The Emblazers Show

CROs as Agents of Change - Sona Jepsen

In this episode of The Emblazers: B2B Leaders Igniting Revenue, hosts Amanda and Tim sit down with Sona Jepsen, Chief Revenue Officer at Curinos, to break down the complexities of leading a modern revenue organization.
Sona shares her perspective from the CRO hot seat, detailing the strategic orchestration of sales, marketing, and customer success to drive sustainable revenue growth. She explains why pipeline generation, deal qualification, and revenue retention are the pillars of success and how today’s CROs must be both data-driven and deeply human-centered in their approach.
As a board member of PayTech Women and an advocate for high-growth environments, Sona also dives into leadership strategies, change management, and the evolving role of AI in sales—offering essential insights for those aspiring to lead large-scale commercial teams.
Tune in to learn:
The real role of a CRO and what it takes to succeed in the seat
How to orchestrate sales, marketing, and partnerships into a unified growth engine
Pipeline strategy secrets—from top-of-funnel expansion to rigorous deal qualification
Why AI is an efficiency enabler but not a replacement for sales professionals
How to build your leadership brand and position yourself for career growth
Links and Resources:
Connect with Sona Jepsen, Amanda, and Tim
Learn more about Curinos
Subscribe to The Emblazers for more episodes featuring sales thought leaders
Check out the Emblaze revenue community powered by Corporate Visions and start a free Insights membership today!
Come see us in person at Emblaze Revenue Summit, April 15th-17th, 2025, in Denver, CO! Experience the ultimate, insights-driven conference for revenue growth leaders and their teams.
Learn about Sona Jepsen
Sona Jepsen is Chief Revenue Officer at Curinos, where she leads the company's commercial strategy and drives sustainable revenue growth through sales, client relationships, and business development. As a board member of PayTech Women, Sona is passionate about creating high-growth environments and empowering teams to navigate complex markets with both precision and empathy. Sona will share her expertise at the upcoming Emblaze Revenue Summit in Denver, CO, April 15-17, by participating in a forward-looking CRO panel discussion about leading teams in 2025 and beyond, as well as presenting a case study on how sales leaders are leveraging analytics and technology to drive consistent pipeline.
Learn about Amanda DeVlugt
A veteran of global learning and development, Amanda DeVlugt spent 15 years at Hilton crafting leadership programs and revenue growth strategies that transformed operations across international brands. Her expertise in delivering impactful training has reached over 5,000 professionals through 400+ workshops, while her innovative approach to learning has produced more than 200 educational videos on leadership, engagement, and technical processes. As a trusted advisor to top management companies and a skilled facilitator of agile methodologies, Amanda combines her passion for continuous improvement with a talent for creating transformative learning experiences that drive organizational excellence. Amanda is Director of Member Experience and Success at Emblaze, the revenue leaders’ community powered by Corporate Visions.
Learn about Tim Riesterer
As Chief Strategy Officer at Corporate Visions and Chief Research Officer at Emblaze revenue leaders’ community, Tim Riesterer is a pioneering force in developing customer conversations that break through the status quo and drive measurable business results. His innovative approach helps companies craft differentiated messages and deploy them through powerful self-service and sales-directed tools that consistently outperform traditional content strategies. A recognized expert in value creation and capture, Tim enables organizations to transform their customer conversations through proven methodologies that elevate their market position and drive sustainable growth.

Talking Shop with the Father of MEDDICC - Dick Dunkel

In this episode of The Emblazers: B2B Leaders Igniting Revenue, hosts Amanda DeVlugt and Tim Riesterer sit down with the legendary Dick Dunkel, known as the father of MEDDICC, the sales qualification methodology that has transformed enterprise sales for over three decades.
Dick shares the story behind MEDDICC’s creation, offering a rare glimpse into the origins of this data-driven framework and its ongoing relevance in today’s sales landscape. From the perspective of both sellers and modern buyers, Dick explains how MEDDICC helps enterprise teams qualify leads, build stronger pipelines, and close deals more effectively. As a practitioner with decades of hands-on experience, Dick delivers actionable insights that every sales leader can apply immediately.
Tune in to discover:
The foundational principles that make MEDDICC timeless
How to align your sales process with the evolving needs of modern buyers
Proven strategies for building and converting robust sales pipelines
Links and Resources:
Connect with Dick Dunkel, Amanda, and Tim
Learn more about MEDDICC
Subscribe to The Emblazers for more episodes featuring sales thought leaders
Check out the Emblaze revenue community powered by Corporate Visions and start a free Insights membership today!
Come see us in person at Emblaze Revenue Summit, April 15th-17th, 2025, in Denver, CO! Experience the ultimate, insights-driven conference for revenue growth leaders and their teams.
Learn about Dick Dunkel Our guest today, Dick Dunkel, is known as the father of MEDDICC, a sales qualification methodology used to help sales teams determine if a lead is a good fit for their sales funnel. He’s also a practicing revenue growth leader at Cloudera. As VP of Field Enablement at Cloudera, he leads his team to elevate sales execution and impact customer performance. Throughout his career, he's helped major corporations and world-class brands adapt to change and improve business performance through innovative technology and process improvement.
Learn about Amanda DeVlugt A veteran of global learning and development, Amanda DeVlugt spent 15 years at Hilton crafting leadership programs and revenue growth strategies that transformed operations across international brands. Her expertise in delivering impactful training has reached over 5,000 professionals through 400+ workshops, while her innovative approach to learning has produced more than 200 educational videos on leadership, engagement, and technical processes. As a trusted advisor to top management companies and a skilled facilitator of agile methodologies, Amanda combines her passion for continuous improvement with a talent for creating transformative learning experiences that drive organizational excellence. Amanda is Director of Member Experience and Success at Emblaze, the revenue leaders’ community powered by Corporate Visions.
Learn about Tim Riesterer As Chief Strategy Officer at Corporate Visions and Chief Research Officer at Emblaze revenue leaders’ community, Tim Riesterer is a pioneering force in developing customer conversations that break through the status quo and drive measurable business results. His innovative approach helps companies craft differentiated messages and deploy them through powerful self-service and sales-directed tools that consistently outperform traditional content strategies. A recognized expert in value creation and capture, Tim enables organizations to transform their customer conversations through proven methodologies that elevate their market position and drive sustainable growth.

Scaling Massive Digital Sales Teams with a High Talent Bar - Rakhi Voria

In this episode of The Emblazers: B2B Leaders Igniting Revenue, hosts Amanda and Tim sit down with Rakhi Voria to discuss what it takes to build and scale high-performing sales teams in today’s competitive landscape.
With a track record of leading sales teams at Microsoft, IBM, and Procore, Rakhi shares how she has hired and developed top talent, many from non-traditional backgrounds like journalism, teaching, and the military. She also dives into the evolving role of digital sales, the impact of AI and sales technology, and why a structured, data-driven hiring approach is critical to scaling revenue.
Rakhi’s leadership has helped take Procore from $500 million to $1 billion in annual recurring revenue in just three years. Her insights on sales enablement, training, and hybrid work models provide a playbook for revenue leaders looking to grow their teams and drive better results.
Tune in to learn:
The traits that make non-traditional candidates successful in sales
How to scale sales teams quickly and effectively
The AI-driven sales tech stack that fuels high-performance teams
How hybrid and remote work models are evolving in inside sales
Rakhi’s biggest lessons from building global sales teams at Microsoft, IBM, and Procore
Links and Resources:
Connect with Rakhi, Amanda, and Tim
Subscribe to The Emblazers show for more expert insights
Check out the Emblaze revenue community by Corporate Visions and start a free Insights membership today. You'll get instant access to research, resources, and members-only virtual events.
Come see us in person at Emblaze Revenue Summit, April 15th-17th, 2025, in Denver, CO! Experience the ultimate, insights-driven conference for revenue growth leaders and their teams. 
Learn about Rakhi VoriaOur guest today, Rakhi Voria, is an enterprise tech veteran who brings transformational leadership experience from Procore Technologies, Microsoft, and IBM. She has built and scaled massive digital sales teams generating billions in revenue, and she's known for her data-driven approach to sales leadership and fostering people-first cultures. Beyond her impressive corporate achievements, Rakhi is a passionate advocate for advancing women in sales, regularly contributing to Forbes and speaking at conferences, while also serving as an executive sponsor of the women's employee resource groups at her various companies.
Learn about Amanda DeVlugt A veteran of global learning and development, Amanda DeVlugt spent 15 years at Hilton crafting leadership programs and revenue growth strategies that transformed operations across international brands. Her expertise in delivering impactful training has reached over 5,000 professionals through 400+ workshops, while her innovative approach to learning has produced more than 200 educational videos on leadership, engagement, and technical processes. As a trusted advisor to top management companies and a skilled facilitator of agile methodologies, Amanda combines her passion for continuous improvement with a talent for creating transformative learning experiences that drive organizational excellence. Amanda is Director of Member Experience and Success at Emblaze, the revenue leaders’ community powered by Corporate Visions. Learn about Tim Riesterer As Chief Strategy Officer at Corporate Visions and Chief Research Officer at Emblaze revenue leaders’ community, Tim Riesterer is a pioneering force in developing customer conversations that break through the status quo and drive measurable business results. His innovative approach helps companies craft differentiated messages and deploy them through powerful self-service and sales-directed tools that consistently outperform traditional content strategies. A recognized expert in value creation and capture, Tim enables organizations to transform their customer conversations through proven methodologies that elevate their market position and drive sustainable growth.

B2B Sales Trends to Watch for in 2025 - Dr. Leff Bonney

In this inaugural episode of The Emblazers: B2B Leaders Igniting Revenue, host Amanda DeVlugt and resident expert Tim Riesterer kick off an exciting journey into the world of sales leadership and transformational strategies. Joined by Dr. Leff Bonney from Florida State University Sales Institute, the conversation dives deep into the intersection of data, research, and actionable insights that redefine how sales leaders approach their craft.
Leff shares his expertise on sales leadership, addresses the hype and realities of AI in sales, and reveals why some sales methodologies stand the test of time while others fade into obscurity. This episode is packed with practical advice and thought-provoking discussions designed to equip sales leaders with the tools to navigate a rapidly evolving marketplace.
Tune in to discover:
Why the "AI dust is settling" and what it means for sales strategies
The role of research-backed insights in making smarter sales decisions
What it takes to lead a modern sales team in an era of unprecedented change
Links and Resources:
Connect with Leff Bonney, Amanda, and Tim
Learn more about the FSU Sales Institute
Subscribe to The Emblazers show for more expert-driven episodes
Check out the Emblaze revenue community powered by Corporate Visions and start a free Insights membership today.
Come see us in person at Emblaze Revenue Summit, April 15th-17th, 2025, in Denver, CO! Experience the ultimate, insights-driven conference for revenue growth leaders and their teams. 
Learn about Leff Bonney Our guest today, Leff Bonney, Ph.D., is a behavioral scientist and Associate Professor of Sales and Marketing at Florida State University Sales Institute, which he also founded. Leff spent a decade in sales and sales management roles before becoming a leading sales researcher specializing in customer selection as well as adaptive sales strategies and methodologies. He is the Research Director at Emblaze, the leadership insights community powered by Corporate Visions. Most recently, he hosted the global collegiate sales competition for undergraduate business majors, so he really has his finger on the pulse of what new sellers are learning. Learn about Amanda DeVlugt A veteran of global learning and development, Amanda DeVlugt spent 15 years at Hilton crafting leadership programs and revenue growth strategies that transformed operations across international brands. Her expertise in delivering impactful training has reached over 5,000 professionals through 400+ workshops, while her innovative approach to learning has produced more than 200 educational videos on leadership, engagement, and technical processes. As a trusted advisor to top management companies and a skilled facilitator of agile methodologies, Amanda combines her passion for continuous improvement with a talent for creating transformative learning experiences that drive organizational excellence. Amanda is Director of Member Experience and Success at Emblaze, the revenue leaders’ community powered by Corporate Visions. Learn about Tim Riesterer As Chief Strategy Officer at Corporate Visions and Chief Research Officer at Emblaze revenue leaders’ community, Tim Riesterer is a pioneering force in developing customer conversations that break through the status quo and drive measurable business results. His innovative approach helps companies craft differentiated messages and deploy them through powerful self-service and sales-directed tools that consistently outperform traditional content strategies. A recognized expert in value creation and capture, Tim enables organizations to transform their customer conversations through proven methodologies that elevate their market position and drive sustainable growth.

B2B Leaders Igniting Revenue Growth: The Emblazers Podcast Trailer

Get ready to ignite your revenue growth!
Hosted by Amanda DeVlugt with resident revenue growth expert Tim Riesterer, The Emblazers show brings bold ideas, fresh perspectives, and actionable strategies for B2B revenue leaders.
Powered by the Emblaze revenue community and Corporate Visions, this podcast is your go-to listen for CROs, CSOs, and anyone leading the charge in sales, enablement, and customer success.
Coming soon—don’t miss your chance to spark the breakthrough that elevates your sales strategy!
Links and Resources:
Connect with Amanda and Tim
Subscribe to The Emblazers show for more expert-driven episodes
Check out the Emblaze revenue community powered by Corporate Visions and start a free Insights membership today.
Come see us in person at Emblaze Revenue Summit, April 15th-17th, 2025, in Denver, CO! Experience the ultimate, insights-driven conference for revenue growth leaders and their teams. 
Learn about Amanda DeVlugt A veteran of global learning and development, Amanda DeVlugt spent 15 years at Hilton crafting leadership programs and revenue growth strategies that transformed operations across international brands. Her expertise in delivering impactful training has reached over 5,000 professionals through 400+ workshops, while her innovative approach to learning has produced more than 200 educational videos on leadership, engagement, and technical processes. As a trusted advisor to top management companies and a skilled facilitator of agile methodologies, Amanda combines her passion for continuous improvement with a talent for creating transformative learning experiences that drive organizational excellence. Amanda is Director of Member Experience and Success at Emblaze, the revenue leaders’ community powered by Corporate Visions. Learn about Tim Riesterer As Chief Strategy Officer at Corporate Visions and Chief Research Officer at Emblaze revenue leaders’ community, Tim Riesterer is a pioneering force in developing customer conversations that break through the status quo and drive measurable business results. His innovative approach helps companies craft differentiated messages and deploy them through powerful self-service and sales-directed tools that consistently outperform traditional content strategies. A recognized expert in value creation and capture, Tim enables organizations to transform their customer conversations through proven methodologies that elevate their market position and drive sustainable growth.