Mike Day shared his playbook on how to reduce AE ramp time on the Hit Your Numbers Podcast The full episode goes live on Friday and you don't want to miss this one!! Go follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcast & YouTube here: https://lnkd.in/etKeX9zP Why you should listen... If you lead a sales team or have just stepped into a management role, this episode is a masterclass in how to get new Account Executives to full productivity faster, without burning them out or losing deals along the way. Key Takeaways 1. Clarity Beats Chaos • Set crystal-clear expectations before day one, and mutual agreements on what managers and reps owe each other. • Define “how we operate” as the sales org's behaviours, standards, and principles everyone buys into. • Ambiguity slows ramp and clarity speeds it up. 2. Pre-boarding Is the Secret Weapon • Onboarding starts before the start date. • Give new hires access to call recordings, competitive battlecards, product demos, and even the platform itself so they can learn, explore, and get excited early. • A goal worth chasing: a rep making their first call on the afternoon of day one. 3. Make Onboarding Active, Not Passive • Test and certify reps weekly on key skills: Objections, messaging, and qualification. • Use a “buddy system” and “ride-alongs” so new hires absorb the culture and see how top performers operate. • Get them on calls, early fail fast, learn fast, and make it fun. 4. Create a Culture of Coaching and Feedback • Benchmark ramp progress (week 1 → week 4 → week 8) to visualise growth and motivation. • Celebrate small wins, first call, first demo, first meeting, not just closed deals. • Build a psychologically safe culture where reps share bad calls, not just good ones. 5. AI Can Radically Accelerate Ramp • Use ChatGPT or similar tools to generate enablement docs, competitive intel, and onboarding materials in minutes. • Encourage reps to use AI for account research and building org maps faster. • Experiment with AI roleplays for objection handling and scenario training. • CustomGPTs or use JamesGPT to coach reps 24/7 on MEDDICC, deal strategy, or forecast reviews, helping time-poor managers reinforce training effectively. 6. Continuous, Collaborative Improvement • Treat onboarding like a living product, gather feedback from every new hire cohort to refine it. • Managers: record and review your own 1:1s to improve how you coach. • Leadership reflection is part of reducing ramp time. Bad onboarding reflects leadership, not reps. 7. Keep It Human and Fun • Blend accountability with challenges, light-hearted “cold call games,” and creative incentives to keep morale high. • Remember: people ramp faster when they enjoy the process while being developed. Thanks again Mike for your time! This is going to help a lot of people!! Go follow Mike

“If Not Now, Then When?”: The Productivity Myth Holding Us Back “If not now, then when?” It’s a phrase that echoes through boardrooms, coaching sessions, and late-night productivity podcasts. Yet, despite its popularity, too many professionals still grapple with procrastination—justifying inaction with the myth that there isn’t “enough time for self”. Let’s be clear: In today’s always-on market, time will never present itself as conveniently “enough.” The most successful industry leaders aren’t those with fewer responsibilities, but those who ruthlessly prioritize self-driven action—even in imperfect conditions. Here’s what data from years in programmatic media buying and B2B marketing taught me: Prolonged indecision costs more than imperfect execution. “Later” is a symptom of unclear goals, not a lack of hours. Investing in self—learning new strategies, reflecting on performance or dedicating time for well-being—multiplies results, even when the calendar looks packed. Take action: Next time the urge to “wait for the right moment” arises, challenge it. Not with guilt, but with a genuine audit: Is this a real lack of time, or a reluctance to put myself first as an investment? What have you put off this quarter that deserves just 20 minutes of your undistracted focus today? Let’s swap excuses for experiments—share a commitment below, or tag a colleague who needs this nudge. #IfNotNow #LeadershipMyths #ProfessionalGrowth #TimeManagement #Productivity #Procrastination #B2BLeadership #SelfDevelopment

One of the easiest traps for sales managers to fall into? Thinking that when a rep underperforms, the solution must be hidden in the numbers. Pipeline light? Look harder at activity. Conversion rate low? Analyse every KPI. The problem is… metrics don’t coach people. One of the most important things to remember as a leader is that great coaching isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about asking better questions. Because reps aren’t robots. They don’t respond to dashboards; they respond to context, empathy, and trust. That means sometimes, the most valuable thing you can do as a manager isn’t giving direction. It’s stepping back, listening, and understanding what’s going on for that rep, inside and outside of work. Numbers matter, but they don’t tell the whole story. Empathy matters, because trust is the foundation of performance. Adaptability matters, because no two reps learn or respond the same way. This brilliant story came from Sian Taylor as she spoke to Shivan Pillay on the Why Did It Fail? podcast. Managing is a long game. It’s about knowing when to challenge, when to listen, and when to own your mistakes. This one’s worth the read: https://lnkd.in/eFRJm9mK P.S, Spot Shiv plugging the podcast 😂

Have you ever listened to a podcast on a leadership topic, got all excited, and then promptly went back to business as usual without changing your behavior? Moving from intellectual understanding to actually doing takes effort and intention. With seemingly infinite access to content, many of us find ourselves stuck in a phase of consistent learning, but not actually doing. My next six posts will dive into details what works for me (and my clients!) when turning learning into consistent action. High level summary: 1️⃣ Actively engage with what you read and listen to → Take notes about what you’re learning and document your takeaways for future reference 2️⃣ Save a record of what you’re learning in a consistent place → Pick a reliable place to save key links and notes 3️⃣ Revisit what you’ve saved on a regular basis → Reviewing notes regularly can spark new ideas and is a great starting point when faced with a new question or challenge 4️⃣ When integrating a new idea into your work, start small → There’s a reason James Clear’s book Atomic Habits was so popular…the approach works! 5️⃣ Build on what already works for you → It’s a lot easier to start doing a small, new thing if you pair it with something you already do consistently 6️⃣ Trust that with time, it won’t require so much effort and momentum will build → Like going from a nervous new driver consciously checking mirrors to someone who drives home on autopilot, it'll get easier with time Follow along to learn more about what this actually looks like in practice including the tech tools I use to integrate learning #personalknowledgemanagement #activelearning #personalleadership #lifelonglearning #habitchange

🎙️ Inner Game, Outer Growth: The Secret Formula for High-Paid Consulting   I recently joined Matt Zaun on the Stories With Traction podcast to talk about something every high-achieving professional eventually faces... How to break free from hustle culture and build a business that creates both impact and income.   In this episode, I share: ✅ The “Bleeding Wound” Test - why your offer must solve urgent, high-stakes problems if you want to scale ✅ How to master both the inner game (mindset, confidence, imposter syndrome) and the outer game (systems, structure, positioning) ✅ Why AI will never replace great coaches - but how to use it as a powerful leverage tool ✅ How storytelling builds trust, credibility, and connection in a way automation never can   For consultants and coaches ready to command six-figure engagements, this episode is a must-listen.   🎧 Tune in here: https://lnkd.in/gbnQRmtK   👉 After you listen, drop a comment and tell me: Which part of the conversation hit home for you most: inner game or outer growth?

🎙️ Inner Game, Outer Growth: The Secret Formula for High-Paid Consulting   I recently joined Matt Zaun on the Stories With Traction podcast to talk about something every high-achieving professional eventually faces... How to break free from hustle culture and build a business that creates both impact and income.   In this episode, I share: ✅ The “Bleeding Wound” Test - why your offer must solve urgent, high-stakes problems if you want to scale ✅ How to master both the inner game (mindset, confidence, imposter syndrome) and the outer game (systems, structure, positioning) ✅ Why AI will never replace great coaches - but how to use it as a powerful leverage tool ✅ How storytelling builds trust, credibility, and connection in a way automation never can   For consultants and coaches ready to command six-figure engagements, this episode is a must-listen.   🎧 Tune in here: https://lnkd.in/ght3zQk7   👉 After you listen, drop a comment and tell me: Which part of the conversation hit home for you most: inner game or outer growth?

Scaling is one of the biggest challenges small-business owners face. Too often, growth feels like more hours, more stress, and more moving parts. But the truth is, growth doesn’t have to mean burnout. The missing piece? Automation. By automating the repetitive, routine tasks in your business, you create space to focus on what truly matters: strategy, innovation, and customer relationships. Imagine never having to answer “What are your hours?” for the hundredth time, or never having to manually chase down late invoices. That’s not a dream - it’s available with the tools we have today. In my latest podcast, I share the five areas of business where automation delivers the biggest ROI: customer communication, marketing, sales, operations, and finance. Each one has simple, affordable solutions that most owners can implement in a weekend. The question is: What would your business look like if you freed up just 5 extra hours each week? That’s the promise of automation. Let’s scale smarter, leaner, and faster. Podcast: https://lnkd.in/gHtwpu_N Blog: https://lnkd.in/gw73U3_y #Automation #BusinessScaling #AILeanSolutions #LeanThinking #ProcessImprovement

💬 Real Talk on Confidence — Strategic planning is often rushed, overlooked, or treated like just another box to check. Quote: "Put in place the best plan you can, knowing that you have to be flexible to adjust the plan" 🎙️ Episode [18]: Strategic Planning That Actually Moves the Needle ✨ Guest Resource: 🔗 https://www.lean.org/ ▶️ SUBSCRIBE NOW Apple → https://buff.ly/3V70UOq Amazon Music → https://buff.ly/47tzJQA 👤 Guest: Mark Reich spent 23 years working for Toyota, in Japan in the Overseas Planning Division, where he was responsible for product planning and worked with chief engineers to define vehicle specifications for overseas markets. Mark moved back to the US, and transitioned to the Toyota Supplier Support Center (TSSC). Mark joined the Lean Enterprise Institute in 2011. He also wrote and published Managing on Purpose, a book about strategic planning. 🎧 Host: Cerila Gailliard, PMP, CSM | Founder @ Orchestrating Your Success 🧩 | Creator: The Confident Collection ✨ | Host: Manage Your Projects with Confidence 🎙️ | She helps business owners, executives, and entrepreneurs eliminate execution gaps, protect profits, and scale with confidence by focusing on three pillars: Clarity • Structure • Execution 🚀 If you’re ready to scale smarter, not harder, follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. 🎙️ Scaling isn’t accidental. It’s intentional. You don’t scale chaos. You scale what’s clear, structured, and repeatable. #strategicplanning #strategy #managing #purpose #manageprojects #pmp #projects #legaldocuments #projectmanagement #projectmanager #pmi #women #entrepreneur #tools

Change is happening faster than ever in today’s business world, and building organizations that can adapt is the key to success. On the latest episode of the Count Me In Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Lisa L. Levy about making “adaptive transformation” a practical reality for organizations of all sizes. Lisa shared insights from her 16 years of experience and offered actionable strategies for breaking down silos, streamlining processes, and embedding innovation into company culture. Here are 3 key takeaways from our conversation: 🔹 Break Down Silos with Process Clarity: No matter your organization’s size, having clear, documented processes ensures that work can flow seamlessly—even when one person manages multiple roles. If it isn’t repeatable by someone else, it’s not really a process! 🔹 Continuous Improvement is Essential: The best organizations update their processes regularly, enabling them to spot risks, drive efficiencies, and embrace change with less friction. Small tweaks, done often, add up to big results. 🔹 Everyone Can Innovate: Innovation doesn’t have to mean big budgets or offsite retreats. Sometimes, it’s as simple as encouraging regular brainstorming and actually following through on new ideas. A culture that supports experimentation keeps a company future-ready. If you’re looking to future-proof your organization and empower your team, I highly recommend tuning in to this episode and checking out Lisa’s approach. 👉 [Listen to the episode here] https://lnkd.in/ezuwE56R #leadership #innovation #continuousimprovement #CountMeInPodcast #businessgrowth

We glorify solving tough problems. But what if the real skill is knowing which problems aren’t worth solving at all? I was listening to Saurabh Munjal, founder of Lahori Zeera, on the Think School podcast and one line really stayed with me: “A good businessman isn’t someone who faces the maximum challenges. A good businessman is someone who avoids as many unnecessary challenges as possible.” We’re often told to “embrace challenges” and “push through the hard stuff.” But what if the hard stuff feels hard because we’re solving the wrong problem? Saurabh also said “Start a business to solve a real problem but it has to be backed by passion.” In product marketing, we love talking about pain points. But not every pain point deserves a product. Not every “gap in the market” is worth filling. When you’re truly connected to a problem space, you see it more clearly. You can tell which challenges are meaningful and which ones are distractions. You build sharper positioning because you feel the problem, not just describe it. Maybe great positioning doesn’t come from creative messaging - it comes from clarity of purpose. We’re not here to solve every problem. We’re here to solve our problem - the one we understand, care about, and can truly win at. How do you decide which customer problems are worth building around — and which ones to walk away from? #PMM #Marketing #Product #Marketing