The CRO Spotlight Podcast

In this episode of CRO Spotlight, host Warren Zenna sits down with Joey Gilkey, CEO at TitanX, to dismantle the outdated strategies infecting modern revenue organizations. The traditional outbound volume playbook is dead, and blindly throwing headcount at the problem is a losing game. Joey unpacks the urgent need to pivot toward precision and away from the morale-crushing grind of endless activity.

Moving beyond surface-level tactics, the conversation shifts to a contrarian view on organizational design. Joey introduces the concept of temporary scaffolding—building dynamic, mission-specific structures rather than rigid hierarchies. This approach demands that chief revenue of...

In this episode of CRO Spotlight, Warren Zenna sits down with Sam Jacobs, the visionary Founder and CEO of Pavilion. They dive deep into Sam’s extensive background as a revenue leader and trace the origins of Pavilion as a peer-led community. They explore the all-too-common challenges modern executives face regarding job security, shifting expectations, and the isolation of leadership in the evolving tech ecosystem.

A major focus of their conversation revolves around the true definition and architecture of the Chief Revenue Officer role. Sam shares his candid perspective on past roles, emphasizing that product-market fit often di...

In this episode of CRO Spotlight, Warren Zenna sits down with MK Marsden, CEO of Sales-Sleuth, to diagnose the root causes of the modern B2B sales crisis. They explore how the shift toward cheap, automated mass communication has eroded buyer trust and forced buyers to rely on independent research. As buyers become increasingly overwhelmed by digital noise, revenue leaders must fundamentally rethink their outbound approaches.

The conversation tackles the systemic issues created by misaligned software solutions and arbitrary key performance indicators. MK argues that treating complex sales relationships as a series of isolated events—measured by cl...

In this episode of the CRO Spotlight podcast, Warren Zenna hosts Kris Billmaier, EVP & GM of Agentforce Sales at Salesforce to discuss how the traditional CRM interface is rapidly evolving, shifting revenue teams from manual data entry to autonomous workflows. We explore the transition toward headless CRM and how AI agents are automating administrative tasks, allowing sales professionals to focus on direct customer engagement and high-leverage closing activities.

Modern chief revenue officers must transcend traditional sales leadership to become comprehensive revenue architects. The conversation highlights the necessity of breaking down operational silos to integrate sales, marketing, and...

In this episode of the CRO Spotlight podcast, Warren Zenna sits down with Mark Roberge of Stage Two Capital to dissect the inflection points of scaling a go-to-market team. They explore common pitfalls founders face when hiring a revenue leader. Mark emphasizes aligning a candidate’s background with the company's maturity stage rather than focusing strictly on brand-name resumes or simple industry experience to ensure a highly effective hire.

The conversation shifts to defining the responsibilities of a Chief Revenue Officer. Warren and Mark distinguish between someone managing a traditional sales function and an executive capable of ar...

In this episode of the CRO Spotlight podcast, Warren Zenna sits down with Neil Weitzman, Founder of weitzmanGTM, to tackle the fractional CRO debate head-on. They examine the friction between the theoretical appeal of fractional leadership and the gritty reality of executing it. The conversation highlights why early-stage companies often need foundational builders rather than traditional executives, and where the fractional model fits.

A central point of contention is the issue of accountability. Warren and Neil debate whether a fractional leader can truly own a revenue target when they are not in the building full-time. Neil argues...

Most Chief Revenue Officers fail not because they lack skill, but because they are placed in broken systems. In this episode of CRO Spotlight, Warren Zenna speaks with Jonathan M K., VP of Marketing at 1mind, about the "Panda Problem"—why top revenue leaders struggle in restrictive environments. They explore why companies must build optimal go-to-market systems rather than forcing bad fit processes.

The conversation shifts to the intersection of revenue operations, enablement, and artificial intelligence. Jonathan details his journey from traditional sales into the forefront of AI orchestration, drawing on his experience at Momentum and 1Mind. He...

In this episode of the CRO Spotlight Podcast, Warren Zenna sits down with Dan Goodman, Founder and CEO of Dan Goodman Employee Advisory. Known for his candid advocacy for sales professionals and executives, Dan shares his transition from a corporate insider to a fierce defender of employee rights. He outlines the foundational issues that revenue leaders face when navigating complex employment agreements and one-sided compensation plans.

A major part of the conversation focuses on the critical concept of leverage during the hiring process. Dan explains why newly appointed or transitioning Chief Revenue Officers must ask tough questions...

In this episode of the CRO Spotlight Podcast, Warren sits down with three-time revenue leader Bridget Winston to unpack the realities of modern executive leadership. Currently driving growth in the vertical SaaS space, Bridget shares her career evolution from traditional sales into customer success. She explains why a true revenue officer must look far beyond initial acquisition and take ownership of the entire customer lifecycle.

A major focus of the conversation is the dynamic nature of product market fit and how quickly your ideal customer profile can shift. Bridget details her firsthand experience navigating sudden market disruptions...

JD Miller, Operating Advisor at Rothschild and Co, joins Warren Zenna to discuss his unconventional career transition into becoming a seasoned Chief Revenue Officer. JD shares how his early experiences in communication and social networks naturally translated into solving complex business problems, eventually leading him to scale multiple high-growth companies across the tech sector.

A major challenge for modern revenue leaders is surviving the notoriously short average tenure. JD unpacks why this happens and how a lack of alignment between the board's thesis and the revenue leader's operational approach causes friction. He introduces his one-page plan framework...

The Chief Revenue Officer role has outgrown its origins as a glorified head of sales. In this episode, Warren Zenna sits down with Christopher Semain and Sean Ryan from the Alexander Group to dissect how the CRO position has fundamentally shifted. They explore why modern revenue leaders must move beyond a "growth at all costs" mindset to master cross-functional operations and true portfolio management across the customer lifecycle.

A critical point of discussion centers on the shifting metrics of success. While acquiring new logos once dominated the conversation, the focus has now permanently pivoted toward revenue efficiency...

In this episode of the CRO Spotlight Podcast, Warren Zenna speaks with Susan Rothwell, Chief Revenue Officer at Simpli.fi. With a rare track record of longevity in the notoriously high-turnover CRO role, Susan unpacks her journey leading revenue organizations across multiple stages of evolution. She details how the CRO position has shifted from a glorified sales leader to a vital driver of operational excellence and corporate strategy.

Susan breaks down the mechanics of transforming legacy businesses, sharing actionable steps from her experience transitioning print-heavy models into integrated digital strategies. She emphasizes the importance of data-driven restructuring...

Warren Zenna is joined by Eric Steele, CRO at SIB, to pull back the curtain on the often-chaotic reality of stepping into your first Chief Revenue Officer role. Eric shares why these initial appointments are rarely "sexy" and often come with significant organizational challenges that others might avoid. They discuss the mental shift required to move from a sales leader to a true executive, treating the first role as a critical lab for learning.

The conversation digs into the paramount relationship between the CRO and the CEO, which Eric describes as the ultimate unlock for success. He...

In this episode of the CRO Spotlight, Warren Zenna sits down with Miya Mee-Lee Dias, Co-Founder of Beyond The Script, to discuss a transformative approach to sales training. Miya shares her unique background blending health science with performance arts, explaining how traditional methodologies often fail because they ignore the human element. She introduces the concept of the "sales gym," where reps practice role-plays like actors preparing for a scene, stripping away bad habits to build authentic character and confidence in their delivery.

Warren and Miya dive deep into the parallels between professional acting and high-performance sales. They...

In this live episode of the CRO Spotlight Podcast, Warren sits down with Guy Rubin to discuss the recent acquisition of Ebsta by Fullcast and what it signals for the market. Guy explains the strategic reasoning behind the consolidation, highlighting how the current landscape of disparate point solutions is becoming unsustainable. He argues that the future belongs to unified revenue platforms that connect data across the entire lifecycle, moving from a fragmented tech stack to a cohesive "plan to pay" model that drives true efficiency.

The conversation shifts to the broader Go-To-Market environment, where the cost of...

In this episode, Warren speaks with Dr. Grant Van Ulbrich, the world’s first doctor of Sales Transformation. They discuss a critical gap in the modern revenue landscape: while other business functions have deep academic rigor, sales education has remained largely stagnant since the 1980s. Grant explains why traditional "tips and tricks" no longer work on informed buyers and why a shift from transactional interactions to genuine value alignment is necessary for business survival.

The conversation dives into the psychology of change and Grant’s "Scared So What" methodology. Most leaders manage operations, not emotions, yet sales is f...

In this episode of the CRO Spotlight Podcast, Warren Zenna sits down with Amy Osmond Cook, Co-Founder and CMO at Fullcast, to tackle the pressing challenge of balancing AI innovation with authentic human connection. As revenue leaders race to adopt AI-native strategies, the risk of losing trust through impersonal automation grows. Amy shares her perspective on why technology should enhance, not replace, the creative human element in Go-To-Market motions, setting the stage for a discussion on modern leadership.

Amy details the evolution of Fullcast into a comprehensive Revenue Operations platform through strategic acquisitions like Ebsta and Copy...

In this episode, Warren Zenna sits down with Mike Price, CRO at DTEX Systems, to explore the critical evolution from a functional salesperson to a holistic business leader. Mike shares his unique journey, influenced by an entrepreneurial upbringing, and discusses why successful CROs must view themselves as business executives first. He argues that while sales skills are foundational, the ability to understand the broader mechanics of an organization is what truly defines the modern revenue leader.

A significant portion of the conversation is dedicated to the art of vetting a potential CRO opportunity. Mike provides actionable advice...

In this episode of CRO Spotlight, Warren Zenna sits down with Christian Gerron, Chief Revenue Officer at StackAdapt. They dive into the complexities of the programmatic ad tech space, a market saturated with thousands of players. Christian explains how StackAdapt differentiates itself by moving beyond a simple DSP to become a unified "operating system," helping marketers reduce friction and increase ROI by integrating first-party data, programmatic, and measurement tools in one platform.

Christian shares his unconventional journey into the C-suite, starting his career in finance at Microsoft before transitioning to sales and operations. He defines the CRO...

In this CRO Spotlight episode, host Warren Zenna sits down with Steven Birdsall, CRO at Alteryx, to unpack a sweeping leadership transition and how a newly formed C‑suite aligned on product and go‑to‑market. Steven shares how a product‑centric CEO and a servant‑leader CRO combine to create clarity of mandate, performance culture, and human‑first execution across sales, CS, partners, and solutions engineering.

The conversation dives deep into Alteryx’s evolution from workflows feeding BI to becoming the governed “canvas” for AI and agent use cases. Steven explains how business users can blend structured and uns...

In this episode of the CRO Spotlight, Warren Zenna welcomes Mike Genstil, CEO at ValueCore, to discuss a critical inefficiency in modern sales: the "value gap." Mike explains that too often, sellers rush to provide a price quote while buyers remain fixated on features, rather than starting the conversation by aligning on the specific problems the organization faces and what those problems are costing them.

Warren and Mike explore why "value engineering" isn't commonplace. Mike contrasts the role with the ubiquitous Sales Engineer. While organizations readily invest in Sales Engineers for technical validation, the Value Engineer—who ha...

Warren Zenna sits down with Michael Maimone, CRO at LucidLink, to unpack his journey from BDR to enterprise sales leader to CRO. Michael shares how his time at IBM, Marketo, Adobe, and ZoomInfo shaped a systems mindset, enabling him to translate big-company rigor into agile, early-stage execution without stifling momentum.

They dive into the first 30-60-90 days in the seat: observe, diagnose, implement. Michael explains how he sequenced quick wins—enablement, RevOps guardrails, hiring profiles, interview kits—before rolling out robust territory, account, and opportunity planning. He emphasizes credibility through results and the art of modulation when...

Warren Zenna hosts Ryan Staley, Founder and CEO at Whale Boss, to separate AI spectacle from strategic value for revenue leaders. They explore where the technology truly helps CROs versus where demos overpromise, and how practitioners can spot durable use cases. Ryan frames adoption as a pragmatic process focused on measurable outcomes rather than chasing every shiny new feature.

They map three practical stages of AI adoption—augmentation, targeted automation, and cross‑functional orchestration—and show how each raises team capacity. Ryan gives concrete examples like automated call scoring that produces next‑best actions, converting call transcripts into pla...

In this episode of CRO Spotlight, host Warren Zenna sits down with Andy Mowat, Founder of Whispered, to explore the challenges of landing the ideal Chief Revenue Officer role. Andy shares his journey from running revenue operations at multiple unicorns to building a platform that uncovers unposted executive opportunities. They discuss the ambiguities in CRO job descriptions and the importance of aligning personal strengths with company needs. Warren and Andy emphasize how aspiring and current CROs can evaluate roles by challenging perceptions and ensuring a strategic fit, drawing from real-world examples of successful transitions.

Andy delves into...

Warren Zenna sits down with Amy Hsuan, Chief Customer & Revenue Officer at Mixpanel, to unpack what a truly unified revenue engine looks like. Amy shares how org design must follow strategy, why GTM is a core differentiator, and how aligning marketing, sales, success, and services creates consistent end‑to‑end customer experiences that actually win.

Amy traces her path from journalism to BCG to Mixpanel, revealing how curiosity, cross‑functional leadership, and a customer‑first mindset shaped her Chief Customer & Revenue Officer role. She explains the shift from “hard” product differentiation to human‑driven trust, and how relationships...

In this episode of CRO Spotlight, Warren Zenna welcomes back Dana Therrien, Vice President at Anaplan and a leading expert in sales compensation strategies. Dana shares his insights on designing simple yet effective comp plans that motivate sales teams while aligning with company goals and customer success. He emphasizes the importance of balancing short-term wins with long-term growth.

Dana dives into the pitfalls of overly complex compensation plans, explaining how they demotivate sales teams and create inefficiencies. He highlights the need for clear, straightforward incentives that salespeople can easily understand and act on. Dana also discusses how...

Jaime Ruhl, CRO at Emergn, joins Warren Zenna to explore how a sales leader becomes a strategic revenue architect in a product‑centric consulting firm. She explains stepping into a broader remit that covers sales, go‑to‑market and marketing alignment across global teams. Jaime describes being a player‑coach who builds repeatable sales motion and champions measurable customer outcomes after delivery.

Jaime digs into practical moves she led: shifting from sporadic lead chasing to a disciplined target account approach, tightening qualification at the funnel entrance, and leveraging intent signals, account reports and smarter prospecting tools. She describe...

In this episode of CRO Spotlight, Warren Zenna speaks with Adam Crandall, CRO at Addtronics, about his journey from VP of Sales to Chief Revenue Officer in a private equity-backed environment. Adam shares how he developed a scalable go-to-market playbook for Addtronics, a platform acquiring robotics and automation companies focused on advancing human health and technology.

Adam discusses the critical distinction between simply hitting revenue targets and building truly scalable revenue systems. He explains his concept of "Revenue Generating Activities" (RGAs) and how he balances centralized strategy with decentralized execution across multiple operating companies. The conversation explores...

In this episode of CRO Spotlight, host Warren Zenna sits down with Lindsay Guzowski, CEO at The Crucible, to explore the power of targeted competency assessments for chief revenue officers. They trace the origins of a bespoke CRO test built for private equity–backed companies, showing how tailored assessments can pinpoint the strengths and gaps that drive high-impact revenue leadership.

Many off-the-shelf tests fall short when evaluating executive readiness. Lindsay and Warren unpack pitfalls such as misaligned reference sets, cultural mismatches, and predictable question phrasing that candidates can game. They explain why tracking correlation coefficients and grounding as...

In this episode of CRO Spotlight, Warren Zenna sits down with Bobby Morrison, Chief Revenue Officer at Shopify, to explore how the CRO role has evolved beyond traditional sales leadership. Bobby shares his approach to unifying marketing, sales, customer success, and support under a single revenue organization focused on the complete customer journey rather than siloed handoffs.

Bobby reveals his philosophy of building revenue flywheels through aligned incentives and systems-first thinking, explaining how he restructured Shopify's go-to-market approach to eliminate friction. He discusses the importance of creating pods that bring together account executives, solution engineers, and customer...

On this episode of CRO Spotlight, host Warren Zenna sits down with lighting-rod revenue leader Jessica Robertson, Chief Revenue Officer at Orbb. After first connecting at a lively CRO roundtable, they unpack a conversation that could have lasted hours—touching on business philosophy, sales innovation, and the evolving role of relationships in growth. Tune in to discover why Jessica’s intelligence and empathy make her a standout leader in today’s noisy market.

Jessica traces her rise from a teenage sales development representative to spearheading revenue as Orbb’s CRO, reflecting on a decade spent mastering sales leadersh...

In this episode of CRO Spotlight, host Warren Zenna welcomes Emma Clayton, C-Suite Strategic & Commercial Leadership Consultant at Be Brilliant Consultancy. With 27 years in marketing, Emma reveals the origin of her provocative LinkedIn musing on B2B marketing’s fragmentation and leadership vacuum. She shares why she left a prominent community, how her spontaneous critique went viral, and its implications for today’s revenue leaders.

Emma dives into her ongoing “Who Shot Marketing?” narrative, personifying the profession’s decline through the suspects: VCs treating CMOs as disposable, CFOs overlooking marketing’s strategic role, and recruitment firms fueling tactical spe...

In this episode of CRO Spotlight, Warren Zenna sits down with Joe Gravino, Principal at Falcon Partners. They explore how private equity–backed firms identify and deploy revenue leaders. Joe explains Falcon’s boutique search approach focusing on aligning go-to-market teams with strategic objectives. Together, they pinpoint key markers of organizational readiness for a Chief Revenue Officer. They discuss timing hires to maximize growth.

Warren and Joe tackle confusion between the CRO role and sales leadership and why it should follow dedicated sales, marketing, and customer success structures. Joe outlines how to educate investors on sequencing leadership hire...

Hiring the right Chief Revenue Officer can make or break a company's growth trajectory. In this episode, Warren Zenna and Wayne Starritt unpack the systemic issues behind CRO hiring failures—and why fixing the hiring process itself is critical to long-term success. They reveal how many companies unknowingly sabotage CROs before day one.

Wayne shares lessons from working with PE-backed SaaS firms, highlighting why hiring a CRO isn't like hiring a CFO or CMO. He and Warren dig into why short-term problem solving often trumps strategic vision—and how that dynamic must change if companies want sustainable reve...

In this episode of CRO Spotlight, host Warren Zenna welcomes John E. Lepto IV for a deep dive into current revenue leadership challenges. Their insightful conversation unpacks the evolving CRO role amid aggressive market dynamics and PE pressures, revealing actionable strategies to balance growth ambitions with operational discipline.

John E. Lepto IV shares extensive experience navigating complex revenue landscapes by aligning sales, marketing, and customer success to achieve measurable outcomes. He highlights pitfalls in outdated growth tactics and misalignment within PE-backed organizations, offering clarity on practical steps that recalibrate revenue strategy for stronger performance and sustainable profitability.<...

On this engaging episode of CRO Spotlight, host Warren Zenna sits down with Guy Rubin, Founder and CEO at Ebsta, to dissect the evolving CRO role. They explore the challenges companies face when hiring for growth—from misaligned expectations to premature role adoption. Their conversation sparks innovative ideas on how to recalibrate commercial strategies for lasting success.

Guy delves deep into the pitfalls of early CRO hires and the impact of a 17-month turnover trend. He shares insights on how misaligned sales processes can stunt growth and emphasizes the benefits of a 360 sales strategy. Backed by research, hi...

Warren Zenna welcomes Elio Narciso on CRO Spotlight as they dive deep into the challenges of data overload in today’s sales environments. They explore how manual tasks and disjointed CRM systems drag down productivity while innovative integrations and AI-driven agents set the stage for a transformative approach that empowers CROs and their teams to focus on high-impact activities.

The conversation shifts to the impact of agent technology and automated research on routine tasks. Warren and Elio discuss how advanced integration and workflow systems can eliminate tedious data entry, enabling sales teams to spend more time building re...

In this episode of the CRO Spotlight podcast host Warren Zenna connects with Janis Zech, Co-Founder and CEO at Weflow. They explore the rising significance of the Chief Revenue Officer role amid evolving market challenges. The discussion sets the stage by addressing operational inefficiencies and the need for precise revenue intelligence in today’s competitive environment.

The conversation dives deep into aligning sales, marketing, and customer success for a unified revenue strategy. Janis shares insights from his extensive experience, emphasizing the impact of early CRO integration on business performance. Key topics include data automation, pipeline management, and th...

In this episode of CRO Spotlight, host Warren Zenna welcomes Rich Sutton, Co-Founder at DM&RS Advisory, for a deep dive into the evolving CRO role. Rich shares his unconventional journey from rock and roll DJ to strategic revenue leader, setting the stage for a conversation that challenges traditional sales-focused perspectives in today’s dynamic market.

Rich explains how the fractional CRO role can transform startups by integrating sales, marketing, and customer success. He highlights that a CRO isn’t just about closing deals but also about aligning cross-functional teams to build a cohesive revenue engine that adap...

In this episode of CRO Spotlight, host Warren Zenna welcomes Alex Asianov and Jonathan Blessing of DOOR3 for a deep dive into their company’s 22-year journey through the ever-changing world of technology services. Alex shares how his early passion for programming led to the founding of DOOR3 and how that foundation evolved into a product-focused mindset serving real business outcomes.

Jonathan joins the conversation with reflections on his parallel path in the tech world and eventual return to DOOR3 as CEO. The two share candid stories of how their complementary skills, shared values, and a strong cu...