Charting Your Presales Career Path with Miriam Graf
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
Release Date: 10/22/2025
What an AI-Enabled SE Looks Like in 2026 with Darlene Volas
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
In this episode, Jack Cochran sits down with Darlene Volas, a senior solutions engineering executive, to explore what it truly means to be an AI-enabled SE in 2025 and beyond. The conversation moves well past basic ChatGPT usage to examine sophisticated operational workflows, custom automation tools, and practical implementation strategies that enhance both efficiency and quality of work. This episode was recorded during Presales Collective’s 2026 AI-Powered Presales Summit on March 19th, 2026. Pro and Pro+ members can view all of the recorded sessions on-demand in the PSC...
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From Co-Pilot to Orchestrator: AI and the Evolving SE Role with Manisha Raisinghani
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
In this episode, Jack Cochran welcomes back Manisha Raisinghani, Founder and CEO of SiftHub, exactly one year after her first appearance on the show. Together they explore the dramatic shift in how AI is being used by solutions engineers. Manisha shares what it means for SEs to become Forward Deployed Engineers, how vibe coding is changing live customer interactions, and what enterprise leaders are getting wrong about AI adoption. She also offers concrete first steps for SEs and SE leaders who feel like they're behind. Thank you to SiftHub for sponsoring this episode! Visit to learn...
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Proving the Value of Demo Engineering: Metrics That Matter with Micah Joel
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James continue their conversation with Micah Joel, diving deep into the metrics that matter when building and justifying a demo engineering team. Micah shares practical approaches to measuring the value of demo engineering, from simple time-saving calculations to sophisticated surveys that capture SE satisfaction and retention indicators. The conversation explores how to frame these metrics in terms that senior management cares about, moving beyond technical accomplishments to demonstrate real business impact. Micah emphasizes the importance of...
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Building a Demo Engineering Team with Micah Joel - Part 1
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James sit down with Micah Joel, GTM leader and demo engineering pioneer, to explore what it means to build a dedicated demo engineering function from scratch. Micah shares his journey from theater kid to SE to leading Salesforce's legendary Q Branch, and unpacks why demo engineering might be the most underutilized lever in presales today. They cover the difference between deal-focused and infrastructure-focused demo engineers, how to structure the team, why blended teams fail, and how a mature demo engineering org can swim upstream into product...
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The Future of AI in Presales: Beyond Demo Automation with Nalin Senthamil
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
The Future of AI in Presales: Beyond Demo Automation In this episode, Jack Cochran is joined by Nalin Senthamil, Founder and CEO of Storylane, to discuss the evolution of AI in presales beyond simple demo automation. They explore the hidden costs of demos, how the buyer themselves are becoming AI-powered, and the emergence of AI tools for sellers, much like Storylane has developed with RepEx Thank you to Storylane for sponsoring this episode! Visit to learn more. Follow Us Connect with Jack Cochran: Connect with Nalin Senthamil: Links and Resources Mentioned Join Presales...
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Courageous Leadership: Making Tough Calls Under Pressure with Gretchen Fitzgibbons
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
In this episode recorded at the Presales Collective Leadership Next Summit in November of 2025, Jack Cochran sits down with Gretchen Fitzgibbons, Senior Manager of Strategic Solutions Consulting at Airtable, to discuss what it means to be a courageous leader in presales. They explore how to make difficult decisions under pressure, navigate organizational politics with integrity, and build the support systems that enable consistent leadership. Gretchen shares powerful stories from her two decades of experience advising Fortune 500 customers and leading presales teams, including standing up for...
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Storytelling as an Industrial Skill with Jon Billett
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
In this episode, Jack Cochran is joined by Jon Billett, Founder and CEO of StoryQuadrant, to discuss why storytelling in presales needs to be treated as an industrial skill rather than a soft skill. They explore Jon's framework for the four types of stories every SE should master, the danger of "Mad Libs" style customer stories, and why the most important story is the one told after you leave the room. Jon shares insights from his 15 years in presales and his unique background as a member of the Magic Circle, revealing how structure, rather than content, creates memorable presentations that...
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Shaping Decision Confidence and Overcoming Customer Indecision with Nikhil Sarma
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Nikhil Sarma, Founder of GTM Solutions Consulting, to explore why customer indecision has become one of the biggest challenges in enterprise sales. They discuss the factors driving buyer hesitation, how to diagnose value clarity vs. organizational issues, and practical strategies for helping customers build the confidence to move forward. Nikhil shares frameworks for understanding stakeholder dynamics, the importance of financial fluency for SEs, and why de-risking the implementation is often more important than the technology...
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Stop Paying the Demo Tax: How AI Is Transforming Presales with Justin McDonald
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
The State of Presales and Demo Technologies, and What's Coming in 2026 In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Justin McDonald, Co-founder and CEO of Saleo, to discuss how demo automation technology is transforming the presales landscape. They explore the evolution of presales over the past 20 years, the hidden costs of demo preparation (the "demo tax"), and how AI is revolutionizing how solutions engineers create and personalize demonstrations. Justin shares insights on building relational capital, the importance of in-person meetings, and why the future of presales lies...
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Conquering Imposter Syndrome with Hannah Bloking and Allison Macalik
Presales Podcast by Presales Collective
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Hannah Bloking, and Allison Macalik, co-founders of 4Under3. They discuss the universal challenge of imposter syndrome in the pre-sales profession, exploring how it manifests, why it affects nearly everyone, and practical strategies to address it. Hannah and Allison share insights from their workshops, including powerful techniques like the "lighthouse speaker" mindset and the importance of naming your imposter to take control of those negative thoughts. Thank you to Storylane for sponsoring this episode. Follow the Hosts and Guests...
info_outlineEpisode 181: Charting Your Presales Career Path with Miriam Graf
In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James welcome Miriam Graf, a presales veteran with 20 years as an individual contributor and 10 years in leadership roles. Miriam shares invaluable insights on navigating career growth in presales, from speaking up about your aspirations to recognizing when leadership is and isn’t the right path for you. She discusses the evolution from being "the hero" to becoming a leader who helps others shine, and explores the diverse career opportunities available beyond traditional management roles.
This episode is sponsored by Elvance. Find out more about them at https://elvance.io/
Follow Us
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Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
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Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
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Connect with Miriam Graf: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miriamgraf/ or email migraf3@gmail.com
Links and Resources Mentioned
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Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
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Presales Podcast: https://www.presalescollective.com/podcast
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome
06:53 Lessons to learn earlier
10:38 IC vs leadership
16:42 Expensive experience lessons
22:46 Variety of expertise is good
28:27 Focus on your industry and keep learning
Key Topics Covered
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Speaking Up About Your Career
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Why waiting for someone to notice doesn't work
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How expressing interest puts you on the radar for future opportunities
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The importance of taking initiative on projects you're passionate about
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The Transition from Hero to Leader
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Why being the top SE doesn't automatically translate to leadership
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The emotional shift from personal accolades to team success
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Understanding if management is actually the right path for you
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Alternative Career Paths Beyond Management
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National expert or technical specialist roles
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Product management and product marketing opportunities
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Customer success, implementation, and demo engineering
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How presales skills translate across multiple disciplines
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Essential Skills for Career Advancement
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Soft skills: passion, communication, empathy, and listening
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Business acumen: understanding the "so what?" for your audience
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Technical skills: continuous learning and adaptability
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Learning Through Experience
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The value of trying roles outside presales
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How diverse experience makes you a better SE
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Why failures and tough feedback lead to growth
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Industry Expertise
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How to quickly learn an industry's key challenges
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The value of becoming a vertical expert
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Building credibility without years of industry experience
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