accountability
(48:30) - Measuring Manager Participation in Coaching and Sales Calls for Remote Success
(53:00) - Common Misconceptions About Remote Sales Onboarding and Performance
(58:00) - When Remote Sales Teams Thrive Versus When Co-Location Makes a Difference
(01:03:00) - Core Principles for Sales Enablement Programs That Move the Needle
(01:08:00) - Partnering Enablement With Product Marketing for Streamlined GTM Execution
(01:12:30) - Leadership Advice: Prioritize Learning, Radical Candor, and Trust as Foundations
(01:16:30) - Final Reflections and The Need for a New Paradigm in Workforce Models
(01:18:00) - Outro and Resources

Sales efficiency isn't just a buzzword—it's the razor-edge that separates thriving GTM organizations from the rest. Tom Hanrahan, EVP and Global Head of Sales at Square, shares ten years of hard-earned insights on building lean, specialized sales teams that don't just grow—they grow profitably. Hanrahan breaks down how obsessing over every dollar invested, from quota modeling to lead distribution, shapes a more sustainable and scalable revenue machine. He challenges the common trap of "more reps means more revenue," revealing why oversized teams often hide inefficiencies and create churn risks. Instead, he emphasizes smart specialization, rigorous data-driven segmentation, and maintaining a tight balance between lead volume and rep capacity.

Thanks for tuning in! New episodes of The Revenue Leadership Podcast drop every Wednesday. 

Don't miss GTM2025 — the only B2B tech conference exclusively for GTM executives. Elevate your 2026 strategy and join us from September 23 to 25 in Washington, D.C. Use code TOPLINE for 10% off your GA ticket.

Stay ahead with the latest industry developments and emerging go-to-market trends with Topline Newsletter by Asad Zaman. Subscribe today.

Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech hosted by Sam Jacobs, AJ Bruno, and Asad Zaman.

You're invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!

Key Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction of Tom Hanrahan and Today's Sales Efficiency Focus
(02:56) - Defining Sales Efficiency: Balancing Growth and Profitability
(04:33) - Why Large Sales Teams Often Breed Inefficiency
(06:48) - Early Career Lessons That Shaped Hanrahan's Sales Philosophy
(09:24) - Cultivating Patience to Build Foundations Amid Growth Pressures
(12:46) - Core Sales Efficiency Metrics: Quota Modeling, Lead Efficiency, and Specialization
(14:06) - How to Approach Quota Modeling to Maximize Capacity and Win Rates
(17:00) - Reframing the Mental Model: Opportunity Volume as the Real Bottleneck
(18:32) - The Underrated Power of Sales Team Specialization and Segment Focus
(22:59) - The Risks of Over-Specialization and Sales Org Brittleness
(27:02) - Modeling Sales Team Growth with Churn and Ramp Dynamics
(30:42) - Incubation Pods: Experimenting with Sales Motions Under Controlled Conditions
(33:56) - Metrics to Evaluate Before Committing to Sales Team Reorganizations
(36:43) - Hidden Inefficiency Drivers: Frontline Manager Consistency & Lead Weighting
(40:00) - The Value of Weekly Business Reviews to Maintain Rigor and Transparency
(44:18) - Deep Data Analysis Culture: Finding Gaps by Embracing Hard Truths
(47:01) - Current Team Structure at Square: Vertical Specialization and Channel Diversity
(48:58) - Recalibrating Incentives and Focus: Driving New Business Growth vs. Farming
(50:50) - Fine-Tuning Inbound vs. Outbound Mix to Enhance Sales Productivity
(52:43) - The Concept of "Sweet Spot" Targeting for Optimal ROI on Sales Efforts
(55:30) - Full Cost Modeling: Loading All Expenses to Reveal True Unit Economics
(56:14) - Building Efficient Revenue Organizations from the Ground Up: Why Entry-Level Talent Matters
(58:30) - Identifying Ideal Sales DNA: Coachability, Competitiveness, Hard Work, Motivation
(01:02:30) - Assessing Motivation and Hard Work During Hiring to Weed Out Misfits
(01:06:40) - Leveraging Data Science in Hiring: Scorecard Retro and Pattern Recognition
(01:12:00) - What Makes a Great Revenue Leader: Balancing Operational Mastery and People Skills
(01:13:15) - Advice for New Sales Leaders: Get Curious Before Acting on Presumptions
(01:14:20) - Navigating Cross-Functional Dependencies: The Enterprise Sales Parallel
(01:17:39) - Personal Reflections: The Enduring Lesson from Hanrahan's Father on Commitment and Grit

AI is transforming go-to-market operations—and at Canva, it's not just a trend, it's a mandate.

In this episode, Jessica Chiew, Head of GTM Operations and Strategy at Canva, joins Kyle to break down how her team is leading AI adoption across a 5,000-person organization. She shares how Canva blends centralized support with functional ownership, why they created a dedicated GTM AI Lead role, and how they prioritize use cases that deliver real business impact. Jessica and Kyle also dig into the realities of build vs. buy decisions, how to avoid tool sprawl, and why every GTM leader needs to be hands-on with AI.

Thanks for tuning in! New episodes of The Revenue Leadership Podcast drop every Wednesday. 

Don't miss GTM2025 — the only B2B tech conference exclusively for GTM executives. Elevate your 2026 strategy and join us from September 23 to 25 in Washington, D.C. Use code TOPLINE for 10% off your GA ticket.

Stay ahead with the latest industry developments and emerging go-to-market trends with Topline Newsletter by Asad Zaman. Subscribe today.

Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech hosted by Sam Jacobs, AJ Bruno, and Asad Zaman.

You're invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!

Key chapters:

(00:00) - Jessica Chu's GTM AI Transformation Journey at Canva Begins  

(02:48) - The Most Exciting Time in Ops: Creativity and Existential Dread  

(04:30) - From Vendor Fatigue to AI Enthusiasm: Renewed Curiosity in Tooling  

(06:59) - Early Days of AI Momentum at Canva  

(09:30) - Making AI Transformation Everyone's Job  

(11:45) - Defining the Role: GTM AI Lead and Workflow Innovation  

(14:25) - The Changing Nature of Data Ops in AI-Powered Sales  

(16:50) - How Canva Organizes AI Transformation: Central Council vs. Functional Innovation  

(18:29) - Cutting Through the Noise: Where to Start with AI in GTM  

(21:00) - Why Data Quality Is the Prerequisite for GTM AI Success  

(24:30) - Vendor Sprints and the Realities of Building vs. Buying AI Solutions  

(29:00) - Execution as the Only Moat: Staying Ahead in the Commoditization Wave  

(35:10) - Limiting Surface Areas: The Case Against Point Solutions  

(38:30) - Balancing Experimentation with Simplicity for Field Teams  

(41:51) - Organizational Change: Iterative Improvements vs. Big AI Bets

(46:45) - Hands-On Leadership and the Decline of Middle Management

Richard Ezekiel has created partnerships with Fortune 500 companies and helped scale market-defining startups in Silicon Valley. He joins Kyle to share hard-won lessons on building strategic partnerships that deliver real business impact—not just press.

They cover how to assess if partnerships are the right growth lever, why most programs fail, and what it takes to build a durable, high-impact strategy. Richard breaks down his "Partnership T" framework and offers practical guidance for CROs and GTM leaders scaling post-product-market fit.

Thanks for tuning in! New episodes of The Revenue Leadership Podcast drop every Wednesday. 

Don't miss GTM2025 — the only B2B tech conference exclusively for GTM executives. Elevate your 2026 strategy and join us from September 23 to 25 in Washington, D.C. Use code TOPLINE for 10% off your GA ticket.

Stay ahead with the latest industry developments and emerging go-to-market trends with Topline Newsletter by Asad Zaman. Subscribe today.

Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech hosted by Sam Jacobs, AJ Bruno, and Asad Zaman.

You're invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!

Buy Richard's book, "Coelevate: How to Unlock Business Growth and Consumer Value with Strategic Partnerships."

Key chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction to Revenue Leadership and Partnerships

(02:43) - Defining Partnerships and Their Importance

(05:49) - Core Components of Successful Partnerships

(08:42) - Assessing the Right Time for Partnerships

(11:31) - Building a Strategic Partnership Plan

(14:51) - The Role of Partnerships in Business Growth

(17:41) - Identifying Potential Partners

(20:32) - The Spark of Partnership Ideas

(23:57) - Navigating the Complexity of Partnerships

(26:53) - Methodical Approaches to Finding Partnership Opportunities

(29:43) - Evaluating Partnership Types and Strategies

(41:18) - GTM 2025: Elevating Go-to-Market Strategies

(42:42) - Common Failure Modes in Partnerships

(44:55) - Operational Rigor: The Key to Partnership Success

(51:02) - Defining Strategic Partnerships

(52:59) - Assessing Ideal Partner Profiles

(59:49) - Testing Partnership Viability

(01:04:38) - Knowing When to Walk Away from Partnerships

(01:12:22) - The Future of Partnership Management

(01:13:17) - Reflections on Successful Partnerships

What does it take to lead a public go-to-market organization through rapid change without losing focus?

In this episode, Kyle Norton sits down with James Roth, CRO of ZoomInfo, to unpack the leadership principles, GTM evolution, and cultural shifts powering ZoomInfo's next chapter. From rethinking account ownership models to re-centering around core strengths like data and AI enablement, James shares how he's helping rebuild ZoomInfo into a sharper, more focused enterprise.

Thanks for tuning in! New episodes of The Revenue Leadership Podcast drop every Wednesday. 

Don't miss GTM2025 — the only B2B tech conference exclusively for GTM executives. Elevate your 2026 strategy and join us from September 23 to 25 in Washington, D.C. Use code TOPLINE for 10% off your GA ticket.

Stay ahead with the latest industry developments and emerging go-to-market trends with Topline Newsletter by Asad Zaman. Subscribe today.

Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech hosted by Sam Jacobs, AJ Bruno, and Asad Zaman.

You're invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!

Key chapters:
(00:00) - Introduction to Revenue Leadership Podcast
(01:16) - Guest Introduction: James Roth's Journey
(03:11) - Building Resilience and Grit in Sales
(07:41) - Leading Through Change: Personal Experiences
(09:29) - Navigating Market Challenges and Personal Growth
(18:34) - The Importance of a Growth Mindset
(36:57) - The Rebirth of ZoomInfo: Adapting to Market Changes
(45:48) - Go-to-Market Strategy: Shifts and Innovations
(59:45) - Segmentation and Account Management Strategies
(01:12:22) - The Enablement Journey for Sales Reps

Adam Alfano, EVP of Global SMB and Emerging Products at Salesforce, joins Kyle Norton to share what it takes to lead through change at scale. Over 17 years at Salesforce, Adam has navigated market cycles, evolving go-to-market models, and now the rise of AI—while building and inspiring high-performing teams.

He explains how to stay relevant as a leader, scale culture across thousands, and embrace mindset as a competitive advantage. Kyle and Adam also dig into Salesforce's AgentForce strategy, how AI is transforming sales execution, and why adaptability is the most underrated leadership skill.

Thanks for tuning in! New episodes of The Revenue Leadership Podcast drop every Wednesday. 

Don't miss GTM2025 — the only B2B tech conference exclusively for GTM executives. Elevate your 2026 strategy and join us from September 23 to 25 in Washington, D.C. Use code TOPLINE for 10% off your GA ticket.

Stay ahead with the latest industry developments and emerging go-to-market trends with Topline Newsletter by Asad Zaman. Subscribe today.

Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech hosted by Sam Jacobs, AJ Bruno, and Asad Zaman.

You're invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!

Key chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction to Revenue Leadership Podcast

(00:54) - Guest Introduction: Adam Alfano from Salesforce

(02:45) - Career Lessons and Leadership Insights

(03:43) - Leading Through Change and Reinvention

(05:39) - The Importance of a Balanced Mindset

(08:05) - Scaling Mindset and Mental Fitness

(12:27) - Creating a Positive Team Culture

(16:18) - Competitive Stamina in SMB Sales

(17:42) - Scaling Corporate Athlete Mindset

(19:42) - Engaging with the Field and Team Feedback

(23:22) - Building Trust and Psychological Safety

(26:43) - Inspiring and Motivating Teams

(29:57) - Balancing Company and Team Culture

(33:21) - Evolving Company Culture Over Time

(40:02) - Reinventing Yourself in a Changing Market

(44:38) - Embracing an Evolutionary Mindset

(46:48) - The Importance of Experimentation and Learning

(48:38) - Shifting Perspectives on Sales Processes

(50:53) - Calculated Risks and Career Growth

(52:44) - Intentional Career Planning

(56:03) - Integrating AI into Sales Strategies

(01:00:38) - Driving Engagement with AI Tools

(01:04:37) - The Future of Sales with AI

(01:08:55) - Navigating Change and Fear in AI Adoption

(01:13:57) - The Role of Leadership in Market Adaptation

(01:17:39) - Lessons in Leadership and Team Dynamics

Jason Wolf, President of FullStory and former CRO at Ping Identity and SAP Ariba, joins Kyle Norton to share how companies unlock step-change growth by entering new markets, building new capabilities, and aligning cross-functional teams. Jason has led revenue growth from $200 million to $1.6 billion and brings hard-won lessons from scaling globally.

He explains how to time multi-product and multi-region moves, validate new growth bets, and build strategies driven by customer pull rather than competitor pressure. Jason also covers the role of go-to-market in product innovation, how to focus teams around renewals, and what it takes to scale with speed and precision.

Thanks for tuning in! New episodes of The Revenue Leadership Podcast drop every Wednesday. 

Don't miss GTM2025 — the only B2B tech conference exclusively for GTM executives. Elevate your 2026 strategy and join us from September 23 to 25 in Washington, D.C. Use code TOPLINE for 10% off your GA ticket.

Stay ahead with the latest industry developments and emerging go-to-market trends with Topline Newsletter by Asad Zaman. Subscribe today.

Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech hosted by Sam Jacobs, AJ Bruno, and Asad Zaman.

You're invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!

Key chapters:

(00:00) - Jason Wolf's Impressive Journey

(02:00) - Defining New Growth Horizons

(03:25) - Building Character Through Change

(04:10) - Mental Map for Growth Opportunities

(05:00) - What Growth Truly Means

(06:30) - Finding and Serving New Buyers

(07:53) - Stated vs. Observed Truths

(10:00) - Deciding Where to Grow Next

(14:38) - Lessons from Expanding Globally

(18:30) - Staging Product and Geographic Expansion

(25:23) - The Pioneer's Mindset in New Markets

(35:52) - Go-to-Market's Role in Product Innovation

(44:50) - The Rise of the Specialist

(57:57) - The New Revenue Algorithm

(1:12:00) - Driving World-Class Alignment