If your LinkedIn leads are getting more expensive, the problem isn't always your budget—it's your ad strategy. In this episode of Closing Time, Val Riley sits down with B2B growth expert Philip Ilic to unpack one of the biggest questions facing marketers today: how to evaluate the true ROI of LinkedIn ads.

Learn why cost per lead is often misleading, how top teams prioritize pipeline generation and lead quality, and what actually drives revenue from LinkedIn. Philip breaks down how to use LinkedIn as a content distribution engine, why thought leader ads outperform traditional formats, and how to connect paid, organic, and outbound to turn engagement into real pipeline.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

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Explore Unbounce go-to-market solutions: https://unbounce.com/go-to-market-solutions/

Connect With:

• Philip Ilic: Kiin - LinkedIn ads agency // LinkedIn

• Val Riley: LinkedIn

• Insightly's Website // Unbounce's Website

Companies are rushing to adopt AI in their sales process, but very few are prepared for what it takes to implement it successfully.

In this episode of Closing Time, Val Riley sits down with Deepak Shukla, Founder of LemStudio and AI automation expert, to talk about what actually needs to happen before you start implementing AI. They get into how teams are using AI today—handling inbound lead qualification, drafting emails, booking meetings, and prepping for calls—and why those use cases often fall short without a documented playbooks (rules, workflows, and edge cases) that train your LLM.

Deepak shares his process for rolling out and monitoring AI implementation, where automation is delivering real value, and where AI still needs a human in the loop. If you're thinking about introducing AI into your sales workflow, this episode will give you a grounded look at what works, what doesn't, and how to approach it confidently.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Want expert advice delivered monthly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Closing Time newsletter to never miss an episode: https://bit.ly/3C5aZUw

Connect With:

• Deepak Shukla: // LemStudio // Website // LinkedIn

• Val Riley: LinkedIn

• Insightly's Website // Unbounce's Website

Founder-led sales is one of the most important skills a startup founder can develop. Before you hire sales reps, build a revenue team, or create a formal sales process, founders are usually the ones closing the first deals and learning what customers actually want.

In this episode of Closing Time, Val Riley sits down with entrepreneur and Harvard Business School sales lecturer Lou Shipley, author of Unlikely Entrepreneurs, to break down the three stages of founder-led sales and how founders can transition from personally winning early customers to building a scalable sales organization. You'll learn why founders should close their first 15–20 customers, how to avoid common mistakes when hiring your first salesperson, and what changes when your startup begins scaling a sales team.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Want expert advice delivered monthly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Closing Time newsletter to never miss an episode: https://bit.ly/3C5aZUw

Connect With:

• Lou Shipley: Lou's Unlikely Entrepreneur book // LinkedIn

• Val Riley: LinkedIn

• Insightly's Website // Unbounce's Website