Mastering Human Skills and Growing into Leadership w/Ron Whitson
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
Release Date: 09/10/2024
Scaling Presales Teams without Burning Out Your Best People with Ben Hills
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Ben Hills, Founder and CEO of Iris, to discuss how to scale presales teams effectively while avoiding burnout. They explore the difference between healthy high performance and unsustainable overwork, the role of AI in streamlining repetitive tasks like RFPs, and practical strategies for building scalable processes that enhance rather than replace human expertise. To join the show live, follow the Presales Collective's LinkedIn page or join the PSC Slack community for updates. The show is bi-weekly on Tuesdays, 8AM PT/11AM ET/4PM...
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How to Speak So Senior Leaders Listen with Ben Pearce
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Ben Pearce, founder of Elevated You, to discuss how technical professionals can effectively communicate with senior executives. They explore the critical differences between speaking to technical stakeholders versus C-suite leaders, covering everything from preparation strategies to delivery techniques. Ben shares practical frameworks for being relevant rather than just expert, emphasizing the importance of focusing on "what" and "why" instead of "how" when presenting to senior leaders. Thank you to Storylane for sponsoring this...
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How Demo Automation and AI Are Transforming Presales with Nalin Senthamil
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
In this episode, Matthew James and Timmy Hendrickson are joined by Nalin Senthamil, Founder and CEO of Storylane, to discuss the future of pre-sales and AI driving influence beyond pipeline. They explore how demo automation is transforming the self-serve buyer experience, the changing role of solutions engineers, and how AI can create 10X impact in pre-sales workflows. Nalin shares insights on leveraging AI for demo personalization, managing complex product integrations, and why the traditional discovery call may be dying. To join the show live, follow the Presales Collective's LinkedIn page...
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Insights from an SE-Leader-Turned-Recruiter: Why Classic Job Hunting is Dead
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
In this second part of our conversation with Raphael Joseph, former SE turned recruiter and founder of Brando Tech, Jack Cochran and Matthew James dive deep into why traditional job hunting methods no longer work in today's market. Raphael shares strategic insights on how SEs should approach job searching in 2025, treating themselves as products and leveraging their natural skills to navigate the competitive landscape. IMPORTANT: This is Part 2 of a two-part series. Make sure to listen to Part 1 first for the complete discussion on personal branding and LinkedIn optimization. To join the show...
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Insights from an SE-Leader-Turned-Recruiter: Personal Branding for SEs with Raphael Joseph
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Raphael Joseph to discuss the critical importance of building a strong LinkedIn profile for PreSales professionals. They explore how the platform has evolved as a powerful career tool, especially in today's competitive job market. Raphael shares practical tips on crafting a professional presence that highlights your unique value proposition, explains the impact of consistent engagement, and offers advice on creating authentic content that resonates with hiring managers. To join the show live, follow the Presales Collective's...
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Forecast This: Why Presales Belongs in the Room
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Karthik Krishna, Manager of Solutions Engineering at Freshworks and Presales Collective's Regional Community Leader for Chennai. They explore how Solutions Engineers can gain strategic influence in deal cycles beyond just giving demos and answering technical questions. Episode Highlights Karthik shares his journey from developer to pre-sales professional The evolution from "demo-giver" to strategic partner in deal cycles How SEs can co-own opportunities with Account Executives Navigating tough conversations when deals aren't...
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Buy, Sell, Beware: Examining the Ethics of AI with Dianna Cappello
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
Today’s episode was recorded during Presales Collective’s AI-Powered Presales Summit on March 26th, 2025. In this episode, Jack Cochran (General Manager, Presales Collective) and co-host Matthew James discuss the ethics and trust issues surrounding AI in sales environments with guest Diana Capello, Director of Solutions Consulting for US and Demo Engineering at Eightfold. The discussion explores how AI is transforming the presales landscape, from creating demo environments to navigating AI buying committees and addressing hiring practices in tech. Diana shares insights from her 20-year...
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Presales People in Disguise with Alex Nation
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
In this episode, Jack Cochran (General Manager, Presales Collective) and guest co-host Allison Macalik dive into the topic of "Presales People in Disguise" with Alex Nation. They explore the journey into presales roles, the importance of effective discovery techniques, the power of silence in customer interactions, and the unique relationship between presales professionals and sales teams. Alex shares valuable insights from her career transition from retail to tech, highlighting key skills that have made her successful in the presales world. To join the show live, follow the Presales...
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Winning Complex Deals: How AI Empowers Sales Teams with Manisha Raisinghani
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Manisha Raisinghani, Founder and CEO of SiftHub, to discuss how AI is transforming the Presales landscape. They explore how SiftHub's AI sales engineer helps solutions teams consolidate tribal knowledge, automate repetitive tasks, and increase productivity. Manisha shares insights on leveraging AI for RFPs, POCs, and competitive intelligence, while emphasizing that AI serves as a sidekick to enhance SEs' strategic value rather than replace them. To join the show live, follow the Presales Collective's LinkedIn page or join the PSC...
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From Novice to Expert: Presales Career Paths with Kalyan Ramkumar
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James talk with Kalyan Ramkumar about his journey from novice to expert in the presales field. Kalyan shares his experience starting as an SDR at RSA Security with no technical background and how he worked his way up to become a skilled solutions engineer. He discusses the importance of domain knowledge in security, his framework for effective demos, and strategies for managing POCs and building your internal brand. To join the show live, follow the Presales Collective's LinkedIn page or join the PSC Slack community for updates. The show is bi-weekly...
info_outlineThis episode delves into Ron Whitson's career journey as a presales professional, highlighting essential lessons learned along the way. While his technical skills initially secured my role, it was mastering human skills that truly accelerated his success.
Episode Takeaways
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Imposter syndrome never really goes away
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To excel as a presales professional, focus on human skills
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There’s always something new to learn if you look for it
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Guidance on growing into leadership as a presales professional
Closing Advice
One of the best pieces of advice I received was from an IBM executive: “Run to the problem.” In presales, identifying issues and devising solutions proactively can set you apart.
Connect with Ron: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronwhitsonse/
Timeless Behaviors Book: https://timelessbehaviors.com/