Episodes

  • Inside Spotify's Global Sales Ops Machine: Forecasting, Compensation, and Growth at Scale

    Inside Spotify's Global Sales Ops Machine: Forecasting, Compensation, and Growth at Scale
    Apr 21 2025
    Digital-first companies like Spotify thrive on data. And in the world of media and advertising, sales operations leaders must navigate shifting buyer preferences, regulatory changes, and the increasing role of AI—all while ensuring their teams are aligned for revenue success. Wade Jastremski, Head of Revenue Management & Forecasting at Spotify , sat down with us on The Sales Compensation Show to take you behind the scenes of one of the world’s most influential media platforms. From forecasting ad revenue across volatile global ad markets to building a comp structure that scales with Spotify’s ad-supported model, Wade shares how Sales Ops at Spotify balances speed, scale, and data precision. In this episode discover how Spotify triangulates forecasts with 96% accuracy, lessons from scaling Sales Ops in emerging and international markets, why Spotify centralized RevOps (and the impact), what Wade believes AI in Sales Ops actually requires as a pre-requisite, how he thinks about quota setting, and much more! Whether you're in SaaS, fintech, or media, this is a great conversation on operational excellence.
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    46 mins
  • More data more problems? The art & analytics of data-informed comp design

    More data more problems? The art & analytics of data-informed comp design
    Apr 4 2025
    What does it really mean to be data-informed in sales compensation? And what does jazz have to do with sales comp? In this episode, Kenny Smith, Sales Incentive Plan Design Lead at Red Hat, shares how to structure data, balance analytics with intuition, and design comp plans that align with strategy — not just statistics. Learn how to reframe metrics, guide stakeholder discussions, and operate as a true strategic advisor in your org.
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Scaling Complex Sales Compensation: Brian Le's Lessons From Notion, Salesforce, and Carta

    Scaling Complex Sales Compensation: Brian Le's Lessons From Notion, Salesforce, and Carta
    Mar 25 2025
    With countless ways to configure territories, quotas, and sales incentive plans within traditional ICM systems, scaling sales performance management can often feel like a huge tradeoff. You can (seemingly) either have highly customizable plans that are technical, difficult to change, and require deep expertise—or simpler, rigid plans that sacrifice flexibility for ease of administration in legacy ICM software. Which raises a crucial question: Are the endless customization options of traditional ICM systems worth the operational burden? Or is there a better way to balance adaptability and efficiency? How is the landscape evolving for the needs of the business and sellers? In this episode, we unpack flexibility and scalability with Brian Le from Notion. How does he tackle scaling comp at organizations of various sizes? We’ll explore specialized expertise, and ways brands are approaching flexibility. Join us as we discuss how to strike the right balance between adaptability and operational efficiency.
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    53 mins
  • Inside LinkedIn’s SalesOps playbook: Akira Mamizuka’s blueprint for cross-team alignment

    Inside LinkedIn’s SalesOps playbook: Akira Mamizuka’s blueprint for cross-team alignment
    Mar 10 2025
    As a revenue or sales operations leader, you're tasked with enormous responsibility—ensuring every piece of the go-to-market strategy functions smoothly. The backbone of alignment, you shoulder the burden of driving efficiency, data accuracy, and forecasting, while also enabling sales teams to perform at their best. In this episode we’ll explore how Akira Mamizuka, VP of global sales operations for SaaS at LinkedIn proactively breaks down silos, improves communication to streamline GTM execution, drives revenue growth, ensuring every functional team is working toward the same objectives. Listen in for Akira's practical lessons learned for fostering collaboration and creating a unified approach to GTM success.
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    43 mins
  • Navigating the politics of sales compensation with Director of Sales Comp, Saxton Archer

    Navigating the politics of sales compensation with Director of Sales Comp, Saxton Archer
    Feb 24 2025
    Designing impactful sales compensation plans isn’t just about the numbers—it’s about navigating the dynamics between departments and stakeholders at the highest levels. In this episode, we sit down with sales compensation expert Saxton Archer to explore how to manage the internal politics that come with collaborating with VPs, directors, and the C-suite. We'll discuss how you can ensure timely plan releases all while advocating for designs that drive sustainable success, even when leadership has differing opinions or competing priorities. Tune in to uncover actionable strategies to align objectives, influence decision-making, and create incentive plans that stick.
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    46 mins
  • Revenue forecasting in unpredictable times with Tana Jackson, VP of Operations at Upright Labs

    Revenue forecasting in unpredictable times with Tana Jackson, VP of Operations at Upright Labs
    Feb 10 2025
    In the first episode of season three of The Sales Compensation Show, our host and CEO, Nabeil Alazzam chats with Tana Jackson, VP of Operations at Upright Labs. An accomplished global RevOps leader, Tana shares with us her thoughts on data hygiene challenges and red flags to watch for, collaboration across departments, her philosophy on tech stack additions, forecasting frequency, and even AI. If you’re responsible for driving predictability in revenue and aligning teams, this episode will give you inspiration to fine-tune your processes, improve collaboration as an extreme owner, and ensure sustained success.
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    51 mins
  • Uniting Sales Compensation and Go-to-Market Strategies with Alex Gousinov of Twilio

    Uniting Sales Compensation and Go-to-Market Strategies with Alex Gousinov of Twilio
    Jun 20 2024
    In this episode of The Sales Compensation Show, host Nabeil Alazzam welcomes Alex Gousinov, Head (Senior Director) of Go-to-Market Planning, Programs and Sales Compensation at Twilio. Alex shares his unique journey into sales compensation and emphasizes the importance of aligning incentives with go-to-market strategy. He discusses best practices for planning, collaborating with stakeholders, using data to drive decisions, and managing change. Tune in for actionable insights on designing effective sales compensation plans that support business objectives.
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    46 mins
  • Leading Sales Comp Transformation in the Era of Digital Disruption with Christina Straggas, Head of Global Sales Compensation at Equinix

    Leading Sales Comp Transformation in the Era of Digital Disruption with Christina Straggas, Head of Global Sales Compensation at Equinix
    Jun 4 2024
    In this episode of The Sales Compensation Show, host Nabeil Alazzam welcomes Christina Straggas, seasoned sales comp leader currently serving as Head of Global Sales Compensation at Equinix. Christina shares her journey into sales comp and discusses the critical role of the function in enabling digital transformation. She emphasizes the importance of leveraging data for faster, smarter comp plan design and offers predictions for the future of sales compensation. Tune in for valuable insights on navigating change and driving performance in a disruptive digital era.
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    45 mins
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