In this episode of the Sales Readiness Podcast, our host Ray Makela, SBI’s Managing Director of Talent Development, is joined by Christina Brady, CEO and Co-Founder of Luster.ai to explore why traditional sales training often falls short and how a data-driven approach can transform outcomes. The two dive into how AI and predictive analytics are setting a new standard for sales effectiveness.   

Key Takeaways:

• Relying on lagging KPIs like quota attainment is no longer enough to drive performance.

• Practical strategies for building a scalable, customized program that delivers measurable outcomes. 

• How to uncover skill gaps by using predictive proficiency measurement tools. 

In this episode of the Sales Readiness Podcast, our host Ray Makela, SBI’s Managing Director of Talent Development, is joined by Annie Stefano, Senior Training Consultant at SBI to continue their conversation on Customer Success. The two tackle what it takes to operationalize CS across the customer journey. 

Key Takeaways:

• How to reduce friction between Sales and Customer Success by establishing shared goals. 

• Metrics that showcase impact, including both leading and lagging indicators.

• The evolving role of AI in Customer Success.

In this Sales Readiness Podcast episode, our host Ray Makela, SBI’s Managing Director of Talent Development, is joined by Annie Stefano, Senior Training Consultant at SBI, to break down how to rethink Customer Success roles, close key skill gaps, and build enablement programs that help CS teams deliver commercial impact. 

Key Takeaways:

• Three foundational skills every CS team needs today.

• The value in defining the CS role to limit friction in the buying process. 

• Ways to say no to a customer that delivers more value.

In this episode of the Sales Readiness Podcast, our host, Ray Makela, SBI’s Managing Director, welcomes back Ethan Radoff, Partner at SBI, to unpack the nuances between sales and account management, and why getting it right matters more than ever. The conversation explores how todays complex customer journey demands clarity of the role, intentional segmentation, and tailored skill sets to drive results.  

Key Talking Points

• The traits and competencies that define top-performing salespeople vs. account managers. 

• How sales leaders can design org structures and success profiles that reflect todays customer expectations. 

• Why it’s increasingly unrealistic for one person to own the entire lead-to-renewal process.