Experience and Expertise - Matter in the Hiring and Fractional World
Release Date: 04/09/2025
From RevOps to VP of Sales: Building Aligned, High-Performing Teams with Ryan Milligan
Find My Catalyst Podcast
Ryan Milligan is the VP of Sales at QuotaPath, where he leads sales within a unified go-to-market organization alongside marketing and revenue operations. His career spans Wayfair, data science, performance marketing, and RevOps, giving him a systems-driven approach to sales leadership. Ryan focuses on using clear incentives, aligned teams, and data-backed planning to drive revenue retention and sustainable growth. Ryan’s catalyst has been learning how to connect systems, people, and incentives to create better outcomes for both reps and the business. Three Key Quotes from Ryan Milligan ...
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Sales Fundamentals: Real Talk with Matt Ferguson
Find My Catalyst Podcast
Matt Ferguson is a seasoned sales leader and coach with a global reach, having worked with clients in over seven countries. Known for his direct, story-driven teaching style, Matt focuses on sales fundamentals, leadership alignment, and the importance of clear communication. He joins the podcast to unpack the noise in modern sales, the misuse of technology, and the role of fundamentals in driving consistent success. Three Key Quotes from the Podcast with Matt Ferguson “Stories that other people go through benefit people way more, and I think that's in your head.” “We all have the...
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Why Most Sales Teams Fail: Marcus Chan on Root Cause Thinking
Find My Catalyst Podcast
Marcus Chan is the founder of Venli Consulting Group and a top sales coach known for transforming underperforming teams into high-performing machines. With a background that spans individual sales excellence and large-scale team leadership, Marcus brings a laser focus to diagnosing the real problems behind poor sales results—and solving them with intention, systems, and deep-rooted discipline. “Are you solving a symptom or are you solving the problem?” “Preparation creates precision.” “Eighty, ninety percent of people float. They just float. They’re not intentional.” Marcus...
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From Burnout to Breakthrough: Jamie Vinck on Coping, Addiction & Life Transitions
Find My Catalyst Podcast
Jamie Vinck is a seasoned behavioral health executive, therapist, and author of The Rehab Playbook. With a background in corporate HR and a powerful personal journey through family, leadership, and loss, Jamie brings a unique blend of clinical insight and real-world business acumen. As the CEO of The Meadows and a board leader in national addiction treatment efforts, she is passionate about helping people find healthier coping mechanisms and create lasting change. Her work bridges professional success and personal healing — a true catalyst for transformation. Three Key Quotes “Addiction...
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The 4 Levers of Negotiation: with author Todd Caponi
Find My Catalyst Podcast
Todd Caponi is a sales historian, author, and transparency advocate. With decades of experience in leadership and sales strategy, Todd is best known for transforming how people think about negotiation. His latest book, “The Four Levers of Negotiation,” introduces a refreshingly honest, trust-building framework that empowers sellers and buyers alike to make better, faster decisions together. “Every for profit company in the world - they run their business based on four things, and that's, where four levers negotiating comes from.” - Todd Caponi Todd Caponi joins the show to share how...
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DeShawn Wynn - Events, Planning, Execution, and the Power of Retreats
Find My Catalyst Podcast
DeShawn Wynn is a veteran event strategist, entrepreneur, and transformational retreat leader. With nearly 30 years of event planning experience and 15 years as the founder of Winning Touch Event Design, she blends logistics and heart-centered transformation. Her mission? To help people pause, ask deeper questions, and reconnect with the why behind their actions. “An event is supposed to cause change — people should leave different than when they came in.” “Don’t wait for a tragedy to be your catalyst. Let a luxurious retreat be your wake-up call.” “Value means putting...
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Relationship Currency - with Author Ravi Rajani
Find My Catalyst Podcast
Ravi Rajani is a master of impactful communication, storytelling, and leadership development. He is the author of Relationship Currency and helps professionals unlock their influence through the power of intentional storytelling. From theater and investment banking to keynote stages and coaching rooms, Ravi's journey is a testament to finding alignment and embracing authenticity. "Charisma is an innate superpower we all possess, which allows others to feel significant in our presence." "Your daughters will marry your example. Your sons will follow it." "The more you do the inner...
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DevLearn Prep - with Brent and Mike
Find My Catalyst Podcast
Mike Simmons and Brent Schlenker are learning and enablement veterans with a deep passion for helping professionals connect, prepare, and get the most out of events. Mike brings expertise in sales enablement and field learning, while Brent is a long-time learning and development (L&D) leader known for building communities and driving conversation in the L&D space. Together, they dive into how to make the most of DevLearn 2025 — from tactical planning to real-time strategies for networking, booth visits, and personal performance at large conferences. "Go in with a plan. Take a...
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Custom-Fit with Author Kate Morgan
Find My Catalyst Podcast
Kate Morgan is the author of Custom-Fit, and the founder of BostonHCP. She is a no-nonsense, passionate voice in the world of HR, culture, and team development. With a background in scaling teams, Kate focuses on helping small business owners build thriving organizations from the inside out. She’s a Forbes-published author, EO Accelerator Chair, and a firm believer in people as the ultimate competitive advantage. “A core value isn't a value unless you can say…you'll be fired if you don't live up to it.” “Execution rests with your people. Get that right and you're going to be head...
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From Parks to Boardrooms: Leadership Lessons from Nature with Donald Forgione and Mike Simmons
Find My Catalyst Podcast
Donald Forgione — Former Director of 175 Florida State Parks, with 40+ years in ecotourism, leadership, and public service. Now a business owner, speaker, and coach, Donald connects leadership lessons from nature to business. Mike Simmons — Founder of Find My Catalyst, leadership coach, and sales strategist, helping people identify and act on their catalyst for change. Three Key Quotes Donald Forgione: “Trust is the key to absolutely everything… If they’re not feeling what I’m saying, I might as well throw it out the window.” Mike Simmons: “A revenue challenge is often a...
info_outlineMike Simmons is a leadership and operations expert who helps organizations drive growth through clarity and execution. He leads initiatives through Find My Catalyst, offering services in leadership, revenue, and operations.
Tim Dyck brings deep experience in recruitment and people strategies. He is the founder of Best Culture Solutions, helping companies build great teams with purpose.
Together, Mike and Tim dive into the nuances of fractional leadership, sharing hard-won lessons, memorable metaphors, and actionable insights.
đź’¬ Three Key Quotes
"Don’t mistake knowledge for experience. And don’t mistake experience for expertise."
"If you’re hiring a fractional leader, make sure they’ve run out of gas before—because they’ll know how to get you back on the road."
"Learning is great. But presenting yourself as an expert without experience can do more harm than good."
đź“Ś 50-Word Summary
Mike Simmons and Tim Dyck unpack the world of fractional work, using real-life analogies to explain the value of experience and the risk of surface-level knowledge. They share the difference between knowing, doing, and mastering—and how true expertise accelerates impact. A must-listen for leaders hiring with intention.
🔑 5 Key Takeaways
1. The Fuel Tank Metaphor for Expertise
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Experience is knowing how far your vehicle can go on empty.
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True experts have broken down before—and know how to recover fast.
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Awareness, experience, and expertise are not the same—and each plays a different role.
2. Beware of Shallow Expertise
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Surface-level learners can use the right words but may not deliver results.
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Using tools like ChatGPT doesn't replace real-world experience.
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Misrepresented expertise can harm organizations and delay progress.
3. Fractional Leadership is Not for Learners
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Fractional leaders must already know how to solve the problem you have.
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They're not there to “figure it out”; they’re there to execute.
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Expecting quick results means you need someone who’s already done the work.
4. Simplify to Accelerate Speed to Impact
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Complexity slows progress; simplify by removing what’s unnecessary.
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Clear next steps fuel momentum in leadership and operations.
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Fractional experts help reduce overwhelm and focus on what matters.
5. Align Role with Readiness
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Use readiness assessments before hiring fractional talent.
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Match the right expert to the right job—based on proven track record.
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Fractional success is rooted in fit, not just availability.
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