Most product-led companies hit a wall when they try to add sales-led growth. Too often, the motions clash, teams misalign, and growth stalls. So, how do you scale revenue without sacrificing your product-led roots?

In this episode of The Revenue Leadership Podcast, Kyle Norton sits down with John Eitel, former Global VP of Sales & Success at Canva and CRO at Demandbase, about how to successfully layer a sales-led motion on top of a product-led foundation. Drawing from his experience at WP Engine and Canva, John shares how to identify the right signals to introduce sales, validate demand through customer conversations, and build a commercially viable offering without cannibalizing PLG momentum. He also reflects on how the CRO role is evolving in today’s market—and why adaptability, experimentation, and cross-functional alignment are more important than ever.

New episodes of The Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton drop every Wednesday.

Stay ahead with the latest industry developments, emerging go-to-market trends, and valuable benchmarking data. Subscribe to Topline Newsletter for expert insights from Asad Zaman every Thursday.

Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech. Catch full-length episodes every Sunday and bite-sized mini-episodes every Thursday, where our hosts sit down with top B2B tech leaders to unpack their biggest challenges—and how they overcame them.

Your’re invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!

New episodes of The Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton drop every Wednesday.

Stay ahead with the latest industry developments, emerging go-to-market trends, and valuable benchmarking data. Subscribe to Topline Newsletter for expert insights from Asad Zaman every Thursday:

https://www.joinpavilion.com/topline-newsletter

Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech. Catch full-length episodes every Sunday and bite-sized mini-episodes every Thursday, where our hosts sit down with top B2B tech leaders to unpack their biggest challenges:

https://www.joinpavilion.com/topline-podcast

Your’re invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast:

https://www.joinpavilion.com/topline-slack

Key Moments:

(00:00) Introduction

(08:51)Commercialization Strategies for SLG

(12:13) Customer Success and Support in SLG

(14:56) Pricing and Packaging for Enterprise Solutions

(17:52) Building the Sales Team for Growth

(20:52) Hiring the Right Sales Reps for Success

(30:48) Understanding User Adoption and Buyer Dynamics

(35:24) Team Building Strategies: Lessons from WP Engine and Canva

(37:23) Key Roles in Early Team Development

(42:54) Metrics for Revenue Leaders: Signals to Invest or Pull Back

(45:42) Understanding Sales-Led Growth and Incremental Value

(48:13) Balancing Sales and Self-Service Models

(51:54) Product Differentiation for Market Segments

(59:03) Aligning Sales, Marketing, and Product

(01:10:02) The Disparity in Revenue Talent

(01:13:00) Framework for Company Selection

(01:18:26) Optimizing for Company Quality

(01:21:10) What Separates Good from Great CROs?

(01:23:03) Advice for Young Leaders

(01:24:26) Lessons Learned in Team Dynamics

(01:26:26) Insights on Mental Health and Leadership

In today’s episode, Kyle sits down with Florin Tatulea, Head of Sales Development at Common Room, to discuss the evolution of outbound sales in the context of AI and technology. Florin shares insights on the importance of understanding signals and intent in sales, the changing profile of sales reps, and the role of RevOps in strategizing outbound efforts. The discussion highlights the need for collaboration across departments and the importance of sales reps mastering AI tools to effectively engage with prospects.

They also explore the changing role of sales development leaders, the hiring process, and the significance of compensation in retaining talent. The discussion emphasizes the need for a diverse skill set within sales teams and the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in a rapidly changing environment.

New episodes of The Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton drop every Wednesday.

Stay ahead with the latest industry developments, emerging go-to-market trends, and valuable benchmarking data. Subscribe to Topline Newsletter for expert insights from Asad Zaman every Thursday.

Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech. Catch full-length episodes every Sunday and bite-sized mini-episodes every Thursday, where our hosts sit down with top B2B tech leaders to unpack their biggest challenges—and how they overcame them.

Your’re invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!

Key Moments:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:49) Understanding Outbound Sales and AI's Role

(08:38) Defining Signals and Intent in Sales

(10:58) The Evolution of Outbound Sales: From 1.0 to 3.0

(14:47) The Profile of an Outbound 3.0 Sales Rep

(32:35) Building Champions in Rev Ops

(38:03) Leveraging AI for Account Insights

(39:53) Human Touch in AI Outreach

(45:52) Innovative Approaches to Outbound Sales

(49:57) The Evolution of Networking and Referrals

(01:01:59) Teaching and Sharing Insights with Prospects

(01:05:04) The Role of Sales Development Leaders

(01:09:53) Hiring and Developing Effective Sales Teams

(01:15:08) The Importance of Compensation and Career Paths in Sales

Kevin "KD" Dorsey is the Chief Revenue Officer at Finally, an all-in-one accounting and finance platform that recently raised $200 million in Series B funding. KD joins the show to discuss real-world examples of how he uses AI in his day-to-day: from developing internal AI agents to evaluating his team's calls.

New episodes of The Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton drop every Wednesday.

Stay ahead with the latest industry developments, emerging go-to-market trends, and valuable benchmarking data. Subscribe to Topline Newsletter for expert insights from Asad Zaman every Thursday.

Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech. Catch full-length episodes every Sunday and bite-sized mini-episodes every Thursday, where our hosts sit down with top B2B tech leaders to unpack their biggest challenges—and how they overcame them.

Your’re invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!

Key Moments:

(00:00) - Introduction and Podcast Overview

(01:22) - Guest Introduction: Kevin Dorsey

(02:00) - Diving into AI and GTM

(02:51) - AI in Sales: Practical Applications

(06:36) - Building AI Tools Internally

(14:21) - Call Scoring and AI Coaching

(20:44) - Issue Diagnosis with AI

(33:08) - Leveraging AI for Documentation and Training

(35:36) - Choosing Between Building and Buying AI Solutions

(40:28) - The Decision to Step Away from Founding

(41:01) - Challenges in Building AI Companies

(42:08) - The Future of SaaS Companies

(43:29) - Leveraging AI for Business Success

(46:02) - Learning and Adapting with AI

(46:50) - Exploring AI Tools and Resources

(58:04) - Evaluating AI Vendors

(01:03:04) - Personal Productivity with AI

(01:13:42) - Final Thoughts and Advice