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Episode 20 - The Revenue Decision You May Be Missing with Bernadette McClelland

The Revenue Decision You May Be Missing with Bernadette McClelland

The revenue you’re expecting three months from now isn’t being created three months from now.

It’s being created today — in the conversations you’re having, the ones you’re avoiding, and the decisions you make when the number is under pressure.

In this solo episode, Bernadette McClelland breaks down a simple but confronting way to look at your future revenue differently — using a Past → Today → Future exercise you can do right along with her.

Grab a piece of paper before you press play.

This is Part 1 of a two-part series.

Today, it’s about the gap between where you are and where you’re trying to go.

Next week, Bernadette walks through the five leadership decisions that sit inside that gap.

If you’re a CEO or revenue leader who keeps managing the number instead of examining what’s actually creating it, this one’s for you.

WHAT WE COVER:

  • Why the number on your dashboard shows the outcome, not what created it
  • The Past → Today → Future exercise, and why every leadership decision is either creating something new or recreating something old
  • Why a revenue gap is often actually a leadership gap
  • The live exercise: name one commercial result you need in 90 days, your past response under pressure, and the decision you’re making today that could recreate it
  • Why the decisions that got you into sales leadership aren’t the ones that make you successful through other people
  • A first look at the five decisions coming in Part 2 Send Bernadette a message on LinkedIn — just tell her: “The decision I circled was…”

This episode is built on the premise behind Bernadette’s new book, ‘Sales ≠ Revenue: The Five Leadership Decisions That Do’, out October 14. Get on the list:

bernadettemcclelland.com/booklist

WANT TO GO DEEPER ON DECISIONS THAT DRIVE REVENUE?

Then stop guessing and take advantage of this opportunity to access your personalised Missing Revenue Radar 👉 salesleaderofinfluence.com

Episode Overview

  • 0:00 — Intro: framing today’s AI conversation
  • 3:30 — Welcome to Holly Shipley
  • 5:00 — Holly’s early days at Google
  • 9:00 — Moving to Texas Instruments and learning the hardware side of AI
  • 13:00 — Why AI made instant sense once ChatGPT arrived; becoming TI’s internal AI advisor
  • 17:00 — Strategic AI decisions vs. FOMO
  • 21:00 — The three-step framework: people prep, data prep, use case prep
  • 29:00 — The washing machine principle and the tool audit
  • 31:00 — Cybersecurity: personal accounts vs. enterprise licenses
  • 33:00 — The OpenAI AI-agent story
  • 39:00 — The psychological risk of treating AI like a friend
  • 45:00 — Bernadette’s “AND/BUT” technique, and one thing to do tomorrow
  • 48:00 — Where to find Holly + rapid fire
  • 50:20 — Wrap-up: thanks to Holly, subscribe and share, where to find Bernadette

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Whether it’s speaking, advisory or the Accelerator, reach out directly and she’ll get back to you.