Board alignment is harder than ever. Budgets are tight, expectations are high, and every decision feels under a microscope.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Downey connects with John E. Lepto IV, CRO at Clear Go-To-Market, a buyer intelligence firm serving private equity-backed SaaS companies. With deep experience across sales, healthcare tech, and private equity ops, John shares how strategic clarity helps leaders earn trust in the boardroom even without a formal board himself.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How buyer intelligence builds credibility with executive stakeholders
• What boards actually want to hear from go-to-market leaders
• Why clarity is the antidote to boardroom anxiety

Things to listen for:
(00:00) Why we wanted to talk to John
(01:40) From lending to SaaS to PE-backed GTM
(02:20) What Clear Go-To-Market actually delivers
(03:00) Why win-loss is more than “why we lose”
(04:10) Why John bets on service, not SaaS
(05:20) The two converging shifts in PE and SaaS
(07:00) What trust really means in boardroom settings
(08:40) Bringing clarity to win-loss and GTM strategy
(10:15) How Clear helps clients validate or challenge assumptions
(11:30) One piece of advice for CROs walking into the boardroom

Straight to Voicemail is for CMOs, CEOs, and Heads of Marketing in B2B tech who want insights from the people who’ve been there. Each episode centers on one big question answered like a voicemail you’ll want to play again.

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

When your company outgrows its original narrative, how do you shift the story without losing your audience?

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey taps Josh Privett, Communications Strategist and Principal Copywriter at Mantra. Josh discusses what it really takes to evolve your message and earn trust in the process.

You’ll learn:

• Why clarity beats cleverness when it comes to brand trust
• How to know when it’s time to shift your story, and what happens when you wait too long
• A real-world case study of turning fear into record-breaking growth

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Why brand stories blur and how truth cuts through the noise

(00:57) Rebuilding trust by narrowing your message

(02:20) How a PT clinic won by owning their unique voice

(04:11) From “fix pain” to “better you” and a 77% growth spike

(05:21) Trusting your message is a business move

Straight to Voicemail is for CMOs, CEOs, and Heads of Marketing in B2B tech who want insights from the people who’ve been there. Each episode centers on one big question answered like a voicemail you’ll want to play again.

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

The key to credibility in sales? A business case your customer believes in.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts-Downey reaches out to Mike Genstil, Co-Founder and CEO of ValueCore. Mike talks about the disconnect between how sellers present ROI and how buyers perceive it, and offers a practical path to closing that gap with trust and transparency.

You’ll learn:

• Why proving ROI isn’t just about numbers, it’s about trust
• How to turn value storytelling into a sales advantage
• The biggest mistake companies make when trying to demonstrate impact

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to talk to Mike about ROI, trust, and real-world impact
(00:25) Introducing Mike Genstil of ValueCore
(00:51) How to prove ROI and win customer trust
(01:59) Why skipping “cost of the problem” is a missed opportunity
(03:25) Building trust by letting customers adjust assumptions
(04:49) The three essentials of delivering credible ROI conversations

Straight to Voicemail is for CMOs, CEOs, and Heads of Marketing in B2B tech who want insights from the people who’ve been there. Each episode centers on one big question answered like a voicemail you’ll want to play again.

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.