The Cheat Code & Friends

Leadership, Burnout and Purpose - Season 5: Episode # 90

A lot of leaders look successful right before they burn out. In this episode of the Cheat Code + Friends podcast, Jason Yarborough talks about the pressure behind modern leadership and why constant performance is leaving people disconnected from themselves, their teams, and the work they used to care about. The conversation explores burnout, identity, company culture, and the growing expectation that leaders should always be available, always producing, and always winning. Jason also shares why self-awareness, community, and honest conversations are becoming essential for leaders trying to build high-performing teams without losing themselves in the process. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene 04:32 The Modern Leadership Trap 09:52 Finding Self-Worth in Leadership 15:01 The Impact of Social Media on Leadership Perception 18:08 Influencing Organizational Culture 18:48 Understanding Motivation and Empowerment 20:54 Navigating Organizational Change and Leadership 22:41 The Impact of Leadership on Team Dynamics 23:51 Balancing Performance and Personal Well-being 26:02 Adapting to Market Changes and Personal Fulfillment 29:25 Generational Shifts in Work Culture 31:38 Creating Safe Spaces for Personal Growth 34:38 The Role of Leadership in Organizational Health 37:43 Demand for Mental Health and Coaching in Organizations 39:45 Individual Responsibility in Personal Development 42:57 The Arcadia Leadership Experience References in the Show: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/05/executives-are-burning-out-dont-know-how-to-cope-management-experts.html [https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/05/executives-are-burning-out-dont-know-how-to-cope-management-experts.html]  https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisacurtis/2026/04/29/the-ceos-beating-burnout-retention-loss-and-hustle-culture-all-at-once/ [https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisacurtis/2026/04/29/the-ceos-beating-burnout-retention-loss-and-hustle-culture-all-at-once/]  Quote of the Show: “I think part of the reason why we want Arcadia to focus on leaders is that everything rises and falls on leadership. How you operate and how you show up as a leader are going to be everything, and so is how your team shows up. The pressure you put under your team is going to rise and fall on the pressure that you feel in yourself.” - Jason Yarborough Ways to Tune In: * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpM8myxsUinc5bfLIbjJz?si=0af576adfb8e49f8 [https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpM8myxsUinc5bfLIbjJz?si=0af576adfb8e49f8]  * Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cheat-code/id1692445190 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cheat-code/id1692445190]  * Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cb0b3afa-063f-4f3b-96be-b98214c74912 [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cb0b3afa-063f-4f3b-96be-b98214c74912]  * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CheatCodePodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@CheatCodePodcast]

Category Creation, Problems and Storytelling - Season 5: Episode # 89

The best companies win by changing how buyers think about the problem. Mike Damphousse joins the podcast to share the principles behind category creation and why most startups get trapped competing inside crowded markets they did not define. Drawing from his work with founders, investors, and high-growth companies, Mike explains how category design shifts the conversation away from product comparisons and toward strategic narrative. This episode covers product-market fit, emotional storytelling, positioning, and why strong messaging starts with identifying the missing piece in the market. Mike also shares lessons from working with startups at every stage, how companies create momentum around new ideas, and where AI may reshape strategic consulting in the years ahead. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Category Design and Founding Journey 02:57 The Evolution of Green Leads and Category Design Advisors 06:11 The Importance of Category Creation in Business Strategy 09:01 Understanding Market Product Fit vs. Product Market Fit 11:50 The Role of Category Designers in Business 15:06 Challenges in Category Creation Mindset 18:10 Marketing the Problem, Not the Product 21:57 The Importance of Data in Category Design 23:59 Aligning Organizations for Category Creation 26:54 Deliverables and Execution in Category Design 30:11 The Future of Category Creation in an AI World References in the Show: https://www.thecategorycreationformula.com/ [https://www.thecategorycreationformula.com/]  https://www.categorydesignadvisors.com/category-design-rx/ [https://www.categorydesignadvisors.com/category-design-rx/]  Quote of the Show: “I'm so impressed with what anybody can do with AI today. It's going to change the way we work, but it's not going to take away the work. It's just going to change how we operate. The new electricity.” - Mike Damphousse  Ways to Tune In: * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpM8myxsUinc5bfLIbjJz?si=0af576adfb8e49f8 [https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpM8myxsUinc5bfLIbjJz?si=0af576adfb8e49f8]  * Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cheat-code/id1692445190 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cheat-code/id1692445190]  * Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cb0b3afa-063f-4f3b-96be-b98214c74912 [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cb0b3afa-063f-4f3b-96be-b98214c74912]  * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CheatCodePodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@CheatCodePodcast]

Fundamentals, Risk and Differentiation - Season 5: Episode # 88

In this episode of the Cheat Code + Friends podcast, Hannah Ajikawo shares what actually drives sales performance in competitive markets. As CEO and founder of Revenue Funnel, she explains why most teams focus too much on internal process and not enough on how buyers make decisions, which ultimately creates a gap that stalls growth. In her experience, sales fundamentals are getting ignored and buyers are getting harder to convince. Hannah shares how credibility is built, why borrowing trust can accelerate deals, and how strong execution often matters more than product differentiation. She also covers hiring, consultative selling, and the role of AI in shaping modern go-to-market without replacing the fundamentals. Looking for advice on partnerships, customer experience, and why helping buyers make confident decisions is the real job of sales? This episode has you covered.  Chapters 00:00 The Unsexy Fundamentals of Sales 05:53 Understanding Buyer Dynamics 09:02 Building Credibility in Sales 12:09 Navigating Competitive Markets 14:49 The Importance of Customer Experience 17:55 The Role of AI in Sales Strategy 20:49 The Power of Partnerships in B2B 24:23 Innovative Go-to-Market Strategies 25:19 Leveraging AI in Consulting 28:10 The Importance of Authenticity in Sales 30:49 Hiring the Right Sales Reps 39:45 Revenue Funnel's Unique Approach References in the Show: https://www.fastcompany.com/91464721/2026-will-be-the-year-marketers-rediscover-the-basics [https://www.fastcompany.com/91464721/2026-will-be-the-year-marketers-rediscover-the-basics]  https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesagencycouncil/2026/02/10/the-b2b-buyer-journey-isnt-what-it-used-to-be [https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesagencycouncil/2026/02/10/the-b2b-buyer-journey-isnt-what-it-used-to-be]  Quote of the Show: “When we think about the fundamentals, particularly wrapping it around the startup world, it's, who are you selling to? What problem are you solving? It's so unsexy that people cannot believe that's the conversation that we're starting with.” - Hannah Ajikawo Ways to Tune In: * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpM8myxsUinc5bfLIbjJz?si=0af576adfb8e49f8 [https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpM8myxsUinc5bfLIbjJz?si=0af576adfb8e49f8]  * Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cheat-code/id1692445190 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cheat-code/id1692445190]  * Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cb0b3afa-063f-4f3b-96be-b98214c74912 [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cb0b3afa-063f-4f3b-96be-b98214c74912]  * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CheatCodePodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@CheatCodePodcast]

Gifting, Attention and Saturation - Season 5: Episode # 87

Listen now: Digital channels are getting saturated, and AI is accelerating the noise. Kris Rudeegraap shares how that shift is changing the way companies capture attention and build relationships. As CEO of Sendoso, he walks through why email alone no longer works, how gifting and direct mail are being used across the entire funnel, and what makes certain outreach actually stand out. Kris explains how teams are combining channels, using data to personalize at the individual level, and experimenting with creative sends that drive real engagement. He also breaks down how AI is shaping the future of go-to-market, from smarter timing and messaging to autonomous agents that support sales teams.  Tune in for insights on acquisitions, scaling into new markets, and why human relationships are becoming more important as automation increases. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates 06:28 The Evolution of Sendoso and Gifting Strategies 12:27 Market Trends and Segment Adoption 14:29 Changing Buyer Behavior and Sales Strategies 14:57 The Power of Gifting in Marketing 18:10 Creative Use Cases for Gifting 22:00 AI's Role in Personalization and Gifting 24:17 Market Expansion and Customer Insights 28:01 Navigating Acquisitions and Integration Challenges 37:58 The Future of Sales with AI and Human Interaction References in the Show: https://www.giftbit.com/2026-trend-report [https://www.giftbit.com/2026-trend-report]  https://ddbricks.com/post/corporate-gifting-trends-2026-from-objects-to-experiences-why-budgets-are-shifting [https://ddbricks.com/post/corporate-gifting-trends-2026-from-objects-to-experiences-why-budgets-are-shifting]  Quote of the Show: “I still believe in email. I don't think email is dead. I just think you can't be email-only, which you could have been five years ago, 10 years ago. And so when you need to add other channels, one of the obvious ones that works really well is gifting a direct mail, and we're poised for helping a lot of companies since we've built the infrastructure and the data layer over the last decade.” - Kris Rudeegraap Ways to Tune In: * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpM8myxsUinc5bfLIbjJz?si=0af576adfb8e49f8 [https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpM8myxsUinc5bfLIbjJz?si=0af576adfb8e49f8]  * Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cheat-code/id1692445190 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cheat-code/id1692445190]  * Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cb0b3afa-063f-4f3b-96be-b98214c74912 [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cb0b3afa-063f-4f3b-96be-b98214c74912]  * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CheatCodePodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@CheatCodePodcast]

Coaching, Performance and Trust - Season 5: Episode # 86

Bad sales reps have always had places to hide. AI is starting to remove them. In this episode, Matthew Whyatt shares what happens when sales teams finally see the truth: which reps are really performing, which managers are actually coaching, and where deals start breaking down. The conversation focuses less on AI hype and more on what sales leaders can do with better visibility, better data, and better training. Matthew gives his opinion on why strong sales remains a human-to-human skill, even as AI reshapes how teams prepare, practice, and improve. He talks through the role of discovery, the danger of over-explaining in demos, and why guiding the buyer is often just as important as pitching the product. They also dig into objection handling, onboarding, sales management, and the growing pressure on leaders to raise standards rather than rely on instinct.  Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Light Banter 02:59 Sales Backgrounds and Early Experiences 06:01 The Impact of AI on Sales 11:51 Sales Management and Coaching Challenges 18:00 The Future of Sales with AI 19:38 AI in Sales Training and Onboarding 22:29 Challenges in Mid-Market and Enterprise Sales 25:15 Real-Time Coaching and Sales Skills 27:16 The Importance of Human Connection in Sales 30:01 Guiding the Buyer Through the Sales Process 36:01 The Role of Marketing in Modern Sales 42:54 Tech Talk: Insights from Matthew Whyatt References in the Show: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ai-wont-replace-your-sales-team-itll-just-expose-lazy-matthew-whyatt-kpq9c/?trackingId=a%2BGQ6EiGSH%2BeaPS8yVR63Q%3D%3D [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ai-wont-replace-your-sales-team-itll-just-expose-lazy-matthew-whyatt-kpq9c/?trackingId=a%2BGQ6EiGSH%2BeaPS8yVR63Q%3D%3D]  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ceo-and-the-salesman-podcast/id1635865557 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ceo-and-the-salesman-podcast/id1635865557]  Quote of the Show: “AI is removing the nooks and crannies that crappy salespeople can hide in.” - Matthew Whyatt  Ways to Tune In: * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpM8myxsUinc5bfLIbjJz?si=0af576adfb8e49f8 [https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpM8myxsUinc5bfLIbjJz?si=0af576adfb8e49f8]  * Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cheat-code/id1692445190 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cheat-code/id1692445190]  * Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cb0b3afa-063f-4f3b-96be-b98214c74912 [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cb0b3afa-063f-4f3b-96be-b98214c74912]  * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CheatCodePodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@CheatCodePodcast]