SBI, The Growth Advisory

AI-Powered Sales Enablement – How AI Is Reshaping Sales, Coaching, and Learning

In this episode, SBI's Ray Makela joins Sam Herring, VP and GM of Intrepid, to explore how AI is transforming every stage of the revenue journey—from the way buyers research and engage with sellers to how sales teams are coached, trained, and enabled for long-term success. Drawing on SBI's latest research, Ray explains why AI is raising the bar for sellers, making strategic advisory skills and human connection more valuable than ever. Together, they discuss the future of sales management, AI-powered coaching, personalized learning, and the evolution of collaborative enablement. Ray shares how AI can free frontline managers from administrative work, deliver real-time coaching, identify individual skill gaps, and finally help organizations measure the true business impact of sales training through performance data and behavioral insights. Whether you're a sales leader, enablement professional, or learning executive, this conversation offers practical insights into preparing your teams for an AI-driven future—one where technology amplifies human performance, not replaces it, and where continuous coaching and personalized learning become the foundation of revenue growth.

Bridging Strategy and Execution: Why SBI and Brevet Joined Forces to Transform Revenue Performance

In this episode, SBI's Ray Makela sits down with Brian Williams and Warren Shiver, partners of The Brevet Group, to discuss the story behind Brevet's integration into SBI and the shared vision driving the partnership forward. Together, they explore how Brevet's roots in management consulting shaped a unique approach to sales transformation—one focused not just on strategy, but on driving real behavior change in the field. Brian reflects on Brevet's origin story and the pivotal realization that even the best strategies fail without effective implementation. He shares how that lesson became the foundation of Brevet's philosophy: helping organizations translate ideas into measurable action through enablement, training, and practical execution. Warren highlights how Brevet partners with CROs, Revenue Operations, and Enablement leaders to build enduring sales capabilities, install company-specific ways of selling, and equip frontline managers to sustain change through coaching and reinforcement. Together, they discuss the evolving challenges facing modern revenue organizations, from selling business value across executive stakeholders to integrating methodologies, processes, and technology into a unified go-to-market system that drives lasting performance improvements.

Unlocking Sales Performance: Why Frontline Sales Manager Training Delivers a 7% Revenue Advantage

In this episode, SBI's Ray Makela sits down with Dave Lingebach, Senior Researcher at SBI, to unpack the findings from SBI's latest research on frontline sales manager effectiveness. Together, they explore why sales manager training remains one of the most overlooked investments in go-to-market organizations despite its outsized impact on revenue performance. Dave shares data showing that organizations with dedicated sales manager training programs consistently outperform those without them, delivering higher quota attainment and stronger sales results. They discuss the unique challenges frontline managers face, from coaching and performance management to technology adoption and change management, and why success as a top seller doesn't automatically translate into success as a sales leader. The conversation also examines the growing role of AI, sales technology, and enablement in the manager's role, along with practical lessons for CROs, CEOs, and revenue leaders looking to improve productivity at scale. If you're looking to drive stronger sales performance, accelerate adoption of new initiatives, and maximize the impact of your enablement investments, this episode highlights why frontline sales managers are the force multiplier your organization can't afford to ignore.

Predictive Enablement - How Luster Is Transforming Revenue Performance with AI

In this episode, SBI’s Ray Makela sits down with Christina Brady, CEO and Co-Founder of Luster, to explore the emerging category of Predictive Enablement and how AI is transforming the way organizations develop revenue talent. Drawing on her experience training more than 30,000 professionals and advising over 100 startups, Christina shares why traditional enablement often identifies skill gaps only after they impact business results—and how AI can help organizations get ahead of the curve. Together, they discuss how AI-powered practice, proficiency mapping, and predictive analytics can uncover skill deficiencies before they affect customer conversations, pipeline performance, and revenue outcomes. Christina explains how organizations can personalize onboarding, coaching, and certification programs while giving managers better visibility into team readiness and performance. The conversation also explores the future of AI in enablement, from custom learning paths and real-time coaching recommendations to measurable improvements in ramp time, win rates, and sales productivity. Whether you're a sales leader, enablement professional, or revenue executive, this episode offers a practical look at how predictive, data-driven learning is reshaping revenue performance.

AI in the Wild - What Top GTM Teams Are Getting Right About AI Adoption

In this episode, SBI’s Ray Makela sits down with Craig Riley and Jamie Halpin, to explore what separates successful AI-driven go-to-market organizations from those still struggling to realize measurable ROI. Together, they unpack the growing divide between “AI haves” and “have-nots,” and why leading companies are using AI not just to improve productivity, but to make smarter revenue decisions across the customer lifecycle.Craig shares fresh research on AI adoption across sales organizations, highlighting how top-performing teams are leveraging AI for everything from intelligent lead routing and conversational intelligence to predictive churn modeling and customer expansion strategies. The discussion also explores why many organizations fail to see results despite significant investment in AI tools.Jamie breaks down the foundational elements required for successful AI adoption, including strategy, governance, clean data, workflow design, talent readiness, and change management. The conversation also dives into real-world use cases transforming sales and customer success, including AI-powered coaching, inbound SDR automation, and customer signal engines that help teams proactively identify churn risks and expansion opportunities.Whether you’re leading sales, enablement, RevOps, or customer success, this episode delivers practical insights on how modern GTM organizations are operationalizing AI—and how to move from experimentation to real business impact.