We all have problems we are looking to solve. We know that there are solutions out there, but we struggle with this. How do we find the solution, where does the nudge come from to help us take the next step, and start solving tough problems. The intention of this podcast is to help you find your catalyst and take that next step. The Find My Catalyst Podcast is a weekly podcast with Catalyst Sale founder Mike Simmons. We discuss real stories with practical application, in the context of leadership, problem solving, decision making, thinking, goal setting and execution. Other topics discussed include - Systems, Frameworks, Sales Strategy, Revenue Operations, Training, Onboarding, Sales Enablement, Organization Enablement, Workforce Development, Coaching, and Mentoring.
Brand Evangelism, Self-Awareness and Clarity with Alexis Scott - 320
“While I am very aware of my blind spots and where I lack, I also beat myself up heavily for those blind spots instead of focusing on what I'm really great at.” - Alexis Scott Alexis Scott Since the recording of this podcast, Alexis founded The Fairy Job Mom. She is also a founding member of the Old Girls Club and a friend of Catalyst. She is a Brand Marketing Consultant, Talent Advocate and Career Connector. From being laid off to career pivoting multiple times, her experience in Corporate America has taught her that the greatest gift you can give yourself is the skills necessary to be Eternally Employable. In this episode you will learn: How self-awareness can help you make career decisions The power of clarity in achieving your goals How understanding your unique abilities can drive growth for a company Episode Resources: Alexis on Linkedin TheFairyJobMom Alexis on Linktr.ee Catch up on our last 3 episodes: Community, Learning, Golf and Sales with Jeff Bajorek, Scott Leese and Larry Long Jr. Unlock Value with Customer Led Growth with Georgiana Laudi Workshops, Cruising, Community and What’s Next Connect With Us! Instagram YouTube Twitter LinkedIn www.catalystsale.com Please share this podcast episode with friends and colleagues and leave us a review and rating via your favorite podcast platform.
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41:31 | 3/21/23 | |
Community, Learning, Golf and Sales with guests Jeff Bajorek, Scott Leese, and Larry Long Jr - 319
The Golf and Sales event is my Catalyst this week. Jeff, Larry, and Scott join me to discuss community, learning, golf and sales. This episode is brought to you by Golf and Sales. A leadership and sales retreat for professionals who are working through tough challenges in leadership, sales, and growth. Show Links Golf and Sales Jeff on LinkedIn Larry on LinkedIn Scott on LinkedIn Find My Catalyst Links Mike on LinkedIn The GAME Plan Thank you - please send questions to podcast@catalystsale.com Please add your ratings and reviews via your favorite podcast player, and share the podcast with anyone you know who is looking for their "catalyst".
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21:49 | 2/20/23 | |
Unlock value with customer led growth - why the funnel is outdated with Georgiana Laudi - 318
My Catalyst this week is Georgiana Laudi. She is a marketing leader in the SaaS space, and is leading the Customer Led Growth charge. Gia joins me to discuss why we should forget the funnel, the keys to customer led growth, when research goes wrong & what to do about it, and designing for your customer. This episode is brought to you by the Find My Catalyst - GAME Plan. for more information check out the links below. Show Links Forget the Funnel Georgiana on Twitter Find My Catalyst Links Mike on LinkedIn The GAME Plan Thank you - please send questions to podcast@catalystsale.com Please add your ratings and reviews via your favorite podcast player, and share the podcast with anyone you know who is looking for their "catalyst".
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39:11 | 2/8/23 | |
Workshops, Cruising, Community, and What's Next - 317
My Catalyst this week was a recent Phoenix Cruise on Virgin. On this episode, Jody and I discuss the cruise, some lessons learned, and three workshops I can facilitate with your team. This episode is brought to you by the Find My Catalyst - GAME Plan. for more information check out the links below. Find My Catalyst Links Mike on LinkedIn The GAME Plan Thank you - please send questions to podcast@catalystsale.com
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16:43 | 2/1/23 | |
Community and Evangelism - Leslie Greenwood - 316
My Catalyst this week is Leslie Greenwood. She is a community builder and evangelist. Leslie joins me to talk about communication, community, design, and buidling advocacy. This episode is brought to you by the Find My Catalyst - GAME Plan. for more information check out the links below. Show Links thechiefevangelist.com Leslie on LinkedIn Course on Evangelist-Led Growth https://maven.com/leslie-greenwood/evangelist-led-growth Find My Catalyst Links Mike on LinkedIn The GAME Plan Thank you - please send questions to podcast@catalystsale.com Please add your ratings and reviews via your favorite podcast player, and share the podcast with anyone you know who is looking for their "catalyst".
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31:36 | 1/24/23 | |
2022 Reflections - 2023 Focus - 315
My Catalyst this week is Reflection and Focus. Reflecting on 2022, and sharing clarity of focus for 2023. This episode is brought to you by the Find My Catalyst - GAME Plan. for more information check out the links below. What are your key reflections for 2022? Where will you focus in 2023? Find My Catalyst Links Mike on LinkedIn The GAME Plan Thank you - please send questions to podcast@catalystsale.com
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13:01 | 1/20/23 | |
Communication and Leadership Through Challenges - 314
My Catalyst this week is a travel experience. This travel experience provides a great opportunity to reflect on how we plan, how we communicate, how we lead, how we design, and how we move forward. Red Teaming, Pre-mortems, post-mortems, and design - all have a place when leading and communicating through challenges. This episode is brought to you by the Find My Catalyst - GAME Plan. for more information check out the links below. Find My Catalyst Links Mike on LinkedIn The GAME Plan Thank you - please send questions to podcast@catalystsale.com Please add your ratings and reviews via your favorite podcast player, and share the podcast with anyone you know who is looking for their "catalyst".
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13:07 | 12/29/22 | |
Communication, Story, Reflection, Growth - Ravi Rajani - 313
My Catalyst this week is Ravi Rajani. He is a master communicator that helps people find and leverage story that works. Ravi joins me to talk about communication, story, reflection, growth, and his ACORN framework. This episode is brought to you by the Find My Catalyst - GAME Plan. for more information check out the links below. Show Links Ravi on LinkedIn Find My Catalyst Links Mike on LinkedIn The GAME Plan Thank you - please send questions to podcast@catalystsale.com Please add your ratings and reviews via your favorite podcast player, and share the podcast with anyone you know who is looking for their "catalyst".
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44:45 | 12/15/22 | |
Content Creation and Social - with Nick Capozzi - 312
My Catalyst this week is Nick Capozzi. He is my go to when it comes to creating videos that draw people in. Nick joins me to talk about creating content, imposter syndrome, shooting better video, and why collaboration works in social. This episode is brought to you by the Find My Catalyst - GAME Plan. for more information check out the links below. Show Links Nick on LinkedIn Nick on Twittter Go To Market This Week Social Social Find My Catalyst Links Mike on LinkedIn The GAME Plan Thank you - please send questions to podcast@catalystsale.com Please add your ratings and reviews via your favorite podcast player, and share the podcast with anyone you know who is looking for their "catalyst".
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53:28 | 12/7/22 | |
The Transparent Sales Leader - Todd Caponi - 311
My Catalyst this week is Todd Caponi. Many people talk about transparency, Todd embodies it. Todd joins me to talk about his most recent book - The Transparent Sales Leader. And, if you know Todd, you know we will get into some sales history, and practical application. This episode is brought to you by the Find My Catalyst - GAME Plan. for more information check out the links below. Show Links Todd's Website Todd on LinkedIn The Transparency Sale on Amazon The Transparent Sales Leader - Kindle is just $2.99 Find My Catalyst Links Mike on LinkedIn The GAME Plan Thank you - please send questions to podcast@catalystsale.com Please add your ratings and reviews via your favorite podcast player, and share the podcast with anyone you know who is looking for their "catalyst".
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55:10 | 11/29/22 | |
JOLT - Larry Long Jr - 310
My Catalyst this week is Larry Long Jr., and as usually he brings the energy. If you are looking for a JOLT - look no further. Larry joins me to talk about his most recent book - JOLT. This episode is brought to you by the Find My Catalyst - GAME Plan. for more information check out the links below. Show Links Larry Long Jr - on LinkedIn Buy the Book Here - JOLT Larry's Website Larry on Twitter Larry on Instagram Larry on YouTube Find My Catalyst Links Mike on LinkedIn The GAME Plan Thank you - please send questions to podcast@catalystsale.com Please add your ratings and reviews via your favorite podcast player, and share the podcast with anyone you know who is looking for their "catalyst".
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45:40 | 11/21/22 | |
Things That Piss Us Off with Vince Fowler - 309
My catalyst this week is Vince Fowler. Vince is a performance coach, an enabler of great things, and a friend. This week we get into a number of things that really piss us both of, and take some time to chat through what to do about it. We had a blast with this discussion. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Mike The Find My Catalyst podcast is brought to you by the GAME Plan - your simplified approach to goal setting, execution, and getting things done. Show Links Vince on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn The GAME Plan Thank you - please send questions to podcast@catalystsale.com
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60:27 | 11/17/22 | |
Sales Rebel and the Sales Rebellion - Dale Dupree - 308
My Catalyst this week is Dale Dupree. We are going to go a bit off script and publish this as an unedited episode. Dale is a sales coach, trainer, and consultant. He is teaching sales teams to Rebel Against "Typical" Results., and he is Founder and CSO of The Sales Rebellion. We hit on a number of important topics, including creativity, innovation, leadership, risk, and observation. Show Links Dale on LinkedIn The Sales Rebellion Execute Better. Start getting the right things done, in the right order, and grow your business. http://catalystsale.com/game Connect with Mike Mike Simmons Catalyst Sale
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58:34 | 9/23/22 | |
Alignment - Sales, Marketing, and Customer Experience with guest Darryl Praill - 307
Darryl Praill is my Catalyst this week. Darryl is the CMO at Agoropulse, top 10 SaaS branding expert, top 50 social seller, and someone I'm excited to claim as a friend. If you are interested in sales and marketing alignment, how this impacts the customer experience, common mistakes we continue to make, problem solving, the importance of team selling, and a couple of things you can do today to address the common challenges that continue to persist - this episode is for you. We talk about groundhog day, lessons you can learn from a planning a wedding and how it applies to business, and 3 challenges that continue to persist. We get a little off track early in this one - you can listen to the background discussion, or fast forward to the 12 min mark - your choice. Show Links Darryl on LinkedIn Execute Better. Start getting the right things done, in the right order, and grow your business. http://catalystsale.com/game Connect with Mike Mike Simmons Catalyst Sale
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44:02 | 9/12/22 | |
RevOps - Strategy, Tactics, Design, and What's Next with Cliff Simon - 306
Cliff Simon is my Catalyst this week. Cliff is the Chief Revenue Officer at Carabiner Group, a full service Revenue Operations Agency. He is a strategic advisor, fractional revenue leader, and RevOps practitioner. If you are interested in revenue operations, sales process, systems, data, and what's next in this space you will enjoy this discussion. We talk about RevOps, reporting structures, design, alignment, the history, and go pretty deep on the what, why, how, and what's next. "revops at its core is an executive function" - Cliff Simon Show Links Cliff on LinkedIn Carabiner Group Execute Better. Start getting the right things done, in the right order, and grow your business. http://catalystsale.com/game Connect with Mike Mike Simmons Catalyst Sale
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38:47 | 9/1/22 | |
Capital, Alignment, Mistakes, and Learning - David Paul - 305
David Paul is my Catalyst this week. David is the Managing Director of DWP capital, an early stage growth equity firm that invests in vertical SaaS and tech-enabled services. If you are interested in investment, new to capital, understanding the various types of capital that are available, and the implication of going down one path or another you will enjoy this discussion. We talk about the benefits of capital, investment, types of investment, risks, mistakes, the importance of alignment, and a number of other topics. Show Links David on LinkedIn David's Newsletter The Capital Stack Podcast Execute Better. Start getting the right things done, in the right order, and grow your business. http://catalystsale.com/game Connect with Mike Mike Simmons Catalyst Sale
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43:50 | 8/18/22 | |
Product Led Growth - PLG, Speed to Value, and Alignment with Kyle Poyar - 304
Kyle Poyar is my Catalyst this week. Kyle is an Operating Partner at OpenView Ventures, focused on SaaS revenue growth, specifically in the PLG (Product Led Growth) space. If you are interested in PLG, innovation, enabling your customers for success, designing for success, creating alignment across your organization and your customer base, you will enjoy this discussion. We talk about the benefits of a PLG motion, the bluring of lines between the functional areas within organizations, and the positive impact this will have on customers. We also get into a couple of the common mistakes, and touch on a couple of areas where PLG may not make sense. Show Links Kyle on LinkedIn Kyle's Newsletter OpenView Ventures Execute Better. Start getting the right things done, in the right order, and grow your business. http://catalystsale.com/game Connect with Mike Mike Simmons Catalyst Sale
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44:35 | 8/13/22 | |
Branding, Communication, and Leadership with Jason Vana - 303
My Catalyst this week is Jason Vana. Jason is the Founder/Head of Content at SHFT Agency. Jason shares his insight and experience on Brand, Brand Strategy, and Branding - and why it's important to understand the difference. We also get into a discussion on how leaders can get in the way of branding efforts, if they are not careful, and how you can avoid this trap. Branding, communication, leadership, asking the right questions, and the value of external resources - are just a couple of the topics we get into during the discussion. Show Links Jason on LinkedIn Shft Marketing Newsletter Execute Better. Start getting the right things done, in the right order, and grow your business. http://catalystsale.com/game Connect with Mike Mike Simmons Catalyst Sale
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44:43 | 8/6/22 | |
Owner's Intent & The No BS Small Business Book with Casey Graham - 302
My Catalyst this week is Casey Graham. Casey is the Founder/CEO at Gravy and Author of The No B.S. Small Business Book. What does it mean to be the best version of yourself - it may be something different than you think. From Visionary Arsonist to Owner's Intent, to The Inc. of you, we go pretty deep in this conversation. Casey shares why leaders struggle with creating the environment where employees can share their intent, and what you can let go of, to get better. Leadership, mindset, perspective, communication - are just a couple of the topics we get into during the discussion. Show Links Connect with Casey The No BS Small Business Book Execute Better. Start getting the right things done, in the right order, and grow your business. http://catalystsale.com/game Connect with Mike Mike Simmons Catalyst Sale
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36:11 | 7/28/22 | |
Improv, Revenue Operations & Enablement with Jen Igartua - 301
My Catalyst this week is Jen Igartua. Jen is the CEO at Go Nimbly. She and her team help SaaS companies drive revenue by creating a frictionless, human buying experience with RevOps. This is another one of those episodes that has a lot of range, and ends with some things you can start doing inside your organiztaion to reduce friction in the buying process with your customers. RevOps, plants, improv, enablement - what could be better. Show Links Jen on LinkedIn Go Nimbly Execute Better. Start getting the right things done, in the right order, and grow your business. http://catalystsale.com/game Connect with Mike Mike Simmons Catalyst Sale
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44:51 | 7/21/22 | |
The 300th Episode - Catalyst Sale to Find My Catalyst - 300
It's time to celebrate - episode 300 is here. Jody joins me to reflect on the past 299 episodes, why I will continue to invest in the podcast, and what's next. Show Links Improve velocity in your pipeline with Catalyst Sale process, tools, design, and methods. Coaching Catalyst Courses Catalyst Sale YouTube - Whiteboard Wednesdays Execute Better. Start getting the right things done, in the right order, and grow your business. http://catalystsale.com/game Connect with Mike Mike Simmons Catalyst Sale
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25:29 | 7/13/22 | |
Podcasting, Productizing Services and Where to Start - Adam Vazquez - 299
My Catalyst this week is Adam Vazquez. Adam is the founder of Heard Media, and host of the Content is for Closers Podcast. He is helping founders and creators tell their story through media. We discuss produuctizing your service, why podcasting is a great medium and how it is evolving, where to start when thinking about content, repurposing content, and considerations when thinking about audio vs video. Show Links Connect with Adam Follow Content is For Closers on Substack The Content is for Closers Podcast Execute Better. Start getting the right things done, in the right order, and grow your business. http://catalystsale.com/game Connect with Mike Mike Simmons Catalyst Sale
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36:13 | 7/8/22 | |
Product Led Revenue, Data, and Focusing on the Customer - with Breezy Beaumont - 298
My Catalyst this week is Breezy Beaumont - Head of Growth at Correlated. If you are wondering what PLG is, why it matters, and what should be thinking about when it comes to Product Led Growth - this episode is for you. Key Takeaways/Topics What is Product Led Growth 91% of SaaS companies are looking to invest more in PLG - impact on NRR & CAC PLG as a movement is putting things back in the hands of the enduser, the consumer. A PLG focus can help you align across the organization, product, sales, success, and marketing. There is a shift to cloud data warehouses - as a central source of data. It is important to have top level buy-in, all functions will feel it. The data tells the story. Less of a gut feeling - because the data is there for you. True land and expand, while reducing churn. PLG is and it's impact is shifting how we think about sales, selling, and working with customers. Show Links Bi-Weekly - Product Led Revenue - Peer Discussion Breezy on LinkedIn Correlated Execute Better. Start getting the right things done, in the right order, and grow your business. http://catalystsale.com/game Connect with Mike Mike Simmons Catalyst Sale
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43:05 | 6/30/22 | |
Carson Heady - Leadership, Sales, Culture, and Building Leaders - 297
My Catalyst this week is Caron Heady. He is the Director of Health Services at Microsoft, and author of Salesman on Fire & Birth of a Salesman. We go deep into a number of topics including culture, leadership, building teams, building your business, process, focusing on the moment, and a couple of great movie quotes. If you are interested in the value of process, finding your fuel, and a mistake most leaders make with how they use data, you'll enjoy this conversation. Show Links Connect with Carson Carson's website Podcast Episode with Mike Weinberg Execute Better. Start getting the right things done, in the right order, and grow your business. http://catalystsale.com/game Connect with Mike Mike Simmons Catalyst Sale
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40:21 | 6/22/22 | |
Recovering From a Bad Year - LinkedIn Live - 296
This is a TEST - Decided to push a record an episode live on LinkedIn Live - responding to a recent question I received around - Getting over a bad year, and selling in uncertainty. Show Links Conducting Outreach Catalyst Sale Tactical Playlist Catalyst Sale Link Tree Execute Better. Start getting the right things done, in the right order, and grow your business. http://catalystsale.com/game Connect with Mike Mike Simmons Catalyst Sale
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14:09 | 6/18/22 | |
Evangelizing Challenger with Jen Allen - 295
Jen is the Chief Evangelist at Challenger™ and the Host of Winning the Challenger Sale Podcast. 38% of complex B2B purchase attempts end in "no decision" and involve ~11 customer stakeholders. How do you overcome status quo? We get into a number of topics in this discussion, including the Challenger Sale, a beginners mind approach, empathy, framing, and the comfort in saying I don't know. Show Links Connect with Jen Listen to the "Winning the Challenger Sale" podcast Challenger - 3 Things Execute Better. Start getting the right things done, in the right order, and grow your business. http://catalystsale.com/game Connect with Mike Mike Simmons Catalyst Sale
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39:23 | 6/9/22 | |
B2G - Selling into State and Local Government with Grant Hayzlett - 294
My catalyst this week is Grant Hayzlett - he helps B2B/B2C orgs sell to state and local governments. State and local governments spend $4 trillion annually - if you are interested in learning more about B2G sales, selling into state and local governments, this conversation is for you. Connect with Grant On LinkedIn Via SLED sales Execute Better. Start getting the right things done, in the right order, and grow your business. http://catalystsale.com/game Connect with Mike Mike Simmons Catalyst Sale
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45:34 | 6/1/22 | |
Morgan Ingram - Returns - 293
My catalyst this week is Morgan Ingram. Morgan is empowering the sales professional of the future. He is the host of the 1UP Formula Podcast, and 3x LinkedIn Top Sales Voice. We talk about personal development, creativity, engaging with prospects, body language, mindset, and a number of other topics on this episode. Connect with Morgan. Morgan on LinkedIn Morgan on Instagram - @morganjingram Morgan on TikTok - @morganjingram Execute Better. Stop wasting resources, start getting the right things done, in the right order, and grow your business. http://catalystsale.com/game Connect with Mike Mike Simmons Catalyst Sale
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52:59 | 5/27/22 | |
Product, Market & Sales Alignment with KC Cox 292
My catalyst on this episode is KC Cox. KC is a marketing leader, fractional CMO, and all around great revenue focused marketer. In today's episode we get into product market fit, and KC's series on the 4 F's of strong marketing. Foundation Focus Fit Faith Connect with KC. KC Cox on LinkedIn Execute Better. Stop wasting resources, start getting the right things done, in the right order, and grow your business. Connect with Mike Mike Simmons Catalyst Sale
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50:21 | 5/20/22 | |
Sell Different with Author Lee Salz - 291
My Catalyst this week is Lee Salz. We get pretty deep into what it means to "Sell Different" - and how you can do it in your organization and your territory. When salespeople aren’t winning deals at desired levels or volumes, executives turn to Lee B. Salz. Lee is a leading sales management strategist and founder of Sales Architects®. He has helped hundreds of companies, in various industries and sizes, create marketplace disruption – leading to explosive, profitable growth. Lee challenges executives to blast through the artificial barriers that impede their success. He is an entrepreneur, results-driven consultant, and dynamic keynote speaker. Clients say he has a gift for architecting sales success. He is an award-winning, bestselling author of six books including: “Sell Different!,” "Sales Differentiation,” and “Hire Right, Higher Profits.” He is also a columnist with the Business Journals, serves on the Sales Education Advisory Board, and is the Program Advisor to Kansas State University's Strategic Selling Institute. Connect with Lee. Lee Salz on LinkedIn Target Client Profile Sell Different Sales Architects Create Clarity & Focus Inside your Organization. Interested in discussing how you can create clarity and focus inside your organization, improve alignment, and "maximize your MIN"? - contact Mike via LinkedIn or the Catalyst Sale website. Connect with Mike Mike Simmons Catalyst Sale
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46:51 | 5/17/22 |