In this episode, we sit down with Stuart Watson to explore his career in sales, leadership, and operations. Stuart shares insights from his early days at an e-commerce startup, followed by a successful tenure at Glassdoor, where he was part of the team that helped scale the company from 100 to 900 employees. He also touches on his experience working abroad as a player-coach and how these roles helped shape his transition into more technical sales positions at companies like New Relic.

Stuart reflects on a pivotal moment in his career when he realized he was at the top of a small, localized field as a Global VP of Sales Development. With a title held by only 42 other professionals in the English-speaking world, he took a step back to reassess his career trajectory. His observations on how traditional marketing tactics, like the Gartner Waterfall method, began to break down in the years leading up to 2020, are particularly relevant for today's listeners. He discusses how sales automation and the oversaturation of marketing emails made it difficult for businesses to stand out, compounded by the impact of COVID-19. Stuart shares how these realizations led him to transition into a new career path focused on operations.

We dive deep into the disconnect between sales and marketing functions within companies, a common issue Stuart has encountered throughout his career. He provides actionable advice on how businesses can bridge this gap, emphasizing the importance of direct customer interaction—picking up the phone, meeting clients in person, and actively listening to their needs. Stuart's approach combines both high-level strategic thinking and on-the-ground customer engagement, making his insights valuable for sales leaders and marketers alike.

Stuart also highlights the importance of human connection in an era where AI and automation play a growing role in sales and marketing. He touches on the potential of AI to handle large datasets and recognize patterns, while also cautioning against the dangers of over-relying on it for customer communication. Trust, he believes, is the most critical currency in business, and the human element remains essential to building and maintaining that trust.

As the conversation wraps up, Stuart gives a glimpse into what’s next at Spot AI, sharing how the company is integrating AI to optimize their video intelligence systems for clients in industries like car washes and warehousing. He explains how this technology helps businesses improve efficiency and reduce risk, providing real-world examples of its applications.

Listeners interested in connecting with Stuart can reach him via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuartstu/. If you’re looking for marketing or AI services, visit https://nextgengrowth.com for more information.