In this episode of the B2B Sales Trends podcast, host Harry Kendlbacher sits down with Sachin Wadhawan, VP of Sales Engineering at BigCommerce, to explore the evolving landscape of sales engineering in the B2B realm. Sachin shares his journey from software development to sales engineering and discusses the crucial role that sales engineers play in complex sales cycles. He emphasizes the importance of aligning sales reps and sales engineers to deliver value-based outcomes for customers and highlights the dynamic relationship between the two roles. Sachin also delves into industry trends such as composability in technology stacks and the impact of AI on sales processes. Throughout the conversation, listeners will gain insights into the strategic collaboration needed between sales reps and sales engineers and the future of the sales engineering profession in B2B sales.

29. The Sales Engineer Evolution: From Demo Monkeys to Strategic Advisors

In today’s fast-paced sales environment, it’s easy to focus on speed — but what’s the cost of moving too quickly?

Rich Sander, Commercial Vice President at Smurfit WestRock, joins Harry Kendlbacher for a conversation about why slowing down can actually help you close bigger, more strategic deals. From resisting pressure to pitch too soon to earning trust in highly commoditized markets, Rich shares a refreshingly grounded take on what it really means to lead a sales team that delivers long-term value.

They talk about:

- The importance of doing real discovery — even when clients think they’ve already solved the problem
- How to avoid being reduced to price in a commoditized market
- What it means to slow down the sales cycle without losing momentum
- Why intentionality, patience, and listening are your best tools in a high-velocity world

This episode is for anyone who’s felt the pressure to rush — and is ready to rethink what it takes to win with consistency.

57. The Hidden Cost of Selling Too Fast: Slowing Down to Win Big

What does it take to succeed in today’s channel sales landscape?

Mark Conley, Vice President, Americas Channel Sales at Cohesity, joins Harry Kendlbacher to unpack the evolution of channel partnerships — and what it means to lead in an environment where influence, trust, and collaboration matter more than ever.

They talk about:

- How to build partner trust without controlling the outcome
- The unique challenges of managing distributed teams
- What sales leadership looks like in a fast-changing partner ecosystem
- And why clarity, consistency, and culture are critical to driving results

This one’s for anyone thinking about the future of sales leadership in a partner-first world.

58. Winning Through Partnerships: The Future of Channel Sales & Sales Leadership

Sales enablement often focuses on reps — but what about the managers? In this episode of B2B Sales Trends, Andy Kodner, VP of Revenue Operations and Enablement at Bazaarvoice, joins Harry Kendlbacher for a candid conversation about what it really takes to turn strategy into execution.

They talk about:

- Why sales managers are the key to sustained behavior change
- How enablement can support frontline leadership without overwhelming them
- The critical difference between one-off training and long-term capability building
- What to measure — and how — to know if it’s working

Whether you're in RevOps, enablement, or leading a sales team yourself, this episode is packed with insights on leading through change and turning ideas into action.

Enabling Sales Managers to Drive Results

Brian North, VP of Strategic Partnerships at Hearst, joins Harry Kendlbacher to unpack the challenge many sales leaders face: closing the gap between strategy and execution.

They talk about what it really takes to move big, complex sales organizations toward results — from aligning teams around a shared goal to building repeatable habits that drive performance.

In this episode:

- How to make sure strategic plans actually lead to action
- Why clarity, consistency, and accountability matter more than ever
- Lessons from leading cross-functional, cross-industry teams
- What top performers do differently to build momentum and trust

This one's for anyone responsible for driving execution across a sales org — no matter the industry.

60. Turning Sales Plans Into Outcomes

Channel sales is more than a route to market — it’s a relationship. In this episode of B2B Sales Trends, Mike Hennings, VP of Business Development at Hubbell Inc., joins Harry Kendlbacher to unpack what it really takes to win with and through your partners.

They cover:

- Why starting with the right mindset is critical for effective channel strategy
- How to build genuine trust and alignment with distribution partners
- What true execution looks like — from sales enablement to structured go-to-market motions

Mike also shares how his team is rethinking partner engagement and empowering field sellers to drive shared success.

If you're a leader looking to elevate your channel approach and build partnerships that truly move the needle, this episode is for you.

61. Winning Through the Channel: Mindset, Trust, and Execution

What’s the real cost of doing nothing?

In this episode, Frank Shipp — VP of Sales at Cardinal Health — joins Harry Kendlbacher to explore how healthcare sales teams can drive meaningful change in high-stakes, high-regulation environments.

They dig into:

How to quantify and communicate the cost of inaction to every stakeholder

What it takes to earn buy-in from clinical, financial, and executive audiences

Why traditional sales playbooks often fall short in healthcare

And how to prepare reps for value-based conversations that actually stick

If you're selling in a complex ecosystem with long cycles and multiple decision-makers, this one’s for you.

The Cost of Inaction in Healthcare Sales

Referrals aren’t just a nice-to-have — they’re one of the most powerful (and underused) levers in B2B sales.

In this episode, Harry Kendlbacher sits down with Ben Cronsberry, GTM Operations Lead at Shopify, to unpack what it really takes to build a scalable, repeatable referral engine.

They discuss:

- Why referral-based selling is about mindset, not just motion
- How to activate your internal and external networks in a way that drives results
- The role of trust, timing, and consistency in ecosystem-led growth
- And what most teams get wrong when trying to turn relationships into revenue

If you’re thinking about how to grow pipeline without burning budget — this one’s for you.

63. The Referral Advantage: Selling Through Partnerships That Scale

What does it take to build trust in high-stakes, high-complexity sales?

In this episode, Lisa Gudding, President of Strategic Growth at Ipsos, joins Harry Kendlbacher to explore what it means to sell without the hard sell — and why empathy, curiosity, and strategic insight are more important than ever.

They talk about the shift from service mindset to growth mindset, how to hire for human connection, and the power of showing up as a trusted partner instead of a pitch machine.

Whether you're in consulting, research, or enterprise sales, this conversation will resonate.

64. Selling Without the Hard Sell

Getting a meeting with a client’s executive team is tough — but getting your own executives ready to deliver the right message? That’s the real challenge.

In this episode of B2B Sales Trends, Samantha Snetselaar, VP of Strategic Sales at Qualtrics, joins us to unpack what it takes to equip your executive team to champion your deal. From mapping relationships to setting clear action plans, this conversation is a playbook for turning internal alignment into external impact.

Whether you're navigating a complex deal cycle or prepping for a big executive meeting, you’ll learn how to:

- Build credibility with your internal stakeholders
- Prepare executives to show up with the right message
- Keep senior leaders engaged from first meeting to close
- Turn your execs into true partners in long-cycle deals

Don’t just secure the meeting — make it count.

65. How to Equip Your Executive Team to Champion Your Deal

In this episode, Harry Kendlbacher speaks with Ruxandra Aldea, Senior Regional Sales Director at Oracle, about what it really takes to stand out in competitive markets. Ruxandra shares why traditional, product-led sales approaches aren’t enough, how adopting a marketing mindset can transform account engagement, and where account-based marketing often misses the mark. She explains what drives effective sales–marketing alignment, the practical steps sellers can take to cut through the noise, and the top three qualities she sees in elite salespeople.

66. Relevance Over Noise

This podcast is dedicated to sales leaders in the B2B space, where we share conversations about innovative and successful sales transformations to keep you up to date on the latest trends that will help you to effectively tackle the challenge of constructing and executing a profitable and sustainable sales process.

29. The Sales Engineer Evolution: From Demo Monkeys to Strategic Advisors

B2B Sales Trends

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