SolutionExec Live

SolutionExec Live. Episode 7 - The Modern Solutions Mandate

Every leader has been told no to something they knew was right. Not because they were wrong, but because the business doesn't understand what Solutions actually delivers. This profession is at a crossroad, and the leaders who cross the chasm will define what it becomes. The Modern Solutions Mandate names what's actually happening to this profession right now, and what it's going to take to get through it. James Kaikis opens with the case for why Solutions has to move from reactive resource to proactive innovation arm. David Maloof breaks down the five forces compounding against every org and the Sarah Problem hiding inside our success stories. Jeff Margolese closes with what he's actually doing about it at ServiceNow. In this episode: → The five forces reshaping the profession (the buyer, compounding complexity, flat headcount, the AI gap, and dissolving role boundaries) → Why the Sarah Problem means your system survived, it didn't win → How ServiceNow scaled from 700 POVs in a decade to 2,500 in a single year → The CFO and CHRO relationships every Solutions leader should be building, and why → What it takes to be bold with your CRO when the org needs to change --- This episode is brought to you by Storylane, the #1 rated demo automation platform for marketing, sales, and SEs. Trusted by 5,000+ teams. Start for free: https://bit.ly/3POPKx5 --- About SolutionExec SolutionExec is a private network built exclusively for Solutions leaders in B2B SaaS. We connect, enable, and empower the executives who guide teams, influence deals, and shape the future of go-to-market. 🔗 Join the network: https://solutionexec.com/ [https://solutionexec.com/] 📬 Reach out: seteam@solutionexec.com [seteam@solutionexec.com] 📰 Subscribe to the Newsletter [https://solutionexec.substack.com/] 🎙️ Watch more episodes from the podcast [https://www.youtube.com/@SolutionExec]

SolutionExec Live. Episode 6 - Agility at Scale: Balancing Process and Foundation for Growth

What does it actually take to scale a Solutions org without breaking it? A 3B+ company and a 1B company with 400+ SEs sit down to compare notes, and the answers are not the ones you'd expect. From unit economics-driven ratio models to agentic SEs joining live customer calls, this is where the real conversation is happening. In this episode, David Maloof sits down with Leah McTiernan, GVP of Solutions Consulting at DocuSign, and Alok Agrawal, Chief Solutions Officer at Rubrik, to unpack what scale actually looks like at two very different stages of org development and why the principles often converge. In this episode: → Why "no disco, no demo" is old school thinking and what's replacing it → How to model SE ratios using unit economics, not just capacity → The rise of Forward Deployed Engineers and specialization as a scaling lever → DocuSign's pilot of an agentic SE joining live SMB calls in real time → Why Solutions leaders must use data to position their orgs as a growth engine, not a support function --- This episode is brought to you by Storylane, the #1 rated demo automation platform for marketing, sales, and SEs. Trusted by 5,000+ teams. Start for free: https://bit.ly/3POPKx5 --- About SolutionExec SolutionExec is a private network built exclusively for Solutions leaders in B2B SaaS. We connect, enable, and empower the executives who guide teams, influence deals, and shape the future of go-to-market. 🔗 Join the network: https://solutionexec.com/ [https://solutionexec.com/] 📬 Reach out: seteam@solutionexec.com [seteam@solutionexec.com] 📰 Subscribe to the Newsletter [https://solutionexec.substack.com/] 🎙️ Watch more episodes from the podcast [https://www.youtube.com/@SolutionExec]

SolutionExec Live. Episode 5 - What SE Leaders Get Wrong About AI

Your company has an AI mandate. No one gave you a playbook. That gap is exactly where most Solutions teams are losing ground right now. In this episode, Jeff Margolese sits down with David Maloof, Managing Director of Programming and Advisory at SolutionExec, to unpack what SE leaders are actually getting wrong about AI adoption and what a practical path forward looks like. In this episode: → Why jumping straight to AI tools without a workflow strategy is setting teams up to fail → How to carve out innovation zones inside your SE org without tanking productivity → What an AI hackathon looks like in practice and why they work → How to measure AI ROI in a way that actually holds up with leadership — This episode is brought to you by Storylane, the #1 rated demo automation platform for marketing, sales, and SEs. Trusted by 5,000+ teams. Start for free: https://bit.ly/3POPKx5 — About SolutionExec SolutionExec is a private network built exclusively for Solutions leaders in B2B SaaS. We connect, enable, and empower the executives who guide teams, influence deals, and shape the future of go-to-market. 🔗 Join the network: https://solutionexec.com/ [https://solutionexec.com/] 📬 Reach out: seteam@solutionexec.com [seteam@solutionexec.com] 📰 Subscribe to the Newsletter [https://solutionexec.substack.com/] 🎙️ Watch more episodes from the podcast [https://www.youtube.com/@SolutionExec]

SolutionExec Live. Episode 4 - How Solutions Powers the ServiceNow GTM Motion

What does it look like when Solutions leadership sits at the center of a $12B GTM strategy? Jeff Margolese, SVP of Global Solution Consulting at ServiceNow, has lived it. In this episode, James Kaikis sits down with Jeff to unpack how ServiceNow rebuilt its Solutions motion from the ground up. They scrapped discovery-heavy demos in favor of live Proof of Value engagements, stood up AI-first build teams, and earned a seat at the table with the CRO. Jeff shares what that transformation actually required, and what Solutions leaders at every level can take from it. In this episode: → Why ServiceNow moved from POCs to production-ready proof of value → How "AI Experience SEs" and build teams are reshaping the field org → The enterprise deal story that turned a skeptic into a believer → What it means when the CRO names you in his 2026 goals --- This episode is brought to you by Storylane, the #1 rated demo automation platform for marketing, sales, and SEs. Trusted by 5,000+ teams. Start for free: https://bit.ly/storylane-se --- About SolutionExec SolutionExec is the private network built exclusively for Solutions leaders in B2B SaaS. We exist to equip SolutionExecs with the private network, resourcing, and programming to lead the next era of go-to-market. Join the network: https://solutionexec.com/ [https://solutionexec.com/] Reach out: seteam@solutionexec.com [seteam@solutionexec.com] Subscribe to the Newsletter [https://solutionexec.substack.com/] More episodes on the Podcast [https://www.youtube.com/@SolutionExec]

SolutionExec Live. Episode 3 - The Guide to Navigating the Great AI Shift

This episode originally appeared on the GTMshift podcast with Jeff Margolese and James Kaikis. Jeff Margolese, SVP of Global Solution Consulting at ServiceNow and 20+ year industry veteran, explores how AI is fundamentally transforming enterprise sales and the solutions engineering profession. Having guided ServiceNow's SE organization through explosive growth from $300M to over $10B in revenue, Jeff shares insights on navigating massive technological shifts while building trust with enterprise customers who now demand "show me my data in your product" rather than traditional demos. Where to learn more: * Join us at our Virtual Kickoff on March 4th and discover our current offerings. [https://luma.com/SEvirtualkickoff326] * Subscribe to our Newsletter to learn more about our personal "why." [https://solutionexec.substack.com/] * Tune in to our Podcast to get to know us and our vision. [https://www.youtube.com/@solutionexec] Join us: https://solutionexec.com/ [https://solutionexec.com/] If you have thoughts, questions, or want to get involved, reach out to team@solutionexec.com.