Nobel Podcast

5 SPICED lessons that changed how Diederik leads Sales Teams

In this episode of the Nobel Podcast, Vladan sits down with Diederik Smit, Head of Sales at Temper, to discuss the key differences between platform sales and software sales, how to sell a vision instead of just features and what it takes to build a scalable, high-performing sales organization.
Diederik shares how his team won the SPICED Award for Growth Acceleration, how he implemented the Winning by Design SPICED methodology across sales, customer success and marketing. And why full-cycle Account Executives (AEs) outperform traditional SDR/AE setups.He also dives into hiring strategies, coaching principles and explains why (contrary to popular opinion) outbound is definitely not dead.
Enjoy our brand new episode! 

Key ingredients for building scalable sales engines

Building Scalable Sales Engines with Richard Schenzel from Atscale In this episode, we dive deep into the future of sales with Richard, founder of Atscale. Together, we explore how BDRs (Business Development Representatives), AI, and scalable sales systems will evolve in the coming years.
Richard shares his experience helping VC and PE-backed companies build high-performing sales organizations, conduct commercial due diligence, and develop sales rep excellence. We discuss:🔥 Will AI replace BDRs — or just the bad ones?🚀 What makes a sales engine truly scalable🧩 How to break down silos between marketing, sales, and CS👥 Why first-time sales managers need leadership training⚙️ The balance between hiring fast and hiring right🤖 How to use AI tools without breaking your sales process🎧 Plus: practical frameworks for hiring, onboarding, and coaching sales teams
If you're a founder, sales leader, or investor looking to understand what separates top-performing commercial teams from the rest, this episode is packed with insights you can apply right away.
#SalesLeadership #BDR #GoToMarket #RevenueOperations #SalesPodcast #StartupGrowth #SaaS
 

From SDR to VP of Sales: Rehman Abdur’s 6 Promotions in 5 Years

In this episode, we sit down with Rehman Abdur, co-founder at Saber and a sales veteran with over 15 years of experience across the globe. From Bahrain and Berlin to Amsterdam and Bucharest. Rehman was one of the first sales reps at MessageBird, climbed the ladder with six promotions in five years, and eventually became VP of Sales for EMEA before founding his own company, Saber a sales intelligence platform helping reps close more strategic deals.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Rehman’s journey from SDR to VP of Sales and what it really takes to get there.
The mindset shift that separates average reps from top performers (“Your quota is the floor, not the ceiling.”)
Why math, mentorship, and mindset are the three cornerstones of sales success.
How to transition from top performer to effective sales leader and why hunger beats pedigree.
How to spot true drive when hiring sales talent (and why Rehman interviews over WhatsApp!).
The story behind founding Saber and how salespeople can use buying signals to find better leads.
His #1 tip for outbound sales in 2025: stand out by doing deep research, connecting the dots, and personalizing your outreach.
Why the best sellers are also content creators, crafting personalized decks, videos, or messages that truly resonate.
Whether you’re an aspiring AE, a sales leader, or a founder building your GTM motion this conversation is packed with actionable insights on sales excellence, leadership, and authenticity.
Chapters00:00 Intro. Welcome to The Noble Podcast01:30 Rehman’s global sales journey05:00 From SDR to VP of Sales at MessageBird09:20 The mindset of top performers15:00 How to find mentors and do “sales math”20:40 Learning leadership the hard way27:10 Hiring for hunger, not logos35:00 Founding Saber and the power of sales signals43:00 Outbound sales strategy for 202552:00 The future of sales and content-driven outreach#SalesPodcast #SalesLeadership #OutboundSales #SaaS #MessageBird #SalesCareer #StartupLife #SalesStrategy #TheNoblePodcast #recruitment

From Sales Leader to Startup Founder; Thijs Visser's learnings on building Cruit’s Sales Engine

In this episode of the Nobel Podcast Vladan speaks to Thijs Visser, sales leader and co-founder of Cruit, one of the Netherlands’ most promising recruitment tech startups. Thijs shares his journey from sales leadership to entrepreneurship, insights on referral hiring, and tips for building a successful sales team. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction & Guest Background 00:27 - The Story Behind Cruit01:46 - Thijs’ Journey: From Sales Leader to Co-Founder 03:09 - Meeting the Co-Founders & Launching Cruit04:25 - Taking the Leap: Risks & Rewards 05:24 - Landing the First Client & Early Challenges 07:12 - Selling to Large Enterprises as a Startup 08:23 - Remote Sales Success & Online Selling 09:02 - Sales Motion: Outbound vs. Inbound 09:44 - Standing Out in the Age of Automation 10:01 - Vertical Selling & Webinars 10:37 - What Makes a Great BDR? 11:19 - Training, Onboarding & Team Building 18:15 - Closing Thoughts & Outro If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, and follow for more inspiring conversations!

Patrick on Scaling Docker’s Sales Team from 5 to 70 FTEs in EMEA

In this episode of the Nobel Podcast, we welcome Patrick Wittenberg, VP of Sales for EMEA & APAC at Docker. With nearly two decades of sales experience at leading tech companies, Patrick shares his journey of scaling Docker’s commercial team from just 5 to 70 FTEs and driving revenue growth across international markets.
Patrick opens up about:
Building and leading high-performing global sales teams
How Docker became the de facto standard for containerization
Balancing strategic vision with day-to-day sales leadership
The importance of culture, trust, and curiosity in sales success
Lessons learned from hitting and missing ambitious quotas
The impact of AI on developers, sales models, and the future of Docker
This conversation is packed with insights for sales leaders, founders, and anyone interested in scaling teams, managing growth, and navigating the challenges of global sales.

How Sandra is acing the execution of Deel's partnerships strategy in Europe (200%+ quota attainment)

What does a Partnership Manager really do? 🎙️ In this episode, Sandra Mittica, Partnerships Nordics, Benelux & Strategic Alliances at Deel, shares her journey, explains different partnership types, and reveals how she hit 258% of her quota while managing multiple regions. A must-listen for anyone in sales, partnerships, or business development.
In this episode, we talk with Sandra Mittica, Partnerships Manager at Deel, about her inspiring career journey. From the creative industry and Angry Birds 🎮 to becoming one of the top-performing leaders in partnerships and business development.
Sandra explains what a Partnership Manager really does and breaks down the differences between channel sales, affiliate marketing, resellers, integration partnerships, and strategic alliances. She also shares how she hit 258% quota attainment, expanded into multiple regions, and built strong partner ecosystems that drive revenue growth.
If you’re curious about sales enablement, indirect sales, partnership strategy, or careers in partnerships, this episode is packed with insights you can apply right away.
👉 Follow the podcast for more conversations on sales leadership, partnership growth, and business development strategies.
 

In the spotlight: Billy Grace - one of the fastest growing A.I./SaaS companies in NL

Discover how Billy Grace is using AI to transform marketing, freeing creatives from data overload and giving them the space to focus on what truly matters.In this episode of the Nobel Podcast, we sit down with Mitch Voskuilen, CEO and founder of Billy Grace. Billy Grace is a fast-growing scale-up that has built an AI-driven marketing platform with a clear mission: to free marketers from endless data and give them back the space for creativity.
Mitch shares how his career in digital marketing and recruitment led to the idea for Billy Grace. He explains how the platform tackles two of the biggest challenges in the industry: automating complex data tasks and independently measuring the effectiveness of campaigns. The result is that marketers not only gain back valuable time but also get a clear and honest picture of how their budgets perform across channels such as Google, Meta, and TikTok.
We also dive into the growth journey of Billy Grace, from the early building phase in 2020 to the official launch in 2022 and the impressive scaling that followed. Today the company has more than 40 employees, partners with agencies across the Benelux, Germany, the UK, and even the US, and is on a mission to expand further into Europe.
What makes this conversation especially valuable is Mitch’s vision for the future of marketing. He believes AI can take over the complexity of data so that marketers can return to their creative roots. We also discuss why agencies play a central role in Billy Grace’s strategy and what makes the company such an exciting place to work.
Whether you are a marketer curious about the impact of AI, an entrepreneur building your own business, or simply someone interested in the evolution of marketing technology, this episode offers fresh insights into one of Europe’s most promising scale-ups.

How Koen successfully expanded Personio's business in Benelux as a regional leader

In this episode of the Noble Podcast, we welcome Koen Stam, one of the most energetic and inspiring sales leaders in the SaaS industry. From growing up in an entrepreneurial family business, to founding his own SaaS startup in 2015, to taking on leadership roles at Teamleader, 24sessions (later acquired by MessageBird), and now Personio, Koen has built an outstanding track record in scaling SaaS companies, driving revenue growth, and leading high-performing teams.
Today, Koen is Head of Benelux at Personio, an ambassador for Winning by Design and Trumpet, chapter lead at Pavilion, and the founder of GTMOS, where he helps SaaS companies scale to 50M ARR. He is also a proud father of two, balancing personal and professional life while continuing to inspire the next generation of sales leaders.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
How Koen transitioned from individual contributor to sales leadership, and why spreading energy and knowledge drives bigger impact.
Insights into his role at Personio, managing sales, marketing, partnerships, customer success, and operations across the Benelux.
Why cross-functional leadership is critical in today’s AI-driven SaaS market and how to align teams around the customer, not departments.
Proven lessons on hiring, retention, and career development—including why Personio’s top performers often started as SDRs.
The six pillars of great sales leadership: strategic vision, operational excellence, collaboration, hiring & retention, motivating teams, and coaching for performance.
How to design fair and motivating compensation plans, set realistic quotas, and create transparent career frameworks.
Practical frameworks for sales coaching and performance management that turn training into measurable growth.
Koen shares candid stories of mistakes, lessons learned, and strategies that any sales leader, SaaS founder, or GTM strategist can apply immediately. From setting up satellite offices in new markets, to leveraging local partnerships, to balancing short-term execution with long term scalability, this conversation is full of actionable advice.
Whether you’re a sales manager aiming to inspire your team, a SaaS entrepreneur scaling internationally, or a professional looking to build a career in sales leadership, this episode will give you both inspiration and concrete tactics to succeed.

Lessons on how to sell successfully into the DACH region

In this episode Nobel founder Vladan Soldat interviews Fabian Bacher on everything there is to know about selling into the DACH region. 

How Mees books over 100 meetings as a BDR in 1 month

In this episode Nobel founder Vladan Soldat interviews Mees Koning on how he is crushing it as a BDR.