Paul Higgins Podcast

Why you should listen 1. Learn how to build your own AI revenue streams now with agents and digital employees. 2. Get a reality check on where AI adoption is really at—and how it’s disrupting mid-tier SaaS faster than you think. 3. Hear practical agent use cases across sales, support, and delivery—straight from a tech leader who's helped raise $ 400 M+ and worked with Fortune 500s. If you’re still hanging your hat on your SaaS vendor adding AI features, you’re already behind. In this episode, I talk with Ken Gavranovic, a tech exec who’s been building with AI since before most people could spell LLM. Ken shares how agents (aka “digital employees”) are quietly becoming the next big service you should offer—and why relying solely on platform tools like Salesforce’s Agent Assist will cost you deals, not win them. We dive into the difference between LLMs and agents, how to package AI advisory work for clients, and the mindset shift SaaS Consulting Partners must make to stay relevant and profitable in 2025. About Ken Gavranovic Ken Gavranovic is a seasoned technology executive, global keynote speaker, and member of Thinkers50 and the Forbes Council, renowned for helping brick-and-mortar businesses leverage AI and advanced technologies for immediate, impactful results. With over three decades of experience, Ken has collaborated with top venture firms, guiding over 18 successful exits, 35 mergers and acquisitions, and one IPO. Ken’s expertise spans iconic brands like Disney World and 7-Eleven, where he implemented technology solutions that improved customer engagement and operational efficiency. Resources and Links * Productgenius.guru [https://productgenius.guru/] * Ken's LinkedIn profile [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavranovic/] * Previous episode: 611 - From CRM to Agents: How SaaS Consultants Can Sell Bigger Deals with AI [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/from-crm-to-agents-how-saas-consultants-can-sell-bigger-deals-with-ai/] * Check out more episodes of the Paul Higgins Podcast [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/podcast/] * Subscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoring [https://www.youtube.com/@PaulHigginsMentoring] * Join our newsletter [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/subscribe/] * Suggested resources [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/resources/]

Too many SaaS Consulting Partners are stuck in wait mode. Waiting for Salesforce or HubSpot to drop the perfect AI feature. Waiting for clients to ask the right questions. Waiting until they feel “ready.” Meanwhile? They’re missing the highest-margin opportunity since CRM implementations first exploded: custom AI agents. In this episode, I break down a simple, repeatable way to turn agents into a new revenue stream—without building anything from scratch, becoming a prompt engineer, or replacing your existing stack. You’ll walk away knowing how to identify agent opportunities, pitch them, and package them into $10K–$50K+ services. Resources and Links * Get the FREE training here! [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/deals/] * Previous episode: 610 - Stop Competing on Vendor Badges: Build a Brand Clients Actually Want to Buy with Erica Hakonson [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/stop-competing-on-vendor-badges-build-a-brand-clients-actually-want-to-buy-with-erica-hakonson/] * Check out more episodes of The Paul Higgins Podcast [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/podcast/] * Subscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoring [https://www.youtube.com/@PaulHigginsMentoring] * Join our newsletter [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/subscribe/] * Suggested resources [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/resources/]

Why you should listen 1. Learn how poor positioning and generic messaging quietly kill your deals before the first call. 2. Erica shares what to do when word of mouth plateaus—and how to attract buyers who don’t know you yet. 3. Discover how to be “AI-findable” and get found in marketplace searches before your competitors. If your marketing sounds just like every other partner’s, it’s already costing you deals. In this episode, I’m joined by Erica Hakonson, CEO of Maven Collective Marketing, to show you how to fix that. Erica has helped hundreds of Microsoft partners elevate their positioning, build credibility, and generate leads that don’t rely on referrals. We dig into the messaging traps most partners fall into, why AI is changing how you show up online, and how to stand out even in the most crowded categories. If you’re serious about scaling in 2025, this is one of the most important marketing episodes you’ll hear. About Erica Hakonson Erica Hakonson is the award-winning CEO and Founder of Maven Collective Marketing, a premier B2B digital marketing agency recognized across North America for its excellence in driving strategic marketing success for Microsoft Partners. With nearly 20 years of experience, Erica has built a powerhouse agency that has earned over 200 awards, including Best Firm to Work With, B2B Agency of the Year and Top Digital Marketing Company. Erica is a results-driven marketing strategist known for transforming complex technology narratives into compelling marketing strategies that elevate brand authority and accelerate revenue growth. Since founding Maven Collective Marketing in 2012, she has led high-impact campaigns for global clients, helping them outperform in competitive B2B markets through data-driven performance, distinctive positioning, and strategic content marketing. A recognized thought leader, Erica is a sought-after speaker on marketing leadership, entrepreneurship, and women in business. She has been featured in The Globe & Mail and honored with titles such as Female Entrepreneur of the Year and SME National Business Awards Editor’s Choice. Resources and Links * Mavencollectivemarketing.com [https://mavencollectivemarketing.com/] * Erica's LinkedIn profile [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericahakonson/] * 2024 Microsoft Partner Benchmark Report [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/maven] * Subscribe to Maven Collective Marketing’s LinkedIn Newsletter: Partner Marketing Bytes [https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7021220942492155904] * Maven Collective Marketing’s Youtube channel: Maven Collective Marketing [https://www.youtube.com/@MavenCollectiveMarketing] * Erica on Bluesky: ‪@ericahakonson.bsky.social‬ [https://bsky.app/profile/ericahakonson.bsky.social] * Maven Collective Marketing  on Instagram: @mavencollectivemarketing [https://www.instagram.com/mavencollectivemarketing/] * Previous episode: 609 - RevOps Reimagined: AI, Agility, and the End of Cold Outreach with Jacki Leahy [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/revops-reimagined-ai-agility-and-the-end-of-cold-outreach-with-jacki-leahy/] * Check out more episodes of the Paul Higgins Podcast [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/podcast/] * Subscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoring [https://www.youtube.com/@PaulHigginsMentoring] * Join our newsletter [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/subscribe/] * Suggested resources [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/resources/]

Why you should listen 1. Understand why rigid RevOps systems are failing SaaS teams today—and what to build instead. 2. Get actionable tips on using AI (like Clay and ChatGPT) to scale without losing your personal touch. 3. Hear how Jacki uses LinkedIn like a "social butterfly" to create inbound interest through strategic commenting. Still clinging to outdated RevOps playbooks? You might be quietly killing your growth. In this episode of the Paul Higgins Podcast, I sit down with Jacki Leahy, the high-energy founder of Activate the Magic, to unpack why cold outbound is dead and how to build a future-proof revenue engine that actually works. Jacki shares her wild journey from kindergarten teacher to scaling a SaaS company from $350K to $9M ARR, and now helping early-stage SaaS founders create flexible, client-focused RevOps systems. Jacki doesn’t pull punches. She breaks down how "best practices" are often security blankets, how to ditch broken systems in favor of experimentation, and how to use tools like LinkedIn, Clay, and AI agents to drive connection-first sales. If you want to future-proof your revenue and get bigger deals with less waste, this is your blueprint. About Jacki Leahy With a unique journey from kindergarten teacher to BDR, Jacki found her true calling as an "Accidental Admin" at LinkSquares [https://www.linksquares.com/]. As the 10th hire, she spearheaded the growth of the business development team, architecting the people, processes, and tech stack that catapulted ARR from $350K to $9M in 2 years. Since 2020, Jacki has been on the consulting side of startups as VP Operations at Eustace Consulting [https://www.eustaceconsulting.com/] and Head of Revenue Operations at Winning by Design [https://www.winningbydesign.com/]. She started ATM in August 2022, and lives in Boston MA with her mini dachshund Freddy. Resources and Links * Activatethemagic.com [https://activatethemagic.com/] * Jacki's LinkedIn profile [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackileahy/] * Previous episode: 608 - Your Challenge Isn’t Unique—But Your Response Is What Sets You Apart [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/your-challenge-isnt-uniquebut-your-response-is-what-sets-you-apart/] * Check out more episodes of the Paul Higgins Podcast [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/podcast/] * Subscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoring [https://www.youtube.com/@PaulHigginsMentoring] * Join our newsletter [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/subscribe/] * Suggested resources [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/resources/]

If you’ve ever thought, “Am I the only one dealing with this?”—you’re not. In this solo episode of the Paul Higgins Podcast, I dive into the 5 most common challenges SaaS Consulting Partners are facing today—directly from real conversations inside our group calls. From burnout to ghosted deals, half-built funnels to delegation struggles, these aren’t unique issues. They’re fixable ones. I’ll walk you through what’s working for others and the exact shifts that helped them get unstuck. Whether you’re juggling too much, following up too little, or stuck with a funnel that never launches—this episode is your reset button. Resources and Links * paulhigginsmentoring.com/deals [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/deals/] * Previous episode: 607 - More Deals, Less Drama: How AI Revolutionizes Outreach for SaaS Consulting Partners with Casey O’Toole [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/more-deals-less-drama-how-ai-revolutionizes-outreach-for-saas-consulting-partners-with-casey-otoole/] * Check out more episodes of The Paul Higgins Podcast [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/podcast/] * Subscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoring [https://www.youtube.com/@PaulHigginsMentoring] * Join our newsletter [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/subscribe/] * Suggested resources [https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/resources/]