64% of New Business Came From Partners — How to Build a Partner Program That Compounds

The Founder Mindset That Gets You to $5M Is the Same One Keeping You Stuck

The way you've always done it works. Until it doesn't. And by then, you've already lost ground. Bill Stierle has spent 35 years helping founders, CEOs, and executive teams communicate their way through the moments that matter most — scaling inflection points, leadership transitions, organizational conflict, and high-stakes crisis. He's a speaker, consultant, trainer, and author of The Emotional Sobriety Solution. Summer connected with him at TechCon SoCal after seeing his thinking on crisis communication and quickly realized the conversation was going to go much deeper than that. In this bonus episode, Bill breaks down why the mindset that builds a company to $5M is the exact mindset that stalls it at $10M — and what founders have to rewire in order to scale past it. He introduces the concept of the Magic Seven, the executive team structure designed to take a founder from vision to execution without losing the plot, and explains why the CEO's real job is language translation between business units that don't naturally speak to each other. He also gets into the neuroscience behind why change is so hard for leaders — the front brain has 400,000 neuroconnections, the back brain has 4.3 million — and what it practically takes to upgrade your operating beliefs the way you'd update software. The Progressive Insurance and Flo story alone is worth the listen for any founder who thinks their product should sell itself. And yes, the milk on the table story will make you rethink how you talk to your team. And possibly your kids. Connect with Bill Stierle: https://www.billstierle.com [https://www.billstierle.com] Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-stierle-7314181/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-stierle-7314181/] Recorded in connection with TechCon [https://share.google/HJ6z3MZmRzAAKDpOP]SoCal. Subscribe to Revenue Remix on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. #LeadershipDevelopment #FounderMindset #ScalingBusiness #EmotionalIntelligence #CommunicationStrategy #ExecutiveLeadership #B2BGrowth #RevenueRemix #TechConSoCal #BusinessGrowth #StartupGrowth #GTMStrategy #CrisisCommunication #CEOMindset #NeedsBasedMarketing #TechConSoCal #TechCon #TechConSoCal2026

The AI Readiness Problem That's Costing Companies Millions

"It's not a technology problem. It's not a people problem. It's a structure problem." That's the line that stopped the conversation, and it's the whole reason this episode exists. Kimberly Nelson-Wright and Taylor Chaney are the co-founding mother-daughter team behind Preflight AI, an AI governance and readiness platform built for organizations that are moving fast on AI implementation without the structural foundation to support it. Summer connected with Kimberly on LinkedIn months before this recording, lost track of her when she went quiet — and then found out why. She'd been heads down building. They finally met in person at TechCon SoCal, and the conversation that happened there made this episode inevitable. Kimberly spent decades as a COO working across industries. She kept seeing the same pattern: executives announcing AI initiatives, nobody asking whether the organization was actually ready, and the fallout landing in HR. Taylor is the software engineer who looked at her mother's early prototype and told her she could build something better. Within one living room conversation and a quick mockup, Preflight AI was born. In this episode, Summer, Kimberly, and Taylor dig into why AI implementations fail before they start — and what it actually costs when companies skip the readiness work. They break down the Starbucks inventory disaster, Uber's blown AI budget, and Klarna's very public lesson in what happens when customer experience breaks because no one asked the right questions upfront. They get into why "we need to reduce headcount" is the wrong starting point for an AI strategy, why your CTO is not the right person to own AI governance, and what founders and operators should actually pause and examine before they spend a dollar on tools or licenses. Taylor also makes the case that AI isn't always the answer — and explains what she looks for when evaluating whether a company's problem even warrants an AI solution in the first place. Kim breaks down what leadership accountability for AI actually looks like, and why most organizations are structuring it wrong. This is the same conversation happening in boardrooms and leadership offsites right now. The difference is most people are having it after the budget is already gone. If you're a founder, COO, CMO, or anyone sitting in a room where someone just said "we need to do AI" — this episode is the pause button you didn't know you needed. Connect with Preflight AI: [URL] Kimberly Nelson-Wright on LinkedIn: [URL [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-nelson-wright/]] Taylor Chaney on LinkedIn: [URL [https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylorchaney/]] Women building things worth knowing about: Camille Terry, Founder & CEO, Charger Help: [URL] Sister Scriptors at Towson University: [URL [https://involved.towson.edu/organization/sisterscripters]] Bit Brothers at Towson University: [URL [https://www.towson.edu/news/2024/bit-brothers.html]] Follow Summer on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/summer-poletti-rhymes-with-spaghetti-27207812/] Recorded in connection with TechCon SoCal. [https://media.techconglobal.com/] Subscribe to Revenue Remix on YouTube, Amazon Music, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. #AIReadiness #ArtificialIntelligence #AIImplementation #AIGovernance #AIStrategy #B2BSaaS #RevenueRemix #GTMStrategy #FounderStory #WomenInTech #WomenFounders #StartupGrowth #TechConSoCal #OperationsStrategy #BusinessGrowth

"Give First" How to Launch B2B Strategic Partnerships Without a Pipeline

Summer Poletti sits down with Sean Parnell for a bonus deep dive on how partnerships actually work in practice. Most founders think they need a huge pipeline to attract partners. Sean breaks down why that's backwards, and how to start building partnerships when you have no leads to give back. This is the first bonus episode in the Partner-Led Growth series. After that panel showed why partnerships belong in modern GTM systems, this episode answers the question: How do you actually build them from scratch? What You'll Learn * Why "give first" isn't naive — it's strategic. * The KLTR Framework: Know, Like, Trust, Refer. * The one mistake that kills partnerships immediately. * Pre-qualify or waste everyone's time. * Partnership follow-up is not optional. * Why your calendar is the partnership management tool. * How to balance reciprocity without keeping score. ---------------------------------------- KEY INSIGHTS "Even when you're starting out, you have knowledge. You know how to solve problems they don't have experience with." "I referred somebody I didn't really know that well but they talked a good game. My client said, 'That guy you referred was terrible.' Now I've just risked my relationship with my client because I referred too early." "I only like to make an introduction when both parties have expressed interest to me. Cause I don't want to waste anybody's time." "If you want to keep getting leads from that partner, you follow up in a timely manner and express appreciation." "If you're feeling things are out of balance with reciprocity, one thing I tend to do is ask for something specific... but also stay on their radar. Post on LinkedIn, send newsletters — it's really important to include people like that because sometimes it's a timing issue." "If you're not on the calendar, you're not going to happen. It's like date night with your spouse — you have to work on it." ---------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED B2B partnership strategy • partnership fundamentals • referral partnerships • know-like-trust-refer framework • giver mentality • trust building • reciprocity • pre-qualifying introductions • partner vetting • referral follow-up • partnership communication • partner retention • calendar discipline • relationship maintenance • early-stage partnerships • professional networks • B2B sales strategy • growth through relationships • founder network building • sustainable partnerships ---------------------------------------- GUESTS & RESOURCES Sean Parnell Founder of Innovaxis Connect with Sean Summer Poletti Founder of Rise of Us. Connect with Summer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/summer-poletti-rhymes-with-spaghetti-27207812/] ---------------------------------------- PART OF THE PARTNER-LED GROWTH SERIES This is a bonus episode in a multi-part exploration of partner-led growth. Already Released: * 64% of New Business Came From Partners [https://youtu.be/cNG8cUHwCD8] Coming Soon: * More deep dives on partnerships in action Subscribe so you don't miss the full series

64% of New Business Came From Partners — How to Build a Partner Program That Compounds

In this Revenue Remix roundtable, Summer Poletti sits down with three operators who've built partner programs at different stages of growth. Pat Ferdig (25+ years in enterprise partner ecosystems), Danny Engels (SalesEQ co-founder scaling through strategic partnerships), and Kathey Palmer (Chief Growth Officer at Innova Payroll - recently acquired by UKG) growing 200% through partner-led revenue) break down why partnerships are the third way when outbound and inbound are broken. Key insight: 64% of Innova Payroll's new business last year came through partners WHAT YOU'LL LEARN * Why partner-led growth matters now: Outbound is noisy. Inbound is broken. Warm intros cut the line and get you on the shortlist before buyers even start evaluating. * The partnership mistakes that kill momentum: Partners die on the vine when there's no strategy, no onboarding, no measurement. The difference between "partners in name only" and partners that actually refer. * How to structure a partner program that scales: Intentional partner selection (ideal partner profile), mandatory onboarding within the first month, monthly cadence check-ins, go-to-market plans written and approved by both parties, partner tiering (A/B/C/D partners), and actual revenue tracking. * Why your sales team is the linchpin (and how to support them): AEs are overwhelmed. Remove friction from partner tracking. Automate what you can. Teach reps how to find leads for partners, not just get them. * How to measure partnership ROI: Track partner-sourced leads through specific links. Ask how prospects heard about you on sales calls (web leads are often partner referrals). Measure bookings AND revenue generated. If you're not showing the board partner program ROI, you're doing yourself a disservice. * The real cost of not having a partner strategy: Companies competing in commoditized industries (like payroll) can't outspend ADP or Paychex on marketing. Partners become the growth engine. Without them, you're grinding harder for slower growth. ---------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED Partner-led growth strategy • B2B partnership models • Partner program structure • Ideal partner profile • Partner onboarding • Go-to-market strategy • Partner tiering • Revenue attribution • Sales team alignment • Early-stage partnerships • Enterprise partnerships • Partnership measurement • Partner activation • Growth-stage revenue systems • Outbound vs. inbound vs. partnerships • Founder-led sales • Sales enablement • CRM tracking • Partner success • Scalable partnerships • GTM alignment ---------------------------------------- CONNECT: Pat Ferdig LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickmferdig/] Danny Engels LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-engels/] Tune in to the previous episode featuring Danny's co-founder discussing why sales intelligence matters. Listen [https://youtu.be/UNRThvdHb8g] Kathy Palmer LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathey-palmer-3519302/] Summer Poletti on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/summer-poletti-rhymes-with-spaghetti-27207812/]

What 93% of Companies Get Wrong About Hiring Veterans | Shawn Campbell, Victory Strategies

93% of HR executives say their organization values veteran employees. Only 31% say they're effective at hiring them. That gap between intention and execution is what this conversation is about. Shawn Campbell is a director at Victory Strategies, an Air Force veteran, HR executive, leadership coach, and bestselling author. He spent decades inside the US military and now works with organizations on leadership development and veteran transition. He has seen this problem from both sides — as a veteran translating 20-plus years of service into a private sector resume, and as an HR leader watching well-meaning companies fail veterans before they walk through the door. This episode drops just before Memorial Day. Not because we wanted to do a flag-waving moment, but because the people hearing thank you for your service on Monday deserve more than that on Tuesday. We get into why nearly one third of veteran job seekers are underemployed and why underemployment is far more dangerous than unemployment. We talk about what veterans actually bring that doesn't show up on a resume: decisiveness, stick-to-it-iveness, integrity, a bias toward excellence, and the conditioning to show up ready to work the moment the clock starts. We talk about why the language in your job posting is probably screening great candidates out before you ever see them. And we get tactical about what founders and business leaders can do differently in recruiting, onboarding, and day-to-day integration. We also talk about invisible wounds — PTSD, hearing loss, tinnitus, survivor's guilt — and what small practical accommodations actually look like for employers who want to get this right. WHAT WE COVER: — The 93/31 gap: why companies that value veterans still fail at hiring them — Why underemployment is more dangerous than unemployment long-term — What veterans bring that doesn't show up on a resume: decisiveness, discipline, loyalty, excellence — The language translation problem: why military jargon kills veteran job applications — How to rewrite your job posting so you stop screening veterans out — Where to find veteran candidates beyond LinkedIn and Indeed — ERGs and why veterans want to work where other veterans work — Invisible wounds: PTSD, hearing loss, tinnitus, and practical workplace accommodations — Service animals — what employers need to know — The McKinsey $15 billion opportunity hiding in plain sight CONNECT WITH SHAWN: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-campbell-5a94471/] RESOURCES MENTIONED: Military Officers Association of America Veterans Administration employer resources ABOUT REVENUE REMIX: Revenue Remix is hosted by Summer Poletti, founder of Rise of Us. Feedspot Top Revenue Podcast 2025. Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and everywhere you get your podcasts. Subscribe: @RevenueRemix on YouTube Follow Summer Poletti on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/summer-poletti-rhymes-with-spaghetti-27207812/] hiring veterans, veteran employment, veteran hiring strategy, military to civilian transition, HR strategy, talent acquisition, veteran workforce, underemployed veterans, veteran integration, veteran onboarding, supporting veterans, PTSD workplace, service animals work, veteran job seekers, military skills translation, veteran resume, veteran recruiting, military leadership, leadership development, Shawn Campbell, Revenue Remix, Summer Poletti, veteran unemployment, veteran underemployment, HR executives, inclusive hiring, workforce development, private sector transition, veteran retention, decisiveness leadership, leadership podcast, business podcast, B2B podcast