Webinar Archive

The 4th Annual Leadership Next Summit hosted by PreSales Collective focused on evolving leadership strategies in pre-sales. With a diverse lineup of panels, the summit addressed topics such as transitioning from reactive to strategic roles, maximizing team output with limited resources, and enhancing influence without authority. Tools like AI were emphasized for increasing efficiency, while maintaining quality and consistency in the face of leaner operations was a key challenge discussed. Panels included insights on creating impactful processes, better collaboration between various roles in sales, and fostering courageous leadership.

Enablement is everywhere... but is it working? PSC’s State of Enablement 2025 uncovers the real story behind onboarding, ongoing development, SKOs, content, and metrics. The findings show structured programs are in place, but managers are carrying the load, and many efforts lack reinforcement and measurable ROI. Join us as we unpack the data with industry leaders and discuss what it means for the future of presales enablement. You’ll walk away with clarity on where teams are struggling, what’s working, and how to evolve from fragmented, tactical enablement to strategic systems that drive business outcomes. 🎙 Host: Jack Cochran 👥 Panelists: Chris Trapani, Liz Anderson, Anna Vayernis Reserve your spot and join the conversation.

The session focused on career paths within the field of pre-sales, highlighting how professionals can transition into and utilize the SE (Solutions Engineering) role as a springboard for broader career advances. Wendy McHenry facilitated a rich discussion with Diana Cappello and Penelope Thompson, who shared their non-traditional paths into pre-sales and the diverse opportunities it offers. They detailed strategies for career planning, the differences between career paths and plans, and how to identify and work towards personal and professional goals. The conversation also delved into the importance of mentorship, continuous learning, and aligning personal aspirations with business needs to fast-track career advancements.

The webinar, led by Julia Lustig and moderated by the PreSales Collective Enablement team, focused on the integration of human skills and AI in redefining pre-sales enablement for the coming decade. The session explored how AI is transforming the role of sales engineers from a traditional focus on product demos to becoming strategic advisors. Julia emphasized a bottom-up revolution where employees are adopting AI tools like ChatGPT independently to enhance productivity, despite companies' official adoption lagging behind. The session included interactive elements such as Kahoot polls to engage participants, and touched on the challenges enterprises face with AI due to factors like security concerns and lack of training. The importance of storytelling, adaptability, and strategic thinking in leveraging AI for pre-sales success was also discussed. Additionally, Naksha shared insights on using AI to enhance productivity and strategic enablement.

Navigate Your Next Career Move in Presales & Technical Sales Join fellow professionals for an evening where career growth meets community. Our panel of industry leaders will share practical frameworks for navigating career transitions, breaking into leadership roles, and building skills that matter across technical sales, individual contributor roles, and people management. Whether you're an IC looking to expand your impact, exploring presales as your next move, or move into people management, walk away with actionable frameworks, insider insights on emerging career paths, and a network of professionals who've been where you want to go. 📅 Date: Saturday, September 20 🕞 Time: 3:30 PM IST 📍 Location: TBD 👤 Host: Karthik Krishna S You’ll walk away with: ✨ Actionable strategies to guide your career decisions ✨ Insider insights on emerging career paths in presales and technical sales ✨ A stronger network of peers and mentors who’ve been where you want to go

Calling All Presales Professionals in San Francisco! Are you a presales professional looking to expand your network, exchange ideas, and connect with peers in the Bay Area? Join us for an exclusive networking mixer in San Francisco on September 25 from 6:00–9:00 PM PT! This is your chance to meet fellow presales professionals in a relaxed and welcoming setting. Whether you’re looking to forge new connections, share best practices, or simply enjoy an evening with peers, this mixer will bring the community together for meaningful conversations and professional networking. 📅 Date: Thursday, September 25 🕕 Time: 6:00–9:00 PM PT 📍 Location: TBD (details coming soon!) Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP and secure your spot. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with some of the best in the presales community! A special thank you to our partner, Storylane, for making this event possible.

Presales teams are under a lot of pressure to perform, engage with customers, run demonstrations, provide technical proof, and be the sales teams’ rockstars, all at the same time. Often the pressure can be overwhelming and many presales professionals are facing stress and burnout a higher and higher rates. In this episode of the Presales Podcast we welcome Ben Hills, founder and CEO of Iris to discuss how as leaders to scale your presales teams without burning them out in the process.

The first PreSales Collective Community Roundtable focused on transitioning from individual contributor (IC) roles to leadership within pre-sales. Jack Cochran facilitated discussions on leadership dynamics, challenges transitioning to leadership roles, and skills necessary for effective management. Key conversations highlighted the importance of relationship-building, communication, promoting team success, and cultivating a supportive team culture. Experienced leaders shared insights on managing responsibilities, emphasizing the role of soft skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to inspire and support a team.

The call hosted by Jack Cochran focused on significant updates and changes to the PreSales Collective, a community designed for those in pre-sales roles to improve their skills, find resources, participate in courses, and leverage networking opportunities. The major announcement was the rollout of new membership tiers — Free, Pro, and Pro Plus. The Free Membership remains unchanged, while the Pro and Pro Plus tiers offer additional benefits such as access to an on-demand course library, networking opportunities, and entry to exclusive events. The Pro Plus tier, in particular, offers an 'all-you-can-eat' model where members can take unlimited courses, both on-demand and instructor-led, and participate in roundtable sessions for $600/year. There was also a preview of upcoming expansions including a revamped SolCon event structure and a new live web show called PreSales Live that aims to merge webinars and podcasts.

The webinar focused on optimizing LinkedIn profiles and social selling strategies, led by Megan Hurley, an experienced SDR Director. Megan shared insights on how to enhance LinkedIn profiles by optimizing search engine visibility, creating impressive profiles, and using personalized features. She emphasized social selling techniques and maintaining a strong personal brand. Tips included utilizing features like custom buttons, focusing on skills and recommendations, strategic connections, and leveraging tools like AI for content creation. The session underlined the importance of consistency, authenticity, and community engagement on LinkedIn.

Presales teams are producing more strategic content than ever before. But maintaining quality often falls on overextended leaders doing last-minute reviews. This roundtable explores how to build scalable systems that uphold excellence—without becoming the bottleneck. Leadership Focus: Establishing scalable quality standards Delegation, coaching, and ownership without micromanaging Upleveling perceived technical rigor across the org What to Expect in a PSLC Roundtable: Our PSLC Roundtables are interactive, peer-driven conversations designed for presales professionals and leaders. These sessions go beyond presentations—they’re thoughtful discussions where your voice matters. Each roundtable includes a focused theme, small-group breakouts, and practical takeaways you can apply immediately in your role.

In the meeting, Jack Cochran and Joe Senior discuss personal experiences with migraines and their possible causes, such as ring lights used during Zoom calls. Jack shares his experience traveling to San Francisco for a business trip with multiple events. Both participants humorously reflect on their workloads while navigating their respective commitments. The meeting recording was discussed but will begin formally at a later point.

Elevate Your Customer Engagement Skills Through Hands-On Practice Join us for an interactive training experience designed to sharpen your presales techniques and build confidence in customer-facing situations. Our Monthly Roleplay Sessions provide a safe, supportive environment to practice real-world scenarios with stakeholders. What You'll Experience 🎯 Skills-Focused Learning Master the art of initial customer discovery through realistic scenarios featuring clinical operations leaders, healthcare executives, and other key decision-makers. 👥 Interactive Breakout Sessions Practice in small groups with carefully crafted scenarios that mirror actual customer interactions, complete with detailed stakeholder profiles and business contexts. 🎭 Realistic Roleplay Scenarios Engage with prospects exploring their clinical workflow challenges and digital transformation initiatives. 📈 Progressive Development Build foundational skills that will advance with each month focusing on different aspects of the presales process. Session Structure (75 minutes) Welcome & Theme Introduction (5 minutes) Scenario Recap + Skill Review (7 minutes) Roleplay Practice (45 minutes) Group Debrief & Insights (8 minutes) Wrap-Up (5 minutes) What You'll Take Away ✅ Enhanced confidence in customer-facing situations ✅ Improved stakeholder engagement strategies ✅ Peer feedback and collaborative learning insights Questions? Ready to elevate your presales skills? Register now and join us for this hands-on learning experience. This session is part of our ongoing PSC Enablement initiative designed to support skill refinement across our membership.

Elevate Your Customer Engagement Skills Through Hands-On Practice Join us for an interactive training experience designed to sharpen your presales techniques and build confidence in customer-facing situations. Our Monthly Roleplay Sessions provide a safe, supportive environment to practice real-world scenarios with stakeholders. What You'll Experience 🎯 Skills-Focused Learning Master the art of initial customer discovery through realistic scenarios featuring clinical operations leaders, healthcare executives, and other key decision-makers. 👥 Interactive Breakout Sessions Practice in small groups with carefully crafted scenarios that mirror actual customer interactions, complete with detailed stakeholder profiles and business contexts. 🎭 Realistic Roleplay Scenarios Engage with prospects exploring their clinical workflow challenges and digital transformation initiatives. 📈 Progressive Development Build foundational skills that will advance with each month focusing on different aspects of the presales process. Session Structure (75 minutes) Welcome & Theme Introduction (5 minutes) Scenario Recap + Skill Review (7 minutes) Roleplay Practice (45 minutes) Group Debrief & Insights (8 minutes) Wrap-Up (5 minutes) What You'll Take Away ✅ Enhanced confidence in customer-facing situations ✅ Improved stakeholder engagement strategies ✅ Peer feedback and collaborative learning insights Questions? Ready to elevate your presales skills? Register now and join us for this hands-on learning experience. This session is part of our ongoing PSC Enablement initiative designed to support skill refinement across our membership.

AI is transforming presales but not every team should follow the same playbook. In this episode, Akash Ganapathi, CEO at Opine, joins us to explore how company stage dramatically shapes your AI strategy. Whether you're moving fast with a lean startup team or navigating complex systems at an enterprise level, your approach to tools, timelines, and success metrics should look very different. We’ll break down the core differences between startup and enterprise AI adoption, discuss real-world examples of what works (and what backfires), and share tactical advice for leaders trying to scale smarter. You’ll walk away with a clearer framework for choosing the right AI strategy based on where your company is now, not where others are headed.

The webinar focused on discussing the integration of AI with human expertise in pre-sales and decision-making processes. The conversation highlighted the balance between relying on AI tools for efficiency and maintaining human oversight for complex decision-making and trust-building. Panelists shared insights on utilizing AI for tasks such as generating synthetic data, creating prototypes, and up-leveling demo skills. They emphasized the importance of AI as a co-pilot to enhance, not replace, human capabilities, especially in building trust and relationships with clients.

The final Leader Forum of the first half of the year, hosted by Jack Cochran, focused on examining alternatives to traditional proofs of concept (POCs) in evaluating technical sales strategies. Speakers explored how to disrupt standard technical evaluations through innovative means, moving beyond POCs to demonstrate value during sales processes. The event featured insights from Ajay Jay of Story Lane, Akash Ganapathi of Opine, and Dan Katz from Demostack, who discussed reframing customer expectations, creating trust in sales interactions, and the emergence of AI technologies in the sales ecosystem.

The webinar focused on strategic leadership in the pre-sales profession and how it is evolving in the context of AI and organizational expectations. The discussion covered transitioning from technical roles to leadership, mentorship, the impact of AI on pre-sales roles, and how to leverage AI for efficiency. Key insights included the importance of leading by example, setting clear expectations, and empowering team members to independently contribute meaningful insights. The panelists also discussed strategic approaches to influence organizational perception of pre-sales roles and ensuring their teams are integral to company success.

Join us for a FireSide chat with Dress for Success Board member Michelle Proctor where we will learn all about the mission of Dress for Success and how you can get involved! Dress for Success® economically empowers women across the globe! Dress for Success® Worldwide is the leading global nonprofit employment resource for unemployed and underemployed women. They have been at the forefront of women’s economic development for 27 years. Through their no-fee career development, job skills preparedness, mentoring and coaching, financial education, and professional attire services the women they serve are provided with the tools and skills to achieve economic self-independence. Since starting operations in 1997, Dress for Success has expanded to 134 affiliates in 20 countries and has helped more than 1.3 million women work towards self-sufficiency. Find your local affiliate here and discover how you can donate clothes, support the organization financially, get involved as a volunteer or help in other ways.  If they are not operating in your community yet, learn how to start a Dress for Success in your area! If you would like to donate, please consider ordering from their Amazon Wish List: Amazon.com.

The virtual event 'Technical Conversation EQ: Translating Complexity into Connection' focused on the significance of emotional intelligence (EQ) in technical sales conversations. Hosted by Rachel Tilghman, the panel included Chris Mabry, Joe Senior, Alexandra Nation, and Katie Sedgwick, who shared personal stories and insights on navigating complex sales environments using EQ. They explored the importance of pattern recognition, adaptability, and empathy in building connections with clients. The discussion also covered strategies for gauging customers' technical maturity, the balance of managing technical and non-technical stakeholders, and adapting to the evolving role of AI in sales processes. The event emphasized the necessity of developing EQ as a fundamental skill that technology alone cannot replace.

The webinar focused on the benefits and challenges of cross-functional collaboration in driving a unified go-to-market strategy. Jack Cochran emphasized the importance of a lively interaction and clear expectations during webinars. The panel discussed their experiences and strategies for improving cross-departmental collaboration, highlighting key challenges such as setting and managing expectations, avoiding silo mentality, and ensuring alignment to prevent breakdowns in collaboration. The importance of quantifying success through metrics and having strong feedback loops centered on business impact were considered essential for maintaining and improving collaboration. The panelists also shared personal experiences and advice on managing relationships across teams, fostering trust, being customer-focused, and building personal brands within the company.

An Exclusive Leadership Dinner in Chicago Join us on June 18th for an unforgettable evening of leadership connection, candid conversation, and peer insights. We’re gathering a select group of senior presales leaders at Tortoise Supper Club, one of Chicago’s most iconic dining destinations. We’ve reserved their private Boardroom, a warm and elegant space designed for meaningful conversation, great food, and genuine connection. This is not your typical industry event. Our Presales Leader Dinners are designed to move past small talk and bring leaders together for real conversations about what it takes to succeed in today’s presales landscape. What to Expect: • Genuine peer-to-peer conversations with fellow presales leaders • Practical strategies and leadership insights you can bring back to your team • Candid discussions on scaling teams, proving value, and navigating change • An exclusive dining experience in one of Chicago’s most memorable private spaces Event Details Date: June 18 Time: 6:00 PM CT Location: Tortoise Supper Club, Chicago (Private Boardroom) Dress Code: Business Casual Dinner and drinks are hosted, thanks to our partners at Saleo. Seats are limited to maintain an intimate, high-quality experience. RSVP now to secure your spot. Questions? Contact Courtney at courtney.flickwir@presalescollective.com. This event is hosted in partnership with Saleo.

The session focused on the challenges and strategies associated with hiring pre-sales talent in an AI-dominated environment. Mike Peditto, a recruiting expert, shared insights on how AI is transforming the hiring landscape, especially in the context of resumes and initial candidate evaluations. Key points included the importance of developing hiring processes that assess true skills over polished AI-assisted resumes, encouraging candidates to demonstrate their AI capabilities, and the concept of skills-based hiring. Participants discussed the pros and cons of AI in hiring, shared personal experiences, and debated ethical considerations.

An Exclusive Leadership Dinner in Chicago Join us on June 18th for an unforgettable evening of leadership connection, candid conversation, and peer insights. We’re gathering a select group of senior presales leaders at Tortoise Supper Club, one of Chicago’s most iconic dining destinations. We’ve reserved their private Boardroom, a warm and elegant space designed for meaningful conversation, great food, and genuine connection. This is not your typical industry event. Our Presales Leader Dinners are designed to move past small talk and bring leaders together for real conversations about what it takes to succeed in today’s presales landscape. What to Expect: • Genuine peer-to-peer conversations with fellow presales leaders • Practical strategies and leadership insights you can bring back to your team • Candid discussions on scaling teams, proving value, and navigating change • An exclusive dining experience in one of Chicago’s most memorable private spaces Event Details Date: June 18 Time: 6:00 PM CT Location: Tortoise Supper Club, Chicago (Private Boardroom) Dress Code: Business Casual Dinner and drinks are hosted, thanks to our partners at Saleo. Seats are limited to maintain an intimate, high-quality experience. RSVP now to secure your spot. Questions? Contact Courtney at courtney.flickwir@presalescollective.com. This event is hosted in partnership with Saleo.

The round table discussion centered on finding the right balance between specialists and generalists within pre-sales teams. Key challenges discussed included how to distribute technical and industry-specific expertise, manage workload and resource allocation, and the implications of corporate structures like compensation plans on team dynamics. The conversation also touched on how acquisitions impact team structure and the importance of providing clear expectations and developmental opportunities for team members.

The Career Navigator Summit was a dynamic event focusing on empowering pre-sales professionals with practical insights and strategies for career advancement. Key discussions included defining and building personal brands, networking strategies, leveraging AI in job searches, and the importance of storytelling in showcasing skills and achievements. The event emphasized the significance of proactive career management and self-promotion while maintaining authenticity.

The Partner Forum webinar discussed measuring the impact of pre-sales activities on revenue. The event featured Jack Cochran, Neil Parekh, and Ben Hills, who explored strategies to move beyond mere activity metrics. They emphasized the importance of metrics that reflect true impact, such as pipeline coverage, the role of AI in automating tasks, and the value of pre-sales in cross-functional roles. The panelists suggested using clear OKRs and a mix of individual and team-based incentives to encourage effective collaboration and contribution to broader organizational goals.

The webinar titled 'The Evolution of Solutions Consulting: Identifying the Next Leaders in Your Organization' provided an in-depth discussion on leadership within solutions consulting. Key panelists, including Chris Mabry, Gregg Aldana, and Rachel Tilghman, shared insights on evolving leadership roles in pre-sales, traits of effective leaders, and strategies for identifying and nurturing potential leaders in organizations. They emphasized the importance of soft skills, adaptability in leadership styles, and the growing need for consultants to merge technical prowess with business acumen. The panelists also stressed building trust, motivating teams, and avoiding common pitfalls in leadership development.

The webinar, led by Colin Tepper, focused on navigating tech layoffs with practical strategies for job seekers. Tepper, founder and CEO of The Training Guys, shared insights on overcoming ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) hurdles and preparing effective resumes. Attendees learned about customizing resumes for different job applications and using tools like Jobscan or Teal to improve match rates with job descriptions. Emphasizing the importance of networking and referrals in job searches, Tepper provided actionable tips and offered a free resume format template to assist participants.