The Cheat Code & Friends

Join the hosts for a conversation with Jon Miller, co-founder of Marketo and one of the most influential minds in modern marketing, on how AI, tactic fatigue, and buyer anonymity are forcing marketers to evolve faster than ever. Together they explore the cracks forming in legacy marketing automation and the rise of signal-based journeys. Jon breaks down why the next decade of marketing won’t look anything like the last.This episode explains why marketers must shift from tactics to context, how AI can streamline operations without sacrificing creativity, and why sales and marketing alignment is still so painfully hard (and what might finally fix it). Jon also digs into the innovator’s dilemma facing big MarTech vendors, the resurgence of niche vertical plays, and the new skills marketers will need to thrive.If you’ve ever felt like your marketing is losing its edge, this episode will redefine how you think about innovation, AI, and the future of go-to-market.Chapters00:00 Thanksgiving Reflections and Family Dynamics02:59 The Evolution of Marketing Technology06:01 The Impact of AI on Marketing Strategies09:06 Tactic Fatigue and the Tragedy of the Commons11:59 The Role of Specialization in Marketing15:00 Training AI: The New Marketing Operations19:59 Future of Marketing Jobs and Operations20:34 The Role of AI in Marketing Operations23:08 Evolving Skills in Marketing Operations24:52 Sales and Marketing Alignment Challenges27:05 Leveraging AI for Content Creation30:19 Insights from Market Mapping31:41 The Future of AI in B2B Marketing34:27 Innovator's Dilemma in MarTech39:22 Pricing Innovations in the AI Era42:09 Personalizing Buyer Journeys with AIReferences in the Show:https://chiefmartec.com/2025/05/beyond-ai-assistants-how-ai-is-being-more-deeply-embedded-in-marketing-and-martech-stacks/ https://martech.org/the-three-forces-that-shaped-martech-in-2025/ Quote of the Show:"Can your average field marketer now come along and just say, hey, AI, go make me a new webinar for this audience and for this segment? And it actually does it the right way.” - Jon MillerWays to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpM8myxsUinc5bfLIbjJz?si=0af576adfb8e49f8 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cheat-code/id1692445190 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cb0b3afa-063f-4f3b-96be-b98214c74912 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CheatCodePodcast

Tune in for a conversation with the man, the myth, the legend, Bill Binch, Operating Partner at Battery Ventures and former sales executive at Marketo, on what it really takes to build high-performing sales teams in today’s AI-driven world.From hiring for the right sales mindset to building customer-focused teams and scalable sales processes, Bill shares hard-earned lessons from decades of leading and advising top SaaS companies. He breaks down how founders can make smarter sales hires, why continuous learning separates great leaders from the rest, and how AI is reshaping the future of selling.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Overview of the Conversation03:05 A Day in the Life of an Operating Partner05:57 Sales Hiring Challenges and Strategies11:37 Identifying the Right Sales DNA17:50 The Importance of Value Selling23:52 Building a Sales Process in Early-Stage Companies29:47 Adapting to AI in Sales35:42 Success Signals for New Sales Hires41:37 Navigating Stale Deals and Customer RelationshipsReferences in the Show:https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-layoffs-salespeople-relationship-guy-ai-solution-engineer-investor-2025-7 https://hbr.org/2025/09/how-successful-sales-teams-are-embracing-agentic-ai Quote of the Show:"I wish I could write the one-size-fits-all book on your first sales hire or your first five sales hires and what order they should be. Should it be a sales rep? Should it be a sales leader? Should you have sales engineers? What should you have? What shouldn't you have? But I don't think that exists because it really depends on a number of different factors.” - Bill BinchWays to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpM8myxsUinc5bfLIbjJz?si=0af576adfb8e49f8 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cheat-code/id1692445190 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cb0b3afa-063f-4f3b-96be-b98214c74912 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CheatCodePodcast

Tune in for a conversation with Mark Schopmeyer, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of CaptivateIQ, on how incentive compensation can make or break the success of an early-stage company.From the critical role of founding AEs to the delicate balance between keeping plans simple and aligning them with big-picture goals, Mark explains why no single model works for every business. They dig into the importance of trust and transparency in compensation plans, how leadership choices shape performance, and why cultural alignment is just as powerful as equity when it comes to motivating teams. You’ll also hear highlights from CaptivateIQ’s latest State of Incentive Compensation report, filled with trends and best practices that modern companies can’t afford to ignore.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Team Dynamics02:51 Incentive Compensation Overview05:49 Founding AE Concept and Compensation Strategies08:49 The Importance of Simplicity in Compensation Plans11:44 Leadership and Organizational Culture in Compensation14:47 Equity Packages and Early Stage Hiring17:28 Balancing Risk and Reward in Startups20:30 The Role of Accountability in Startup Success27:40 Building a Long-Term Vision30:42 Incentivizing Performance: Equity vs. Compensation32:20 Understanding the Bigger Picture in Startups32:54 Unlocking Outsized Performance through Trust34:25 The Role of Culture in Compensation36:07 The Relationship Between Ops and Frontlines39:02 Building Trust in Compensation Plans42:21 The Value of High Performers43:48 Behavioral Insights in Sales Performance45:20 Integrating Performance Culture Post-M&A46:28 Incentivizing Beyond Traditional Roles51:25 The State of Compensation ReportReferences in the Show:https://www.captivateiq.com/resources/captivateiq-2025-sales-compensation-benchmarks-report? https://www.hrdive.com/news/2026-raises-to-hold-steady-compensation/759671/? Quote of the Show:"If there's anything I've learned working with startups and early stage companies and early stage founders, there's no correct way to do [things]. There's just a lot of methods to the madness. And I think founding AEs is no different.” - Mark SchopmeyerWays to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpM8myxsUinc5bfLIbjJz?si=0af576adfb8e49f8 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cheat-code/id1692445190 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cb0b3afa-063f-4f3b-96be-b98214c74912 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CheatCodePodcast

Tune in for a conversation with Don Fotsch, Cofounder of BDS AI (Battery Detection Systems), on how Arizona’s tech ecosystem is growing into a hub of innovation and opportunity.From bridging the gap between talent and funding to redefining how values shape hiring and community building, Don explains what it takes to grow a thriving startup culture outside of Silicon Valley. They dig into the challenges of post-pandemic workforce development, why real-world experience is often more valuable than traditional education, and how mentorship and collaboration can fuel the next generation of entrepreneurs. If you’re ready to discover what makes Arizona’s startup scene one to watch, this episode is for you.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction02:55 Don's Background and Career Journey05:57 Transition to Arizona and Observations08:52 The Arizona Nerd Network and Its Purpose11:58 Building a Tech Community in Arizona14:57 Future of Tech in Arizona and Closing Thoughts17:27 Embracing Growth Opportunities19:57 The Value of Community and Talent21:57 Building Connections in Tech24:49 The Importance of Education and Context28:05 Understanding Arizona's Unique Position29:59 The Role of Values in Technology31:51 Shifting Perspectives on Industry and Innovation33:59 Learning from Successful Founders36:11 Recruiting Talent with a Personal Touch39:23 Building Connections in Arizona's Startup Ecosystem40:01 Scaling Arizona's Manufacturing and Engineering Potential42:17 Navigating the Challenges of Hiring New Graduates46:51 The Future of Education and Job Readiness50:04 Mastery Learning and Education Productivity51:55 Real-World Experience and Job Readiness52:25 The Importance of Context in Education53:52 Relevance in Education and Skills for the Future54:59 The Role of Universities in Modern Education56:08 Community Involvement and Parental Guidance57:07 Building a Supportive Ecosystem for Founders58:34 The Power of Conversation and Networking59:54 Funding Challenges and Opportunities in Arizona01:01:11 Augmenting the Ecosystem for SuccessReferences in the Show:https://www.fastcompany.com/91290430/zero-to-one-the-fundamentals-of-building-and-growing-a-startup https://siteselection.com/arizona-the-region-redefining-the-future-of-tech/?utm_source=chatgpt.com https://batterydetection.com/ Quote of the Show:“The only thing better than hiring the people who have the talent that you need, is hiring people who have the talent that you need, who you already know and are values aligned to. Which is why, like in Silicon Valley, you bump it into people, or Austin, Boston, pick your favorite ones. And a lot of people are hiring people they know.” - Don FotschWays to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpM8myxsUinc5bfLIbjJz?si=0af576adfb8e49f8 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cheat-code/id1692445190 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cb0b3afa-063f-4f3b-96be-b98214c74912 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CheatCodePodcast

Join the hosts for a conversation with Vasant Kamath, General Partner at Noro-Moseley Partners, on what it really takes to win in today’s venture capital game. From navigating high-stakes funding rounds to building sales teams that actually close, Vasant shares hard-earned insights on driving sustainable growth without losing speed. They dig into what’s driving change in venture capital, the non-negotiable need to know your customer cold, and why adaptability isn’t optional, it’s survival.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Light Banter02:59 The Current State of Venture Capital Funding05:46 Understanding Growth and Sustainability in Startups08:53 The Shift in Venture Capital Mindset11:35 Navigating Early Stage Investments14:39 The Importance of Founders in Sales17:29 Building a Strong Go-to-Market Strategy20:47 The Role of Sales Teams in Startups23:29 Challenges in Forecasting and Pipeline Management26:41 Exciting Trends in the Market29:22 Final Thoughts and Wrap-UpReferences in the Show:https://www.businessinsider.com/vc-ai-herd-mentality-jay-hoag-tcv-kids-playing-soccer-2025-06 https://www.saastr.com/the-great-saas-slowdown-what-q1-2025-numbers-reveal-about-the-cloud-software-market/ https://news.crunchbase.com/venture/startup-investment-charts-q1-2025/ Quote of the Show:"You've got to figure stuff out really fast because that's the only way you survive in early stage. And then once you find something that works, you can double down on it. But oftentimes I see early stage companies, that's not just founders and CEOs, but their management teams, fall into the trap of being really scared. Scared of making decisions, scared of making tough decisions, scared of moving on from strategies or people or whatever, what happens then is that they're just prolonging the failure of the company.” - Vasant KamathWays to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpM8myxsUinc5bfLIbjJz?si=0af576adfb8e49f8 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cheat-code/id1692445190 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cb0b3afa-063f-4f3b-96be-b98214c74912 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CheatCodePodcast

In this episode, we sit down with Chris Ronzio, Founder and CEO of Trainual, to explore how companies can build smarter, more scalable systems for onboarding, training, and internal knowledge management. Chris shares why documenting institutional knowledge is a necessity and how AI is changing the game for employee development and organizational efficiency.From creating proactive candidate pipelines to rethinking how we prepare people for the workforce, this conversation covers all things education, hiring, and training. If you’re scaling a team, rethinking your hiring strategy, or simply trying to keep up with the pace of change, this episode shares insights on the systems and mindsets needed to succeed in the future of work.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background03:01 The Importance of Onboarding and Training05:58 The Role of Culture in Employee Retention09:01 Leveraging Technology for Knowledge Management11:51 Data-Driven Insights on Onboarding14:56 The Last Mile of Employee Training18:06 Hiring Trends and Talent Gaps21:09 Proactive Hiring Strategies24:14 Building a Talent Pipeline26:09 Leveraging AI in Recruitment30:36 Roles and Responsibilities in Organizations32:34 The Future of Education and Skills Training37:26 The Role of AI in Enhancing Productivity42:23 The Evolution of Entry-Level Jobs46:35 The Need for Specialized Training ProgramsReferences in the Show:https://www.mgt.us/insights/top-5-k-12-enrollment-trends-for-2025/ https://trainual.com/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/oct/8/report-finds-charter-school-enrollment-booming-whi/ Quote of the Show:“AI is really no different than hiring a new junior-level employee that you're going to delegate to so that you can take on the higher-level work in the business. So everybody that's working at these companies, if they're afraid of AI, it's because they have this scarcity mindset of just holding on to what they've always done. People will not be doing the same work 10 years from now that they've always done. It just won't make any economic sense.” - Chris RonzioWays to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpM8myxsUinc5bfLIbjJz?si=0af576adfb8e49f8 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cheat-code/id1692445190 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cb0b3afa-063f-4f3b-96be-b98214c74912 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CheatCodePodcast