The Unexpected Lever
The secret sauce to your sales success? It’s what happens before the sale. It’s the planning, the strategy, the leadership. And it’s more than demo automation. It’s the thoughtful work that connects people, processes, and performance. If you want strong revenue, high retention, and shorter sales cycles, the pre-work—centered around the human—still makes the dream work. But you already know that.
The Unexpected Lever is your partner in growing revenue by doing what great sales leaders do best. Combining vision with execution. Brought to you by Vivun, this show highlights the people and peers behind the brands who understand what it takes to build and lead high-performing sales teams. You’re not just preparing for the sale—you’re unlocking potential.
Join us as we share stories of sales leaders who make a difference, their challenges, their wins, and the human connections that drive results, one solution at a time.
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 11 minutes
- Episodes
- 40
- Years Active
- 2024 - 2025
Rethinking Territory Planning with Andrew Berger, Capchase
Is your team still stuck in the old way of territory planning?
In this episode of V5, Jarod Greene is joined by Andrew Berger, VP of Revenue at Capchase, to challenge a long-standing sales tradition.
…
Why People-Centered Leaders Build Resilient Teams with Kelley Hippler, Briefly
Why do so many sales leaders fail before they even get started?
In this episode, Jarod Greene chats with Kelley Hippler, CRO at Briefly, about why people-centered leadership is the key to building sal…
Fixing the Broken B2B Buying Journey with James Kaikis, TestBox
Is your buying experience built for the customer or just convenient for you?
In this episode, Jarod Greene welcomes James Kaikis, CRXO at TestBox, to challenge how SaaS companies treat their customers…
Replacing Sales Bloatware with AI That Works
Why does so much sales tech still feel like extra work? And how can AI actually make life easier for AEs and SEs instead of adding to the noise?
In this episode, Vivun’s senior selling team, Account E…
Is AI Exposing Marketers Who Can’t Connect? with Lucas Welch
Can AI make us more human in how we go to market?
In this episode, Jarod Greene sits down with Lucas Welch, VP of Corporate Marketing at Highspot, for a conversation about authenticity, AI, and the po…
The Truth About Scaling GTM with AI with Jarod Greene
How do you scale a team without scaling headcount? And why are some companies still slow to adopt AI despite clear advantages?
In this episode, Vivun CEO Matt Darrow sits down with CMO and fellow podc…
The Rise of SEs in Sales with Michelle Afshar
Is the traditional sales model evolving with the rise of SEs?
In this episode, Jarod Greene sits down with Michelle Afshar, Global Head of Enablement at Darktrace, to unfold the shifting dynamics with…
Leveraging AI for Meaningful Market Research with Claudia Natasia, Riley AI
Are you using AI correctly for market research?
In this episode of V5, Jarod Greene sits down with Claudia Natasia, CEO of Riley AI, to discuss the evolving role of AI in customer insights.
Claudia br…
The Future of CROs in B2B Sales with Kelly Lewis
Is the CRO role changing to meet modern sales demands?
In this episode, Jarod Greene connects with Kelly Lewis of B2B Go-To-Market Strategy, to discuss the ever-evolving nature of the CRO role and B2…
Software Is a Commodity with Margaret Kelsey, Kodaris
Is brand the last real differentiator?
In this episode of V5, Jarod Greene talks with Margaret Kelsey, CMO of Kodaris, about the shifting landscape of B2B marketing.
Margaret argues that software has b…
What Sales Leaders Actually Need to Know About AI with Trevor Jett
What actually is an AI agent vs. a personal productivity tool? And how do you navigate the vast vendor landscape?
AI is changing the sales game, but are leaders truly harnessing its potential? In thi…
Why Discovery Wins Deals with Tom Josephson
Are sales engineers too focused on features instead of what customers really need?
In this episode, Jarod Greene connects with Tom Josephson, Senior Director of Solution Consulting at TCP Software, to…
What Separates Great Sales Engineers from the Rest with Marjorie Abdelkrime
Are sales engineers relying too much on technical expertise and missing what truly drives customer decisions?
In this special V15 episode, Jarod Greene sits down with Marjorie Abdelkrime, Head of US W…
Why Sales Teams Struggle to Connect with Customers with Jeff Margolese
Are sales teams too focused on flashy demos and missing what really matters to customers?
In this episode of V5, Jarod Greene welcomes Jeff Margolese, SVP of Global Solution Consulting at ServiceNow, …
AI Agents & Security: Safeguarding Your Data in an Evolving Threat Landscape
Is AI security keeping up?
Agentic AI is poised to transform B2B, but will security concerns block its potential? In this episode of The Unexpected Lever, Vivun CEO Matt Darrow sits down with security…
AI-Driven Presales: Faster Onboarding, Smarter Selling with Toby Penn
Is an AI Sales Engineer the key to faster presales onboarding and smarter sellers?
In this episode of V5, Jarod Greene sits down with Toby Penn, an experienced global presales leader, to explore how A…
Marketing Channels are Dead with Mark Kilens, TACK
Are marketing channels dead?
In this episode of The Unexpected Lever, Jarod Greene sits down with Mark Kilens, CEO and Co-Founder of TACK, to challenge a long-held belief in B2B marketing.
Mark argues…
Why the Traditional SaaS Model Is Broken with Bill Balnave, Mezmo
Is the traditional SaaS sales model holding us back?
In this episode, Jarod Greene welcomes back Bill Balnave, Vice President of Technical Services of Mezmo, to explore how outdated sales processes ar…
Designing AI Agents that Work with Humans, with Stephany Cardet
What if your tools worked like your best teammate?
In this episode, Vivun CEO Matt Darrow talks with Vivun’s Lead AI Product Designer, Stephany Cardet, about what goes into designing AI Sales Assistan…
Boosting Sales Alignment Through SE Quotas with Nicole Kawamoto, ServiceTitan
Are individual quotas the secret to SE-Sales team synergy??
In this episode, Jarod Greene sits down with Nicole Kawamoto, Director of Solutions Engineering from ServiceTitan, to explore how a shift in…