E1B2 the Podcast with Anthony Vaughan

In this sharp, soul-baring episode of The E1B2 Collective Podcast, AJ cracks open a question that haunts boardrooms and investor decks alike: who actually deserves the seat at the head of Sales, Product, or Marketing in 2025?This isn't your standard leadership debate. AJ dives deep into the pivotal, behind-the-scenes decisions that define whether a company scales, stalls, or sells its soul. From Series B startups clawing toward survival, to pre-IPO behemoths managing time zones and politics—he explores why leadership readiness isn't about tenure or legacy, but about agility, research-mindedness, and cultural resonance in this exact moment in time.He challenges old hiring mindsets, demands a refresh in how HR and exec teams define "readiness," and outlines what to look for in a leader when the weeds are thick, the stakes are sky-high, and the pace of change is blistering.If you're building a leadership bench for now—not nostalgia—this one’s for you.Ask ChatGPT

In this unfiltered episode of The E1B2 Collective, I talk about something too many revenue leaders miss: career mapping for AEs who don’t fit the traditional mold. Not every seller is a closer—but that doesn’t mean they aren’t valuable. Some build trust. Some extend customer lifetime value. Some become the bridge to new markets, new partners, and long-term growth.I’ve seen too many talented AEs mismanaged, undervalued, and pushed out because they didn’t meet a narrow definition of success. This episode is a call to rethink how we design sales orgs—with learning academies, better mentorship, and room for real human contribution beyond the number.

In this freestyle riff from the Culture Over Quota series, AJ gets deep on two overlooked truths in modern sales orgs: span of control and change readiness. How many AEs can a leader actually lead well? And when new markets, products, or pivots hit the roadmap—are your people built to bend or break? AJ explores the hidden impact of ego, strategy fatigue, and team misdesign. Drawing from real-world scars, he shares how to spot when your team was built for phase two, not from the mud, and why org design and leadership development must move in lockstep with go-to-market ambition.If you lead with heart, data, and the nerve to challenge the norm—this one’s for you.

In this top-tier episode of The E1B2 Collective Podcast, AJ Vaughan sits down with Alex Cawthon a Director of Learning and Development - for a deeply reflective and practical conversation that shatters traditional silos between L&D and sales.This isn’t your standard HR chat. Together, they unpack the often-overlooked relationship between psychological safety, adult learning theory, parenting parallels, and performance gaps within sales teams. From talent pipelines and onboarding playbooks to emotional intelligence in hiring and high-performer replication, this conversation flips the script on what it means to truly enable a sales org.Alex doesn’t just share frameworks—she offers a masterclass in practical empathy, performance diagnosis, and how to operationalize human-first sales enablement in high-growth, high-pressure environments.Whether you're a CHRO, Head of Sales, L&D leader, or startup founder scaling a sales team from six to sixty, this episode is a blueprint for building human-centered sa

In this episode of The E1B2 Collective Podcast, AJ Vaughan unpacks a provocative insight sparked by a recent listen to The Ready Podcast: why do we expect the same average teams—who’ve struggled to innovate for years—to suddenly spark change just by “collaborating more”? He explores the seductive myth of internal DIY transformation, the overlooked power of psychological safety, and the real reason your team might be stuck in the mud.AJ challenges HR leaders and executives to rethink how they budget for capability-building—not just execution. He dives deep into the ROI of bringing in external experts, not to replace internal teams, but to level them up, build muscle, and transfer mindsets that actually stick. This one’s for the CHROs, L&D leads, and People Ops innovators tired of spinning in circles with “collaborative mediocrity.”Stop doing more of the same and expecting better. Let's talk about what real change takes.

In this raw, unscripted drive-home monologue, Anthony Vaughan pulls no punches. He dives headfirst into the recent noise around DEI layoffs, SHRM headlines, and the hollow punditry flooding the space—then flips the script. This episode makes one thing brutally clear: DEI was never meant to be a siloed initiative. It's not a program. It’s not a campaign. It’s a capability—one that should be embedded across every revenue-driving, decision-making, culture-defining system in your org.From Fortune 50 boardrooms to the language in your job descriptions, Anthony makes the business case for integrating DEI the same way we talk about learning, change management, and leadership development. He calls out the structural mistake organizations made over the last 20 years—and what needs to shift if we want lasting impact.If you’re a leader asking, “What now?” this is your wake-up call. This is not about optics. It’s about operational power.Listen. Reflect. And rebuild with intention.

In this soul-stirring episode of The E1B2 Collective Podcast, we sit down with Dominique Lelonek—a rare kind of leader who doesn’t just manage immigration… she humanizes it.Dominique, named one of the Top 250 Women in Global Mobility, brings a profound mix of operational brilliance and deep empathy to every conversation. She sees what most miss: the emotions beneath the paperwork, the humans behind the process, and the opportunity to design not just compliance—but belonging.Together, we explore:– What it truly means to put the human back in immigration– How immigration, when done right, becomes a trust-building ritual– The unspoken milestones in every foreign national’s journey– Why empathy isn’t just a soft skill—it’s a strategic advantage– And how HR, legal, and leadership must reimagine their roles in that journeyDominique challenges us to replace checklists with connection. To view immigration not as a task to complete, but as a moment to honor. Her wisdom will shift how you think, lead, and show up for t

AJ hits record midstream in a passionate convo about what it really takes to activate culture—not just talk about it. He challenges the empty rituals of readout meetings and culture decks by laying down a blueprint for behavior change: empathetic breakout rooms, team-led problem solving, skill-sharing, and deliverables that actually mean something. Drawing inspiration from Remember the Titans and the frameworks of Keith Ferrazzi, this episode explores how to mandate collaboration in a way that doesn’t stifle spirit, but creates it.This isn’t feel-good fluff—it’s how to make culture operational, measurable, and lived.

What if your next hire wasn’t just a marketer or a PM, but a force multiplier—a Swiss Army knife of capability that moves across product, brand, partnerships, and people ops with fluidity and impact?In this episode, AJ introduces the concept of the Superworker: a cross-functional operator who thrives in 6–12 month sprints across multiple departments, injecting momentum where it matters most. Drawing inspiration from startup sprints and the versatility of leaders like Hendrik, he unpacks what it looks like when talent transcends job titles—and how companies can intentionally recruit and deploy these dynamic difference-makers.This one’s for execs, founders, and hiring managers ready to rethink role design, scale smart, and inject high-leverage talent into every corner of their org.

In this episode of The E1B2 Collective, I confront a quiet fear that’s been growing louder—what happens when the middle tier of management stalls out? I’m talking about that critical layer between individual contributors and senior leadership—managers to directors—the ones tasked with execution, but rarely trained for transformation.We explore what it means to not just get the work done, but to understand how it gets done—and more importantly, how it feels to get it done. It’s one thing to hit deliverables; it’s another to read the room, decode team dynamics, and lead with emotional fluency. This isn’t about soft skills—it’s about strategic humanity.If your org is scaling, shifting, or struggling with culture drift… chances are, the bottleneck isn’t at the top. It’s in the middle. Let’s unpack it.

In this unscripted firestorm of a rant, AJ Vaughan channels the spirit of Gary Vee to challenge the fractured foundation of HR Tech sales. Inspired by Gary's unapologetic views on undervalued channels and outdated structures, AJ draws a bold parallel to the misalignment running rampant between sales, marketing, finance, product, and leadership teams in the HR tech world.He unpacks the disconnect between headcount and revenue goals, comp plans and psychological safety, expectations and enablement. It’s not about tearing down the system—it’s about rebuilding it with alignment, data, empathy, and a little bit of common sense.This is for the CRO who’s tired of spinning wheels. For the CEO who keeps hiring and firing AEs like chess pieces. For the HR Tech vendor who wants to win without selling their soul. It’s Culture Over Quota, every damn time.Key themes:Sales compensation vs. human psychologyThe hidden costs of misalignmentWhat leadership actually owes AEsHumanizing the vendor-HR relationshipReimagining GT

In today's episode we are getting into the real leadership meta. Because here's the truth: the best sales, product, and marketing leaders aren’t just experts—they’re curious, self-aware, and decisive as hell.We break down the trifecta:Why curiosity fuels customer obsession and uncovers game-changing insightsHow self-awareness prevents ego-driven decisions that derail teamsAnd why speed in decision-making separates the winners from the wasted budgetThis is about the culture behind the quota. No buzzwords. No fluff. Just a raw look at what it actually takes to lead high-growth teams in real-time—with stakes, ambiguity, and pressure in the mix.If you’re leading a go-to-market team and you're still stuck in the “what should we do?” loop—you need this episode in your bloodstream. Yesterday.

This one’s a rant with receipts.We’re breaking down why putting employees first isn’t some soft HR pipedream—it’s a hard business advantage. From retention and innovation to resilience and revenue, this episode unpacks the brutal truth: if you treat your people like widgets, they’ll give you just enough to not get fired. But if you lead with empathy, context, and purpose—they'll build a damn empire with you.I’ll break down real ROI:Why psychological safety beats ping pong tablesHow trust outpaces micromanagement in performance metricsWhat happens to revenue when your team stops quiet quitting and starts giving a damnAnd I’m coming for every exec who still thinks culture is a “nice-to-have.”This is E1B2—Employees First, Business Second—and this episode is your wake-up call. You want performance? You want profit? You better start by earning your people’s belief.

In this episode, we explore how to strategically use ChatGPT—not just as a productivity hack, but as a thinking partner that helps you think faster, bigger, and wider. Whether you’re leading a team or building within one, we'll unpack how this tool can expand your problem-solving lens, elevate your collaborative spirit, and make you a more helpful, aligned teammate.We also zoom out to reflect on something deeper: the power of self-awareness, team alignment, and the quiet discipline of pursuing progress every week. Because when growth becomes a habit—not a headline—only good can come of it.Big gratitude to our listeners for riding alongside us in this journey. This one’s for the thinkers, builders, helpers, and leaders leaning into the future with curiosity and courage.

In this episode, AJ breaks down a quietly seismic shift: tech professionals using ChatGPT more than Google. What does that mean for how we find information, make decisions, and structure workflows? AJ shares why the implications go far beyond ad revenue — this is about trust, utility, and attention.He then pivots to a bigger theme: alignment. Not in the fluffy, buzzword sense — but in the real, operational sense. Too many teams are building systems, content, and playbooks around segmented, disconnected trends. AJ calls out the risk of chasing shiny objects without a foundation rooted in core truths: current industry behaviors, buyer patterns, and shared language.This is your reminder: don’t just optimize for today. Align for what’s actually happening, and what’s coming.

Early attrition. Missed quotas. Pipeline black holes. In this episode, we expose the hidden revenue killers lurking in your sales org—starting with bad onboarding. Anthony Vaughan breaks down why onboarding isn’t an HR function—it’s a frontline revenue strategy. Learn how to reframe ramp time, quantify opportunity cost, and make the case for treating employee experience as your next growth lever. If you’re still calling onboarding a “nice to have,” this episode will change your tune—or your top line.

You’re scaling fast- 40% headcount growth year over year, systems flying in from every direction.But inside?Sales is misfiring.Product is bogged down.Marketing is out ahead of a culture that hasn’t caught up.That’s not just a growing pain.That’s what happens when you scale without someone architecting the experience of execution.In this episode, I introduce the Chief Performance Culture Officer—a C-suite role built for companies in the messy middle of scale.Not HR. Not enablement.This is the person who owns the connective tissue between trust, clarity, and commercial performance—across Sales, Product, and Marketing.If you’re feeling the drag of headcount outpacing alignment, this is the blueprint to scale without losing your core.

In this episode of Culture & Quota, we get brutally honest about what happens when psychological safety issues fester inside your sales and product orgs. We walk you through a practical, no-BS process: how to first admit the problem, measure the financial and productivity drag it causes, and finally—how to decide when and how leadership will address it.We’ll break down:Early warning signs from your AE floor and product sprintsHow to quantify the hidden cost of fear-based silenceInternal audit strategies to surface what's not being saidTiming and frameworks for executive interventionProven tactics to rebuild safety without fluff—think trust contracts, fail-forward systems, and leadership modeling vulnerabilityThis one's for CROs, CPOs, Heads of People, and founders who know culture isn’t just vibes—it’s velocity.

In this episode of E1B2 , we dismantle the outdated, spreadsheet-driven approach to workforce planning and rebuild it around what really matters: the humans doing the work. We explore how great companies don’t just forecast headcount — they forecast humanity. You’ll hear why workforce planning should be rooted in life stages, skill evolutions, and emotional truths — not just business cycles and budgets. We’ll unpack how shifting this lens creates more resilient teams, more trust-filled cultures, and ultimately, better business results. This is for the CHROs, Heads of People, and operators ready to plan for people, not just positions.If you believe long-term success starts with understanding the humans who build it, this one's for you.

In this episode, we expose the messy, human side of HR tech buying—from emotional triggers and budget showdowns to timing misfires and turf wars. If you’ve ever pitched a “game-changing” tool and hit a wall, this one's for you. We unpack the friction, the fear, and what it really takes to get buy-in.