Channel Videos – The CRO Collective

CRO Longevity & Navigating Organizational Transformation with Susan Rothwell

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, specifically highlighting her approach to unifying siloed Go-to-Market teams. By verticalizing sales efforts, she demonstrates how to align complex organizational structures to better serve customers.

A core focus of this conversation is the critical alliance between the CEO and the CRO. Susan provides an honest look at her long-standing partnership with Simpli.fi CEO Cali Tran. She explains how initial friction evolved into a highly effective working relationship built on mutual trust, rigorous feedback, and complementary skill sets, offering a blueprint for revenue leaders seeking to establish strong alignment with their C-suite.

Finally, the discussion shifts to the integration of artificial intelligence within revenue operations. Susan advocates for leaning into AI to enhance productivity, streamline CRM systems, and eliminate administrative bottlenecks, while maintaining the essential human element in sales. This episode delivers a strategic playbook for current and aspiring CROs looking to drive sustainable growth and navigate complex organizational change.[+] Show More

CRO Longevity & Navigating Organizational Transformation with Susan Rothwell

In this episode of the CRO Spotlight Podcast, Warren Zenna speaks with ...

Reality of Your First CRO Role & Funding Growth Through Savings with Eric Steele

Warren Zenna is joined by Eric Steele, CRO at SIB, to pull back the ...

What Actors and Sales Reps Have in Common with Miya Mee-Lee Dias

In this episode of the CRO Spotlight, Warren Zenna sits down with Miya ...

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 explore the idea that every salesperson brings personal "baggage" and history that influences their communication style. Miya explains that true proficiency isn't about memorizing lines but about internalizing the script to project a genuine persona. The conversation highlights the importance of adaptability, showing how top performers maintain a "beginner's mind" and remain open to molding their approach regardless of their experience level.

A critical portion of the discussion centers on the elusive trait of coachability. Miya reveals her methods for identifying whether a rep is truly ready to learn, often spotting resistance through subtle cues like tone of voice and body language. The dialogue challenges Revenue Leaders to look beyond metrics and address the holistic human factors driving performance. They discuss the necessity of understanding a rep’s intrinsic motivations and personal history to unlock their full potential and drive sustainable behavioral change.

As technology automates more transactional aspects of business, Warren and Miya argue that human connection and emotional intelligence are becoming the ultimate competitive advantages. They emphasize that modern CROs must develop the "muscle" to have difficult, personal conversations with their teams to foster trust and growth. The episode concludes with a look at the intersection of creativity and business, encouraging leaders to embrace a coaching mindset that empowers their organizations through genuine human development.[+] Show More

How Smarter Buyers are Forcing a Go-To-Market Evolution with Guy Rubin

In this live episode of the CRO Spotlight Podcast, Warren sits down ...

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 building tech is dropping while the cost of selling rises. Guy points out that while AI tools are exploding, they often create more noise than value when isolated. He predicts a massive consolidation where businesses move away from traditional CRMs requiring manual entry toward intelligent data lakes and AI agents. This shift requires leaders to learn how to ask the right questions of their data rather than simply managing administrative forms.

Warren and Guy also explore the dramatic shift in buyer behavior, illustrated by how AI empowers customers to conduct deep research before ever speaking to a human. With buyers capable of building their own business cases, the role of the seller must evolve from a gatekeeper of information to a consultative partner. They discuss why this dynamic forces organizations to lean heavily into partner ecosystems and community validation, as buyers increasingly bypass traditional sales pitches to seek out trusted peer networks.

Finally, they dig into strategies for CROs and Private Equity firms looking to audit their revenue engines. Guy introduces "Revenue Insights as a Service," a method of connecting to historical data to generate an immediate "X-ray" of the business before implementing new tech. This allows leaders to identify root causes of inefficiency—like bad data hygiene or territory imbalances—and present concrete, data-backed roadmaps to the C-suite for rapid improvement without waiting months for a new system implementation.[+] Show More

Sales Transformation & Customer-Centric Revenue with Dr. Grant Van Ulbrich

In this episode, Warren speaks with Dr. Grant Van Ulbrich, the world’s ...

Balancing an AI-Native Strategy with Human Connection with Amy Osmond Cook

In this episode of the CRO Spotlight Podcast, Warren Zenna sits down ...

Vetting the CRO Role & Avoiding the "VP of Sales" Trap with Mike Price

In this episode, Warren Zenna sits down with Mike Price, CRO at DTEX ...

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 on how to interview the CEO, specifically regarding the company’s readiness for a true Chief Revenue Officer. He warns against accepting roles that are merely "VP of Sales" with a different title and emphasizes the importance of asking why the organization believes it needs a CRO right now. This advice is vital for executives ensuring they enter an environment ready for strategic change.

The discussion also delves into the paradox of ambition and control. Mike explains that true executive maturity involves the willingness to cede control to a specialized team rather than being the smartest person in the room. He draws a compelling parallel to professional sports, noting that one must love the entire "game"—including practice and preparation—not just the moments of individual glory. This mindset shift is essential for leaders who want to build autonomous, high-performing teams.

Finally, the dialogue covers the necessity of experimentation and reframing failure as a necessary step toward innovation. Mike shares insights on creating an environment where strategic risks are encouraged to drive growth. To close, he outlines his current work at DTEX Systems, addressing the "last frontier" of cybersecurity: insider risk management. He explains how understanding human behavior within an organization is key to protecting intellectual property and ensuring long-term business resilience.[+] Show More