How IBM Is Rewiring Sales Conversations Around Business Value

The Emblazers Show: Season 2

Revenue growth doesn't work the way it used to. AI is reshaping the playbook, buyers are moving faster than the process built to serve them, and enablement has to evolve every quarter just to keep pace. Season 2 of The Emblazers Podcast is back to help enterprise B2B revenue leaders make sense of it. Co-hosts Tim Riesterer and Abby Kerr return for a new season built specifically for sales leadership, sales enablement, and full-funnel revenue teams navigating a landscape that keeps shifting under them. Follow along on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, so you don't miss what's ahead.

How IBM Is Rewiring Sales Conversations Around Business Value

How are enablement leaders transforming product-heavy organizations into value-driven sellers that can differentiate and prove measurable business impact in an increasingly competitive market? In this episode of The Emblazers Show, a fireside chat replay from NEXT Revenue Summit 2026, host Tim Riesterer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-riesterer/] speaks with Anne Lake [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-lake/], Revenue Enablement Leader at IBM [https://www.ibm.com/us-en], about the shift from product-centric selling to value-based conversations. Anne explains how IBM separates product enablement (“what to sell”) from value enablement (“how to sell”), helping sellers move beyond features and functions to focus on outcomes, differentiation, and the “why change” behind every deal. She also shares how IBM’s “Deliver with Impact” program combines storytelling, value messaging, and interactive techniques like whiteboarding and flipcharting to create more engaging, human-centered buyer conversations. The episode further explores how IBM is blending qualitative storytelling with quantitative business cases, using tools, AI, and financial modeling to help sellers justify decisions and demonstrate ROI. Tune in to learn: * Why separating product knowledge and value messaging is essential for modern enablement * How storytelling and whiteboarding transform buyer engagement and retention * How leading organizations are combining qualitative narratives with quantitative business cases to prove impact   Episode highlights:  (00:00) Introduction (05:19) Focusing on value conversations versus product enablement (13:36) Deliver with Impact workshop pilots and global rollout (16:12) Storytelling and whiteboarding as engagement tools (22:16) Capstone exercises to integrate value messaging and client scenarios (27:44) Quantitative business value and financial discussions (31:15) Infusing value messaging into product training and AI coaching (38:23) Making value selling a natural part of the sales process   Links and Resources: * Connect with Abby Kerr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbycathkerr/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbycathkerr/] * Connect with Tim Riesterer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-riesterer/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-riesterer/]  * Connect with Anne Lake: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-lake/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-lake/]  * Request the replays of your choice from NEXT Revenue Summit 2026: https://win.corporatevisions.com/NEXT-Revenue-Summit-2026-Replay-Request.html Subscribe to The Emblazers for more conversations with leading B2B thinkers. Explore the Emblaze revenue community [https://corporatevisions.com/emblaze-community/] and start a membership today.   Learn about Anne Lake As a Revenue Enablement Leader at IBM, Anne Lake focuses on bridging learning, messaging, and measurable business impact. She helps teams turn complex product capabilities into clear, outcome-driven narratives that enable sales and executives to communicate value effectively. With a background in human-centered enablement and talent development, Anne equips facilitators and sellers with practical storytelling techniques—from whiteboarding to flipcharting—to create more engaging, high-impact delivery. Her work helps global teams move beyond features to confidently articulate business outcomes that drive adoption at scale.   Learn about Tim Riesterer As Chief Strategy Officer at Corporate Visions and Chief Research Officer at Emblaze revenue leaders’ community, Tim Riesterer is a pioneering force in developing customer conversations that break through the status quo and drive measurable business results. His innovative approach helps companies craft differentiated messages and deploy them through powerful self-service and sales-directed tools that consistently outperform traditional content strategies. A recognized expert in value creation and capture, Tim enables organizations to transform their customer conversations through proven methodologies that elevate their market position and drive sustainable growth.   Learn about Abby Kerr  As Director of Content & Community at Emblaze, Abby Kerr designs content experiences that spark conversations and strengthen the connective tissue between B2B revenue leaders. With a background spanning brand voice strategy, enterprise B2B content, and education, she brings a sharp eye for nuance and a deep understanding of how people learn and grow. A champion of insight-driven storytelling and peer-to-peer learning, Abby helps make Emblaze a place where leaders don’t just consume content—they contribute to it. She’s also a warm, un-shy introvert who reads fiction, asks big questions, and drinks her coffee black.

Built for the Pivot, Measured for Impact

How can enablement leaders prove impact and drive predictable revenue in a world where business conditions, buyers, and AI are constantly evolving? In this episode of The Emblazers Show, host Tim Riesterer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-riesterer/] speaks with Ashton Williams [https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamsashton/] from Salesforce [http://www.salesforce.com], who leads a top ranked SMB operating unit and oversees enablement for a global high velocity sales organization. Ashton shares how enablement can move beyond activity metrics and instead use a clear framework of reach, readiness, and results to connect training to measurable business outcomes like pipeline progression and revenue growth. She explains how enablement teams can secure investment by partnering with finance, rev ops, and HR to build stronger ROI cases, including modeling rep break even points and cohort performance. The discussion also covers how pilots help validate impact before scaling, with targeted programs showing revenue uplifts of 10 to 15 percent. Ashton also highlights how AI is reshaping coaching and productivity, while reinforcing that human interaction remains essential in complex sales. Tune in to learn: * Why leading and lagging indicators are key to proving enablement impact * How finance partnerships strengthen ROI and investment cases * Why pilots and cohort analysis reduce risk and improve adoption   Episode highlights:  (00:00) Introduction (04:16) Why accelerating change is stretching traditional training models (05:45) How Salesforce reorganized SMB sales and scaled enablement support (07:38) Building new onboarding, always-on learning programs, and targeting financial fluency to improve performance (09:04) Partnering with finance to understand ROI, and investment justification (11:14) Why different business functions interpret the same data differently and how alignment is built across teams (14:00) The reach, readiness, results framework for measuring enablement effectiveness (16:53) How a financial fluency pilot led to measurable revenue uplift and informed broader rollout decisions (20:41) Using the Kirkpatrick model to create shared language and align expectations across executives (22:22) Using pipeline signals, deal data, and manager feedback to identify skill gaps vs motivation issues (27:19) Why pilots are critical for proving value, securing investment, and driving adoption (29:18) How Salesforce manages lag time between training and results while maintaining executive engagement (30:41) Sustaining behavior change through manager reinforcement and aligning enablement with organizational health (34:43) How Salesforce is using AI agents and avatars for coaching, and training at scale (38:04) Why human connection remains essential in sales despite increasing AI adoption   Links and Resources: * Connect with Abby Kerr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbycathkerr/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbycathkerr/] * Connect with Tim Riesterer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-riesterer/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-riesterer/]  * Connect with Ashton Williams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamsashton/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamsashton/]  * Request the replays of your choice from NEXT Revenue Summit 2026: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmVnQzcwRGtxemFoVUtiZVIxSWlEeG11WVY4d3xBQ3Jtc0tsc2ctQkZWX3RIdTNuclNIdXo4UFpuZVZ2U2dScFpoTlF1c1dBTWRCWkV6RFpWRlkzTHpVXzl2b1c3STBjNmJHM3JoTTFveDNJLTF0Y3pHVUpvRWJxOFVfTjlnZjdGNjR5LVF4cVlNclY0aTBiZnB0dw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwin.corporatevisions.com%2FNEXT-Revenue-Summit-2026-Replay-Request.html&v=8yTzQyW-hI0https://win.corporatevisions.com/NEXT-Revenue-Summit-2026-Replay-Request.html Subscribe to The Emblazers for more conversations with leading B2B thinkers. Explore the Emblaze revenue community [https://corporatevisions.com/emblaze-community/] and start a membership today.   Learn about Ashton Williams As a sales enablement leader at Salesforce, Ashton Williams is a driving force in helping high velocity revenue teams translate learning and development into measurable business impact. Leading enablement for a global SMB operating unit, she focuses on building scalable systems that connect training, coaching, and skill development directly to pipeline progression, revenue growth, and productivity outcomes. Her approach is grounded in practical ROI measurement, partnering closely with finance, revenue operations, and sales leadership to define clear business cases and validate impact through data driven experimentation and pilots.   Learn about Tim Riesterer As Chief Strategy Officer at Corporate Visions and Chief Research Officer at Emblaze revenue leaders’ community, Tim Riesterer is a pioneering force in developing customer conversations that break through the status quo and drive measurable business results. His innovative approach helps companies craft differentiated messages and deploy them through powerful self-service and sales-directed tools that consistently outperform traditional content strategies. A recognized expert in value creation and capture, Tim enables organizations to transform their customer conversations through proven methodologies that elevate their market position and drive sustainable growth.   Learn about Abby Kerr  As Director of Content & Community at Emblaze, Abby Kerr designs content experiences that spark conversations and strengthen the connective tissue between B2B revenue leaders. With a background spanning brand voice strategy, enterprise B2B content, and education, she brings a sharp eye for nuance and a deep understanding of how people learn and grow. A champion of insight-driven storytelling and peer-to-peer learning, Abby helps make Emblaze a place where leaders don’t just consume content—they contribute to it. She’s also a warm, un-shy introvert who reads fiction, asks big questions, and drinks her coffee black.

An Always-On Revenue Enablement Model for the AI Era

How can sales organizations improve seller performance and scale enablement without significantly increasing resources? In this episode of The Emblazers Show, Mike Wallington [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikewallington/], Division Vice President of Global Sales Learning & Leadership Development at ADP [http://adp.com/], discusses how AI is reshaping onboarding, coaching, and sales execution. Mike shares how ADP built a structured development journey that helps sellers ramp faster, improve productivity, and achieve long-term success. The conversation explores how ADP uses AI-powered assessments, role plays, deal intelligence, and coaching tools to help sellers practice real-world scenarios, improve forecast accuracy, and navigate complex sales conversations. Mike also explains how AI avatars are accelerating product training, knowledge sharing, and enabling content creation across the organization. For sales leaders and enablement professionals, this episode offers practical strategies for building scalable learning programs, empowering managers with better coaching insights, and preparing teams for the future of AI-enabled selling. Tune in to learn: * How AI is helping ADP accelerate onboarding and seller development * Ways AI role plays and deal intelligence improve coaching and sales execution * How AI avatars are scaling product training and knowledge sharing   Episode highlights:  (00:00) Introduction (02:05) Why ADP is planning learning and enablement three to five years ahead (03:15) Rethinking year one onboarding as a full 12-month learning journey (05:00) Why year two is the make-or-break stage for seller proficiency (09:08) How structured learning paths and assessments personalize development (10:29) Scaling practice through video role play simulations (13:15) The coaching gap in year two and how leaders can close it (15:18) Using AI role play to build real sales readiness at scale (17:35) Inside ADP’s Smart Coach initiative (21:48) How Gong AI trackers improve forecasting and deal qualification (36:09) Building an always-on enablement system with global teams and AI avatars   Links and Resources: * Connect with Abby Kerr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbycathkerr/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbycathkerr/] * Connect with Mike Wallington: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikewallington/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikewallington/] * Request the replays of your choice from NEXT Revenue Summit 2026: https://win.corporatevisions.com/NEXT-Revenue-Summit-2026-Replay-Request.html Subscribe to The Emblazers for more conversations with leading B2B thinkers. Explore the Emblaze revenue community [https://corporatevisions.com/emblaze-community/] and start a membership today.   Learn about Mike Wallington As Division Vice President of Global Sales Learning and Leadership Development at ADP, Mike Wallington is a recognized leader in sales enablement, talent development, and learning innovation. He oversees the strategies and programs that help thousands of sales professionals accelerate productivity, strengthen selling skills, and achieve long-term success across one of the world's largest sales organizations. Mike is known for transforming onboarding, coaching, and performance development through scalable learning frameworks that blend data, technology, and human-centered enablement.   Learn about Abby Kerr  As Director of Content & Community at Emblaze, Abby Kerr designs content experiences that spark conversations and strengthen the connective tissue between B2B revenue leaders. With a background spanning brand voice strategy, enterprise B2B content, and education, she brings a sharp eye for nuance and a deep understanding of how people learn and grow. A champion of insight-driven storytelling and peer-to-peer learning, Abby helps make Emblaze a place where leaders don’t just consume content—they contribute to it. She’s also a warm, un-shy introvert who reads fiction, asks big questions, and drinks her coffee black.

Where AI Stops–and Human Skill Still Wins

How can sales teams deliver predictable revenue in an unpredictable world while AI changes the way buyers engage? In this episode of The Emblazers Show, host Tim Riesterer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-riesterer/] explores how to improve human interactions in B2B sales with AI as an enabler, not a replacement. Tim shares insights from Corporate Visions’ research on over 150,000 B2B decisions, showing that buyers still prioritize human engagement at critical decision points, and that the right interactions can predict wins, losses, retention, and churn. He explains how identifying and measuring these human interactions can drive better hiring, coaching, and team performance. The conversation covers practical approaches to developing talent, including AI-driven performance assessments, predictive skill evaluations, and cohort-based learning programs. Tim highlights how companies can design human interaction “engines” by integrating sales steps, skills, and storytelling, and how AI agents can scale and personalize these interactions at every stage of the buyer journey. For sales leaders and professionals, this episode offers actionable strategies to improve win rates, tailor coaching, and ensure their teams deliver the experiences buyers actually value. Tune in to learn: * Why human interactions remain essential even as AI reshapes B2B buying * How to assess, coach, and upskill teams using predictive, performance-based metrics * Ways to scale human interactions while personalizing development for each salesperson   Episode highlights:  (00:00) Introduction (04:24) Gartner reverses buyer preference toward human interaction (07:47) Three-part framework for winning interactions (09:31) 150k buyer decisions reveal winning interactions (16:20) Improve human in loop performance through coaching (17:28) AI skills assessments replace self assessment surveys (20:28) Sponsor break: Emblaze community for B2B leaders (24:30) Linking skills to win rates explained (27:14) Cohort learning playbook improves sales performance (30:42) Scaling steps skills and stories system (33:39) AI agents enable three layer cake vision   Links and Resources: * Connect with Abby Kerr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbycathkerr/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbycathkerr/] * Connect with Tim Riesterer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-riesterer/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-riesterer/]  * Request the replays of your choice from NEXT Revenue Summit 2026: https://win.corporatevisions.com/NEXT-Revenue-Summit-2026-Replay-Request.html [https://win.corporatevisions.com/NEXT-Revenue-Summit-2026-Replay-Request.html] Subscribe to The Emblazers for more conversations with leading B2B thinkers. Explore the Emblaze revenue community [https://corporatevisions.com/emblaze-community/] and start a membership today.   Learn about Tim Riesterer As Chief Strategy Officer at Corporate Visions and Chief Research Officer at Emblaze revenue leaders’ community, Tim Riesterer is a pioneering force in developing customer conversations that break through the status quo and drive measurable business results. His innovative approach helps companies craft differentiated messages and deploy them through powerful self-service and sales-directed tools that consistently outperform traditional content strategies. A recognized expert in value creation and capture, Tim enables organizations to transform their customer conversations through proven methodologies that elevate their market position and drive sustainable growth.   Learn about Abby Kerr  As Director of Content & Community at Emblaze, Abby Kerr designs content experiences that spark conversations and strengthen the connective tissue between B2B revenue leaders. With a background spanning brand voice strategy, enterprise B2B content, and education, she brings a sharp eye for nuance and a deep understanding of how people learn and grow. A champion of insight-driven storytelling and peer-to-peer learning, Abby helps make Emblaze a place where leaders don’t just consume content—they contribute to it. She’s also a warm, un-shy introvert who reads fiction, asks big questions, and drinks her coffee black.