How B2B Companies Can Thrive Amid Change: Insights from Pat Longworth of the Kodiak Group

On a recent episode of the Inspectations Podcast, host Justin Starbird welcomed Pat Longworth, Managing Partner at the Kodiak Group and founder of SalesOptyx, for a conversation that was long overdue. Having worked together and watched each other grow over the years, the two had a lot to discuss about how businesses are adapting to today's rapidly shifting landscape.

Helping B2B Companies Navigate Transformation

Pat and his team specialize in working with B2B companies going through significant change—whether that's due to market shifts, mergers and acquisitions, or the need for a new go-to-market strategy.

"When companies engage us, it's typically because they're undergoing a shift," Pat explained. "We focus on the sales side, building custom playbooks with targeted messages and processes to help companies land new accounts, expand relationships, and achieve predictable results."

Given the current M&A climate, many mid-market companies are being rolled up by private equity firms, accelerating the need for strategic sales integration. Pat emphasized that while designing new sales processes and messaging is crucial, managing the human side of change is equally important.

"There's a huge change management component. Getting teams aligned across different markets and leadership styles is essential to achieving fast, sustainable results."

Gaining Deep Insight Quickly

One common hurdle: skepticism about outsiders not understanding a company's intricacies. Pat's solution? Deep discovery and rapid assimilation.

"You have to be curious," he said. "We partner closely with leadership, talk to key people across the organization, and tailor our workshops to build custom playbooks in just 30 days."

This approach not only speeds up the alignment process but ensures that sales teams get playbooks and strategies designed specifically for their needs, rather than one-size-fits-all training.

Keys to Thriving in Uncertain Times

Justin and Pat discussed how today's economic "murkiness" is pushing companies to be more deliberate in their sales efforts.

Pat pointed out three critical traits that help businesses thrive:

1. Replicating A-Players: Companies that scale effectively figure out how to replicate their best salespeople by documenting and institutionalizing their winning behaviors.
2. Outcome-Based Selling: In a tough economy, buyers only approve investments with a clear return on investment (ROI). Sellers must build a strong business case and focus on the outcomes their solutions deliver.
3. Leading with Data: Companies need to track not just trailing indicators like revenue, but leading indicators like sales activities aligned with ideal client profiles. Data-driven decisions enable rapid adjustments.

"Gone are the days when you could sell the sizzle. Today, you need a real business case to get deals done," Pat noted.

The Role of AI in B2B Sales and Marketing

AI emerged as a recurring theme throughout the conversation. Pat shared that AI is reshaping the sales landscape by helping companies:

• Automate lead generation and qualification.
• Enhance personalization at scale.
• Enable small teams to outperform larger ones by amplifying productivity.

"AI isn't replacing people," Pat said. "It's elevating them. Good salespeople can use AI to enter conversations further along the buyer's journey and offer better insights."

Justin agreed, adding that AI tools help with content creation and automate touchpoints, but real success still comes down to personal connection.

"People still buy from people. AI helps get you there faster, but when you’re finally in front of the prospect, the human touch matters."

Industries Embracing Change

Pat noted that "boring" industries, such as manufacturing and the industrial sector, are seeing the most significant AI-driven productivity gains. Meanwhile, SaaS companies are refocusing on fundamentals, such as enhanced discovery and building value before presenting product demos.

"We've seen companies with more effective discovery and business cases not just demo more, but demo better, increasing their win rates and shortening sales cycles."

A Case Study in Scaling Beyond Founder-Led Sales

Pat shared a recent success story about a FinTech client selling AI solutions to banks and credit unions. The company hit a common plateau: their founder was the best salesperson, but scaling beyond the founder's involvement proved to be a challenge.

The Kodiak Group helped them:

• Build a clear territory plan.
• Define their ideal client profile.
• Craft conversation frameworks that empower the broader sales team.

The result? A more confident, capable sales team that could call higher in organizations and close deals without constant founder involvement.

Looking Ahead

As for what's next, Pat is optimistic. He believes that as companies move past cost-cutting, they'll double down on innovation and revenue growth.

"We're going to see forward-leaning companies doing exciting things with new messages and sales strategies," Pat said.

Kodiak Group is also innovating internally, evaluating how to integrate AI into their enablement platform better to help sales teams be more innovative, faster, and more relevant.

Final Thoughts

Pat and Justin agree: adapting quickly, innovating thoughtfully, and keeping a human-first approach to sales will be what separates thriving businesses from the rest.

To hear more of this insightful conversation, be sure to listen to the full Inspectations Podcast episode with Pat Longworth.

Ready to learn more about how to scale your sales team and drive predictable growth? Contact the Kodiak Group today to get started.