Sales Trajectory Podcast

Sales Leadership, Growth Strategies & Industry Insights. The show for leaders, sales managers, and professionals who want to launch innovative products , accelerate growth , and build high-performance sales teams. We dive deep into sales training, cutting-edge sales technology and recruiting sales hunters. Hosted by Jason Howes , each episode delivers real stories, proven strategies, and expert insights to help you succeed in today’s challenging sales landscape. Got a new product, or one that's struggling to gain traction, reach out to be a guest.

Sales Trajectory Podcast is a business podcast hosted by Jason Howes, with 25 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Jason Howes hosts Sales Trajectory Podcast, a business show with 25 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #20

  Meet Violette Bouvier | Why Systems, Data and Process Matter More Than Ever

  Aug 13, 202628 minS2

  In this episode of the Sales Trajectory Podcast, Jason Howes sits down with Arrow Executive Sales' newest team member, Violette Bouvier , an experienced ICT Business Analyst, CRM specialist, and operational transformation professional. Originally from France and now based in Australia, Violette shares her journey from working across CRM, ERP, and business transformation projects in Europe to helping Australian businesses improve performance through better systems, processes, and technology adoption. The conversation explores the growing challenges facing business leaders today, including talent shortages, increasing costs, sales productivity, onboarding, and the struggle many organisations face when implementing new technology. Drawing on over a decade of experience, Violette explains why technology alone is never the answer. Success comes from combining the right people, clear processes, strong leadership, and systems that support execution . She discusses the importance of customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, data quality, onboarding, user adoption, and why so many technology projects fail when teams aren't properly supported through change. Violette also shares insights into the differences between French and Australian business culture, highlighting Australia's fast-moving market and the importance of balancing agility with structured processes. Together, Jason and Violette discuss: ✔ Why many businesses struggle to gain value from their CRM systems ✔ The biggest mistakes organisations make during system implementation ✔ How strong processes improve onboarding, retention, and productivity ✔ Why leaders need visibility into their sales activities and data ✔ The role of technology in helping businesses do more with less ✔ The importance of aligning sales, marketing, and operational teams ✔ How experienced employees can help capture critical business knowledge before it is lost This episode also introduces the vision behind Arrow's work in sales transformation, helping businesses create scalable systems that combine recruitment, onboarding, coaching, technology, and best-practice sales execution. Whether you're a business owner, sales leader, operations manager, or someone responsible for driving growth, this episode provides practical insights into building a business that is less dependent on individuals and more driven by process, visibility, and continuous improvement. Key Takeaway: Technology doesn't create results on its own. Sustainable growth happens when organisations combine the right people with the right systems, clear processes, quality data, and leaders who are willing to drive change. We greatly appreciate any feedback

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  Episode #19

  Episode 3 with HR Tactics: Protect Your Recruitment Investment: The Onboarding Framework That Drives Retention, Performance and Growth

  Jul 30, 202643 minS2

  In Episode 3 of the Sales Trajectory Podcast series on aligning HR and sales, Jason Howes and Jackie Strachan discuss why onboarding is one of the most critical and overlooked parts of the hiring process. They explain that recruiting the right person is only the beginning. Without a structured onboarding process, businesses risk poor performance, low engagement, cultural misalignment, early turnover, and a significant loss on their recruitment investment. Jackie shares research showing that onboarding starts well before day one and plays a major role in long-term retention and productivity. The discussion covers practical strategies including pre-boarding, onboarding checklists, role clarity, coaching, cultural integration, shadowing opportunities, and leadership involvement throughout probation. Jason also highlights the importance of giving salespeople clear expectations, customer insights, performance measures, and ongoing support to help them succeed. The key message from this episode is simple: hiring the right person matters, but creating the environment for them to succeed matters just as much. Businesses that combine strong recruitment, structured onboarding, leadership support, and a positive culture achieve higher retention, better performance, and a lasting competitive advantage. About Our Guest CEO & Founder | HR Tactics Jackie Strachan and her HR Tactics team are highly experienced HR professionals who help Australian businesses build stronger, more compliant, and higher-performing workplaces. Through HR Tactics, Jackie supports organisations with HR strategy & advice, Fair Work & WHS compliance, employment contracts, policies, position descriptions, recruitment processes, performance management, leadership support, employee relations and employment law. Website: https://hrtactics.com.au Email: jackie@hrtactics.com.au LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-strachan-0005011a/ About the Host Managing Director | Arrow Executive Sales Jason Howes is a highly experienced sales leader, recruiter, and business growth specialist who helps Australian businesses attract, recruit, and retain high-performing sales professionals. Through Arrow Executive Sales and his Crystal Ball Recruiting framework, Jason supports organisations with sales recruitment, candidate assessment, onboarding, sales team development, sales process improvement, training, and sales transformation strategies designed to accelerate growth and improve performance. Website: https://arrowexec.com.au | https://jasonhowes.com.au/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-howes-arrowesc/ We greatly appreciate any feedback

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  Episode #19

  The Right People. The Right Roles. Predictable Growth.

  Jul 18, 202618 minS2

  Many businesses today don't have just a people problem. They have a people and clarity problem. In a rapidly changing market, organisations are often trying to achieve tomorrow's growth opportunities with yesterday's structures. The wrong people in critical roles can certainly hold a business back. But equally, good people can underperform when expectations are unclear, roles are poorly defined, processes are inconsistent, and success isn't properly measured. The challenge for leaders is knowing the difference. Is it a people issue, a role issue, a leadership issue, or a combination of all three? Because when the right people are placed in clearly defined roles, supported by the right systems, technology and accountability, performance becomes far more predictable. Episode Summary Jason Howes explores one of the most overlooked drivers of business growth: clearly defining the role. Drawing on Chapter 3 of Crystal Ball Recruiting , Jason challenges business leaders to rethink whether underperformance is truly a people problem, or whether the real issue lies in unclear expectations, outdated structures, and poorly defined responsibilities. As markets evolve, customer buying behaviour changes, and technology continues to accelerate through AI and automation, many organisations are still operating with sales structures designed for a different era. The result is predictable: Business Development Managers become customer service representatives, Sales Managers become firefighters, and CEOs find themselves spending too much time managing sales activity instead of leading the business. Through real-world examples, Jason explains how people naturally gravitate towards activities they are comfortable with when roles lack clarity. He shares the story of a client whose BDMs were spending most of their time handling administration and incoming enquiries instead of developing new business, highlighting the gap between job titles and actual behaviours. The episode also explores how forward-thinking organisations are redesigning roles to support growth, including the introduction of Sales Development Representative (SDR) positions focused exclusively on prospecting, pipeline creation and opening new opportunities. By creating clear accountability and removing distractions, businesses are finding it easier to measure performance, improve productivity and generate sustainable growth. Jason discusses the importance of defining role expectations around daily activities, customer engagement, new business development, pipeline creation and leading KPIs. He also explains why technology, CRM systems, AI and automation are no longer optional and how leaders must help their teams embrace change rather than resist it. Looking ahead to the opportunities being created by Brisbane 2032 and the significant growth expected across infrastructure, manufacturing, construction, technology and professional services, Jason argues that the organisations that succeed won't necessarily be the biggest, they'll be the clearest. This episode is a practical guide for business owners, CEOs, Sales Leaders and HR professionals who want to improve performance, create accountability, maximise productivity and build teams capable of capitalising on future growth opportunities. Key Takeaway Growth becomes predictable when the right people are doing the right activities in clearly defined roles, supported by the right systems, technology and leadership. Because role definition isn't simply about writing a position description. It's about creating clarity, accountability, career pathways and a framework that helps people succeed. ️ Listen now to discover why your next breakthrough may not come from hiring more people, but from creating greater clarity around the people you already have.

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  Episode #18

  Episode 2 of 3: Selecting the Right Person and Reducing Hiring Risk

  Jul 7, 202625 minS2

  Host: Jason Howes, Arrow Executive Sales Guest: Jackie Strachan, CEO, HR Tactics In Episode 2 of the three-part recruitment and retention series, Jason Howes is joined by Jackie Strachan, CEO of HR Tactics, to explore one of the most costly and critical challenges facing Australian businesses today: selecting the right person and reducing hiring risk. Building on Episode 1, which focused on defining the role and creating clarity, this discussion dives into the selection process itself. Jason and Jackie unpack why too many hiring decisions are still being made based on gut feel, industry experience, or whether someone simply "feels right" in an interview. The conversation highlights the importance of moving beyond resumes and focusing on what really predicts future success: past performance, behaviours, mindset, personal qualities, and cultural alignment. Key Discussion Points ✅ Why clear and current position descriptions are the foundation of successful recruitment. ✅ The difference between skills that can be taught and personal qualities that are much harder to change. ✅ Why businesses should stop searching for the "perfect unicorn" candidate and instead focus on developing the strengths of strong performers. ✅ How behavioural interviewing helps uncover past performance and conduct. ✅ The role of reference checking, assessments, and structured interview processes in reducing hiring mistakes. ✅ Why sales leaders and HR professionals must work together to ensure hiring decisions align with business goals. ✅ The hidden cost of slow decision-making during recruitment and how top candidates are often lost through delays. ✅ Why candidates are evaluating employers just as much as employers are evaluating candidates. ✅ Real-world examples of recruitment successes, mistakes, and lessons learned. ✅ The financial impact of poor hiring decisions and the importance of building a repeatable, structured recruitment process. Key Takeaway Great recruitment is not about filling seats. It's about aligning the right person with the right role, the right expectations, and the right environment for long-term success. As Jackie shares throughout the episode: "The best predictor of future performance and conduct is past performance and conduct." When recruitment is approached strategically, businesses improve performance, increase retention, reduce costly hiring mistakes, and create a stronger foundation for growth. Coming Up in Episode 3 Jason and Jackie will discuss: Onboarding and Aligning Culture to Drive Performance and Retention This episode explores why onboarding starts long before a new employee's first day and how culture, preparation, leadership, and employee experience all contribute to long-term success. About Our Guest Jackie Strachan CEO & Founder | HR Tactics Jackie Strachan is a highly experienced HR professional and business leader who helps Australian businesses build stronger, more compliant, and higher-performing workplaces. Through HR Tactics, Jackie supports organisations with HR strategy & advice, Fair Work & WHS compliance, employment contracts, policies, position descriptions, recruitment processes, performance management, leadership support, and employee relations. Website: https://hrtactics.com.au Email: jackie@hrtactics.com.au LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-strachan-0005011a/ About the Host Jason Howes Managing Director | Arrow Executive Sales Jason Howes is a highly experienced sales leader, recruiter, and business growth specialist who helps Australian businesses attract, recruit, and retain high-performing sales professionals. Through Arrow Executive Sales and his Crystal Ball Recruiting framework, Jason supports organisations with sales recruitment, candidate assessment, onboarding, sales team development, sales process improvement, training, and sales transformation strategies designed to accelerate growth and improve performance. Website: https://arrowexec.com.au | https://jasonhowes.com.au/

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  Episode #17

  Making an ROI on Your Salespeople

  May 29, 202624 minS2

  Making an ROI on Your Salespeople (Chapter 2) Most businesses don’t actually know if their sales team is profitable. In this episode, Jason breaks down how to turn sales hiring and performance into a measurable ROI engine, so you can stop guessing and start making confident, high-impact decisions. What you’ll walk away with: Clarity on the true cost of a bad hire Understand how a wrong sales hire can cost $100K–$200K+ within 6–12 months—and how to avoid it. A framework to calculate ROI on every salesperson Learn how to apply 3x–5x return benchmarks and reverse-engineer compensation to drive profit, not just revenue. How to design incentive plans that actually drive performance Build clear, motivating structures that reward the right behaviours—new business, margin, and growth. A more effective way to hire (beyond gut feel) Replace instinct with data and assessment so you don’t hire based on experience alone and repeat costly mistakes. How to fix underperformance before replacing people Identify whether the issue is the person, the role, or the system—and take the right action. What high-performing sales teams do differently Clear role definitions, aligned targets, structured onboarding, and consistent coaching. The bottom line: Sales success isn’t about hiring more people, it’s about building a system where every salesperson earns their right to deliver a return . CTA: If you’re unsure whether your sales team is delivering ROI, or want a clear framework to improve it, connect with Jason or explore the Sales Trajectory approach.

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