WMYT - What makes YOU Tick? Tech Leaders Career Stories

Hosted by Richard and Tolu @ Tick Talent

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191

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Conversations with high-performing tech leaders, breaking down the decisions, failures, and strategies behind exceptional careers. It all starts by asking "what makes you tick?" Designed for founders and operators who want practical lessons from people who’ve built, scaled, and led in the real world. No theory. No hype. Just insights you can use.

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August 19, 20261 hr 22 min

E.146 - Why Nobody Knows How to Connect Anymore w/ Ravi Rajani

We live in the most connected era in history, yet real human connection has never felt rarer. In the first ever in-person What Makes You Tick, Rich and Tolu sit down with Ravi Rajani, international keynote speaker, LinkedIn Learning instructor, and author of Relationship Currency, to unpack why presence has become a lost art, and how to build relationships that actually compound in a world obsessed with shortcuts. Ravi has taught over 80,000 professionals how to communicate with charisma and connection, and worked with organisations like Oracle NetSuite, T-Mobile, Spotify, and Sherwin-Williams. This conversation is a masterclass in becoming the person people remember, trust, and choose. We discuss: 1. Why deep presence has become a lost art 2. Why instant gratification is quietly killing connection 3. The difference between reactive behaviour and true presence 4. Why the depth of your questions dictates the depth of your relationships 5. Why the person who tells the best story becomes the obvious choice 6. How to build a signature talk people repeat when you're not in the room 7. Why AI can give you the answer but not the character to hold it Plus, Ravi is giving away five copies of his book Relationship Currency. Brought to you by Tick Talent, go-to-market recruitment for early-stage tech startups: https://www.tick-talent.com/ Where to find Ravi Rajani: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theravirajani/ https://www.theravirajani.com/ Where to find Rich and Tolu: Rich: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ Tolu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toluadebekun/ Subscribe so you never miss an episode. New episodes every Wednesday, Best Bits every Sunday.

August 16, 202620 min

What Drives Humans to Do What They Do? Using Brain Science to Build Buyer Trust w/ Silvia Li

Selling is no longer about high-pressure tactics or corporate pitch decks. AI has made written content and automation so abundant that no one trusts it anymore. So now it's about alignment, trust, and emotional connection, built on how the brain actually makes decisions. In this Best Bits episode of Making Revenue Tick, Rich sits down with Silvia Li, founder of BrainSells Global, to break down the neuroscience behind high-impact sales conversations and how founders and GTM leaders can sell in a way that mirrors buyer psychology rather than outdated playbooks. We discuss: 1. Why research is table stakes, and where most people stop short 2. The SCAN model: similarity, common challenge, aha moment, and new possibility 3. Why similarity is perceived by a human, not generated by an algorithm 4. In-group vs out-group, and why your buyer's brain starts by seeing you as a threat 5. How to lower the threat level so a buyer is primed to hear you out 6. How to move from founder-led selling to empowering a new seller 7. The questions to ask to uncover what really drives your buyer Brought to you by Tick Talent, go-to-market recruitment for early-stage tech startups: https://www.tick-talent.com/ Where to find Silvia Li: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/silvia-li/ Where to find Rich: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/ra62zjWWdy8 Subscribe so you never miss an episode. New episodes every Wednesday, Best Bits every Sunday.

August 12, 202657 min

E.145 - AI Is Getting Smarter. Great Leaders Need to Become More Self-Aware w/ Tammy Aguillon

Tammy Aguillon is VP of Sales at Webflow, a revenue leader who has risen from an inbound SDR role all the way to a third-line sales leadership position. In this episode, she joins Rich and Tolu to talk about self-awareness, gut instinct, the knowing-doing gap, and why the smarter AI gets, the more leaders need to master their own minds. We discuss: 1. Why Tammy makes decisions on head, heart and gut, and how to stop doing the "shoulds" 2. Why instinct is built from experience, not separate from data 3. The hardest jump in a sales career, and it isn't the one you'd expect 4. Why belly-to-belly selling drives a 4X multiplier on win rate 5. How AI should be used to expand a team, not just cut it 6. Why enterprise buyers now arrive 80 to 90% through their journey 7. Why mental performance coaching matters more as AI gets smarter Brought to you by Tick Talent, go-to-market recruitment for early-stage tech startups: https://www.tick-talent.com/ Where to find Tammy Aguillon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammy-aguillon/ Where to find Rich and Tolu: Rich: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ Tolu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toluadebekun/ Subscribe so you never miss an episode. New episodes every Wednesday, Best Bits every Sunday. Who is Dreamfuel?Dreamfuel is a neuroscience-based mental performance coaching platform designed primarily for technology founders, executive leaders, and high-pressure corporate teams. The company provides executive coaching and cognitive training to eliminate psychological barriers, manage severe workplace stress, and optimize daily decision-making under intense stakeholder pressure.What do Dreamfuel do?Unlock peak performance with neuroscience backed coaching. They help founders, executives, and sales teams sharpen focus, build confidence, and achieve their biggest goals.Book your complimentary 1:1 mental performance coaching session with Dreamfuel today: https://www.dreamfuel.com/schedule-your-demo

August 9, 202624 min

Why So Many Adults Stop Chasing Their Dreams (And How To Get Them Back) w/ Kevin Bailey (Dreamfuel)

"I dont believe founders fail. I believe they quit. Internally, then externally." - Kevin Bailey, CEO Dreamfuel.This is a best bits episode of What Makes You Tick, 20 mins on Your Dreams! Nobody tells you when you've stopped dreaming.There's no announcement.No big decision.One day you're building a life.The next, you're simply maintaining one.This conversation with Dreamfuel founder Kevin Bailey isn't about motivation.It's about why so many ambitious people lose sight of what they actually wanted—and how to find it again.We talk about:• Why dreams matter more than goals• Why achievement doesn't guarantee happiness• The invisible moment people stop pursuing their potential• Why now is the best time in history to build something meaningfulIf this resonates with you...Ask yourself one question:"What's the dream I've stopped giving attention to?"And then get some help in finding the resilience to keep going!Who is Dreamfuel?Dreamfuel is a neuroscience-based mental performance coaching platform designed primarily for technology founders, executive leaders, and high-pressure corporate teams. The company provides executive coaching and cognitive training to eliminate psychological barriers, manage severe workplace stress, and optimize daily decision-making under intense stakeholder pressure.What do Dreamfuel do?Unlock peak performance with neuroscience backed coaching. They help founders, executives, and sales teams sharpen focus, build confidence, and achieve their biggest goals.Book your complimentary 1:1 mental performance coaching session with Dreamfuel today: https://www.dreamfuel.com/schedule-your-demo🎙️ Guest: Kevin Bailey — Founder, Dreamfuel🔗 Connect with Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinjamesbailey🌐 Dreamfuel: https://dreamfuel.com🎙️ Hosts: Richard Washington & Tolu Adebekun🔗 Rich: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/🔗 Tolu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toluadebekun/🌐 Tick Talent: https://www.tick-talent.com/👉 Subscribe so you never miss an episode, new episodes every Wednesday, Best Bits every Sunday.#neuroscience #highperformance #mentalperformance #mindset #dopamine #serotonin #happiness #ambition #salesperformance #leadership #founders #startups #breathwork #visualization #flowstate #dreamfuel #whatmakesyoutick #ticktalent #peakperformance #mentalhealth #personaldevelopment #B2B #GTM #kevinbailey #dreamfuel #ticktalent #wmyt

August 5, 20261 hr 13 min

E.144 - How Great Product Leaders Build AI Products Customers Actually Want w/ Chris Patton

Chris Patton is Principal Product Manager, AI at Productboard, with nearly 20 years in the San Francisco startup world spanning engineering, user experience, and product. In this episode, he joins Rich and Tolu to talk about how great product leaders build AI products people actually want, what stays human as models get better, and the mission-led project he's building around universal basic income. We discuss: 1. Why "ready, fire, aim" beats waiting for the perfect product 2. The two kinds of patience every product leader needs 3. How to interview a company as much as they interview you 4. Why banning AI in hiring is a mistake 5. What stays human in product management as AI improves 6. Why the best hires are interested, not just passionate 7. Universal basic income and the future of AI and work Brought to you by Tick Talent, go-to-market recruitment for early-stage tech startups: https://www.tick-talent.com/ Where to find Chris Patton: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpatton/ Where to find Rich and Tolu: Rich: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ Tolu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toluadebekun/ Subscribe so you never miss an episode. New episodes every Wednesday, Best Bits every Sunday.

August 2, 202620 min

Startup Leadership Masterclass: Building Revenue Teams Without Silos

Startups rarely fail because they have bad people who aren't capable (although sometimes they just hire badly). They really fail because of silos, with Sales, Product, Marketing, and Customer Success all pulling in different directions. In this Best Bits episode, Rich sits down with revenue leader Kartik Gade, Strategic Sales Leader at HashiCorp and formerly of Puppet and Oracle, to talk deeply about what modern revenue organisations look like, why traditional sales structures are breaking down, and how founders can build teams that scale without creating silos. We cover: 1. Why the customer journey has fundamentally changed 2. Why "sales is a team sport" more than ever 3. How Product, Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success should work together 4. The hidden cost of siloed teams 5. Why customers get frustrated with fragmented buying experiences 6. How to shorten enterprise sales cycles 7. How to build a revenue organisation that scales with your business Whether you're a founder building your first GTM team, a CRO redesigning your revenue engine, or a revenue leader trying to improve cross-functional collaboration, this episode is packed with practical ideas you can apply immediately. Brought to you by Tick Talent, go-to-market recruitment for early-stage tech startups: https://www.tick-talent.com/ Where to find Kartik Gade: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kartikgade/ Where to find Rich: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ Subscribe so you never miss an episode. New episodes every Wednesday, Best Bits every Sunday.

July 29, 20261 hr 14 min

E.143 - AI Is Replacing Salespeople. Here's Who Survives. 50 Years of Sales Wisdom

Rick Roberge has been in sales for over 50 years, written more than 1,000 articles, and is the mind behind Project 200 and the Referral Tree. After 10,000 cold calls in the 1980s, he made his business phone number non-published and decided to work by referral only, and he's had an endless stream of referrals ever since. In this episode of Making Revenue Tick, he joins Rich to share what five decades of selling has taught him, and who survives as AI reshapes the profession. We discuss: 1. Why the "scaly" sales model stripped 80% of the job away from salespeople 2. Who survives when AI can replace parts of the sales role 3. Project 200: the referral system Rick built 40 years ago that still works 4. The Referral Tree, and why you either start a new branch or make one bushier 5. Why you should let prospects prioritise themselves instead of chasing them 6. How Rick was the common factor behind two people who each built half of HubSpot's business 7. Why you should stop asking for referrals if you actually want to get them Brought to you by Tick Talent, go-to-market recruitment for early-stage tech startups: https://www.tick-talent.com/ Where to find Rick Roberge: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickroberge/ Website: https://rickroberge.com https://www.rickroberge.com/how-to-get-referrals Where to find Rich: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ Subscribe so you never miss an episode. New episodes every Wednesday, Best Bits every Sunday.

July 26, 202634 min

How to Hire for Collaboration and Prep Every Sales Call With AI | Field Notes WMYT Edition

This is a WMYT takeover! Rich Washington and James Bissell are back from their summer break with a new episode of Field Notes.Two topics, two big ideas for any revenue leader building a team and a sales process right now.First, collaboration as a hiring criteria. Rich explains why a lack of collaboration fills a company with dividers, why 89% of mishires come down to attitude and cultural misalignment rather than capability, and the four levels of culture from compliant to collaborative. Second, the lack of planning in sales. James makes the case for just-in-time coaching, blocking 15 minutes before and after every key meeting, and using AI to prep, from reviewing a HubSpot opportunity in Claude to scenario planning with Grok in the car. 🎙️ Hosts: Rich Washington & James Bissell🔗 Connect with Rich: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/🔗 Connect with James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bissell1/ Brought to you by Tick Talent, go-to-market recruitment for early-stage tech startups: https://www.tick-talent.com/ Subscribe so you never miss an episode. #hiring #collaboration #salesleadership #recruitment #salesenablement #salescoaching #discovery #salesplanning #AIinsales #financialstorytelling #B2Bsales #GTM #revenueleadership #fieldnotes #whatmakesyoutick #ticktalent #richwashington #jamesbissell #salestips #hiringforbehaviours

July 22, 20261 hr 4 min

E.142 - Why the World's Best SaaS Companies Are Betting on Customer Success to Drive Revenue

Marco Carrubba is a customer success leader who has spent his career at some of the biggest technology companies in the world, including Microsoft, VMware, and now LinkedIn. In this episode of Making Revenue Tick, he joins Rich to unpack why customer success has moved from a support function into the commercial engine of the world's best SaaS businesses, and how AI is reshaping the discipline in real time. We discuss: 1. How customer success became a revenue-owning function 2. Why 70% of job skills will change by 2030, and which won't 3. Why most companies aren't seeing ROI on AI 4. How the biggest companies actually roll out AI 5. What token-based pricing means for customer success 6. Why human relationships still win in an AI world 7. What Marco is most excited and most fearful about Brought to you by Tick Talent, go-to-market recruitment for early-stage tech startups: https://www.tick-talent.com/ Where to find Marco Carrubba: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcocarrubba/ Where to find Rich: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ Subscribe so you never miss an episode. New episodes every Wednesday, Best Bits every Sunday. #customersuccess #SaaS #B2BSaaS #AI #revenueleadership #NRR #customerretention #netrevenueretention #GTM #gotomarket #tokenpricing #futureofwork #AIskills #makingreveneutick #whatmakesyoutick #ticktalent #richwashington #marcocarrubba #linkedin #customerexperience

July 19, 202618 min

The #1 Mistake US Tech Companies Make When Expanding into Europe

Michael Schirrmacher, the current RVP New Business at Zuora, has spent his career building and scaling for US tech companies. This is a Best Bits episode covering the single biggest mistake US companies make when landing in EMEA: hiring one AE to break open an entire continent. This is a Best Bits episode covering the single biggest mistake US companies make when landing in EMEA: hiring one AE to break open an entire continent. We discuss: 1. Why hiring a single salesperson to open a region is sink or swim, and why Michael advises avoiding it at all costs 2. What it actually feels like to be the first hire, sat in a home office 5,000 miles from every colleague 3. The Bloomreach story: an AE 18 months in, genuinely good, and still set up to fail 4. Why dialling a solution consultant in from the States tells your customers you are not serious about their region 5. Why hiring a leader first works better, and why that leader should be a VP or GM rather than a manager 6. Why the head of Europe and the head of the East Coast are called peers but do completely different jobs 7. Why you cannot scale a region from a base of individual contributors each running their own operating system Brought to you by Tick Talent, go-to-market recruitment for early-stage tech startups: https://www.tick-talent.com/ Where to find Michael Schirrmacher: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelschirrmacher/ Where to find Rich: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/ Subscribe so you never miss an episode. New episodes every Wednesday, Best Bits every Sunday.