Hunters and Unicorns

SALES SOS, Episode 2 - How to hire A-Players

In this episode of Sales SOS, Hunters & Unicorns co-founders Ollie and Simon go head-to-head on one of the most misunderstood, yet business-critical skills in sales leadership: how to consistently hire A-players. Drawing from two decades of experience working with the world's most elite sales teams, we break down the true mindset, mechanics, and strategy behind world-class recruitment — and why most leaders are getting it completely wrong. What we cover:

• Why the super-rep mindset is killing your team-building potential

• The 3 stages of a winning recruitment process: Pipeline. Discovery. Close.

• The 3 WHYs vs the 3 WHY NOTs — the ultimate framework to avoid dropouts

• Feedback loops, debrief sessions, and how to control the narrative between interviews

• Why you should never make an offer unless you know they’ll say yes

• Backchanneling: how the best CROs use it to recruit like assassins — and how to avoid blowing it up

Whether you're a first-time hiring manager or a seasoned VP, this is your playbook for hiring without luck or guesswork.

🔗 Subscribe & Connect If this episode resonated, drop a comment, like the video, and hit subscribe. We’re here to help you build teams that win.

SALES SOS, Episode 1 - Career Defining Moves

After 200+ episodes and thousands of hours with the world’s top SaaS sales leaders, Hunters & Unicorns presents Sales SOS raw, practical conversations that dive deep into the mindset, strategies, and frameworks behind elite career growth in tech sales.

In this episode, Hunters and Unicorns very own Simon and Ollie answer four critical questions every ambitious sales professional should be asking:

1. What’s the common thread among top-tier CROs? Discover the power of “Career Champions” and why no one gets to the top alone.

2. Why are you being overlooked for promotions? It’s not always about performance. We unpack how alignment, visibility, and internal champions dictate career momentum.

3. How do you position yourself as the irresistible first pick? We share hard-earned insights into how the best salespeople get fast-tracked for leadership roles.

4. How do you break the glass ceiling — and stay there? From skill mastery to the right strategic choices, we talk about what it really takes to go all the way.

This episode is for ambitious AEs, aspiring leaders, and current managers ready to level up with clarity, intent, and strategy. If this episode hit home, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe. We drop practical gold every week.

#SaaSSales #CROCareer #TechSalesLeadership #SalesSOS #HuntersAndUnicorns

Great Leaders UK with Marina Ayton

In this episode of Hunters & Unicorns, Great Leaders UK, we sit down with Marina Ayton, VP UK&I at Wiz and co-author of The Female Sales Leader, to explore her remarkable journey from first-line to second-line leadership and back again.

Marina shares hard-won lessons on building and recruiting world-class teams, navigating rapid promotions, overcoming imposter syndrome, leveraging EQ alongside IQ, and championing diversity in sales. Whether you’re an aspiring sales leader or a seasoned executive, Marina’s playbook offers actionable insights to elevate your career and drive lasting impact.

🙌 Thanks to Our Sponsors!

PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai

Selr: https://selr.ai

🏹 Key Topics Covered

00:00 – Intro & Career Beginnings

01:30 – Transitioning from first line to VP

06:00 – Building the First Enterprise Team

12:00 – Transition to Major Deals Leadership

18:00 – Stepping into Second-Line Role

24:00 – Crafting Vision & Enabling Teams

30:00 – When to Step Back & Pivot

36:00 – Imposter Syndrome as Superpower

42:00 – EQ vs. IQ in Modern Sales

48:00 – Writing The Female Sales Leader

54:00 – Reflections & Future Outlook

 

💥 3 Biggest Lessons

1. Embrace Humility & Listen First – Early listening builds credibility; understand before imposing change.

2. Leverage EQ to Drive Trust – Emotional intelligence is irreplaceable; it underpins long-term partnerships and diverse teams.

3. Purposeful Career Moves – Stepping back into roles refines understanding of where you add value at scale.

🙌 Thanks for listening! This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro. If you enjoyed this deep dive, please like/share and subscribe to our channel!

🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns

Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns

Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns

Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

 

💬 Notable Quotes “Imposter syndrome can be a superpower if you let it drive you to earn your seat at the table.” “Leaders must give teams the tools to imagine the art of the possible.” “EQ is never replaceable by AI; it’s what builds genuine partnerships.” #softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverse

Great Leaders UK with Alice Carlisle

In this episode of Great Leaders UK, we sit down with Alice Carlisle, VP UK&I at Wiz, to uncover how she rose from first-line leader to one of the most sought-after roles in the cybersecurity industry.

From taking a struggling ZScaler team and transforming it in under three quarters, to embodying Wiz’s values of confidence and humility, Alice’s journey is proof that authenticity and unrelenting work ethic drive lasting impact. She delves into the hard lessons of leading through fear-based tactics early in her career, learning the Force Management Playbook at AppDynamics, and then applying it to close LogicMonitor’s largest deal ever. Ultimately, we focus on how Alice builds culture, leading by example, caring genuinely for people, and creating internal champions, so that teams win together, not just as individuals.

Whether you’re scaling a hyper-growth sales org, building a new culture, or simply looking to be a better human in leadership, Alice’s playbook is packed with actionable insights on driving growth through customer success and winning with authenticity.

🙌 Thanks to our Sponsors!

PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai

Selr: https://selr.ai

🏹 Key Topics Covered

00:00 – Intro

05:00 – Why Alice Was Chosen for Wiz

10:00 – Wiz Values: Humility & Authenticity

15:00 – Leadership Evolution: Leading Without Fear

20:00 – Early Work Ethic & Foundations

25:00 – Learning the Playbook at AppDynamics

30:00 – Applying Playbook at LogicMonitor

35:00 – Career Pivots & Decision to Join Zscaler

40:00 – Turning Around the Zscaler Team

45:00 – Building Culture & Final Reflections

💥 3 Biggest Lessons

Authenticity Over Authority – Leading by fear alienates; leading by genuine care and humility builds lasting loyalty.

Learn & Apply Fast – When you join a Playbook organization, absorb everything like a sponge and execute immediately – that’s how you prove its value.

Culture Eats Strategy – Even in hyper-growth, small ritualistic acts (e.g., cleaning up after yourself) set the tone for accountability, trust, and team unity.

🙌 Thanks for listening! This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro If you enjoyed this deep episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns

Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns

Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns

Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

💬 Notable Quotes “People see through it as much as you might think they don’t. You have to genuinely care.” “Being right is not very valuable. It’s more important to be valuable than be right.” “The most important thing for me is I genuinely give a shit about people more than anything.”

#softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverse

Great Leaders UK with Natasha Evans

The Brutal Truth About Scaling Customer Success, w/ Natasha Evans

 

Today we’re joined by Natasha Evans, VP of Customer Growth at Hook. Natasha shares the raw reality of going from chaos to clarity while building the customer success function inside a hypergrowth rocketship.

We dive deep into the strategic thinking and tough decisions that shaped her journey—from running toward the fire in Saleslofts' early days to scaling operations and rebuilding customer teams at Hook. Natasha unpacks what it really takes to align customer growth with revenue in today’s high-velocity SaaS environment.

If you're navigating messy growth, operational debt, or building CS from scratch, this conversation is packed with hard-earned insights.

🙌 Thanks to our Sponsors!

PG AI: https://www.getpg.aiSelr: https://selr.ai

 

🏹 Key Topics Covered

• 00:00 – Intro
• 03:43 – Natasha's evolving career
• 05:50 – Building with No Playbook
• 08:43 – When Your Org Chart Fails
• 12:41 – Driving Revenue from CS
• 16:00 – Rebuilding Customer Success at Hook
• 22:10 – Scaling Fast Without Losing Focus
• 27:45 – Coaching vs. Commanding
• 32:12 – Mistakes That Made Her Better
• 36:30 – What Growth Looks Like Now

💥 3 Biggest Lessons

• Running toward chaos is how you earn your seat. The people who grow fast are the ones who face the hardest problems first.
• Customer growth must be tied to revenue. Fluffy CS doesn’t survive—alignment with GTM is critical.
• Rebuilding is part of scaling. You often have to break what you built to keep growing the right way.🙌 Thanks for listening!This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro. If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!
• 🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns
• Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns
• Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog
• 💬 Notable Quotes
  “Run towards the fire. The hardest problems are where growth comes from.” “Customer success has to earn the right to be there. You tie it to revenue or it dies.” “Sometimes you scale by breaking everything and starting over.”

Great Leaders UK with Deirdre Spillane

From MongoDB to Founder: How Deirdre Spillane bet on Herself

Description
In this episode of The Playbook Universe, we sit down with Deirdre Spillane, co-founder of Selr.ai and former sales leader at MongoDB and Segment. She shares her incredible journey—from building high-performing teams in one of the most feared sales orgs in tech, to stepping into the unknown and launching her own company.

We dive into the power of coaching, the danger of drowning in data, and why understanding the “why” behind people’s actions is everything. If you're in sales, leadership, or considering your next bold career move—this is your playbook.

🙌  Thanks to our Sponsors!
PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai
Selr: https://selr.ai

🏹 Key Topics Covered
00:00 - Intro
01:54 - From Oracle to MongoDB
04:01 - Learning from Carlos Delatorre
06:58 - ICP and Hard Lessons in Fit
08:44 - Coaching Is About Trust
11:14 - How to Truly Meet People Where They Are
13:19 - Building Intentional Sales Teams
15:01 - Diversity of Thought in Sales
17:38 - Data Overload in Sales Leadership
21:19 - Tracking the Right Metrics
24:10 - Aligning Personal Why with Business Goals
27:03 - Grit, Motivation & Early Indicators of Success
30:49 - What Seller Actually Does
34:42 - Founder Life vs Sales Leader Life
36:59 - Why Coaching Is Her Life's Work

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💥 3 Biggest Lessons

1. Trust Before Tactics: Effective coaching doesn't begin with playbooks—it starts by understanding and trusting your people.
2. Data Isn’t Insight: Sales orgs today are flooded with metrics, but the true game-changers are conversion points and coaching conversations.
3. Your 'Why' Is the Multiplier: Aligning your personal drive with business objectives creates clarity, resilience, and momentum.

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🙌 Thanks for listening!
This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro
If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

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🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns

Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns
Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns
Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

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💬 Borrow these quotes from Deirdre!

“Once you get this opportunity, you take it with both hands… and you leave nothing on the field.”
“You’ve got to meet people where they are—that’s where the trust builds.”
“We don't lack data—we lack the right coaching to make sense of it.”
“Being gritty is more important than being gifted.”

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Great Leaders UK - Libby Derbyshire

They Told Her Not to Work in Sales — She Proved Them ALL WRONG

 

Description

In this episode of The Playbook Universe, we sit down with Libby Derbyshire, Sales Director at ComplyAdvantage, whose transformation journey is nothing short of extraordinary.

From selling boat party tickets in Ibiza to leading with data and empathy at some of the UK’s fastest-growing startups, Libby shares the pivotal moment that changed everything — and the power of combining gut instinct with hard analytics.

We explore her early experiences in sales, how Jeremy Duggan and Steve McCluskey shaped her development, what it means to build inclusive teams, and how she balances motherhood with high-performance leadership.

Raw, inspiring, and deeply insightful, this is a masterclass in becoming more than the sum of your parts.

🙌 Thanks to our Sponsors!

PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai

Selr: https://selr.ai

 

🏹 Key Topics Covered

• 00:00 – Intro
• 00:39 – From Hard Work to Data-Driven Execution
• 03:01 – Learning to See the Patterns
• 06:03 – Becoming a Convert to the Playbook
• 08:17 – How Libby Leads Today
• 11:40 – Data vs. People: Earning Buy-In
• 14:38 – The ‘Cookie Cutter’ Myth
• 16:20 – Libby’s Unconventional Start in Sales
• 21:40 – Navigating Pregnancy, Leadership & Career Decisions
• 24:00 – Female Leadership & Real-World Challenges
• 27:00 – Imposter Syndrome and Identity at Work
• 30:00 – Balancing Motherhood and Ambition
• 34:00 – The Mission Behind ComplyAdvantage
• 38:00 – Values, Priorities & Why This Role Was the Right Move                   💥 3 Biggest Lessons1. Data doesn’t replace instinct — it amplifies it: Libby learned that great leadership isn't about abandoning your gut; it’s about backing it up with data that tells the real story.
  2. Authenticity scales, imitation doesn’t: Early on, Libby tried to imitate powerful leaders, but real growth came when she embraced her own leadership voice.
  3. Support isn’t just nice — it’s strategic: From Jeremy Duggan’s belief in young talent to Luke Rogers’ immediate support during Libby’s second pregnancy, backing people fully brings out their best.
  🙌 Thanks for listening!This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!
  🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns
• Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns
• Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

 

💬 Borrow These Quotes From Libby!

 

"That was the day the lights went on for me."

 

"If I’m not getting value from data, why would I expect my reps to?"

 

"You can’t separate yourself from your values — they show up in every meeting."

 

"More was more. I learned that early, selling in Ibiza."

 

"I won’t put my family on hold anymore — I know my priorities."

 

Tags (SEO)

• Libby Derbyshire, sales leadership, ComplyAdvantage, Jeremy Duggan, female sales leaders, data-driven sales, sales playbook, Hunters and Unicorns, The Playbook Universe, sales transformation, motherhood and career, female empowerment, B2B sales podcast, sales manager advice, sales coaching, tech sales UK, revenue leadership, leadership podcast UK
• #softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverse

Great Leaders UK with Shakira Talbot

In this new episode of Hunters & Unicorns, we sit down with Shakira Talbot, the Group Vice President at ServiceNow, for one of the most inspiring conversations we've ever had.

From growing up in foster care to leading revenue responsibility for over $10B at one of the most influential enterprise software companies, Shakira’s story is a masterclass in grit, champion building, and unapologetic ambition. She shares how she developed her tenacity, why she dropped out of university, and how she found her path through selling timeshares at 14 to leading massive enterprise deals. We dive deep into her early influences, her playbook for high-performance sales leadership, and what truly drives her to never settle. This is not just about sales. It’s about identity, impact, and proving you belong—on your own terms. 

Thanks to our Sponsors! PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai Selr: https://selr.ai 🏹

Key Topics Covered

00:00 In this episode...

01:25 Intro and backstory

03:24 Why she never wanted to be like her boss

06:33 Getting recruited by Jeremy Duggan

11:22 Champion-building as a life skill

15:01 Her biggest deal (and what it taught her)

19:47 What makes a great sales leader

24:08 Owning your ambition unapologetically

28:34 From maternity policy to mindset shifts

31:10 Advice to her younger self

 

💥 3 Biggest Lessons

Champion-building isn’t just for sales – It’s how you win people over in life and career, especially when you come from a non-traditional background.

Authenticity scales – Shakira’s leadership works because she leads as herself, not as a copy of what leadership is “supposed” to look like.

You don’t need to be perfect to be powerful – She’s made mistakes, changed direction, and still kept rising—all while carrying massive responsibilities at home and work. 

Thanks for listening!

This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns

Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns

Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns

Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

 

💬 Notable Quotes from Shak! "I didn’t want to be a psychologist. I wanted to sell stuff." "You don’t have a deal until you have a champion who passes the test." "I am the only provider in my house. That’s the role we’ve landed on. So I have a duty of care to make it work." "I’m not going to pretend to be something I’m not to make people comfortable." "Would I change things? Yeah—I would’ve done it sooner."

#softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverse

How Dan Fougere Scaled 4 Billion-Dollar IPOs (And What He’d Do Differently)

In this episode of THE PLAYBOOK UNIVERSE, we sit down with legendary CRO Dan Fougere, a pivotal force behind FOUR $1B IPOs.

From engineering roots to building elite go-to-market engines, Dan unpacks the battle-tested frameworks that turned great ideas into generational companies. He shares hard-won lessons from PTC, BladeLogic, Medallia, and Datadog—including how to scale a sales org, recruit world-class talent, and align GTM with visionary founders.

Whether you're a startup founder, CRO, or early-stage sales leader, this is a masterclass you don’t want to miss. Dan also reveals the make-or-break mindset shifts that helped him navigate adversity, imposter syndrome, and the constant pressure of building under extreme constraints.

 

This episode is packed with insights you simply won’t find in any sales playbook. 🙌 Thanks to our Sponsors! PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai Selr: https://selr.ai 🏹

Key Topics Covered

00:00 Intro 02:00 Dan’s 4 IPO Journey

06:45 Why Mentorship Mattered Most

12:00 Building Datadog’s GTM from Scratch

19:30 When Founders Should Hire a CRO

26:00 Go-to-Market Mistakes Startups Keep Making

32:00 The Wrong Way to Hire Sales Leaders

36:30 Datadog’s Hardest Challenges

42:00 Leading Through Pressure & Burnout

48:00 The Power of Having Great Mentors

 

💥 3 Biggest Lessons

1. Your job as CRO is to make the CEO successful. Leadership alignment and trust are the ultimate foundations for scalable growth.

2. Play the long game—optimize for learning, not short-term comp. Dan’s biggest career leaps came from choosing mentorship over money.

3. Don’t break what’s working—build what doesn’t exist. Great GTM leaders complement product momentum by filling strategic gaps, not overhauling systems.

🙌 Thanks for listening! This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

 

🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns:

🌐 Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com

🐦 Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns

📸 Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns

📝 Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

 

💬 Borrow These Quotes from Dan!

🗣 “My job as a CRO is to make the CEO successful. Period.”

🗣 “Great sales orgs win even with an average product. That’s the secret.”

🗣 “Don’t try to fix what’s already working—go build what doesn’t exist.”

#softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverse

Saving a DEAD DEAL Against All Odds, w/Jennifer Ortegón

In this episode of RAW STORIES LIVE, we sit down with Jennifer Ortegón, Enterprise Account Executive at Harness, to hear how she saved a major account on the verge of churn. With an RFP already in motion and a competitor lined up to replace them, everything was stacked against her.

Jennifer had to dig deep, rebuild trust, and take a bold approach. From gathering data to relentless preparation, she and her team refused to back down, showing up day after day until they changed the game.

This is a masterclass in resilience, strategic thinking, and leadership in high-stakes sales.

🏹 Key Topics Covered:

00:00 Intro

1:15 A crushing loss

4:16 The account no one wanted

8:03 The turning point

10:52 Winning back trust

12:46 The emotional moment

14:38 Lessons in resilience

 

💥 3 Biggest Lessons:

🔥 Data is power – Understanding real usage data gave Jennifer the leverage to turn the deal around.

🔥 Trust is earned through action – Showing up consistently and demonstrating commitment made all the difference.

🔥 Own the problem, own the solution – Jennifer refused to let go, took full ownership, and transformed a losing situation into a victory.

 

🙌 Thanks for listening! This episode was hosted by Simon Koutis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro.

If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

🔗 Episode’s Links:

Jennifer Ortegon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferortegon/

Harness Website: https://www.harness.com

🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns:

🌐 Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com

🐦 Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns

📸 Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns

📝 Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

 

💬 Notable Quotes: "This will be different." – Brian Johnson "We just kept showing up every day until we won the deal." – Jennifer Ortegon

#rawstorieslive #softwaresales #huntersandunicorns